So what's in your garden this year?

[Jenise]

A few weeks ago I replanted my little 4 x 4 herb patch with: golden oregano, greek oregano, marjoram, sage, rosemary, and two types of thyme. The little patch is anchored by red gooseberry and two large copper green Alaskan glacier rocks (I am a good customer of Northstar Rock & Gravel).

Then this weekend I got busy in the rest of the space (which is a large enclosed courtyard on the north side of my house). In the raised vegetable bin which is 4 x 12, I planted five tomatoes (yellow brandywine, green zebra, an early bearer I've never seen before called 4th of July, something called Tomato Fantastico, and I can't remember the 5th), four chards (one each white, yellow, pink and red), a wide row of mesclun mix with extra red mustard, plus one each Italian parsley, lovage and purple shiso (also known as persille). Elsewhere I stuck a few chiles in and amongst the deciduous growth, and added the excellent Mexican herb yerba buena which tolerates partial shade to some potted Japanese maples. In another pot I planted four basil--two sweet, one thai and one opal. A half wine barrel now holds three Japanese eggplants and another is home to a blueberry bush which should enjoy being containered, a variety promised to have big berries that are "both intensely sweet and tangy". The other I had a choice of had smaller "mildly sweet" fruit--didn't sound nearly so interesting. Since blueberries grow so well in this climate, I'm surprised that so few people actually plant them. I've only ever seen them in one other yard.

[David M. Bueker]

Just our usual perrenial herbs. There are wild rabbits in the yard this year, so I'm not planting lettuce and other greens just for them to eat.

Our blueberry bushes have been producing the last 2-3 weeks and the fruit is terrif this year. Also several excellent artichokes have been consumed and the rest of the fruit and veggies coming on strong.

My only outdoor space is a patio, so everything is in a container. I have basil, thyme, chives, rosemary, tarragon and italian parsley.

I'm also trying lettuce this year. It looks pretty good.

[Robin Garr]

Mary has got our gardens in some kind of neighborhood garden tour this year, so she's spending all her time on flowers. But we've got our usual tomato patch (several Beefsteaks, a Mortgage Lifter (heirloom beefsteak) and Romas. A couple of green bean bushes. The asparagus bed popped up unusually early and is all over. Lettuces early, still some arugula hanging around, and a bumper crop of spinach that lasted much longer than usual because of a long cool spell. I think she put in a little okra. And our ongoing collection of perennial herbs - rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme, plus annual Italian parsley and basil. I think that's about it ...

[Jenise]

Our blueberry bushes have been producing the last 2-3 weeks and the fruit is terrif this year. Also several excellent artichokes have been consumed and the rest of the fruit and veggies coming on strong.

Blueberries in L.A.? That's new!

Our blueberry bushes have been producing the last 2-3 weeks and the fruit is terrif this year. Also several excellent artichokes have been consumed and the rest of the fruit and veggies coming on strong.

Blueberries in L.A.? That's new!

Jan says the blueberries are "Southern Highbush" that thrive in warmer climates and these have been growing the last 3 years.

I think I posted on the herbs a while back, so won't bore you with the list.

Of the fruit and veggies, the cherry tree is certainly lden with fruit, but the blackbirds are tucking their bibs in, so we may have a share-quota system to negotiate. The apple tree has a number of apples forming, but will have to thin the crop a little (youngish tree, so might struggle to hold the fruit).

The first alpine strawberry came off this week, with 2 more to come off ~ the weekend. We won't get many, but still good to have them. The other strawberry plants are the much-maligned (rightly so generally) Elsanta variety, yet they do turn out very sweet and juicy in the garden, so perhaps the variety isn't as bad as the usual commercial farming methods...

Quite a few pea plants, which must be about to flower.

Some broccoli at various stages of immaturity - a first time growing this, so quite intrigued by the changes to the plants as they grow.

Chard is now going to seed, as is last year's beetroot

Various types of lettuce on the go in pots - nice for a more interesting salad along with rocket and some of the herbs

Spring onion and leek still immature, but 1st time growing these so will have to see how they turn out

Zucchini also immature, nowehere near flowering yet.

A selection of 2nd year Nespole trees that started as a fun experiment (grown from stone), but hopefully I'll find some way to give them a chance to grow large enough. Gave some away to my Italian class last week. Also a young lemon tree which will die off come winter - again grown from seed.

A few potato plants looking quite healthy

A selection of tomato plants (mostly cuore di bue, but also a couple of plum tomato plants, possibly another variety - I don't recall)

3 tubs of carrots, two different varieties

Some more beetroot, a few onions, elephant garlic

Sounds like loads, but very few plants of each - a top up to normal veg buying, rather than anywhere near a substitute.

regards

Ian

For years we have had "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" plus basil if we can keep it alive. If we can't there is plenty at the local farm market.

THIS year I have planted Shiso seeds. This is an herb which is pretty much essential to Japanese cuisine. The suggested replacement is a mixture of basil and mint, which gives you an idea of how fresh and bright the leaves taste. For some reason, in English it is called "beefsteak" plant.

I planted kind of late -- it is very slow to germinate -- but at this point I am pampering ten seedlings.

The only other cuisine that uses Shiso is Korean, as far as I know. They call it "sesame leaf" or something and they use a somewhat different species.

[Jenise]

For years we have had "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" plus basil if we can keep it alive. If we can't there is plenty at the local farm market.

THIS year I have planted Shiso seeds. This is an herb which is pretty much essential to Japanese cuisine. The suggested replacement is a mixture of basil and mint, which gives you an idea of how fresh and bright the leaves taste. For some reason, in English it is called "beefsteak" plant.

I planted kind of late -- it is very slow to germinate -- but at this point I am pampering ten seedlings.

The only other cuisine that uses Shiso is Korean, as far as I know. They call it "sesame leaf" or something and they use a somewhat different species.

So does Vietnamese. And yet another name for it is persille. It's wonderful in salads. I'm growing the purple leaf, which I prefer to the green if I can only have one (and where I bought mine, they only had one plant of either color so I felt lucky).

[David M. Bueker]

So folks - where can I get Thai Basil seeds or plants?

Our blueberry bushes have been producing the last 2-3 weeks and the fruit is terrif this year. Also several excellent artichokes have been consumed and the rest of the fruit and veggies coming on strong.

Blueberries in L.A.? That's new!

Jan says the blueberries are "Southern Highbush" that thrive in warmer climates and these have been growing the last 3 years.

Rabbiteye blueberries also do well in warmer climes, even in Florida. Key to a blueberry plant's success is an acid soil with lots of organic matter.

We've planted five varities of tomatoes; English, French, and German Thyme; French Tarragon; a rose geranium; and two basils. Some lettuce going in tomorrow ( in a planter high on the deck). Several perrenials held over the winter.

So folks - where can I get Thai Basil seeds or plants?

We get ours at the local greenhouse. I'd bet that seeds at least would be available over the Internet.

Mark Lipton

Our herb garden currently sports sage, garlic chives, fennel, parsley, cilantro, English thyme, oregano, sweet basil and Thai basil. We also rented a small plot of land from the University for the summer to grow crops on as a way of teaching Andrew (now 4 1/2) about growing things. There we've got broccoli, bok choi, Brussels Sprouts, pumpkins, sunflowers, red savina habanero, sweet corn, black Krim tomatoes, 'San Marzano' plum tomatoes, soybeans (Andrew loves eda mame) and sweet peas.

Mark Lipton

Because we are apartment dwellers, literally in the heart of the city, our "garden" facilities are limited. In the various plots surrounding the building one bitter orange tree,one sweet orange tree, a lemon tree, an avocado tree and a date palm that yields fruit only every third year. On our little roof-top garden, a large variety of cacti (inedible) and about 22 different herbs.

Best
Rogov

The vege patch - which has been spectacularly unsuccessful in the four years we've lived here - is overwintering with a crop of green manure growing in it. We turned the soil, put in heaps of well rotted organic matter, and sowed a mixture of peas, lupins, and oats. Hopefully, these will assist with soil-breaking and nitrogen levels, before being turned back in to the soil in spring. The herb beds also lie dormant, under a layer of organic matter, ready for planting in the spring. And across the whole lot, springing up merrily: soursobs. They must be the single most successful plant on the planet.

Almost nothing this year. I'm too busy with a major writing project. I have four tomato plants and have bought a sage plant to stick in the ground somewhere. I have oregano, chives, onions and shallots that come up every year. I might plant a squash or two after the squash bug egg-laying season is over. But that's about it.

I did throw a bunch of wildflower seeds in my garden area, so maybe something will come up.

Lemon tree and Blueberry bush have baby fruits. Ten tomato plants: Early Girl, 2 Sun Gold Cherry, Super Sweet 100's Cherry, Mortgage Lifter, beefsteak, Husky Gold, Plum, Yellow Pear, and Shady Lady. Blackberry Zucchini, Swiss Chard, parsley, kale, lettuce, rosemary, Stevia, Espinoza, English and German Thyme, French Tarragon, Opal, Thai and Genovese Basils, mints, lavender, regular chives and garlic chives. I just pulled out spinach, arugula, and cilantro as they bolted.
No heirloom tomatoes this year because they are so slow to produce and do not produce many tomatoes. Will pick those up at the Farmer's Market this year, Water is getting expensive, so I stick with high production plants.

Same with water here. I'm thinking of rigging up something to use some of our gray water.

[Jenise]

Lemon tree and Blueberry bush have baby fruits. Ten tomato plants: Early Girl, 2 Sun Gold Cherry, Super Sweet 100's Cherry, Mortgage Lifter, beefsteak, Husky Gold, Plum, Yellow Pear, and Shady Lady. Blackberry Zucchini, Swiss Chard, parsley, kale, lettuce, rosemary, Stevia, Espinoza, English and German Thyme, French Tarragon, Opal, Thai and Genovese Basils, mints, lavender, regular chives and garlic chives. I just pulled out spinach, arugula, and cilantro as they bolted.
No heirloom tomatoes this year because they are so slow to produce and do not produce many tomatoes. Will pick those up at the Farmer's Market this year, Water is getting expensive, so I stick with high production plants.

Is "blackberry zucchini" an item or did you just forget a comma? I've neverseen a species of zucchini that would get so named, and since "black vegetables" have been popular of late I can't rule out the possibility that you meant this.

And you made me think of the name of my fifth tomato plant: Vintage Wine. Have no idea what to expect, but I couldn't pass up the name.

And tarragon...I'm jealous. I've scoured the nurseries, and there just isn't any for sale up here. And I don't get it, cuz I know Susan up the hill has some in her garden that's come back several years running now. I'm going to have to ask for a starter, I think.

Has anyone tried out those new upside down tomato planters? I was thinking about getting some for our deck. (I have a "black thumb" though so Len always discourages me from buying anything alive.)

[Jenise]

Has anyone tried out those new upside down tomato planters? I was thinking about getting some for our deck. (I have a "black thumb" though so Len always discourages me from buying anything alive.)

I have a friend who planted one recently, and so far it looks good. Pretty interesting concept, I think, but the packaging's kind of ugly. The 'pot' is a print in two shades of green meant to look like tomato foliage. Snob that I am, I would prefer a basic beige or natural burlap look.

Is "blackberry zucchini" an item or did you just forget a comma? I've never seen a species of zucchini that would get so named, and since "black vegetables" have been popular of late I can't rule out the possibility that you meant this.

And you made me think of the name of my fifth tomato plant: Vintage Wine. Have no idea what to expect, but I couldn't pass up the name.

And tarragon...I'm jealous. I've scoured the nurseries, and there just isn't any for sale up here. And I don't get it, cuz I know Susan up the hill has some in her garden that's come back several years running now. I'm going to have to ask for a starter, I think.

I looked up Blackberry zucchini and could not find any information on it. I bought the plant at the Farmer's Market from Shambani Organic Nursery. They have beautiful healthy plants and many have unusual names, which I have been able to reference, but not this time. I will ask about it on Saturday. French Tarragon is very difficult to start and hard to find. I've had it in my garden for a long time, it comes up every year. This year, Gene tilled before it came up, so I had to start with a couple of new plants. I have better luck with locally owned nurseries who grow their own starts.