What kind of gardener are you?

[ChanellG]

Thanks for this thread, Chanell! As with headfullofbees' comments I have hardly considering myself a gardener at all compared to so many here... I have plants inside and out....and love that the windowsill in my dining room is covered with them. I have others sprinkled around the house and enjoy talking to them and seeing them flourish.

I must say that, Chanell, that you are a great encourager! Wonderful words of support here.

Aw, thanks, Babble! That's very nice of you to say. I have more plants outside than in - they survive better that way when I get busy, lol.

Some of my trees are kept outside all year round while others have to be sheltered at night in winter and in a colder climate would probably have to spend the whole winter indoors.

Keeping bonsai indoors is a common error because that is how one usually sees them displayed at shows or when they are for sale.

So in winter you have to move them indoors every night??? Are there no bonsai that do well inside?

Certainly wouldn't call myself a gardening expert...

I've also built and maintained ponds and aviaries in my various gardens and collected the knowledge that goes with those experiences.
Certainly though I derived great pleasure and relaxation from it all.

Ponds and aviaries are not amateur endeavors. Water gardens are even more work in my opinion.

 

[ChanellG]

I like pretty gardens but for my house we try to plant edible gardens. I know that these can be pretty too but the food we get is my main drive. I love the red peeking out from my tomato plants. I love to see the apples getting big on my tree. I love to smell the fresh rosemary from my porch. It gives me a sense of control on life. It seems crazy when I write it all down though. lol.

Do you employ companion planting? It's a good way to have some of both, especially since plants like nasturtium and marigold either repel or attract garden pests away from your edibles.

I think I'm mainly just a glutton... I love growing food but have little patience with ornamentals. My husband plants the annuals in the front yard, and I spend my time with the fruit and veg plants in back. Something about starting from seed and ending up with food is very rewarding to me...

That's very practical, but every time I go outside and see my big, beautiful zinnias in bloom I am in awe. Nectar flowers are very important to attracting butterflies and pollinators to your garden, which is key with some food plants.

Ok I think I am somewhere in the middle. For some reason I can't seem to get my act together at the house I am in now... this is not realistic because my yard is not that big and well I don't have that much money! I am also one of those people who loves flowers and I would love to buy every flower I come across at Lowes or anywhere else sellng them if I could afford them!

...Ok so I went a little crazy here. I have so many plans on how I want to expand our garden and incorporate into our yard so many different fruits/veggies/flowers/herbs. I am never able to accomplish it all though.

Ha, ha! Welcome to my world (almost). Lack of space, funds, time... my eyes are definitely bigger than what my garden can accommodate, lol. My mother does have the space and she has definitely gone overboard! She has fruit trees and other edibles all over the place. I told her she needed more flowers to attract pollinators and she went a little crazy with those too, lol.

 

[Shellyann36]

[/quote]Ha, ha! Welcome to my world (almost). Lack of space, funds, time... my eyes are definitely bigger than what my garden can accommodate, lol. My mother does have the space and she has definitely gone overboard! She has fruit trees and other edibles all over the place. I told her she needed more flowers to attract pollinators and she went a little crazy with those too, lol.[/quote]

Its one of those things that I do have a huge idea of what I want and then I just try to do too much at one time. I need to break everything down into steps. Has your mother been gardening for a while? I think I need to add more to attract pollinators as well. I really want to concentrate on attracting both bees and butterflies. Care to share any tips or ideas?

 

[loopyloo]

I'm still learning about companion planting. We do plant marigolds along the edges of our gardens to add a little color and keep away some of the bugs. My grandma told me to do that when I was little. That is all I really know. I did buy a book that tells me more but I haven't learned much yet.

 

[ChanellG]

I'm still learning about companion planting. We do plant marigolds along the edges of our gardens to add a little color and keep away some of the bugs. My grandma told me to do that when I was little. That is all I really know. I did buy a book that tells me more but I haven't learned much yet.

There's a lot of information online about companion planting. Here are three of my recent pins to get you started with further research:

http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845097311/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844214437/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844900098/

I keep adding more aromatic herbs and a few flowers.

Has your mother been gardening for a while? I think I need to add more to attract pollinators as well. I really want to concentrate on attracting both bees and butterflies. Care to share any tips or ideas?

She's always had plants; I'm not sure how long she's been gardening on a larger scale, but I'm sure it's over twenty years or better. As far as attracting pollinators goes, did you see my pin board for butterflies? http://pinterest.com/cdgautreaux/in-the-land-of-the-butterflies/

Included are links to information on host and nectar plants. You might find this particular pin especially interesting; it shows how to create a container with multiple plants for the larvae and the butterfly: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845213677/

This one is about attracting bees: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845074917/

 

[Gina145]

So in winter you have to move them indoors every night??? Are there no bonsai that do well inside?

The sensitive ones could be kept indoors all winter but I choose not to do it that way because the change in the light will make any new growth much less compact and it would have to be removed in spring. There are some species (like ficus) that can be kept indoors permanently, but they grow much quicker outside.

When I first started out with bonsai I was only interested in indoor trees, but once I started experimenting with keeping them outside, I started keeping all my trees either outside or in my greenhouse. The only reason I need to bring trees inside now is because my greenhouse is too full. Besides I enjoy having them inside at night. That's the downside of summer - the kitchen looks so empty.

 

[lukeout007]

I'm definitely a fledgling gardening geek. I get excited when I see any positive change in my plants. I intend on eventually having a huge garden. Right now I'm limited on space (and knowledge) but working on that.

 

[Shellyann36]

There's a lot of information online about companion planting. Here are three of my recent pins to get you started with further research:

http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845097311/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844214437/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844900098/

I keep adding more aromatic herbs and a few flowers.



She's always had plants; I'm not sure how long she's been gardening on a larger scale, but I'm sure it's over twenty years or better. As far as attracting pollinators goes, did you see my pin board for butterflies? http://pinterest.com/cdgautreaux/in-the-land-of-the-butterflies/

Included are links to information on host and nectar plants. You might find this particular pin especially interesting; it shows how to create a container with multiple plants for the larvae and the butterfly: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845213677/

This one is about attracting bees: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845074917/

Ahh!!! I see that is how you have all of those beautiful butterflies to watch! Going to forward these to the hubby! Thank you very much. It has been added to the project list. That poor guy does alot of the hard work around here. If it involves building he does it. We both really like that soda pop bottle green house that you posted on the other thread. He is seriously wanting a greenhouse himself.

 

[Trellum]

I'm not sure if I can call myself a gardener yet I've been taking care of many plants for a while now (pots), and I've been succesful growing a couple of trees, but I still have so MUCH to learn. That's the reason I joined this forum

I've so many fond memories of the early days, when I started to plant the cuttings my dad brought me. I loved to propagate them and see how well they thrived, I also felt very sad when the cuttings rot instead of rooting. Fortunately that didn't happen to me often The first cutting I ever got was of a plant named ''Wandering Jew''. It was a beautiful plant, a purple one I still have one of them, and I also have a furry version of that plant (they belong to the same family).

Let's say I just consider myself an amateur. I feel really humbled when I read what some folks over here have written It's good, because it reminds me I've so much to learn.

 

[ChanellG]

I'm definitely a fledgling gardening geek. I get excited when I see any positive change in my plants. I intend on eventually having a huge garden. Right now I'm limited on space (and knowledge) but working on that.

I do too, lol. In May I was out there every day marveling at every new leaf or uncurled petal. It's rewarding to see the result of all your hard work and dedication.

Ahh!!! I see that is how you have all of those beautiful butterflies to watch! ...We both really like that soda pop bottle green house that you posted on the other thread. He is seriously wanting a greenhouse himself.

I have all those beautiful butterflies because I finally got my hands on some milkweed. My mom and I were shopping the clearance at Lowes at the end of May when I noticed the milkweed and got excited. Little did I know that one plant was not going to cut it. I decided to put the parsley outdoors in the spring and just recently the swallowtails discovered that. All I need now is a passion vine for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies

I'm not sure if I can call myself a gardener yet I've been taking care of many plants for a while now (pots), and I've been succesful growing a couple of trees, but I still have so MUCH to learn. That's the reason I joined this forum

...Let's say I just consider myself an amateur. I feel really humbled when I read what some folks over here have written It's good, because it reminds me I've so much to learn.

We're all amateurs - professionals are people who get paid

Container gardens are still gardens and you can do a lot with even a couple storage tubs on a city balcony. If you've kept most of your plants alive over a number of years, you're a gardener!

 

[Shellyann36]

"I have all those beautiful butterflies because I finally got my hands on some milkweed. My mom and I were shopping the clearance at Lowes at the end of May when I noticed the milkweed and got excited. Little did I know that one plant was not going to cut it. I decided to put the parsley outdoors in the spring and just recently the swallowtails discovered that. All I need now is a passion vine for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies "

Do you mean Passion Fruit Vine or just Passion Vine? If you mean passion fruit please know that it spreads easily and will take over your yard. It looks so pretty until it becomes invasive..... I learned the hard way with our passion fruit vine. Never did get any ripe fruit from it either. I don't think NC stayed tropical long enough. It must really need a looonnng growing season.

 

[Trellum]

We're all amateurs - professionals are people who get paid

Container gardens are still gardens and you can do a lot with even a couple storage tubs on a city balcony. If you've kept most of your plants alive over a number of years, you're a gardener!

Thanks a lot for saying that Ever since I joined the forums and I started reading the posts, I started to feel a bit insecure because I don't have a lot experience working directly with the soil. I think I'm just not ready yet, but once I move out I might start working on this Meanwhile I'll keep taking care of my potted plants.

 

[ChanellG]

Thanks a lot for saying that Ever since I joined the forums and I started reading the posts, I started to feel a bit insecure because I don't have a lot experience working directly with the soil. I think I'm just not ready yet, but once I move out I might start working on this Meanwhile I'll keep taking care of my potted plants.

All of my plants are in containers. Unless you own your own home, it's really the best way to garden and it gives you better control or watering and feeding based on the specific needs of a specific plant. When you create plots and flower beds they have to be carefully planned so that you don't put an acid lover next to something that thrives in alkaline soil.

As you go along you may discover that techniques and routines that have worked for you in the past are no longer producing the desired results. It really is an ongoing journey of discovery.

 

[ChanellG]

Do you mean Passion Fruit Vine or just Passion Vine? If you mean passion fruit please know that it spreads easily and will take over your yard. It looks so pretty until it becomes invasive..... I learned the hard way with our passion fruit vine. Never did get any ripe fruit from it either. I don't think NC stayed tropical long enough. It must really need a looonnng growing season.

I mean the flowering vine. Haven't tried the fruit and not sure I'd want to tackle growing it. I plan to put the vine in a large container and run it on some kind of support, maybe those tomato cages that come in panels. That way it can spread out as opposed to up; though I'll need a bigger butterfly house and a secondary vine to allow for egg laying.

That's next year's garden challenge though, lol. My milkweed is still re-leafing, but I should probably make another trip to the nursery and get a plant to leave sitting out for the monarchs as well. The swallowtails only seem to like my one parsley plant and I've purchased additional fennel and dill to keep them fed. I also started a carrot top since they can eat that as well.

 

[Shellyann36]

I mean the flowering vine. Haven't tried the fruit and not sure I'd want to tackle growing it. I plan to put the vine in a large container and run it on some kind of support, maybe those tomato cages that come in panels. That way it can spread out as opposed to up; though I'll need a bigger butterfly house and a secondary vine to allow for egg laying.

That's next year's garden challenge though, lol. My milkweed is still re-leafing, but I should probably make another trip to the nursery and get a plant to leave sitting out for the monarchs as well. The swallowtails only seem to like my one parsley plant and I've purchased additional fennel and dill to keep them fed. I also started a carrot top since they can eat that as well.

Good! I hope it is not like the fruit plant. It had spores similar to a dandelion puff that spread through out my back yard like locusts! They were so hard to dig up once they got their roots into the ground too. It was rather aggravating. Good luck with all of your butterfly plantings!