Cat Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 For all of the inexperienced and experienced gardeners... for those who are thinking about gardening but are hesitant... for anyone wanting a giggle... Here's a thread about gardening mistakes others have made. Some should have known better, others were newbies, some were just over-blessed with an abundant harvest. While most of us are looking out at snowy soil dreaming about spring... ENJOY! http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/midatl/2002093410028749.html (I love the turnips rolling down the hill... ) Quote Link to post
themartianchick Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I was afraid that you were actually asking all of us to post our own gardening disasters. (Like I'd ever admit to being less than perfect at gardening!) Quote Link to post
dogmom4 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) I can relate...just a little bit....especially with planting mint (fortunately at the house we moved away from) And calendula. Did you know that one little plant that your son gives you for Mother's Day can MULTIPLY over the years? And you don't have to do anything to help it along. By the time we moved calendula was popping up in the neighbors yards...on both sides. Edited January 17, 2011 by dogmom4 Quote Link to post
Midnightmom Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I agree with you Cat, the turnip story was funny....................even up to and including the story of her serving her hubby turnip fritters! Quote Link to post
Amishway Homesteaders Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Mistakes!.......................... why I have NEVER had one ! OK so maybe a little one. EVEN I who has had a garden since the stone age will do a boo-boo now and then - but that is how we learn. Like planting things to close to together (tomatoes) forgeting to plant the garlic in Nov. (did that this year?) - hope I can get it in the spring and hope for the best? Thinking you better plant ALL the radish seeds as last year not many came up - only to find what you think is grass growing in the spot - later is radishes EVERYWHERE! Think you are all done planting the garden and have no more room, and then find something else at work to plant (we both work at a greenhouse in the spring so this always happens!) ~next~ Quote Link to post
Cat Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 I don't see any problem with sharing your own mistakes.... not that *I* have had any... (Yeah, RIIIIGHT! ) My biggest problems have been in starting seeds. They almost always got too leggy and died early. Invariably each time I tried it, we had a cold, late spring and I couldn't get them out at a good time. I want a greenhouse, and good raised beds with mouse/mole/vole protection below the ground. They burrow up from underneath and kill my root crops and delay my others. And while I'm at it, I need some kind of cover that keeps birds out but lets in the good insects. And an indoor grow system... *SIGH* May as well wish for the moon... Quote Link to post
Momo Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I hate to bad mouth anyone, but the seeds I bought last year from a heirloom type catalogue were terrible. After the beautiful pictures lured me into spending a fortune, hardly any of them germinated. Meanwhile I had some old 5/1$ seeds that overgerminated! Go figure. Quote Link to post
Amishway Homesteaders Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I hate to bad mouth anyone, but the seeds I bought last year from a heirloom type catalogue were terrible. After the beautiful pictures lured me into spending a fortune, hardly any of them germinated. Meanwhile I had some old 5/1$ seeds that overgerminated! Go figure. If I were you I would let them know about the 'bad seds'! BUT if they all were not good it may not be them but 'how and where' you planted them? I know you said that the other seeds came up fine but did you plant them at the same time or after the others didn't come up? That might be a week later and that may be just enough time for the soil to change? Sometimes things happen in the mail and SOME seed companys willmake things right. Quote Link to post
CoM Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 A mistake that turned out good. We have been growing much of our own food for many years but we have only been planting non hybrid seeds for a few years now learning to collect, dry and store the seeds. Last year we planted some butter crunch lettuce and some romaine lettuce. We didn't care for the butter crunch so only collected seed from the romaine. This year we planted those seeds and what came up was NOT romaine. Turns out the 2 had cross polinated. We didn't know what the heck it was so nick named it butter romaine. It turns out that that mix is a French gourmet variety named Sucrine. It's not what we prefer but it is pretty darn good. This year we are not plantinmg any members of the same family that could and probably would cross polinate. Or if we do, we must plant at different times so that they both don't flower at the same time since we don't have the space to plant miles apart. We learn something every year. Quote Link to post
twilap Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I can speak from experience on this blooper..... DO NOT plant melons anywhere near yer cucumber vines, LOL. You get wonderful watermelons and canteloupes ... they look good, smell good and taste like CUCUMBERS! YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is Twila's blooper! Quote Link to post
Ambergris Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I made the mistake of planting Peruvian lilies. At least I could have eaten mint... Quote Link to post
misskimmie Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I've made so many gardening mistakes where do I begin ? Planting mint - done that, three different places in the garden. Planting things too close together, done that. Forgetting to transplant, or water little plants that I've raised from seeds. One the 'best' mistakes I made was to plant a few Jerusalem Artichoke tubers in a flower bed. Now many years later, the Jerusalem Artichokes are growing everywhere. At least they are edible...I harvested 4 pounds from a 5x5 bed 2 days ago. my blog: http://misskimmie-th...r.blogspot.com/ Quote Link to post
Mirta Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I was reading the linked thread shaking my head going yep, done that, done that , but what really got me was looking at my garden plan from last year and all my novice mistakes... like planting cucumber next to squash... ummm interesting hybrid.. tooo many beans too close together, again interesting hybrids and the strongest breed won out.. putting whole pumpkins and pumpkin seeds in the compost and not giving them enough to "compost" before putting the compost of the garden... ummm.. then not being willing to pick the voluntary plants growing in the garden.. (the pumpkin plants (PLURAL!!) took over the garden!! Melons and squashes side by side.. growing lots of cabbage even though we don't tend to eat cabbage, growing swiss chard thinking if we grew it we'd eat it (same thought with the cabbage..), etc... etc... We did get and eat a lot of beans, the broccoli was wonderful for the second year in a row.. heck, we inspired our neighbors to grow broccoli!! And the Acorn squash was yummy... heck, the pumpkins were yummy too, they just took over our entire tiny garden!! (and have prickly vines! ) We'll see how this year's garden goes.. with hopefully a little better planning! Mirta Quote Link to post
nini2033a Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I've made so many gardening mistakes where do I begin ? Planting mint - done that, three different places in the garden. Planting things too close together, done that. Forgetting to transplant, or water little plants that I've raised from seeds. One the 'best' mistakes I made was to plant a few Jerusalem Artichoke tubers in a flower bed. Now many years later, the Jerusalem Artichokes are growing everywhere. At least they are edible...I harvested 4 pounds from a 5x5 bed 2 days ago. my blog: http://misskimmie-th...r.blogspot.com/ tell me about the jerusalem artichokes... I just got some tubers. I am trying to plant as many perrenial foods in my garden as possible here in the NW. Do they really spread alot? How do you know how many you can harvest without wiping out the whole lot of them? Do you need to wait a year or two before harvesting like with rhubarb? I would like them to spread but not to take over the whole yard obviously... thanks, Nini2033a Quote Link to post
Cat Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Just a quick look, but I found a place specifically from the NW. Might be helpful... http://www.slugsandsalal.com/06/artichoke/artichokeJerusalem.html Quote Link to post
Amishway Homesteaders Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I've made so many gardening mistakes where do I begin ? Planting mint - done that, three different places in the garden. Planting things too close together, done that. Forgetting to transplant, or water little plants that I've raised from seeds. One the 'best' mistakes I made was to plant a few Jerusalem Artichoke tubers in a flower bed. Now many years later, the Jerusalem Artichokes are growing everywhere. At least they are edible...I harvested 4 pounds from a 5x5 bed 2 days ago. my blog: http://misskimmie-th...r.blogspot.com/ tell me about the jerusalem artichokes... I just got some tubers. I am trying to plant as many perrenial foods in my garden as possible here in the NW. Do they really spread alot? How do you know how many you can harvest without wiping out the whole lot of them? Do you need to wait a year or two before harvesting like with rhubarb? I would like them to spread but not to take over the whole yard obviously... thanks, Nini2033a You can NEVER 'wipe' them out! LOL I planted some years ago and STILL have them coming up everywhere in the gardens. They took over one flower bed so bad that the next year I dug up the whole thing and even put the soil through a 'dirt sifter' to get all the roots and tubers out. Next year - there they were all coming up again. So harvest all you want and somehow they will come back? Just in case you may want to save a few tubers to replace in case you don't have any luck. Quote Link to post
themartianchick Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I have always wanted to install Jerusalem Artichokes but I still have blue potatoes growing in my flower beds. The have been volunteering for about 5 years now, I think! Quote Link to post
Andrea Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 So, how much bandwidth does Darlene have?!? All I can say is just keep a sense of humor and go ahead and pick and eat that almost perfectly ripe strawberry, 'cause you never know when a tree might blow over and squash it! (yep, true story! DD was 3 and really, Really, REALLY wanted to pick that berry. Nope, I told her, it will be perfect tomorrow! 2 hours later a wind storm blew a tree over onto the berry patch!) Quote Link to post
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