Gardening

I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually prefer shady areas for gardens. Less watering, less weeding, less scalding... and just a more stable environment. Your options are obviously a lot more limited, but if you find a mix that works, it can be virtually maintenance free.

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This is the second year here that I've done a mix of different coleus, fern, a few dahlias, elephant ears, cannas, nicotiana sylvestris, and verbena. I think it turned out really nice. This was actually all grown from seed in my little makeshift greenhouse.
 
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Me: im not going to root any more fig cuttings this year.



Also me: prunes dormant trees and starts 30 more cuttings in rooting medium this weekend.



Christ, what have I done.
I need to cut back my elderberry bushes and commit to harvesting flowers this year.
 
I need to cut back my elderberry bushes and commit to harvesting flowers this year.

I dont know how many elderberry bushes you have, but I know one or two really mature ones can produce more flowers/fruit than id ever be able to manage.

This whole fig thing of mine has really gotten out of hand. If these additional cuttings take, ill be over 50 trees. I need to thin the herd this spring and sell/give away some.
 
I dont know how many elderberry bushes you have, but I know one or two really mature ones can produce more flowers/fruit than id ever be able to manage.

This whole fig thing of mine has really gotten out of hand. If these additional cuttings take, ill be over 50 trees. I need to thin the herd this spring and sell/give away some.
I believe we planted two bushes plus the pawpaw tree. The thing is every time it rains or a bird lands on a branch to nab a berry, it knocks berries on the ground, so new shoots pop up. I am only getting maybe 2# of berries out of it but they are small and you have to harvest them carefully to make sure they aren’t punctured, buggy, stemmy, etc. The flowers are a lot easier to dry and strip apparently. And just I have two years of jam and syrup, so this year if I switch to processing flowers into something it will give me a chance to use up the rest of the jam and syrup.
 
Plants are doing well in my fish tank / green house.

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Tomatoes: Sun Gold Cherry, Big Boy, Tasmanian Chocolate, Brandywine, and Atomic Grape

Peppers: Poblano, Habanero, Tabasco, Cayenne and Carolina Reaper 🥵

I am also over wintering some peppers again. Last winter I just left them in the dining room. This winter we moved them to the basement with a grow light and so far they seem to be doing much better.
 
Aphids wreaked havoc on our turnip greens, so we've been eating the root part because it's still good. I'm going to try pickling some turnips tonight because I think I'm over roasting them or putting in stews.

The wild arugula and sugar snap peas are going nuts though. We can't eat them fast enough.

Since the winter has been so mild, my neighbor and I are going to start the spring garden very soon. I can't wait to have fresh tomatoes and peppers. If you guys have hot sauce recipes, please share them, and I'd love to send out bottles depending on harvest size.
 
Since the winter has been so mild

If you guys have hot sauce recipes, please share them, and I'd love to send out bottles depending on harvest size.
LOL it was 4 degrees here this morning.

I have made lots of hot sauces from this site:

The pineapple / habanero one is a staple in our house during the summer.
 
LOL it was 4 degrees here this morning.

I have made lots of hot sauces from this site:

The pineapple / habanero one is a staple in our house during the summer.

Hell yes, thanks!

It's wet cold in Austin now, but it's been super warm and the peach trees started blooming weeks ago.
 
I'm likely going to have to temporarily move my 3-years-in-the-ground plum tree due to construction, anyone ever manage a relocation of a mature-ish fruit tree? We'll likely put it in essentially the same spot after the construction is done, which will be like 6 weeks. I assume I just want to dig as big of a root ball as possible and be very careful about watering while it's in the pot, anything else to know?
 
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