I must admit this year has been the worst gardening year we've had since we moved to Texas. First, there was a late frost, then it warmed up and the grasshoppers moved in, then the bunnies multiplied and ate my green beans and peas. While we were recovering from that, we had no rain for six weeks and I had to decide what lived and what shriveled up and died. Due to the early heat and drought, our tomato crop was light. We got a nice crop of squash before the squash bugs killed the vines. This fall's garden was hit by an early freeze. Although we protected some plants, we lost our green beans (again!). We still have lettuce, onions, and broccoli growing, and will have the last of our house-ripened tomatoes for Christmas dinner. Next year will be better (the motto of a gardener who doesn't learn from experience!).
My gardening year came to an abrupt end on July 19th...two surgeries and 4 months later I did have a few days to try to salvage as much as possible before the ice storm. No veggies here, except for the garlic, about a dozen potatoes, 1 spaghetti squash and a handful of tomatoes.
Just realized this was the Flower Gardening forum, and I was nattering on about veggies. Our flowers, at least the native ones, did well. The roses took a hit from the grasshoppers, but recovered. Our herbs, some of which flower, also did pretty well. Note to self--do NOT plant a dozen basil plants. There is too much of a good thing . Toni, your post made me realize I shouldn't complain--and I'm so glad you are back to gardening.
Perennials did great! Veggies...well the scarlet runners that were potted did well and there was an abundance of blueberries and raspberries. Time to do some contemplations on gardening directions since slugs, damp cool weather took out all cole crops. Forget tomatoes and warm weather crops. Lots of flowers though.
I think this year was the invasion of critters. Wild hogs. Armadillos. Stink Bugs. Some kinda worm that loves Hibiscus. But overall... a good year. I'm pleased with the natives I bought. But I guess I won't know how good they are until Spring. But I have faith they will return. Heck... the Tagetes Lemonii still has a few blooms on it.
I had a good gardening year. Certainly better than the last 5 years before that. Cleaned out the greenhouse finally. That felt good after my fellow Stewbies shamed me into doing it. The front garden is filling in very nicely. The veggie garden did wonderfully but no pics of it for the weeds took over in the end. The front steps and walkway turned out very nice. Now, The piece of property that my neighbor thought was theirs, is now a very nice large garden area. Next year it will be filled in wonderfully. Oh and the new fountain is coming along well. The hidden gardens plans in the top 1/4 acre had had very little work done to it but some things are planted and should come out this next Spring. Can't wait. I am looking forward to getting both veggie gardens in this Spring and making the building a new chicken coup and relocating it. Making new bridges in the front garden also. That's where my gardening has been and where it is going.....in the future. :-D
Looking VERY good over there Barb! Lots of hard work... or should I say... lots of hard "play"? :-D What is that plant in the photo right after your hubby on the bench?
Janes summary was about spot on for the whole country over here. What didn't get frozen out at the end of May just didn't thrive due to the extreme cold and wet Summer we had. I won't complain loudly because we did harvest a lot of vegetables because we plant a lot. The aphids, leafhoppers, pill bugs and spider mites were uncontrollable. Then came the spotted wing drosophila. I lost an entire crop of raspberries to them. Well, how was that for encouragement to a new gardener? If I was a new gardener I would have given up this past year. Hopefully next year will be better.
Coleus is in both sides of the planter/bench. It grew wildly last Summer. I gave it a chop chop 2 times in the Summer and once going into the greenhouse. I have rooted the clippings and they have to be cut soon. coleus in bench Nice, Isn't it?
Hi all. Firstly I must say that we in UK are so very lucky in terms of our general weather and gardening conditions compared with what so many of you US folk have to battle with - gosh it seems like just one problem after another and so often. My admiration to you all for your skill, love and perseverence in producing the results both flowers and veggie that you do. A big "super gardeners" to you all. Ref the plant in question in Barbaras garden agreed it looks like Monarda (also ref Toni) and growing in what appears to be such dry conditions. I love that plant not only for its appearance but for the foliage/flower scent and also as one of its popular names (Beebalm - Oswego Tea) suggests for its popularity with Bees. I have never yet succeeded in making it like me in spite of giving it all the recommended growing conditions. Loved to crush a leaf and get that fragrance. In my own plot living South East as we do its the driest area in the British Isles - also the soil here where we are is very sandy and well drained with very little natural moisture retaining properties. I have already added much compost etc but it just seems to keep on going downwards. Plants when first planted take a couple at least seasons to really get going and of course keeping them watered in the summers is a problem - I do actually have no less than nine water butts set up. Most usual pests are just slugs, snails, aphids and depending on what they are the caterpillars - even the winter frosts do little damage around here - these things are as nothing compared with the others I have read of here. As for the results this year I am very pleased over all, the established plants and the newly planteds did well and with the larger amount of summer sunshine there was better flowering and far more Butterflies, Moths, Bees and other insects about. Have never ever seen so many Butterflies on the Buddlea bushes - hoping for a repeat this year. P.S. Just how do you spell that word Buddlea properly ?. Syd.
Sorry. Yes, that is Bee Balm. I started with 2 plants. One of them has grown to an area of about 20 feet by 10 feet. Talk about invasive.....I love it but I have to keep ripping it out or I would have nothing else in my garden. When that area blooms it is awesome. That area is RED. But my fav is the Coleus. I have 2 more of those benches that I will be putting the clippings in sometime in January. That way they will be large like the one in the picture and will all match. Are you referring to my garden being dry? My garden is very moist. We have mulched for 8 years now. It is such beautiful soil now I can't believe it. Even if we have a dry spell it doesn't need to be watered. :-D