2026 Gardening Growing Thread

Well...
Not much I can say to that...
;)
 
My family had a big garden (half acre) when I was a kid, but I haven't gardened much as an adult, or at all in Washington except for potted herbs and flowers.

I have this self watering planter filled with organic soil and I'm trying to decide what to put in it.

PXL_20260331_224548391.jpg

Currently considering a slow to bolt spinach, basil, or cut and come back zinnias. Maybe tomatoes?

It gets morning sun until about 11am and is then in shade. View is looking due east.

I'm open to suggestions!
 
My family had a big garden (half acre) when I was a kid, but I haven't gardened much as an adult, or at all in Washington except for potted herbs and flowers.

I have this self watering planter filled with organic soil and I'm trying to decide what to put in it.

View attachment 181109

Currently considering a slow to bolt spinach, basil, or cut and come back zinnias. Maybe tomatoes?

It gets morning sun until about 11am and is then in shade. View is looking due east.

I'm open to suggestions!
basil - one never tires of good pesto, especially if you pick the basil and process it immediately.
 
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My family had a big garden (half acre) when I was a kid, but I haven't gardened much as an adult, or at all in Washington except for potted herbs and flowers.

I have this self watering planter filled with organic soil and I'm trying to decide what to put in it.

View attachment 181109

Currently considering a slow to bolt spinach, basil, or cut and come back zinnias. Maybe tomatoes?

It gets morning sun until about 11am and is then in shade. View is looking due east.

I'm open to suggestions!
How the hell do you keep that lab out of the pond? :) My old boy would have been in that constantly.
 
How the hell do you keep that lab out of the pond? :) My old boy would have been in that constantly.
I don't think he every saw a river or lake until we rescued him a couple of years ago. I had to teach him to swim. Now he likes it when it's hot out. Also, he's half husky and I don't think they were bred for swimming. He stays wet forever.
 
Have you got a favorite type of basil for your pesto?
I typically plant Genovese or sweet basil (which can be the same as Genovese). The past two years I overseeded the tub I grow it in causing the plants to be rootbound. I'm relocating where I plant basil as it can sunburn.
 
Got the tomato starts out of the little 4” containers into bigger pots with some Dr Earth added. They’ll go in big pots around the first of June. I’m not growing as many this year.
Zucchini, summer squash and cucumber seeds planted as well.
SF

IMG_6759.jpeg
 
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Got my tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos in this last week. Garlic is growing well, hoping they do not develop any fungus, disease or rust. Fava beans (planted last Oct/Nov are growing well. Surprised how long they take to produce and tie up space just like garlic. Potatoes are growing well.IMG_2046.jpegIMG_2047.jpegIMG_2045.jpegIMG_2044.jpegIMG_2050.jpegIMG_2049.jpegIMG_2051.jpegIMG_2050.jpeg
 
Got my tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos in this last week. Garlic is growing well, hoping they do not develop any fungus, disease or rust. Fava beans (planted last Oct/Nov are growing well. Surprised how long they take to produce and tie up space just like garlic. Potatoes are growing well.View attachment 183832View attachment 183833View attachment 183835View attachment 183837View attachment 183838View attachment 183839View attachment 183840View attachment 183841
What are those round bins made of?
 
Leftover edging that I never used. It’s an experiment to add more compost and get roots growing at the base? I can’t dig any deeper to plant due to clay and rocks.
 
Have you got a favorite type of basil for your pesto?

Italian Culinary. I make walnut pesto because pine nuts are really pricey. I add a little arugula (trader joe) sometimes and think it’s pretty good. I put it in muffin tins and then also ice cube trays to freeze, then to freezer bags. One muffin size pesto, pre-thawed, is enough for 2-servings of my famous chicken penne pasta..
 
In the past several days my wife and I planted heirloom tomatoes (pineapple = our favorite), Japanese eggplants and kabocha, bell peppers, cucumbers, and today I planted carrot seeds and LOTS of basil. The garlic is growing nicely. Went back out to check out the plants and found that quail had been in the raised beds digging three new dirt baths. I wonder, how does quail taste? Best fried or roasted? This is one of those questions - how do I prevent quail from digging in the raised beds? I miss Skip.
 
Floating row covers..light weight ones that let more sunshine in, not the frost covers. No braces or frames needed, just lay them on top with a weight on the corners to keep them from blowing off. Once your plants are mature you can remove them. You can keep them on to water as it will pass right through. Keeps bugs, birds, squirrels and damaging rain at bay..

 
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Floating row covers..light weight ones that let more sunshine in, not the frost covers. No braces or frames needed, just lay them on top with a weight on the corners to keep them from blowing off. Once your plants are mature you can remove them. You can keep them on to water as it will pass right through. Keeps bugs, birds, squirrels and damaging rain at bay..

Thanks, Dan!
 
In the past several days my wife and I planted heirloom tomatoes (pineapple = our favorite), Japanese eggplants and kabocha, bell peppers, cucumbers, and today I planted carrot seeds and LOTS of basil. The garlic is growing nicely. Went back out to check out the plants and found that quail had been in the raised beds digging three new dirt baths. I wonder, how does quail taste? Best fried or roasted? This is one of those questions - how do I prevent quail from digging in the raised beds? I miss Skip.
I'm trying the pineapple this year for the first time. Will be growing it along side of my old standbys -Brandywine red and monotaro along with other first timers -Brandywine yellow and Brandywine black. Looking forward to the side-by-side comparison taste tests.

Curt
 
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