Official Backyard Gardening thread

[HeavyB3]

Assuming your post was serious...

You sure about that?

Most HOAs here have specific direction on the minimum number of plants and trees required in one's backyard. Most have requirements that fully-detailed landscaping plans be submitted and approved by the HOA office. Most have detailed lists of acceptable and unacceptable (no citrus in Anthem!). Most have deadlines (90 or 120 days post close) that all landscaping on the plan must be installed by.

They cant look over your fence per se, but if a neighbor complains, they will investigate and start assessing penalties (which can get ugly).

Just watch out.

I read through my HOA, really they just tell you what you can do in your front yard.

 

[abomb]

I read through my HOA, really they just tell you what you can do in your front yard.

Hmmm, I find it hard to believe, but consider yourself lucky!

 

[Linderbee]

So, this house that we are trying to rent, has a 7x20' or so garden space in it with sprinklers already set up. I expect big things out of it. We should know if we get the place in a couple of days.

I haven't said anything to anyone on purpose. Go knock on wood or something!!

 

[abomb]

I'll post a pic tonight, so you can see the finished result.

For those who care;

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I haven't said anything to anyone on purpose. Go knock on wood or something!!

Oh 'ye of little faith

For those who care;

Awesome.

 

[abomb]

By comparison, here's Donald's

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[abomb]

We have some near golfball size tomatoes on two of our plants.

I picked a radish last night (about the size of half a baby carrot), while thinning the area. That thing had some kick!

 

[D-Dogg]

By comparison, here's Donald's

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lol.

Mine is a 14 foot radius quarter circle. About 140 sq ft.

 

[Bada0Bing]

I have a big unlandscaped back yard. I actually wanted to plant a garden back there. Do you guys use seeds or buy young plants and plant them?

I did have a garden a long time ago at my parents old house, I grew spaghetti squash, sunflowers, cilantro and various other plants. But it was probably 12 years ago.

I grow from seed, part of our fun is to see what pops out of the ground after a few weeks. Except for the tomato plant, which we bought.

Assuming your post was serious...

You sure about that?

Most HOAs here have specific direction on the minimum number of plants and trees required in one's backyard. Most have requirements that fully-detailed landscaping plans be submitted and approved by the HOA office. Most have detailed lists of acceptable and unacceptable (no citrus in Anthem!). Most have deadlines (90 or 120 days post close) that all landscaping on the plan must be installed by.

They cant look over your fence per se, but if a neighbor complains, they will investigate and start assessing penalties (which can get ugly).

Just watch out.

I've never heard of this abomb. Both hoa's I've lived in allowed you to do whatever you wanted in the backyard as long as it stayed below the sightline from the street.

 

[AZZenny]

AAAARRGGHHHHH! I love watermelon, and this year planted two types for the first time. Couple vines are really rocking, when I noticed something was chomping on the leaves... then biting off the tender tips of the vines. Not like bug eating leaves -- like CHOMP the whole thing right off. Birds had been pecking around the base, so layered on bark mulch and used flutter tape; the pecking stopped, but the chomping continued. So after netting failed to stop it, I surrounded the vine that had little plum-sized melons with fine-gauge chicken-wire, thinking pack rat or maybe the ground squirrel I've seen.

Next darn day, every little baby melon disappeared. Now there are certainly spots a determined medium rodent could have gotten through, but I'm thinking mice. It also absolutely appears as if the minute I cover or wrap anything up, whatever it is targets it! I had a cataloupe it largely ignored, and as soon as I wrapped it in net, something got in and ate it off at the ground.

Anyone have ideas? Cat litter? hot pepper spray?

 

[abomb]

AAAARRGGHHHHH! I love watermelon, and this year planted two types for the first time. Couple vines are really rocking, when I noticed something was chomping on the leaves... then biting off the tender tips of the vines. Not like bug eating leaves -- like CHOMP the whole thing right off. Birds had been pecking around the base, so layered on bark mulch and used flutter tape; the pecking stopped, but the chomping continued. So after netting failed to stop it, I surrounded the vine that had little plum-sized melons with fine-gauge chicken-wire, thinking pack rat or maybe the ground squirrel I've seen.

Next darn day, every little baby melon disappeared. Now there are certainly spots a determined medium rodent could have gotten through, but I'm thinking mice. It also absolutely appears as if the minute I cover or wrap anything up, whatever it is targets it! I had a cataloupe it largely ignored, and as soon as I wrapped it in net, something got in and ate it off at the ground.

Anyone have ideas? Cat litter? hot pepper spray?

I happen to have my Extreme Gardening book here today. Not sure what the vermin is, but here are some tips;

Cats and mice: mothballs
Rabbits: Epson salts or a rubber snake
Raccoons: Grind two Garlic cloves and mix with one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap and two cups of water. Strain and spray on your plants.

 

[abomb]

Donald's wife made some awesome pesto and gave me a jar full.

It is so delicious. I made a killer omlet Sunday morning, with that and feta.

 

[Linderbee]

Donald's wife made some awesome pesto and gave me a jar full.

It is so delicious. I made a killer omlet Sunday morning, with that and feta.

dcr is not a fan of pesto. Learned that a couple of weeks ago.

I was severely disappointed.

 

[abomb]

dcr is not a fan of pesto. Learned that a couple of weeks ago.

I was severely disappointed.

Ugh. I am telling you, this stuff was the best pesto ever.

 

[AZZenny]

Love good pesto-- bake a chicken breast in it and serve on noodles. Yum.

Thanks abomb -- the rubber snake won't work -- it'll freak me out. But I'll try epsom salts. Are mothballs toxic? I try to garden organically, which may be the problem, come to think of it. Maybe I'll try a heavy dose of neem, too. I'm thinking of constructing a cage with window-screen on the bottom and four sides, and netting over top. I really want a homegrown melon out of this.

 

[abomb]

Are mothballs toxic? I try to garden organically, which may be the problem, come to think of it.

Well, the author strictly opposes the use of pesticides, but wikipedia says they are bad, bad.

 

[Linderbee]

Ugh. I am telling you, this stuff was the best pesto ever.

Sigh. /jealous

Love good pesto-- bake a chicken breast in it and serve on noodles. Yum.

Thanks abomb -- the rubber snake won't work -- it'll freak me out. But I'll try epsom salts. Are mothballs toxic? I try to garden organically, which may be the problem, come to think of it. Maybe I'll try a heavy dose of neem, too. I'm thinking of constructing a cage with window-screen on the bottom and four sides, and netting over top. I really want a homegrown melon out of this.

Good luck--that would drive me crazy!

 

[Linderbee]

We have some near golfball size tomatoes on two of our plants.

I picked a radish last night (about the size of half a baby carrot), while thinning the area. That thing had some kick!

The smaller the radish, the more kick.

I only eat the really big ones.

 

[abomb]

The smaller the radish, the more kick.

I only eat the really big ones.

Ah good to know.

 

[AZZenny]

OK, we shall see. I bought a bunch of pvc pipe and am now going to construct a... well, a screen porch for my watermelon plant. This will be one of those $50 watermelons. Assuming I get any at all.

 

[D-Dogg]

We harvested some spinach to help stimulate production. Not a lot, but enough for each of my family to have 4 bites or so. It was glorious. I hope they really start producing now. That stuff is like crack...I looove garden spinach.

Our squash plants are going insane...huge numbers of fruits on them, and they say that if we pick them on time, they will double production...yikes! That's a lot of squash!

:heart:

 

[D-Dogg]

OK, we shall see. I bought a bunch of pvc pipe and am now going to construct a... well, a screen porch for my watermelon plant. This will be one of those $50 watermelons. Assuming I get any at all.

Yikes, that's one expensive watermelon!! Good luck!

 

[Linderbee]

So, this house that we are trying to rent, has a 7x20' or so garden space in it with sprinklers already set up. I expect big things out of it. We should know if we get the place in a couple of days.

I haven't said anything to anyone on purpose. Go knock on wood or something!!

 

[D-Dogg]

Ohs nos!!

 

[Mulli]

Last year we had a bucket-looking planter with lots of flowers. The flowers died in the winter but the planter is still there. A large weed/plant grew in the planter all by itself. Sadly that is the only foilage we have right now.