The Gardening Thread

[Maria]

The three sisters are traditionally corn, squash, and beans, three plants that are excellent garden companions. When this Native American planting method is followed, the corn provides something for the beans to climb on; the beans fix nitrogen, making the soil richer in necessary nutrients; and the squash vines help hold moisture by shading the ground and the roots of the corn. ...

To read the entire article, please visit: http://www.realfarmacy.com/better-polli ... rs-garden/

[Maria]

http://foodrising.org/Mini-Farm-Grow-Box-Unveiled.html

Here is a novel idea.

[Maria]

http://www.horseandman.com/people-and-p ... ialnetwork

http://www.horseandman.com/wp-content/u ... .59-PM.png

Bale gardening is a time saver. Saves on watering bill too.

[Maria]

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/1168-g ... eeds-rare/

My, one watermelon would feed an entire tribe.

[Maria]

Barbara, here is one for you. This is the Russian-Olive or Russian Thistle. It is not really an olive tree. It has edible fruit, and is silvery in appearance. Remember I told you about the Elaeagnus Ebbingei, commonly known as the Silverberry, from Australia, zone 9-1? Well this Eleagnus shrub is for Zone 2. It grew very well in Reno, Nevada where they used it as a wind break, drought tolerant tree, and hardy in low temperatures. Good for the high desert areas like Flagstaff, Arizona, and states like Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. I do not remember eating the fruit of this tree, but perhaps because Reno was not cold enough. It is easy to grow and grows up to 8 feet. Birds love the fruit. Look where it comes from: Russian, Iran, Pakistan, etc.

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) or as our nursery called it - The Russian Thistle because it had thorns.

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/hardy- ... -2-1136-c/
Russian Eaeagnus @ 1.89 per package of 7 seeds

This is my wish list:

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/1003-g ... -e-z-grow/
Giant grape seeds @1.79 per package of five seeds

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/giant-blackberry/
Giant blackberry seeds @1.69 per package of 25 seeds

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/1331-n ... e-7-seeds/
Nectar of the Gods @1.79 per package of 7 seeds

http://robsrareandgiantseeds.com/1032-s ... eeds-rare/
Stawberry guave @ 1.65 per package of 15 seeds

[Barbara]

Oh thanks, Maria.

Do you mean that one grows these gigantic vegetables by using the particular seeds sold by this place ?

That watermelon is almost unbelievable in size.

Funny that I was just discussing extra-large produce grown by someone in Southern California with someone the other day. She said her friend there had grown huge broccoli. Now I wonder if that friend employed these seeds !

[Maria]

Okay, here is a way to start seedlings:

http://www.seattlesundries.com/blogs/ne ... arter-pots

Scroll down and read the comments. It has a treasure trove of ideas.