There are a lot of little brown "rusty" spots on my strawberry leaves, some on my raspberries and other berry bushes I have planted near them. I just planted them last weekend and they were fine before then, but this week has been really rainy, foggy, humid and warm ( Read more... )

We finally got our blueberry bed built and the blueberry bushes installed. It is our first raised bed and a prototype for the rest of the garden beds we hope to build this summer, for use next year. It was rather exhausting work, but fun results! :)


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I'll be moving to a new apartment in a couple of weeks. This will be the first apartment with actual space to have a small container garden so I'm ridiculously excited. I grew up with a plot at the local organic community garden, but when it comes to indoor plants I'm completely lost ( Read more... )

I've recently cleared a spot in a flower bed (I had a couple holly bushes die and I have no idea why, but that's a different post.) and was thinking about planting some vegetables. I'm interested in doing carrots and lettuce. I've never done vegetables before and I'm wondering if it's too late to start them. I live in Dayton, OH. So I'm right on ( Read more... )

My basic plant philosophy is native, edible or both. So I've been slowly removing plants I find boring and taking up space and replacing them in the house I bought a year ago. For example, the crepe myrtle I was allergic to got replaced with an American elderberry. The silver mound got replaced with blueberries. The burning bush got dug out and the ( Read more... )

I have Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry plants I am wanting to "Vine" on a fense that runs east to west.. (Full Sun) I know that because the of full sun this is not important but I was thinking of lining the fense with a black, or dark color fabric to help it stay nice and warm and help the berries to ripen faster... Any thoughts??? Any former ( Read more... )

I currently live in an apartment with an 8' by 8' cement patio in the back (south) with dirt around it (so, not screened in and a little room between the patio and the Official Landscape Shrubberies). My husband and I may or may not move in the next year depending on the economy and local real estate and all that fun stuff, which boils down to a ( Read more... )

It was a very productive weekend for the mud monkey family. We got a lot done in the back yard and after waiting four loooong years I finally got my raised garden beds in! I'm beyond ecstatic... possibly euphoric. I *LOVED* having a kitchen garden and it's been a long time in coming since we moved here that I have one again. I'm dreaming of ( Read more... )

I love fruit. Love love love! I've been blueberry picking a couple times this season and have about a gallon frozen before eating the rest. Today, I harvested wild blackberries out back. Much less expensive, but hard work trying to get to the vines without having your eyes poked out by the thorns. I do have several holes in my hands from reaching ( Read more... )

First, thanks to everyone who recommended their favorite tart apple variety.

I received notification that the berry plants I ordered from Cooks Garden have finally shipped, which means I need to get the raised beds ready for them. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good soil mix for blueberries? I'm less worried about the strawberries, but if ( Read more... )