My Backyard Garden

sarvantaryamini · Sep 18, 2020

MalStrom said: ↑

If your soil is heavy then it will help to add a lot of organic matter like compost, manure and peat moss. Over time the soil will become lighter. I add alfalfa meal and kelp meal as well since it is supposed to help plant growth. Since I have a lot of plants I add Osmocote slow-release fertilizer which only needs to be applied twice in the season. When I had fewer plants I used to use a balanced organic fertilizer.
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Thank you very @MalStrom, I will definitely try it next season.

Amol · Jan 21, 2021

blindpup10 said: ↑

Regrets and Success of Summer 2020

2020 is has been a tough year. I don't feel like I have gardened enough or taken full advantage of being at home. I am just full of regrets that I did not plan & execute when it comes to gardening.

OKRA- I started okra's very late- Well I started okra early, but either the saplings didn't grow or survive in the garden. So finally I have like 20- okra growing and it is already the end of the summer season already. Hoping I will get an ok yield till Oct.

Same with cucumbers and ridge gourd. I started the seedlings, but the plants never grew. The main reason it wasn't fenced- so my dog kept eating the young saplings.

My Kiwi plant is on its verge of dying. I don't think it will come back. Moved it from the original place where I had planted as it wasnt making progress.

My eggplant of 3 years died giving me like 4 fruits. Last year every week there were at least 6 fruits.

Thai eggplant- I started the Thai eggplant from seeds much early in the summer, but I had no success in surviving the sapling.

Green/ Thai chilies- Are Thai chilies annual? Last year I had 2 Thai chilies and they both died in winter. I have started the seeds of Thai chilies several times this year again no success of them growing.

I have 1 chili plant but I got the sapling in a nursery.

Amarnath- I know this should be a fairly easy growing plant- but none of my amaranths actually survived until the last batch. Now I have like 4 growing.

Green peas- The first round of yield was good, but then plants started to die. Is that how green peas work? Just 1 round of yield?

Green pepper- Dint get a good yield and the fruits were really small.

Chayote Squash- These Squash did not even fruit.

Curry Leaves- Struggling to sprout curry leaf seeds.

Success story

Tomatoes- I made a killing with my 3 tomato plants. I harvested around 60lb. Gave it to all my friends. I have completely removed tomatoes from my garden. Next year I want to start Momotaro- my friend said these are the sweetest tomatoes out there.

Zucchini-oh boy! I had a blast growing zucchini. I was growing zucchini for the first time. They always had a couple of fruits every week. The downside of Zucchini is that they take so much space and they also take over other plants next to it.

Grapes- Although I didn't have a bumper yield. I am happy I started grapes. I have read that I need to actually not let it bear fruits for 4 years. and just nurture the plant for a good yield.

Banana- Are happy and thriving.

Moringa- My cousin inspired me to start moringa from seeds and I have like 5-7 of them.

Strawberry- I start with 5 plants at the beginning of the year. Now I have like 25 of them.

Duke Of Tuscany Jasmine- I had Nothing but complaints for this plant that it didn't do well for the past couple of years and this year there is a comeback and it is still flowering.

Lemon, Chard, Beans- Have had a considerable good yield.

Jackfruit- Out of curiosity I started sprouting jackfruit, not only did they sprout well but I am waiting for them to leaf. It takes 10+ years for it to fruit.

Guava- So excited for my guava that they are fruiting.

Winter Seeds Started-

I have started Daikon, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, onion, kohlrabi. Hopefully, Winter will be more organized and regret-free.
Also started a compost bin- First time composting learning as it goes.

Happy growing!!
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sounds like a good garden!

Amol · Jan 21, 2021

Hello Ladies,
We moved to Dallas recently and wondering what kind of Indian veggies and fruit Plants survive here?

blindpup10 · Mar 5, 2021

Hello Ladies I am back from the winter break.
With so many schedule changes on and off. I couldn't really invest time into gardening this winter.
But I have started an exciting comeback for the spring.
I have successfully germinated lotus seeds. Out of 5 seeds, just one germinated.
I will be planting the lotus roots into the clay pot this weekend.
Planning to have a whiskey barrel lotus pond in the front yard.
Pics are a few days away.

vidukarth · Mar 6, 2021

hi, i have some cucumber seeds from last year, never planted cucumber, i have a small deck not so much ground area to plant, can it be planted in container, tips please, I live in Northeast, where it is cold, when should i start the seeds?

blindpup10 · Mar 7, 2021

POTTING LOTUS
Lotus seeds germination with roots

Lotus plant outside water, next to terracotta pot before being potted

Lotus plant is potted and I covered the top with the small white stones.

Next place it in the whisky barrel pot and watering the barrel.

Seeds that did not germinate

NOW THE WAIT BEGINS FOR THE PLANT TO MATURE AND BLOOM!!

MalStrom · Mar 7, 2021

vidukarth said: ↑

hi, i have some cucumber seeds from last year, never planted cucumber, i have a small deck not so much ground area to plant, can it be planted in container, tips please, I live in Northeast, where it is cold, when should i start the seeds?
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You can plant in a container, as large as possible. Cucumber seeds can be directly planted when it gets warm in your area. I use tomato cages as supports.

vidukarth · Mar 8, 2021

Thank you Malstrom for your response.

radv · Mar 12, 2021

blindpup10 - great job. All the best. Will patiently look forward to next stage shots. Patience is one thing I have learnt in gardening.

Thyagarajan · Mar 12, 2021

Mellifluous Music seems to enthrall the plants and they grow happily bushy large wide glossy yielding better fruits & flowers with increased harvest. Just my two cents.!