Gardening - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

Shannon · 09-25-2004, 09:51 AM

How many folks here are involved in gardening at all? Anything from tending several nice potted plants on an apartment patio or indoors to a full on flower or vegetable garden?

The reason I ask is two-fold. The first reason is to float an idea I've had off and on over the past year -- Would there be any interest in a gardening forum here in WildTexas.com, or (thinking towards the future) a WildTexas.com type site dedicated to gardening, plants and nature? You know -- a photo gallery, trip reports (nurseries, etc.), plant and critter info, a web guide of related websites?

Secondly, I'm a bit of a gardener myself, though I live in a suburban area and have far less land than I'd like, which cuts down on my ability to experiment or plant new beds. No one would call me an ace gardener, but I do alright buying and raising almost entirely native / xerascape friendly plants for my outdoor areas (plus several varieties of aloe vera, most of which my Mom "started" by giving me a broken aloe branch). I have thriving plants in my front and back yards, and like to think my little patch of yard brightens at least one stranger's day every day as they drive by the house. I enjoy a variety of bird species at my backyard feeders, including steady visitation by American goldfinch this season (I put out nyjer seed).

I find gardening extremely therapeutic, good exercise (especially when hauling rocks or large amounts of soil around) and visually rewarding -- as well as environmental, helping create a natural habitat amidst this (sub)urban jungle we all seem to inclined to live in these days. I have green anoles, Texas spiny lizards (just one... or maybe two; never out at the same time); had a 3 sibling raccoon family living under my deck for awhile until a stray cat tried to take over the territory, etc. Everyone knows I love the outdoors, nature, and gardening at least to me has become a natural extension of that. I'm not out in my garden every week, except to ensure everything's watered and such, but when I am they are some of my best "moments of clarity" for figuring out sticky business situations or getting a "light bulb moment" -- a new idea for something.

So, any fellow gardeners here?
:ribbit:

PS: Visit DirtDoctor.com, a website I just discovered this morning while listening to a gardening show on local radio. The website is packed with information on organic and natural landscaping, gardening, farming, ranching, and basic land management and is based in Texas (San Antonio, I believe).

lost_but_found · 09-25-2004, 10:50 AM

I'm definitely a gardener! I have all kinds of plants - potted and beds. I just put a pond in my backyard too! Which I love!!! But I can totally agree that it was huge exercise! about 1200lbs of flagstone and small boulders and who knows who many pounds of dirt. But I enjoyed it, and the pay off is even better!

I'm no botanist or anything (although I have seriously given that field some thought), but I have a little knowledge to share and am always interested in learning more. So I personally would love to be a part of a gardening forum. My favorite plants to grow are orchids, bonsai, bamboo, ferns, and grasses. And I would love to share knowledge with some fellow pond owners as well.

Shannon · 10-06-2004, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lost_but_found

I'm definitely a gardener! I have all kinds of plants - potted and beds. I just put a pond in my backyard too! Which I love!!! But I can totally agree that it was huge exercise! about 1200lbs of flagstone and small boulders and who knows who many pounds of dirt. But I enjoyed it, and the pay off is even better!

I'm no botanist or anything (although I have seriously given that field some thought), but I have a little knowledge to share and am always interested in learning more. So I personally would love to be a part of a gardening forum. My favorite plants to grow are orchids, bonsai, bamboo, ferns, and grasses. And I would love to share knowledge with some fellow pond owners as well.

No one else replied, but that's the cool thing about running the site -- I set up a Gardening forum ANYWAY!

Your gardening activities are much more advanced than mine -- anytime someone comments on how much they like my plants, my stock line is, "Thank you, but really I only grow anything that doesn't die on me within 6 months. So what you see here are the survivors!"

I wish I could grow ferms, orchids, bonsai -- those would all dry to a crisp here in San Antonio, if grown outside. Do you have a greenhouse?

A pond would be awesome. I have a small bird bath with a low-tech dripper (doesn't turn off when the bath's full) and it's a big hit with my various avian visitors.

lost_but_found · 10-07-2004, 10:29 AM

Wow, you give me far too much credit!!! Most of my plants are survivors too!

Orchids and bonsai aren't that hard to grow, just takes a little more TLC than a plant put into the ground - especially a xerascape planting. But that is potted plants in general, their soil will naturally dry out faster. I got Leslie an orchid (dendrobium) and she was really scared of it. She thought she would kill it! She isn't much of a gardener, but does enjoy some potted inside plants. Well, she has that thing blooming now, I could never get a dendrobium to bloom. Hers is doing way better than any of mine!

I don't have a greenhouse, wish I did though. I will one day! But I just get plants that seem like they will do good in certain spots. Then I just observe what it tells me. Plants will generally let you know that they are not happy. The trick is not to overreact to it. If I notice a plant wilting, I will first check to see how much moisture is in the soil. Then I keep from feeding it, which will stress it further, and move it to a more shady spot so it doesn't have to work as hard with the sun. It will typically come around the next day and be just fine.

I love my pond!!! I sit out by it and listen to the waterfall and watch the fish every weekend morning! It is so delightful. Leslie and I enjoy grilling stuff on the pit and eating out on the patio to enjoy it even further. Plus there is a whole other world of plants to get to play with because of the pond addition. I put a little bog in as well, so I get to enjoy the bog plants as well as the aquatic plants in the pond. The bog helps to naturally filter the pond, and it works wonders too!!! My water pretty much stays crystal clear.

02-03-2005, 01:18 AM

I stumbled upon this site in a search for a camping or RV related forum. Last month, I acquired my first RV; a 1985 Komfort travel trailer. It seems there are a few things I'd like to find out.

Anyway, while here, I noticed this post.

Yes, I am a gardener. I may be able to safely lay claim to having the finest vegetable garden soil in our city - not our whole landscape, but certainly within the vegetable garden.

I think I set the control panel options to recieve email notification for posts in this thread.

If you happen to know a good RV'ers forum, I'd like the URL. Thank-you.

ploddinTod · 02-16-2005, 12:33 PM

It's getting close to that season where we prepare for new plant growth. Does anyone know the proper way to prune a crepe myrtle? Should I cut above or below the "knuckle" of old growth? Thanks in advance.

lost_but_found · 02-16-2005, 04:05 PM

i've only trimmed one once. i prefer the larger style so we cut ours back to 1/2" limbs (diameter), anything smaller got pruned. i think the rule is anything smaller than the diameter of your thumb should be cut. i have also read that it is best to do it before valentines day! :eek: