Gardening and Plant Thread

[jje100010001]

Any growing tips for wisteria? I picked up a good-sized Japanese cultivar (Blue Moon), and want to plant it against a wooden fence, with a raised stone patio a foot to the left and a 3-foot tall veggie planter a foot on the right.

I was thinking of planting it there, and then top -dressing with gravel to prevent weeds.

How do their root systems develop, and should I worry about potential damage to the structures around it? Likewise, should I also worry about damage to the fence from the vines?

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

Any growing tips for wisteria? I picked up a good-sized Japanese cultivar (Blue Moon), and want to plant it against a wooden fence, with a raised stone patio a foot to the left and a 3-foot tall veggie planter a foot on the right.

I was thinking of planting it there, and then top -dressing with gravel to prevent weeds.

How do their root systems develop, and should I worry about potential damage to the structures around it? Likewise, should I also worry about damage to the fence from the vines?

American Wisteria is not as aggressive in spreading its roots. But Japanese Wisteria is very shallow (compared to most trees) with large spreading root systems.
Thank about 1.5x-2x the height of tree as the diameter of the root ball.

 

[Haint]

American rose market has been fucked up the last couple years. Most of them are grown in Texas and there was a big freeze and die off in 2021 that we're still dealing with with.

In the past 5 years I have lost 6 roses, a 7th is suffering miserably. Due to the neighbors being dumb with herbicide and the appearance of the Rose Rosette Virus. Which both produce similar symptoms on roses such as stunted, reddish growth and excessive prickles, eventually death. The virus has pretty much wiped out the Knockout rose. But because the intense promotion of Knockouts and selling across the country, it spread so did the mite that is a vector for the virus.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

In the past 5 years I have lost 6 roses, a 7th is suffering miserably. Due to the neighbors being dumb with herbicide and the appearance of the Rose Rosette Virus. Which both produce similar symptoms on roses such as stunted, reddish growth and excessive prickles, eventually death. The virus has pretty much wiped out the Knockout rose. But because the intense promotion of Knockouts and selling across the country, it spread so did the mite that is a vector for the virus.

Oh don't worry, it's gonna get worse before it gets better.
There's no cure for RRV.
Go plant tulips or something, much better looking.

 

[Haint]

Oh don't worry, it's gonna get worse before it gets better.
There's no cure for RRV.
Go plant tulips or something, much better looking.

I've had luck with roses that closer the original species, like Rosa multiflora and rugosa. I suspect through line breeding, disease resistance has been reduced. I am working with cuttings I have gathered from old cemeteries to recover older varieties. Generally don't see RRV among those. Never really a rose fan, but into endangered heirloom varieties.

Tulips are fine, but in my climate tulips have to be treated as annuals or lifted annually and given a chill treatment. Winters are not cold enough. Daffodils are my go too for early spring color. They are dependable. Followed by irises, then daylilies.

 

[jje100010001]

I've had luck with roses that closer the original species, like Rosa multiflora and rugosa. I suspect through line breeding, disease resistance has been reduced. I am working with cuttings I have gathered from old cemeteries to recover older varieties. Generally don't see RRV among those. Never really a rose fan, but into endangered heirloom varieties.

Tulips are fine, but in my climate tulips have to be treated as annuals or lifted annually and given a chill treatment. Winters are not cold enough. Daffodils are my go too for early spring color. They are dependable. Followed by irises, then daylilies.

Interesting, I have a couple of neglected ~25-year-old climbing and shrub roses along the back fence of the garden, against all odds they keep on coming back year after year thought they usually die back to the stump during winter (the stumps are now massive).

Is it worth keeping them around?

American Wisteria is not as aggressive in spreading its roots. But Japanese Wisteria is very shallow (compared to most trees) with large spreading root systems.
Thank about 1.5x-2x the height of tree as the diameter of the root ball.

Good point to consider- I wish I had a better spot to put it into though!

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

I've had luck with roses that closer the original species, like Rosa multiflora and rugosa. I suspect through line breeding, disease resistance has been reduced. I am working with cuttings I have gathered from old cemeteries to recover older varieties. Generally don't see RRV among those. Never really a rose fan, but into endangered heirloom varieties.

Tulips are fine, but in my climate tulips have to be treated as annuals or lifted annually and given a chill treatment. Winters are not cold enough. Daffodils are my go too for early spring color. They are dependable. Followed by irises, then daylilies.

Reduced resistance is usually because they wanted something special (See, my earlier posts on TMS corn) that usually causes some otherwise unnoticeable pathogen to become extremely deadly. Others because Colombian exchange and retards not understanding why quarantine and customs exist.
Unfortunately RRV is currently unclear in terms of vector spread and what the original host plant is (It probably has resistance). See, HLB and Citrus, first spotted in China, but likely disease is from Australia/PPG area and their "finger limes".

The scary part is this is true for almost all of our agriculture crops. One of the few swords of Damocles for society.

Interesting, I have a couple of neglected ~25-year-old climbing and shrub roses along the back fence of the garden, against all odds they keep on coming back year after year thought they usually die back to the stump during winter (the stumps are now massive).

Is it worth keeping them around?

If you plant new roses that have the vulnerability to RRV, no. Otherwise, your choice. You most likely have a resistant version of mutiflora introduced around the dustbowl era.
More info here: https://roserosette.org/

 

[cuddle striker]

all right you bastards I planted everything, my shit is ready to be pushed in by squirrels and slugs and insects of every kind. gardening here is hard, plenty of town pests and I've got no real time off. yesterday was my first day off in a long while.

tomatoes have already started getting taller and there's some squashes vining. I planted lentils because there was a huge bag of them there on sale. they are sprouting. also coming up is torpedo melons and a blue hubbard. planned watermelon seeds that only need the short season here but no sign of them yet.

the perennials are coming along, hostas up, figs are starting to leaf out finally. they come back in leaf usually right after the last chill night of the year, so they're a good marker for true spring arriving here. my gooseberries are climbing the back porch, and the shitty rose that came with the house is already putting shade over the comfy chair out there.

I do peas around the perennials every year and those are going great, usually they dry up and die before making any, but this year has been cool so they're making actual peas. I'm happy this area is back to the usual late cool spring, we've gotten a lot of rain too and are out of the drought most of the surrounding regions are in. pretty ready for summer heat now.

I'll try to get non-hand-dox photos of some of the stuff once it looks like plants and not random chaff on the dirt.

oh, whoever it is that planted mint- you poor son of a bitch. that shit will take over. be ready to learn to make mint jelly or some like that.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

all right you bastards I planted everything, my shit is ready to be pushed in by squirrels and slugs and insects of every kind. gardening here is hard, plenty of town pests and I've got no real time off. yesterday was my first day off in a long while.

tomatoes have already started getting taller and there's some squashes vining. I planted lentils because there was a huge bag of them there on sale. they are sprouting. also coming up is torpedo melons and a blue hubbard. planned watermelon seeds that only need the short season here but no sign of them yet.

the perennials are coming along, hostas up, figs are starting to leaf out finally. they come back in leaf usually right after the last chill night of the year, so they're a good marker for true spring arriving here. my gooseberries are climbing the back porch, and the shitty rose that came with the house is already putting shade over the comfy chair out there.

I do peas around the perennials every year and those are going great, usually they dry up and die before making any, but this year has been cool so they're making actual peas. I'm happy this area is back to the usual late cool spring, we've gotten a lot of rain too and are out of the drought most of the surrounding regions are in. pretty ready for summer heat now.

I'll try to get non-hand-dox photos of some of the stuff once it looks like plants and not random chaff on the dirt.

oh, whoever it is that planted mint- you poor son of a bitch. that shit will take over. be ready to learn to make mint jelly or some like that.

Re: Mint
Juglaone is one hell of a herbicide.

 

[FatalTater]

If anyone is interested in hügelkultur in raised beds and what it might look like after about 4 years, a guy took one apart and filmed it.

 

[Bassomatic]

I have my first EVER passionfruit. I'm guarding it from everything and moved it really close to the house so nothing gets interested in it. I've had the plant a few years and it blooms but never fruited.

 

[Bugaboo]

I grow roses, I have twp hyrbid teas and a shrub rose. Tbh I hate my hybird teas I want to replace them with shrub roses because my shrub is my pride and joy.

I dunno what to fill out the empty spaces of garden with because I have a large, empty area. I was thinking perrenial hibiscus but I am still thinkin

 

[Freshly Baked Socks]

Update: Porcupines still climb my cherry trees with the plastic collars, but I have been greasing the collars and that seems to work. Garlic scapes are useless in every recipe I have tried. They might be useful to a starving person, but it is a hipster trick to try selling them for boutique prices. I have pounds of scapes in the fridge I will throw away again (after trying freezing, pickling, and making butter-infusions).

I am still harvesting every chive blossom I can get my hands on every year, and while I still make a bunch of oniony tasting and burgundy colored vinegar... I'll share that the second best reason to harvest chive flowers is to dry them and use as a fancy topping on your food. It's like dried green onions but with SO MUCH MORE *glamour*.

 

[shameful existence]

This is the winner. The first red tomato of 2022.


In other news, I'm trying to grow some eggplants this year. Not sure if it's going well or not, but the blossom is very decorative.

 

[cuddle striker]

I grow roses, I have twp hyrbid teas and a shrub rose. Tbh I hate my hybird teas I want to replace them with shrub roses because my shrub is my pride and joy.

I dunno what to fill out the empty spaces of garden with because I have a large, empty area. I was thinking perrenial hibiscus but I am still thinkin

hibiscus are good, get the ones you can candy and dehydrate or use for tea. delicious stuff.

my figs are in production now. I'll have to get photos when a good load are ripe at once.

my watermelons are stunted, sad things, but the lentils look like it might be at least a few meals worth. I planted in cucuzetta and those have baby squash on the vine already

This is the winner. The first red tomato of 2022.
View attachment 3446718

In other news, I'm trying to grow some eggplants this year. Not sure if it's going well or not, but the blossom is very decorative.
View attachment 3446722

that eggplant looks healthy and glad. I've tried them a few times and they don't seem to grow well but I'm also not prepared to weed and spend time worrying over annuals

 

[ZazietheBeast]

Hello. I'm trying to get into gardening for edible plants but I live in an area with extreme heat and clay soil. Currently have onion leeks thriving in this area as well as onions and currently trying to grow a prickly pear cactus along with agave. What other plants could do well here?

 

[Honored guest]

Hello. I'm trying to get into gardening for edible plants but I live in an area with extreme heat and clay soil. Currently have onion leeks thriving in this area as well as onions and currently trying to grow a prickly pear cactus along with agave. What other plants could do well here?

If your looking to improve your soil refer to a previous post, and allow me to toot my own horn,

With clay soil you're going to need to break it up and add organic matter like compost, peat moss, dead leaves, grass clipping, etc. you could either use a shovel or a tiller to break up the clay and add your organic matter try to avoid doing this when the soils really wet. How big do you plan on making your garden? If you plan on going big or using raised beds don't buy bagged soil it will cost you a fortune, look into local companies that sell top soil or compost they sell in bulk and some will deliver to your property. When it comes to amending clay soil it could take a few seasons of adding organic matter before its really good so don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results.

As for vegetables that do well in clay, I've had luck with squash, beans, peas, swiss chard , and radishes. I've heard from others that carrots can do well, and I imagine most leafy greens would do ok since swiss chard does well.

Update: Porcupines still climb my cherry trees with the plastic collars, but I have been greasing the collars and that seems to work. Garlic scapes are useless in every recipe I have tried. They might be useful to a starving person, but it is a hipster trick to try selling them for boutique prices. I have pounds of scapes in the fridge I will throw away again (after trying freezing, pickling, and making butter-infusions).

Look up the laws in your area, but have you thought of trapping them with a havahart and then dispatching them with a shot to the head? An air rifle should be strong enough, and you wouldn't have to worry about anyone calling the cops because of gun shots.

 

[Xarpho]

As the extreme heat takes a toll in my area, my plants are suffering.

Mint got pruned a while back because it was just growing like crazy, even with everything pruned, it's suffering. I wonder if it's suffering more BECAUSE I just tore off the extra sprouts instead of a careful trim.
Red pepper plant got nice and big with giant green leaves but has yet to produce a viable bloom (much less a fruit). It needs lots of water, the leaves will get wilty within 24-48 hours.
Potato replaced an ornamental ivy. It seems to do okay but pot is too small to grow anything like the big potato it used to be.
Garlic I'm not sure if I'm overwatering or underwatering, but the tips look dead and it seems to have stopped growing.
Onions were overwatered and were aborted. They had two small sweet onions that were growing together. Probably wouldn't have made it to full term.
Arugula wants to bloom but has lost most of its leaves. The heat is also taking a toll on it.
Basil seems to be doing alright.

 

[AnOminous]

As the extreme heat takes a toll in my area, my plants are suffering.

Me too.

Red pepper plant got nice and big with giant green leaves but has yet to produce a viable bloom (much less a fruit). It needs lots of water, the leaves will get wilty within 24-48 hours.

Yes, this is difficult to keep track of, and made worse by the fact I decided to have a front porch garden in those eco-bag things. You have to stay on top of them, but they seem to pop back nearly instantly upon being watered.

The banana peppers are thriving, Anaheim not so much, though it looks like there will be some, jalapenos are just finally producing some buds, but the real disappointment is the ghost pepper, which so far has produced nothing.

Basil seems to be doing alright.

The basil is thriving. The main problems are because of where I put them, they all grew toward the sun, sunrise on one side and sunset on the other. So they're nearly leaning over. That said, they're producing prolifically and don't seem to be suffering from it.

Finally harvested a bunch of the banana peppers, the larger Anaheims, a couple jalapenos, and a couple scotch bonnets. The banana peppers are the mild kind, the Anaheims are "hot" but so subtly you have to try to detect it. The jalapenos aren't ready and only mildly spicy. The scotch bonnets are explosive, though. A tiny bit had me sweating. They are still green, too, so should be epic when they're ripe.

So I chopped them all up and pickled them in a basic brine but with some Tabasco and crushed red pepper flakes. There was enough for a quart jar.

 

[shameful existence]

Had a bunch of these. I've been canning full time this week.