I STARTED GARDENING...........

The next word may be when or because >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>you take it from there.

I started gardening at my father's knee about 1940. The effect of the great depression were far from over. We grew to eat, can and trade for other food. Our garden was about 100 X 200 ft at that time. My uncle had a farm in sight of our patch. We had chickens, goat's milk and one bossy cow for milk. She had to spend her breeding days over at the farm. Both families had a bone fide turn of the century ice house. Sawdust from the lumber mill was the insulation. Been orgnaic gardening ever since. I never knew any other way until I got to college and was told organic gardeners were some kinds of nuts to stupid to do it the easy way with chemicals. I remain to stupid to use those chemicals in my ground to this day.

Hi docgipe. I started gardening with my aunt when I was kid. Didn't do much more until we bought our own home and then just a little bit as there were kids that needed most of my time and money. Really got my garden going about seven years ago and have been enjoying the time I spend there very much. I do not use chemicals if at all possible because I like to share my garden with butterflies and birds and bees. Sometimes other critters think I should share with them too, like bambi and friends but I do discourage that friendship.

The 1st thing I can remember is in school. 3rd grade, I planted a corn seed. It grew and I got a ribbon. In school I went on to bigger plants in DE. I came home with another award. I graduated.

My first plant was a sweet potato in the days before they were treated. Right next to where I sit here I have the pretty piece of pottery in which I grew it. All good memories of plants and people who shared their knowledge with me.

me and my buddy decided to create a veggie garden in my back yard. I would guess I was about 10. Funny thing is, it got my father to return to growing vegetables and he eventually took over the garden I started.

I started when I bought my house. Started with a few bulbs and went nuts from there.

I too mostly started when I got my own home which was only about 5 yrs ago......my mom has always enjoyed it so I have always been around it. Nice to have you here.

Because...........

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/801197/

☺

Good find, WC. I was too lazy to look for it!

... I was too lazy to type it! ☺

Ha!

I can't remember when I didn't garden of one sort or another. During childhood, it seemed we always had a garden.

My DDXH planted the veggies when we owned our first house. There's still a pretty good looking clematis growing there and a lilac bush that I started from a twig. That's because I didn't have the heart to pull it up when I left. He grew the veggies and I grew the flowers.

Now, at this house we are always growing something. This year the cats have learned to stay away from the indoor foliage ~ for which I am grateful ~ and we have several plants indoors. Now, we can't WAIT to get outdoors!!

I started as a preteen kid. I had my own garden in the sandy filed, I'm sure it was just awesome now thinking about the conditions it was in.LOL

Dahlias?

No, would have all been seeds - probably zinnias and veggies. Traded my sister for some magic beans in town.

I tried with mine - no takers.

time for a recap...in 1 paragraph or less...lol. I grew up tired of white and beige. I found/stumbled into gardening, and colors exploded. I created beds at my parents home for their 30th wedding anniversary...that was the beginning. Now, I just creat beds, and beds, and more beds...and some more beds. If not for me, for close friends.

I started gardening because my dad made me(picking veggies, fruit and all the fallen apples). It's amazing it didn't totally turn me off to gardening but I love it.

Al, I started as an embryo.

What day was that, Dave?

I started gardening with my mother... planted beans when I was 6 years old... but for real it was 2006...met people in this forum through Laura and the rest you know....

I started only three years ago. And the reason I started was my dog(s). I used to throw a frisbee for my Boston Terrier and the wind would blow it into the gigantic mess of weeds that was our yard (no one that lived here before us gardened, either). My dog would rush into those brambles after his frisbee and I was terrified he'd lose an eye because of it. So I just started taking out the junk and reclaiming some of the cool natural features we have. The science of gardneing still intimidates me, but I'm learning with the help of my father in law and the good people here. Now I'm pretty much as obsessed with gardening as I am with my dogs.

Here is what my "garden" looked like the last time the frisbee landed in there. Someone planted those daylilies at one time, but that was about it. Even though they aren't anything fancy, I still have the daylilies that were here before. I feel like I owe them for all those years of neglect, lol.

V, It was Monday.

I started when I was 21 - DH and I lived in a small basement housekeeping room (we were very poor). I rented the one room suite across the hall and filled it with houseplants - all of which had to be abandoned a year later when we quit our jobs, took our money, and travelled around BC for 6 months exploring all the old ghost towns.

Later, we bought a house in Kamloops BC zone 5 - very hot, very dry summers. DH didn't want me to water (even though there was no charge for water) 'cause it caused the grass to grow to quickly! Needless to say, nothing except California Poppies really thrived (well, had I known about xeric [sp?] gardening . . . ) In the early 1980's I planted over $200 worth of bulbs - a lot of money and a lot of bulbs in those days - and we had a particularly harsh winter with no snow cover - of course they all died.

Then we moved to Ma. Now we get LOTS of water! And I am the only income earner, so I guess DH assumes I can insist on gardens now :-)

My primary motivation is design and fragrance :-)

Excellent Dave!
Doctor didn't think you were a weed when he pulled you out did he?

Hey,
When do I put dahlias outside?

Easy boy - it's March. Do you have the Madness!

Have to think anything before 5/1 for you is a bit daring.

A real man would put them out now, Dave. (Hee hee)

May 15 is our frost date.

It really is that late, sounds good to me. Mine go out about a week after that.

I left some out all winter Victor - working on a new hardy variety.

Last year I thought I'd get a jump on the dahlias and planted mine when they came in the mail, the first week of April. I planted a 'collection' of 12 with holes deep enough and some fertilizer added for good measure. Only 1 of 12 came up, I'm taking the frost date more seriously this year... ☺

Most likely they didn't freeze, but cold and wet will help them rot very well.

Yes... we didn't get any snow after I planted them but nevertheless... ☺

This message was edited Mar 20, 2008 11:54 PM

...if they're not growing - they're rotting.

WATERCAN 2..........Those tubers can wait until the first of June to be planted where you live. Fertilizer is best for them in the organic types. We use Fertrell's 4-2-4 and have never burnt one. Don't think you can working that way. A handfull of absolutely finished compost in the planting hole would likely be more than enough with nothing else.

Gee, I put my dahlia tubers in old nursery pots . . . and on warm spring days I put them on the blacktop driveway, then bring them inside in the evening. I get about a month's jumpstart that way by starting in April.

In May, they are planting in the gardens, and by the end of June I have flowers :-)

I plant mine when we plant the tomatoes - around May 27th to early June. They want a SOIL temperature of at least 50 but higher is better.

I never thought of that! Basically I am a lazy planter. Good idea though for the younger set. Not me. :) I just let them feeze in the fall. A friend gives me a couple every year or so.

How about calla lilies, the same time pretty much? You could pot them up early too right?

I have grown Callas in large patio pots. Do not know why you could not jump start them in pots if you so desire. Try it.