Lettuce Pray! How is Your Garden Planning Going This Year? 🌵🪴🌱☘️🌸🌻💐

[NightTwister]

My wife got a plant from a student's family for an end-of-year gift. To water it, you put 6 ice cubes on the dirt once-per-week. Sounds like the perfect plant for those with a "brown thumb."

 

[tourist]

My wife got a plant from a student's family for an end-of-year gift. To water it, you put 6 ice cubes on the dirt once-per-week. Sounds like the perfect plant for those with a "brown thumb."

I have a 'brown thumb' too. I might just try that ice cube hack in my garden. Got plenty of ice too.

 

[tyler87432f]

Potatoes, beetroots, zucchini, podded pole beans; purple ones this year (definitely not the rose beans! Horrible! Learned from the last year.. let them grow too much and pods become wooden!),
carrots, onions, cucumbers.. Cherry tomatoes, only if I can find them already potted to a ampel.
I have tried to grow cherry tomatoes (from the seeds), they will grow, like crazy, and then produce tomatoes, but those are never sweet as they are promised to, so I don't know what went wrong..

Chives, parsley, dill, spinach, lettuce..

As for flowers, I should not be let to a summer yard section at the stores! And even worse if there is a sale going on...

So far I only got Diascias, Calibrachoas (I always try to apt the ones I do not need to remove the flowers from). Piones, Rhodos (which I want more, I want a rhodo garden!), Hostas, Osteospermum... And a whole lot of other flowers here and there, perennials..
why on earth does english have these hard names for their plants, or do they have nicknames in english? If so they are hard to find.
We call these:
Osteospermum = Starry eyed (or just star eye as literal trans.)
Calibrachoa = Millionbell or Japanese bell


Also in the garden there are, red currant and black currant bushes, maybe there are a few goose berrybushes too. Apple trees grow by themselves, so does sea buckthorn bushes, but I am aimin' to kill few of those ones!


Today, since it wasn't so windy, onions went to the ground.
After that it was time to give time to my most plenty of plant, common chickweed! I gave it and all of its offspring a nice and warm welcome to my garden for it this year with a flame thrower

View attachment 276635
there are thousands of common chickweeds getting ready to grow.. Probably not visible in this photo.


I guess I have alway been in the garden, even if I didn't want (as a kid), but getting older, so it is nice to grow and store your own food. And flowers are beautiful pixmig’s photo albums around the garden!

I remember one time when I was a kid (maybe 10 years old) and I had my friend over, my brother and I had to go plant potatoes with our parents.. I was soo jealous that my friend didn't have to , she just walked around the field and played by herself.




Oh, that purple Tradescantia is a one I would buy if I would see it in a store, not that I need anymore indoor pants either.. but there is always room for one more!

Yes i see that

 

[Billyd]

Yes i see that

I noticed that one of the comments in that post was "My tomatoes are never as sweet as they are promised to be"

I had this problem for several years. The landscaper at my favorite garden center gave me a solution for the problem. It was a small bag of trace minerals to use on each individual plant. I sprinkle a couple of tablespoons around each plant when I transplant my plants.

I also put a 1/4 cup over my raised beds (4'x8'x8") before I transplant into them.

 

[Mem]

My gardens all ready to grow. I have dill in a pot with basil, and mint in its own pot, as well as a strawberry in a tub, and four peppers, two kinds of yellow, one hot, one sweet, and a red and an orange sweet pepper in a window box.

The rest are all flowers. In a pot:

pansies
lobelia
(giant) phlox
geranium and ivy geranium
common and variegated periwinkle
petunia
lantana
begonia
impatiens
String of hearts
There is a stub left of some catnap since Pearl (my only remaining of three feral residents) noticed it and over-loved it (don't tell her I have another one on the front porch).

lavender that came up sprouted from last year
Bee Balm
Coreopsis
vinca
a mini-morning glory
verbena.

I can't seem to get a grip on keeping them alive but that has stopped me from trying again this year with three, not doing so well, zinnias.

Catharanthus hybrid "white peppermint"
Arizona apricot blanket flower
blue salvia
gerbera daisy
catmint (Squishy favor this one especially and claimed it for himself).
hardy banana tree
dahlia
blue delphinium (larkspur)
lemon balm
garden sage
marigold
browallia (bush violet)

I have a small apartment. Otherwise, there would be much, much more.

 

[Elizabeth35]

Okay, mid July. We're in the middle of gardening season for pretty much every zone. How are the gardens looking? Did things germinate? Are they thriving or barely surviving?

It's been a rough year for mine, but I'm persevering. My flowers are doing better than my food but at least some things are growing!

 

[seoulsearch]

Okay, mid July. We're in the middle of gardening season for pretty much every zone. How are the gardens looking? Did things germinate? Are they thriving or barely surviving?
It's been a rough year for mine, but I'm persevering. My flowers are doing better than my food but at least some things are growing!

Thanks very much for this, @Elizabeth35!

Don't feel bad, I think I've made my own (flower) bed, and am now trying to make my way through it!

Here are some updates:

1. I've discovered I really like fresh sauteed tarragon leaves. Unfortunately, both of my tries wound up as casualties. I think I got too small of plants and was a little too enthusiastic about the harvest (cutting off a bit too much at a time.) I also think they weren't very happy indoors, but I liked having any edible plants inside to help avoid pests.

2. Last year was the first time I was ever able to grow something (pansies) from seed to full flowers. This year, the pansies flopped but I've had some success with cosmos flowers. Almost every day, I'm able to pick a flower to put in a bowl of water in my kitchen, and it makes me happy!

However, the other day I noticed a conga line of aphids on one stem . I promptly love-bombed everything with neem oil and hopefully that will take care of it.

3. My current pride and joy is a rose plant that produces small but bright pink roses, marked down because had blooms but they were in their late stages. This is the first round of roses they've had from bud to bloom while in my care, and I am thrilled that it has so far survived my black thumb!

Speaking of which, I have probably 4 other plants that aren't going to make it, but I can't give up on them -- not just yet!

I would love to hear how everyone else's growing adventures are going!

 

[Mem]

The banana peppers that are ripening. Everything is doing good except for one of the blanket flowers (I moved it, and it did not like the new spot) and the delphinium seems to be struggling in its pot. Even the zinnias are doing okay and offering a few new blooms. And the giant inpatients and hearts of string patio planter I rescued from the clearance rack went from sickly drying yellow to deep green and revealed their blooms to be pink, and a bonus! A stowaway Heart of Jesus emerged out of the middle of the bunch and has stolen the show as the main attraction!

 

[Mem]

A stowaway Heart of Jesus emerged out of the middle of the bunch and has stolen the show as the main attraction!

I didn't know what this was when I saw it, but I couldn't miss it. I learned that the Google homepage on my phone has a feature, Google Lens, underneath the search bar that uses your camera to identify plants and result was that this is an Angel Wings/Heart of Jesus.

 

[enril]

mine

Hey Everyone!

I've spoken about my Toxic Thumb before, but for some reason (and to nature's dismay,) I keep trying!!

The fact that I have pretty much no luck or skill is pretty embarrassing, considering I have family members who were professional farmers! But for some reason, even with everything I've killed, I still can't give up! Last year I was able to grow pansies from seeds (my first successful growth from seed to mature plant ever,) and this year I'm going for a world record (for me, at least) of trying to grow flowers from seeds 2 whole years in a row!

I also have a small group of people I keep in touch with on CC, and we are almost on the verge of starting a "Plant War" -- or maybe it's just all in my imagination. I just know that every time I see someone post a picture of their latest awesome garden pics, it seems to give me "Plant Envy."

In the meantime, I have a small assortment of indoor plants, with these two being my crowning jewels (these are stock internet photos -- my plants look good but not quite THIS good!)

I couldn't resist the bright purple glow this one gives off!

And I am particularly fascinated by this Rex Begonia. It has red stems, red leaves, and black spots -- not a single part of the plant is green, and is unique to any other plant I've tried (in my very limited experience.)

I can only have container plants and have limited space, but I also want to pick up some basil and possibly a strawberry planter, if I'm feeling brave. I know the entire plant section shudders every time I walk by, but I just can't resist!


How about YOU?

* What things are you planting in your garden this year?

* What are your favorites, and biggest successes?

* What are your biggest gardening failures, and what did you learn from them?

* Who or what got you into gardening, and are you teaching anyone else?

* If you're not a gardener, do you know someone who is?

Lettuce all be thankful... For everything we have growing around us! I'm looking forward to hearing all about what YOU'VE got growing.

mine did nothing but grow over with weeds.… but the seeds were almost as old as me………

 

[Mem]

I'm picking a venture back up that I had abandoned due to multiple failures. I'm attempting to revive an orchid that had only once bloomed one single itty-bitty flower but has been barely hanging on ever since (at least a couple of years now). It was one that supposedly so easy to 'just add ice.' And during my initial enthusiasm to take up the project of orchids, my husband ordered me 6 seedlings of different types with one being one I was interested in experiencing its aromatic claim of smelling like chocolate called "Sherri Baby."

Well, the first one I purchased is the only remaining survivor (it is maroon, I think, if I'm right that it is the one that had had one bloom) since I tossed all the others out that looked dead. However, in researching orchid care recently, I found that they might've only appeared to be dead and as long as there is something 'solid' to work with, they could've been revived. I can imagine the feeling of accomplishment that would be reality if indeed I can manage to get this little shriveled up orchid to blooming once again.

I also picked on Lowe's clearance rack (which came with a bonus Janet Craig dracaena). I don't know what color it's going to be since there was only one brown totally brown and one green stem left on it. I got anxious and cut the stems off, going on some orchid care advice to propagate baby orchids from the one live stem. But after watching more videos on the subject, I see I could have generated more blooms from that stem if not just to see what color orchid I actually have and google lens might possibly identify. However, now I'll have to wait even longer to see. Hopefully, I've achieved orchid mastery class 121 level at least with all the experience at failure.

If I can manage at least a proficiency level of mastery, then, and only then, will I venture into the orchid symposiums in Florida (where I hope that Sherri Baby has not gone extinct).

 

[Mem]

It was one that supposedly so easy to 'just add ice.'

Oh, yeah, and the orchid care instructor wagged their finger at adding ice saying, 'Don't do this! They don't like that cold...'

 

[Mem]

As I have a tendency to do in whatever I do set my mind to do, I couldn't wait to do it so, I ordered a few orchid seedlings, "Sharry Baby," "Dancing Lady," and a vanilla bean plant. I'm working on a small rainforest fit for a spider monkey to live in (did I mention planting the cold hardy banana tree?). I had set aside the indoor garden ambition for a while since I failed with the Meyer lemon, the gardenia (I was eying a jasmine plant), and the aforementioned orchids. But I picked the ambition back up when mom's makrut lime tree, that auntie gifted her, dried up last year and the search for a replacement had come up completely empty.

So, when I thought to look again recently (as mom often mentioned her regret of its loss) I found my hope realized that eventually, given the new free market environment, someone would take up the venture in offering them for sale. And, of course, I ordered a small pot that promised two seedlings and was surprised to see that I actually was sent a pot with three seedlings. I adopted two of them, because Ma was surer of my indoor horticultural skills than her own so that, between the two of us, at least one might survive to maturity. And as of now, her seedling is at least not wilting but my two are showing new growth!

And this is why I it occurred to me, "Hmm, at least I might not repeat any mistakes I'd made with my first orchids (about four years earlier) ..."

This is a stock pic of the potential makrut lime buds I could be seeing, although we're really only growing these for the leaves.

And I'm expecting to the delivery of these seedlings soon and looking forward to experiencing the scent of these blooms, eventually.

Sharry Baby (Chocolate) Oncidium

Dancing Lady Oncidium

Vanilla Bean Orchid (Vanilla planifolia)

Will they survive in this climate? , Idk but, I mean, considering that, perhaps sooner than later, there won't be much difference between heaven and earth, I might as well get ahead of the curve in respect to tending to my share of the garden.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

My garden is shared with other tenants. I we have people do it for us thankfully.

 

[Mem]

As I have a tendency to do in whatever I do set my mind to do, I couldn't wait to do it so, I ordered a few orchid seedlings, "Sharry Baby," "Dancing Lady," and a vanilla bean plant. I'm working on a small rainforest fit for a spider monkey to live in (did I mention planting the cold hardy banana tree?). I had set aside the indoor garden ambition for a while since I failed with the Meyer lemon, the gardenia (I was eying a jasmine plant), and the aforementioned orchids. But I picked the ambition back up when mom's makrut lime tree, that auntie gifted her, dried up last year and the search for a replacement had come up completely empty.

So, when I thought to look again recently (as mom often mentioned her regret of its loss) I found my hope realized that eventually, given the new free market environment, someone would take up the venture in offering them for sale. And, of course, I ordered a small pot that promised two seedlings and was surprised to see that I actually was sent a pot with three seedlings. I adopted two of them, because Ma was surer of my indoor horticultural skills than her own so that, between the two of us, at least one might survive to maturity. And as of now, her seedling is at least not wilting but my two are showing new growth!

And this is why I it occurred to me, "Hmm, at least I might not repeat any mistakes I'd made with my first orchids (about four years earlier) ..."

This is a stock pic of the potential makrut lime buds I could be seeing, although we're really only growing these for the leaves.

And I'm expecting to the delivery of these seedlings soon and looking forward to experiencing the scent of these blooms, eventually.

Sharry Baby (Chocolate) Oncidium

Dancing Lady Oncidium

Vanilla Bean Orchid (Vanilla planifolia)

Will they survive in this climate? , Idk but, I mean, considering that, perhaps sooner than later, there won't be much difference between heaven and earth, I might as well get ahead of the curve in respect to tending to my share of the garden.

Revisiting the beginnings of my orchid venture and updating my progress. The Makrut Lime Trees are still alive but not showing much growth (even though I tried 'pruning' by plucking off a couple of leaves. ..but I just might should rather learn patience). I plan on 'topping' them come spring to see if it helps thicken up their 'trunks.' I planted the vanilla bean vine together with a struggling pink fittonia in my oversized planter housing a monstera. They seemed to like it well enough there considering they didn't die off but they weren't really showing much growth either. ...And then I brought the kittens in. And I named the black princess "Spider" as fitting seeing that she had mad spider monkey skills climbing around the mini rainforest I was working on cultivating and now they're all trampled, shredded, and dead. What a cutie though.

Said to be a good lesson in patience, the orchid growing venture updates the survivor remnant orchid is growing new roots! (I'm so very excited.) And so are the new Oncidium orchids, the Sharry Baby and the Dancing Lady, and I've since purchased a Rex's Firefly that sort of fell apart in shipment and I'm experimenting to see if this hasn't actually resulted in my obtaining 3 for 1. These all are forming new roots also (with the exception of 2 of the 'scraps' of firefly but it's a positive that they are still green). And I acquired two mini orchids also, and I do mean mini as in no bigger than the pad of my pinky finger and, upon close examination recently, I believe one of them is pushing the start of a flower spike! (If I'm not mistaking a root sprout for a spike...hmmm, maybe I am advancing in orchid growing skills after all?!)

I happened to notice a Macy's Black Friday sale on sunrooms at 50% cost! I wonder what the landlord might think of it. Haaa! It's just as well that I can't afford it even at half price, or I'd be apt find out now and explain myself later.

And, most recently. I picked up a small poinsettia but really don't expect it will last too far into the new year.

 

[Mem]

At center bottom of is the little stub that I suspect might be a flower spike, as emerging roots have a silver tint to them. (If anyone can confirm, I'd appreciate the surety!).
It's a long way from fully bloomed flower clusters with a lot that could go in the process, but... there's promise!
I might've mixed up the labels in my excitement of unboxing them, so I'm not certain whether this is the haraella retrocalla (yellow) or the schoenorchis seidenfadenii (purple) but hopefully will know exactly which is which (relatively) soon.

 

[seoulsearch]

This is the best post! A "Toxic Thumb" but still refusing to give up? Legend behavior. Growing pansies from seeds is a huge flex, and two years in a row? That’s your personal world record locked in.
The "Plant War" and plant envy combo is relatable af—same energy every time I see someone’s perfect garden. Your indoor plants are chef’s kiss that purple glow is unreal, and that Rex Begonia? No green parts? So unique! You’re low-key a plant pro despite the odds—can’t wait for your seed update this year!

Thanks very much for this kind and very encouraging post!!

I'm afraid my growing streak might have just run out, lol. I have some indoor grow lights and have now tried 3 times to start some flowers from seeds (with the hope that they would be full plants and ready to go in the spring!), but they keep sprouting, stagnating, and then drying up.

I've been trying different experiments with watering and putting them further away from the lights, but so far, no dice. I'm almost out of seeds and since it's winter, the local shops aren't selling any more for now... But I'll keep trying!

I love reading what else is doing in their gardens, no matter what size or location, and I'll probably re-write this thread when the growing season starts again in 2026.

Welcome to CC! Are there any things you specialize in or especially like to grow?

Looking forward to learning more about you and hope to see more of your posts around the forum!

 

[presidente]

My wife is a big gardener. We have different kinds of grapes, white rasberry things, pink berries, a variety of blueberry, blackberries, strawberries. Last year we had lots of lettuce in the spring. We have some now. We had collard green, just a bit of spinach, some banana trees for leaves, varieties of mint, some lemon grass, ginger, basil, a lime tree in a pot we bring inside, peaches, pears. We had some seat potatoes, and I think we have some unharvested regular potatoes, maybe, buried up there, rosemary and lavender, too. And some kind of brocolli that makes leaves and a few other greens. Oh yeah, we had some canteloupe and golden melon. We didn't plant them, but seeds from planting tomatillos from previous years, and we had quite abit of that. We have less than a quarter acre.


I did a search when my wife was making jam, and she made some out of tomatillos with lemon. That might be the best jam she made out of all the fruit. It tastes like a lemon custard.

 

[Lanolin]

Hooray a gardening thread!

Well so far I've barely started this season, as we are still in summer down here, March is the big harvest time.
We had grapes..good crop this year.
I've got new plants in pots because I have clay and am too lazy to dig.

So I've got lemon tree, catnip and catnip for the cat, spring onions and chives and garlic chives, coriander, parsley, thyme, rosemary...am big on herbs
Flowers I've got armerias, lobelias, naked ladies (yes it's a lily) wisteria,

Have cleared a whole lot of applemint that's spread everywhere, it was helping hide the grapes from birds.

I'm planning on planting more bulbs - dutch iris, the purple ones, are my favourite. I bought a packet called Miss Saigon.

Indoor plants I've now got siningia (never heard of it, but now I've got them, like a mini african violet) , peace lily, spider plant, christmas cactus, mother in law tongue or snake plant...jade plant or money plant I've got in the entrance ways.

When it's the right season, I'd like another citrus, will attempt a lime again and mandarins, and hoping a new tangelo tree to replace the old one that's dying.

 

[Mem]

When it's the right season, I'd like another citrus, will attempt a lime again and mandarins, and hoping a new tangelo tree to replace the old one that's dying.

I'm nurturing a makrut lime, even though I failed with the Meyer lemon. It's just a sapling but its growing. I learned that citrus like adequate watering but don't like wet feet so they are a lot like orchids in that way. So, I mixed a bit of sand into the citrus blend potting soil for drainage, using a clay pot, and adjusted the watering routine to a generous watering but then leaving it to completely dry out before I offer the next watering. I also added a small desk fan for air circulation and to it nudges it's working to sturdy up its trunk. Even though I bought it to for its leaves to use in cooking, it'll be a few years before I see any fruit. By that time, maybe I'll be skilled enough to raise more new trees. There doesn't seem to be any available locally.