Gardening thread! Please join!

BadTichelDay

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 12:30 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

You have hyraxes! I've always wanted to see them in person. I love Israeli wildlife. Sorry about your garden, though. They probably thought you planted it just for them.

I turned over an old Ikea wardrobe on it's back, and removed the doors. Now I have a raised garden bed that I filled with leaves, compost, vermiculite, and potting soil. Then I sprinkled mixed salad greens all over it. I got it done just before this week's rain came, so I think the timing is going to be really good.

Shmitta question: If the pots don't touch ground soil, and they are on a concrete base, are they permitted?

Yeah, I thought the hyraxes were cute like round fluffy teddy bears when the first pair of them moved in about 8 years ago. Now they are a multi-generational chamoolah counting between 20 - 30 heads. Wish I had chased them away when it was still possible Banging head

If you sprinkled mixed salad greens on your raised garden bed, doesn't that lead to kilayim (halachically forbidden plant mixtures)? Or did you seperate them by species?

The shmitta question - to my best knowledge, as long as the pots have holes at the bottom or side, they are still considered as planted in the ground. The concrete is considered like a rock or like an extension of the ground.
To avoid that, they would have to be on something with airspace and a surface underneath, like a table, and without holes.

Best to ask a Rav close to shmitta for details.

There is an organization that studies and teaches the halachot of agriculture and gardening, also shmitta and how to take terumot and ma'aserot from homegrown things. They have a lot of information on their website and also answer questions by email or telephone. I find them very helpful: https://www.toraland.org.il

Their website is in Hebrew and they have an English translated website as well.

FranticFrummie

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 12:37 pm

BadTichelDay wrote:

Wow, thanks for the info! Hyraxes are endangered species, so you'd need some help from the department of agriculture to trap and release them somewhere else.

What if the pots had saucers under them? Would that help, or is it still not good enough?

As far as kilayim, I have no idea. The seeds came in a packet marked "mixed salad greens." They are all kinds of lettuce, but not other kinds of plants. I figured different varieties of the same thing would be like "one thing." Sort of like how lawns are usually mixed types of grass, weeds, and whatnot. It's not like I put pumpkins in there with them.

ETA: I just sent my questions to the website. Thanks again!

WitchKitty

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 12:47 pm

I don't have a yard either, and I do think it's too early to plant anything.
There's not much point in planting anything later on, because of shmitta, and sfichin. I remember when I was ten and erev RH had to pull out some cute little beets that just hadn't grown enough... And even if you did plant it early enough, when you're only allowed to water it enough to stay alive there's not much point.

amother

Papaya

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 12:54 pm

BadTichelDay wrote:

I would be glad if anyone could share good ways to deal with rock hyraxes (שפני הסלע). They eat nearly everything that's green in our back garden and climb like monkeys to defoliate the trees, especially in the summer, after the grass dries out.
(I live in constant fear of the day when they will discover that we've got a front garden, too.)

We had many hyraxes in the past ( I live near a large forest on the outskirts of jlem) and the iriya came and eradicated them due to the disease they were carrying and spreading (Shoshanat Yericho) call the iriya, they may be able to help.

BadTichelDay

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 12:58 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

As far as I know, a saucer (or 10 in a pile) still will not help. It needs to be up in the air and with 2 layers of material (like, table surface plus bottom of the hole-less pot). But this is a question for the torahland website or a rav who understands from these issues - not all rabbanim are equally well versed in them.
During shmitta it is permitted to minimally maintain existing plants even if they are in the ground. One doesn't have to let them die, only one can't do anything beyond bare survival for them either. There are a lot of laws about this.

The mixed salad greens are a shayla as well, I think. The halachic definition of different kinds is not always identical with the botanical one. As you mentioned pumpkins -
I once wanted to sow a package of mixed ornanental pumpkins. They are all pumpkins, right? Well, they are not, halachically. Torahland told me they are a forbidden mixture. Crying

FranticFrummie

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 1:00 pm

If you don't want to be depressed during shmitta, plant geraniums. Make sure they are well established, and you'll never have to water them.

I remember last shmitta (have I been here so long already?), when everything else was dead and brown, the geraniums were blooming like CRAZY! It seems that they really thrive with neglect.

I used to tend to over water them, and they'd all die from stem rot. Now I know that I don't have to lift a finger and they'll be just fine. Very Happy

BadTichelDay

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 2:21 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Yes, geraniums are great! They are incredibly drought resistant. They will bloom and look green in earth as dry as desert dust. Ideal for Israeli summers, for going away on vacation, for shmitta ... Hooray

But they do need fertilizer every now and then to keep going. Will give them a big load before shmitta.
(And hyraxes eat them Exploding anger

)

Sprinkles1

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 2:53 pm

DREAMING wrote:

I would love to grow some potted veggies. Any info is appreciated as I don’t know the first thing about it!!

Kirbies work the best.
We have a small patch of earth in the backyard but I was scared of squirrels, etc. getting to it, I decided to rather do pots on my porch (I live 1 flight up).
I tried assorted veggies and the only thing that really grew nicely were the kirbies (persian).
But you need really huge pots.

honey36

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 4:03 pm

Last spring we planted tomato, eggplant, cucumber, celery and green bean seedlings I bought from a nursery. In early summer I also planted a some zuchinni, green pea, and more tomatoe seeds. It was probably too late in the season, but quarantine boredom so it was really just for fun. My kids also planted apple seeds, lol. I think the squirrels picked those out of the soil.

Anyways all the seedlings did really well. I planted them all in very large planters- some I bought. The good quality plastic ones were around 6 dollars- their not fancy but their sturdy and it was already my 3rd year using them. Some I got second hand from family etc. Great idea FF to use a old cupboard/book shelf as a raised garden! I may try that this year if I want more room. The tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers all grew amazing! We really got nice harvest. The eggplant were also growing beautifully, but then disappeared overnight. I think squirrels got to them. Celery didn't work- needed more room than the planter I had. I think in a bigger space it would've done well.

The Zuchinni seeds actually grew super fast! We got a bunch of zuchinni, but none of them made it to the house either- also stolen by squirrels. For some reason the squirrels didn't like the tomato, green beans or cucumber, but took everything else. We tried the ultrasonic noise machine someone else asked about. It did not work for the squirrels. Also tried a little fence around the eggplants, but didn't work either... Any other ideas for keeping squirrels away that actually work? I heard that wrapping the produce in old stockings works but didn't try it.

Chayalle

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 4:22 pm

I moved 3 years ago and am enjoying some beginning gardening.

*house came with two gorgeous peony plants on one side of the house. I prune them down to the roots in the fall, and it's like yesh meayin, new plants come forth in the spring and grow these gorgeous, huge, perfume-scented blossoms. No maintenance beyond cutting it down in the fall, and propping them up with these wire hoops in the spring (or they will sag. The peonies are too heavy for the stems, so they need support).

*last spring I planted clusters of daffodils in two areas. I hope they come up! I also planted crocuses near a tree, but not sure I did those right...we'll see.

*on other side of the house there's a beautiful rosebush. I planted a 2nd rosebush last year (from a pot, bought in Lowe's) and it took beautifully. At the end of the summer I pruned both, so that branches don't cross too much. I also deadhead the roses periodically, and I get roses all season, May thru at least September. I'm thinking of adding a 3rd rosebush. So far I have red and pink/white. I'm thinking of a peach....

I'd love to add hydrangeas somewhere too.

CatLady

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 4:39 pm

I'm in Montreal and I am not a "winter person" so planning my balcony garden is one of the highlights of the season. I use the buckets that cat litter comes in as planters, which is not only "on brand" for me but gives more space than round pails.

Last year, I grew tomatoes from seeds. I've been looking at seed catalogues to find the right varieties for this year. I also want to plant sugar snap peas, and cucamelons, which I've never even tasted. But the cute factor is definitely there.cucamelons

CatLady

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 4:40 pm

FranticFrummie

Tue, Jan 19 2021, 4:45 pm

If critters are digging up your bulbs, there's a couple of things to do. Before you plant them, put them in a bag with a bunch of medicated foot powder like Gold Bond. Shake really well to coat them. This will repel squirrels, and also help prevent mold and fungus if the soil gets too wet.

What works really well, is when you plant the bulbs, top them off with a teaspoon of mothball crystals before you cover them with dirt. It works incredibly well.

I think it's funny when squirrels bury bulbs, and then forget where they put them. My neighbor across the street had an immaculate lawn. It looked so perfect it was almost fake. He mowed every single day, and probably took off one millimeter.

Then one warm spring day, right in the middle of his perfect lawn, was a HUGE, bright red tulip! Hello, random tulip coming to visit! It was too funny. LOL

Teomima

Sun, Apr 18 2021, 1:34 pm

amother [ Mint ] wrote:

How are the homegrown strawberries, lettuce etc in terms of bugs?

I haven't ever had any issues with bugs on my strawberries. So far I've had no problems with the lettuce but I did get aphids on my kale, though not at first. I had a terrible problem with aphids on my zucchini which was very disappointing. Fortunately they didn't seem to attack till near the end of the blooming season so though it meant I never got any good vegetables to eat, I had plenty of blossoms. I stuffed them with ricotta and ground walnuts, dipped them in a light beer batter and fried them, then added a light drizzle of honey. Yum.

amother

Aubergine

Sun, Apr 18 2021, 9:49 pm

amother [ Fuchsia ] wrote:

I’m in New York and Woukd love to grow herbs and veg
Where do I buy and how do is start
What’s easy for kids to take care of
Does it need lots of sun? Watered every day?

Tomatoes are great and easy. I think mint grows well, too. For herbs, you can do a hydroponic window garden so you don't have to worry about bugs.