Gardening

[Spider-Ridley]

My wife and I love gardening. Every year we plant a garden with different vegetables in one spot and different types of plants in other spots. The not so fun part of gardening is the weeds that have to be pulled all of the time, but tasting the fruits of our labor makes it all worth it in the end.

[Murfreesboro]

For me gardening is the triumph of hope over experience. I try every year, but I seldom get great results.

This year I have tried an herb garden. Rosemary, thyme sage, and lavender. The lavender hasn't sprouted.

[Andybev01]

Me too, but no lavender.

[Murfreesboro]

Yesterday I bought basil, chives, and oregano to add to it. They were out of lavender, though.

[MauEvig]

Fast forward to 2023...
While I don't have much luck growing pumpkins by seed (I am getting a couple though and some squash) a lot of times I'll toss store bought pumpkins into the compost after Halloween (or sometimes after Thanksgiving since I might keep a few fall decorations out for that)
And usually I get some interesting results the next year. I never seem to get the same thing twice either. XD But I like surprises and that makes things fun.
This year I'm getting a bunch of the little pumpkins. Some of them you could say could be jack-be-little-ish, but I'm also getting the cute tiger striped pumpkins too. I've grown quite fond of those, so it's nice to see them growing in my garden.
Either way whatever I get is always a nice surprise. I might take pictures later, but so far I'm getting a TON of them. I might take a few to the elementary school, the kids would probably get a kick out of them.
I find it fascinating in general that there's SOOOOO many pumpkin varieties out there. I feel like I'm becoming something of a pumpkin enthusiast. XD
One year I even got something really unique...it started out like a regular white pumpkin but then it got orange freckles. It was cool. I'll have to find a picture of it.

Here's a few of this year's "surprise" pumpkins...aren't they cute?


Found the freckled pumpkin...made a pretty cool Jack O Lantern that year too. I think it was in 2021?
I even used the smoke balls in it. Made a cool effect. I remember getting that idea on here...I think from Pumpkin_Man?

[Murfreesboro]

Your pumpkins are amazing!

Whenever I try to grow them, something comes along in the night and eats all the blossoms off. No pumpkins for me.

[Andybev01]

Mau!! Welcome back.

Love that JOL with the smoke bomb!

[MauEvig]

Thank you, Andy!
I hope to do more of those this year. Depends on what kind of pumpkins I get (so far I've only been getting the itsy bitsy ones though, but there might be a few bigger ones growing in the "gutter." Last I checked I think there was one or two of the bigger ones, but I don't know what variety they are or if they'll make it.
I call it the gutter because it's a little area that's down hill. I really don't like putting a garden there because I hate having to walk down hill, and it tends to really favor the weeds. But pumpkins seem to be doing good there. lol I guess we'll have to see.
Worse comes to worse, I'll just buy a couple carving jack o lantern pumpkins from Walmart or wherever.
I DO have some smoke balls that have been sitting around forever. I hope they still work. lol

[witchy]

Those pumpkins are amazing!

[MauEvig]

Time to dust off the gardening thread!
I just got some tomato, pepper, cucumber and squash plants from the plant sale today. They have it every year and it supports the local PTO for the district I work at.
I also stopped at Walmart and got three strawberry plants.
I was a little disappointed they didn't have apple trees. I'm still lamenting the fact that the deer got mine.
As for pumpkins...I'll have to see what I have room for. But I can almost bet on my compost bringing some back like it does every year.

[Murfreesboro]

Good luck with your gardening, Mau! I have a few tomato seedlings I need to plant this week. I have some beefsteak and some cherry tomatoes.

[Andybev01]

Deer seem to have an appetite for more expensive plants.

I have to start my pumpkin seeds this week.

[Murfreesboro]

Deer don't enter our yard, but other critters do. Some of them (Squirrels? Rabbits? Possums? Raccoons?) always eat any squash or pumpkin blossoms in the night.

[Andybev01]

...because you sit in your yard with a bb gun?

[Murfreesboro]

Lol. Well, if I did, I suppose some of my pumpkins might survive their blossoming.

Deer just don't come onto our street, though they do venture into some parts of town.