Gardening to divert depression

Every year I used to buy the same annuals, nasturtian flowers and impatiens flowers.  I'd plant the impatiens in this bunny-rabbit stone planter on the porch, it would really spring up and spread out all around it, very pretty white, red, and pink.  And the nasturtian, which you all probably know you can eat them with a salad, I'd stick in the bed next to the porch, and it would climb all the way out into the yard, pretty pink and purple flowers.  I cannot believe I've gone so long without at least doing the impatiens, they're everywhere in the mountains of NC, my mother got me to doing them, I have the planter, tho, in a too-shady place, I'll HAVE to find another spot, as our whole porch and steps get no sun, altho they do well enough in light shade, it's just I like to see that rabbit thing as I come and go.  Out back, won't go there, it's SOLID sun.  Maybe they'll do better in the little patio next to the porch, because it's brighter over there by perhaps just enough.  Ohhhh, I'm just filled with excitement about all this stuff!!!  THANK YOU LADIES, and keep those stories coming.  LOVE IT.  Us breast cancer ladies NEED this exact sort of thing.  GG

Wow! The gardening thread has lit up. Welcome to all newcomers. I've gardened in rooftop gardens in large cities, dry climes, wet climes, cold, hot, you name it. I've moved a lot and enjoyed them all and the various challenges.

I always have an herb garden, even if only windowsill, but like to add a few chiles and tomatoes. I also like flowers, but try to hold it down, otherwise I'd spend my entire income on plants. My favourite flowers are probably pansies--because they are beautiful and definitely not pansy as in wimpy.

I'm formerly a BC navigator. I finally left the job after about a decade. I continue working with women going through BC as a yoga teacher. I also teach other cancer patients and have 2 classes of "well" people. My pet peeve is when Mr. Morning has yet another "death" in his family and I have to open the fitness centre at 06:00! But, it's overtime and I add it to my travel fund.

What I was taught of planting by the moon was quite basic - plants that you grow above ground (tomatoes/squash/greens/beands/peas/etc.) you plant the seed and transplant (if appropriate) when the moon is close to full or full but not waning. What you grow that is underground ('taters/beets/turnips/carrots/parsnips/onions/garlic/etc.) you plant or transplant close to the dark of or dark of the moon but not when waxing. Turnips and beets, you plant depending on rather you want more greens or roots or combo.



This winter has been crazy. We have set 3 record highs in the last 3 days. We've already had several fires. (Just heard onTV that we're under 'Red Flag Warnings'.) There are cracks in my yard that are what they should be in mid summer. I'm really worried about hay this summer and fires unless we get a lot of moisture soon. Of course we can still get blizzards BUT? The latest I remember getting significant snow was the first few days of June one year.

Rajkumari - What is the rainfall where you are in India?  Not even sure if you are in the opposite season as I am.  I have seen so many interesting ways to conserve water evaporation, especially from California.  An interesting one was burying a clay pot with wide bottom and thin neck near the plants.  Cap on the top of the pot.  The clay slowly leaked moisture into the soil.  I haven't tried it but could possibly do it with a plastic container with only a few pinholes to leak moisture.  Of course a very thick layer of mulch helps.  I love Ruth Stout when it comes to speaking about mulch and its protective and nourishing qualities.

Dogeyed - Wisconsin had very little snow this year, at least Milwaukee area, and no bitter freezes that are typical for us.  Hooray.  No broken back from shoveling and no dead car battery from the extreme cold. The ground has warmed, the grass greened, much earlier than usual.  That being said, this region is known for fluky weather with temperatures going from 75 to 30 in the space of days or even hours.

About flower gardening, I loved that statement "friends don't let friends buy annuals"  I admit I buy some.  I love the tropical hibiscus.  I love the tuberous begonias.  I love cannas and I usually miss digging them up in time and have to buy new bulbs or plants in spring.

About remembering our parents, I remember a mother's day when I was still a newbie gardener.  I took my mother to the gardening center and we chose a flat of flowers, and I think, back then, a dollars worth of tomato plants, 3 separate varieties.  I had no interest in the tomatoes but dutifully put them in a nice eastern exposurer spot because she wanted them.  I did not visit so often, but when I did, found that she watered the tomatoes regularly and bought Miracle Grow for them.  They were in the best, sunniest, most protected part of the garden, and she took care of them and never had interest in gardening alll her life.  Ha, ha, She left the flowers to fend for themselves.  She loved her tomatoes that year. I would have never guessed that what she really wanted was tomatoes.

Everything is popping up in my garden I am so excited for fresh veges.

its so gsneh, its so good to see you back, and im glad youre at least feeling well enough to go out some days..

  my health is in the crapper, right now, but my patio garden, with its' gazebo, gets me out of bed at least 2xs a week.. they need nore, but i do what i can.. spring has come to so fla, and everything is "greening" it DOES help me to be out there, breathing fresh air..

 luckily, we're getting enough rain so nothings gotten really bad from my neglect...see you youood to see so many of yo here!!for a long time. sneh, Maya, and i were the only ones..

I thinned all my plants this weekend.  I'll have to try to take a picture of my garden and post it.  We have a new grocery store in town and they had some beautiful heirloom tomatoe plants so I had to buy two of them.  I love working outside in the garden.  I am getting ready for surgery in a week so I won't be able to do much for a few weeks.

Have any of the rest of you noticed climate change in your areas?  I mean noticeable change.  My winter was extremely mild, much less snow, and spring came at least a month early. 

Finally back, mess going on at work and since I teach yoga, like to stay in a zen state. But gardening really helps me. Planted onions, spinach, carrots. My herbs overwintered because of mild winter. Love herbs. Soon tomatoes and chiles.

Glad so many of you have shown up. Yes, it was only 3jays, Sneh and me for a long time. Spring has obviously arrived. 

Daffodils and forsythia blooming in Wisconsin too, early.  Trees budding out and I worry a little about snow slamming them as they leaf out.  The weather will do what it will do, I guess.  My worry will not change it a whit.  I planted a row of beets (6 feet) outside and my snow peas.  Never grew beets before and don't really know how to thin them if they do come up, but a neighbor grows beets and I expect she can show me.  I found seeds for an interesting radish, not genetically modified, that is pale green on the outside and red on the inside.  Watermelon radish.  Pepper, tomato, and cucumber seedlings have never had trips outside this early for hardening.  I am hoping their early growth and sturdiness makes this a banner year.  Taking the leaves off the perennials tomorrow to get a glimpse of what is going to come back.

The heat stroke is over around here, back to normal.  I spend a couple hours a day in the garden now that I feel better after chemo.  I love spring.  Today, I cleaned last muck from the pool,  It sparkles.  wondered if I seeded root vegetables too early, got a start on my summer tan.  The birds are so noisy in mating season, especially the cardinals.  Around here we say it is spring when the robins come back.  The cardinals stay all winter.  I think the local cardinals watch me and when I am outside farting around in the garden, they know spring has come back  Hee, hee.

I got half my seeds planted for the spring planting, and all my summer plants started.  Normally they would still be under grow lights, but the weather is so great they are outside on a rack in their poop pots (love cow pots!)  I also just ordered a dwarf orange tree and meyer lemon tree!  I am really excited about that, we shall see ow they go!