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I have the back yard the size of a postage stamp, but I want Lex to see plants growing so I'm going to put a tomato and four zucchini in a planter on the patio. I'm going to plant corn and a bean plant in a little clear space in the garden. Plus some dill and cilantro. Hopefully the landscape guys (I live in a townhome) don't dig everything up.

I bought everything since one plant is about the same price as a pack of seeds.

Anything else you think I should do - more as interesting for Lex than actually producing enough for us to eat - might have to go back for some pumpkin seeds.
 
eLiciafay said:
I ate my first flower about 2 years ago. I felt so adventurous! LOL! It was really yummy, had a slightly spicy kick to it. I wish I remembered what kind it was.
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My guess is a Nasturtium. They are beautiful & edible, with a slightly peppery kick.

nast.jpg
 
canadia said:
I have the back yard the size of a postage stamp, but I want Lex to see plants growing so I'm going to put a tomato and four zucchini in a planter on the patio. I'm going to plant corn and a bean plant in a little clear space in the garden. Plus some dill and cilantro. Hopefully the landscape guys (I live in a townhome) don't dig everything up.

I bought everything since one plant is about the same price as a pack of seeds.

Anything else you think I should do - more as interesting for Lex than actually producing enough for us to eat - might have to go back for some pumpkin seeds.
Click to expand...
A tomato AND four zucchini?? That must be one GINORMOUS planter!!!!!!! Corn probably isn't wisest choice for a small backyard, it sucks too much out of the soil and is likely not to produce any edible ears. Although .... if you have at least a 3'x3' space, a three sisters planting might be fun for a child and it will help build the soil instead of depleting it. I don't remember how old Lex is - will he be disappointed if his corn doesn't produce? For the three sisters - make sure you get pole beans instead of bush & I wouldn't use pumpkin for the squash - it will take over the entire yard.
 
eLiciafay said:
I ate my first flower about 2 years ago. I felt so adventurous! LOL! It was really yummy, had a slightly spicy kick to it. I wish I remembered what kind it was.
Click to expand...

I wonder if it was a nasturtium... they have a bit of a peppery/spicy kick..... and the little lily pad leaves are so pretty and edible too.

100479.jpg
 
OMGosh! Ennui! I didn't read further to see that you posted the nasturtium pic also!!! heehee

I'm guessing Felicia had a nasturtium! :bliss:
 
sprintc22 said:
Wow! you sound like a pro!! I am interested in growing all of the above. Please tell me your recipe, I am interested! I am going to go tomorrow and get my plants, I sure would like all your tips and recipes if you don't mind? I do a lot of canning also and I am always looking for a shortcut. However, I did find out how to make pickles quite fast, they are called sunshine pickles, very easy to do, I used to crock them.. but not anymore :lol:. I really want to know about the edible flowers. thanks for sharing
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Just a few quick tips....

basil does not like cold weather, so be careful not to put it out too early... thinking ahead.... snap off any flower buds when they show up and the plant will produce more leaves. I love several different basils... genovese for pesto, thai basil for thai food flavoring, spicy globe, purple basil, but my favorite is cinnamon basil..... the most unique wonderful basil we just LOVE on salads.

Tarragon, chives, sage, oregano, mint and thyme are all perennials, so plant them somewhere you don't mind them coming back up at next year.

Chives flower once when coming up..... use the chive leaves and also pluck apart the flowers for a beautiful slightly oniony touch on salads

chive_flowers.jpg


Oregano will spread like crazy, so be ready to pull out the little ones if they appear further than you want year after year.

Mint spreads even faster :gah: maybe better put in a pot in the ground if you want to contain it more easily. There are many different "flavors" of mint... chocolate, lime, orange, spearmint.... etc

Thymes spread very nicely.... a low growing carpet like plant... there are many types of thymes also... lemon for sweet desserts and "regular" for marinades , etc. It's kind of evergreen, so i've even looked for it under the snow in winter :)

Parsley is a biennial... the first year it grows leaves, stems and roots and the second year it flowers.

Cilantro is VERY easy to grow... seeds come up quickly ..... use some of the cilantro leaves.... let the rest go to seed for a second batch through the planting season.

Rosemary is an annual. It doesn't survive the winter here in Illinois. A wonderful scented flavoring for meat marinades.

Here's a site with a nice list of edible flowers....

http://middlepath.com.au/qol/edible-flowers-salad-garnish.php

I will look up that pesto recipe for you too...

Happy Herb Gardening!



 
For bushier herb plants, pinch them out, especially basil.


Whatever you do, do NOT plant horseradish, not even in a pot. It escapes and shows up everywhere and forever.
 
canadia said:
I have the back yard the size of a postage stamp, but I want Lex to see plants growing so I'm going to put a tomato and four zucchini in a planter on the patio. I'm going to plant corn and a bean plant in a little clear space in the garden. Plus some dill and cilantro. Hopefully the landscape guys (I live in a townhome) don't dig everything up.

I bought everything since one plant is about the same price as a pack of seeds.

Anything else you think I should do - more as interesting for Lex than actually producing enough for us to eat - might have to go back for some pumpkin seeds.
Click to expand...
Sun Gold, Ildi, or Sweet 100 are great cherry toms that produce like crazy and will happily grown up a cage attached to a very large pot. With daily watering & regular feeding, you can grow 4-6 tomato plants in a 20 gallon pot. Cherry toms have the advantage that kids can pick the fruit green and there will still be tons more left on the plant to ripen.

You might want to try strawberries in a large planter.

Pole beans will grow up and around individual poles [3-4 seed per pole] or a pole teepee. They grow quickly and spectacularly. Just stay away from the Hyacynth bean, its pretty but poisonous. Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Wonder, or Romano pole are readily available and heavy producers [more for kids to repeatedly pick].
 
ennui said:
For bushier herb plants, pinch them out, especially basil.


Whatever you do, do NOT plant horseradish, not even in a pot. It escapes and shows up everywhere and forever.
Click to expand...


OK, what do you mean by pinch them out? Do you mean thin them out? :lol:
 
I have tried planting pumkins several times and never really any decent size to them, but the vines DO spread and take over a large area.
 
I tried the 3 sisters planting lat year. I am in northeast Illinois. I planted corn, peas and pumpkins. Now the plan is they will all feed from each other and give something for the peas to climb up on. Well, my corn started to grow. I thought I was in business. Then the *^@$*!%# neighbor's tree crashed and landed in my garden. For the most part, it took out most of my garden. I had 3 or 4 corn plants that were untouched. I held out hope. Then came the *%@#^%! japanese beetles. What the tree didn't take out, the beetles ate. I don't know if the 3 sisters plan will work, as I got nothing from it :( BUT, if someone does see results, I'd love to hear about it.
 
I've tried to grow watermelon also, I grew 3 in 1 year but they were a large softball ... maybe 1/2 the size of a soccer ball. Read tiny! They tasted good, but definitely tiny!
 
Same thing here with the watermelon, cantalope was another that did not grow well. I planted some grapes and some asparagus 3 years ago and nothing.. but I do have to say that I have a lot of raspberry plants this year and I should also be getting a very nice batch of peaches for the first time. I am so excited now I can't wait to start planting.
 
Yea, I have wild black raspberries growing in my front yard. I really wish the freaking deer would find those bushes and eat them, instead of my poor little apple tree! I have cut the raspberry bushes back year after year and they keep growing. My blueberries are now 3 years old, this year they should be putting out quite a bit more. My grapes bushes/plants are 2 years old, might get a few more this year.
 
would anyone be interested in exchanging plants or flowers? I have hostas that need to be thinned and bleeding hearts and a few other.
 
I'd have to look it up but isn't asparagus something like a 3 year crop? Takes 3 years for it to "take and produce"... not sure. Once it does though, it keeps coming back.
 
I have lost all my blueberries, grapes, asparagus, 1 cherry tree and 1 black cherry tree. Don't know what the problem was. I guess I will try it all again this year and see what happens
 
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