Who still has a vegetable garden?

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Ultimate Geek

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#575879 1-Feb-2012 13:56

keewee01: Now, if only I can prevent the lemon tree getting frosted and dying this winter...

I put stakes around any young citrus trees and cover them in sacking which keeps off the frost. Remembering to cover them is the hard part.

Elpie

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#575913 1-Feb-2012 14:55

keewee01:
Now, if only I can prevent the lemon tree getting frosted and dying this winter...

Grab some frost cloth from the garden centre and throw it over the top whenever the weather forecast predicts frosts. Lemon trees can take light frosts if they are healthy so you will probably only have a couple of nights a year to worry about. If the lemon tree isn't as healthy as you would like you can boost it up by peeing at the base (truly, it works).

Elpie

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#575917 1-Feb-2012 14:58

geek4me: Great to see so many green fingered Geeks out there. Am enjoying reading the replies.

Curiously no one has said they just buy what they need from the supermarket.

A blend of indoor computer work and outside garden work - sounds like the perfect balanced lifestyle.

Generalisations are tough, but most geeks seem to also be foodies. When you like good food & drink then growing food and making booze just go hand-in-hand. Freshly dug or picked produce just tastes so much better than supermarket-bought food supplies. It's also a creative challenge ;)

mattwnz

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#575941 1-Feb-2012 15:34

Supermarket fruit and veges from my experience tend to be poor quality, and they don't last long, not to mention that they are very expensive. Eg within a week of buying carrots, they are already starting to dry up and go mouldy. Yet carrots grown in the garden can last weeks after they have been picked. Same applies to many fruit and veges I buy. Brocolli will go yellow after just a few days etc. Therefore I suspect that some fruit and veges are stored for quite some time before they are sent to the supermarket.
Home grown is not only cheaper, but tends to be better quality, and you don't know what chemicals have been used on supermarket ones.

keewee01

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#575949 1-Feb-2012 15:45

There was some research several years ago that suggested leaving as much root (and stalk) on things such as brocolli, and the stalks on the likes of carrots helped them last longer. The findings were along the lines of that as soon as the root or stalk material was removed, the decay of the vege/fruit accelerated.

CYaBro

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#575950 1-Feb-2012 15:52

I also read a study, a few years ago, that found that you are better off buying frozen veges from the supoermarket than the "fresh" stuff.
Reason being that the frozen stuff is snap frozen quite quickly after being picked so all the neutrients are still at their best when you come to eat them.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Zippity

683 posts

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#575956 1-Feb-2012 16:11

You can't beat home grown veges that have gone straight from the garden into the pot onto your plate.

Besides, it gives the cats somewhere to go..................

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keewee01

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#575981 1-Feb-2012 16:58

Zippity: You can't beat home grown veges that have gone straight from the garden into the pot onto your plate.

Besides, it gives the cats somewhere to go..................

Definitely - last night I dug some spuds (as soon as I moved off one of the cats was there "using" the freshly dug soil...) and and hour later we were eating a yummy dinner that included those spuds from the garden... admittedly I did mash them last night, but it's the first time in ages that I have.

nickb800

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#575988 1-Feb-2012 17:02

keewee01:
Zippity: You can't beat home grown veges that have gone straight from the garden into the pot onto your plate.

Besides, it gives the cats somewhere to go..................

Definitely - last night I dug some spuds (as soon as I moved off one of the cats was there "using" the freshly dug soil...) and and hour later we were eating a yummy dinner that included those spuds from the garden... admittedly I did mash them last night, but it's the first time in ages that I have.

Thats why you need chooks - when they 'use' your garden, it helps the garden!

mattwnz

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#576003 1-Feb-2012 17:20

keewee01: There was some research several years ago that suggested leaving as much root (and stalk) on things such as brocolli, and the stalks on the likes of carrots helped them last longer. The findings were along the lines of that as soon as the root or stalk material was removed, the decay of the vege/fruit accelerated.

The supermarkets used to leave the leaves on brocolli, but not anymore. Certainly since they have removed them, brocolli hardly lasts at all. If it is not already yellow instore, it will be yellow a couple fo days later. And it is not as though it is cheap either. Home grown brocolli lasts for a least a week after your pick it.

alienwithin

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#576008 1-Feb-2012 17:42

We grow enough vegetables in summer to freeze for winter as well. not much grows in winter once the garden turns into a block of iced dirt.

Personally I would like to see vegetable gardens brought back in a larger scale to the population. examples, people who need food grants or on a benefit should be given help to get a vegetable garden going. state houses should have vegetable gardens and fruit trees around them.

by the way, how many people here have ever checked their water and gone to a water filter?

mattwnz

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#576010 1-Feb-2012 17:48

alienwithin: We grow enough vegetables in summer to freeze for winter as well. not much grows in winter once the garden turns into a block of iced dirt.

Personally I would like to see vegetable gardens brought back in a larger scale to the population. examples, people who need food grants or on a benefit should be given help to get a vegetable garden going. state houses should have vegetable gardens and fruit trees around them.

by the way, how many people here have ever checked their water and gone to a water filter?

Many people or developers have chopped up their properties, so there isn't much room for a vege gardens these days. Overseas they tend to have community gardens or allotments.

zenourn

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#576018 1-Feb-2012 18:15

Just started a vege garden this year - stawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, rhubarb, and a selection of herbs. Is great having fresh lettuce whenever you need it and garden strawberries are so much nicer! I have been composting for years so had plenty of compost for the vege garden.

With our water restrictions here in Christchurch I had to put in a rainwater collection system though so could water when I wanted. Has an additional benefit of having a supply of water when the mains goes off (which happens quite often).

Also got chickens this year so about half of the food scraps now take a extra step before becoming compost. No shortage of eggs now - 4 chickens so get 2 dozen eggs a week!

Expanding next season - our neighbour has gone (her house is a demolish) so have converted her back garden for veges and should be ready for planting next season. She is happy that I'm keeping her garden tidy and mulching and composting everything for the vege garden.

alienwithin

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#576028 1-Feb-2012 18:59

Many people or developers have chopped up their properties, so there isn't much room for a vege gardens these days. Overseas they tend to have community gardens or allotments.

there is always room to grow vegetables, hanging baskets are good for tomato's and strawwberries. potato bags can be brought to grow spuds in. many vegetables can be grown in containers without the need for a big garden.

mattwnz

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#576044 1-Feb-2012 19:47

alienwithin:
?

Many people or developers have chopped up their properties, so there isn't much room for a vege gardens these days. Overseas they tend to have community gardens or allotments.

there is always room to grow vegetables, hanging baskets are good for tomato's and strawwberries. ?potato bags can be brought to grow spuds in. ?many vegetables can be grown in containers without the need for a big garden.

Yes but you need quite a lot of land if you actually want to live off it for a family, and not buy many vegetables in. Also have to deal with crop rotation etc.

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