I don't have a garden this year - wasn't sure about it .. but, I'm planning ahead to have a small container garden ....

that's funny, Tomo_Tsu - my uncle's cucumbers are growing like crazy - but the tomatoes are so-so!! must be the soil ...

I've been reading up on gardening books, container gardening, composting ... I had fun at my uncle's this last week ... and picked a little everyday - couldn't handle standing for a long time ...

Koala ... hmmm, I could slap your hands for removing RASPBERRY canes!! sassy sassy girl!! but, your garden sounds scrumptious!! so, now we can hear about your gardening ventures while we deal with the winter blahs and blues ...

whatever I picked this week - I got to take home ... made 2 qts and 12 1/2 pints of dill slicers ... an easy schmeezy recipe .... now to sit on the counter until noon tomorrow (24 hrs) ... then in the frige .. and ready to eat in 2 more days!! (if I can wait that long!) going to try tomato sauce next weekend!

My bush beans have done well
Zucchini - going like crazy now
peas - scraggly but enough to snack on
cukes - just got my first dozen picked- the smooth skinned low acid ones- yummy
lettuces - did well but the dogs liked to rummage thru it
kohlrabi - rutabaga - cabbage - all growing nicely
corn - not very robust, may not set any ears in time

and just planted a few things for fall crops- all depends on the weather & timing for those.

Ha! That was last year Vonn! We have a whole new house with a whole new garden this year.

As spring hasn't yet sprung our garden is still dormant, but it won't be long. Hubby already has potatoes in the ground and I have seeds in for tomatoes, lettuce, and many herbs.

Our spring garden will have many of the same veges as you Jo*Mar, except no corn for us because of space. For extra room this year I picked up a child's plastic clam (for free at the dump) and will plant both halves with leafy veges such as lettuces, cabbage, zuccini and bok choy and shallow root veges like radishes. I'll have extra room this year so will have to think of nice things to plant.

Our flower garden is coming on well too. I've planted out a new rose garden and have a bed of polyanthas in flower already. I've bought a variety of seed for this year so it'll be challenging doing a new garden for our new house.

Great idea. Thanks for the idea of the sandpit clam shell. I could manage that.

My situation here doesn't allow me to grow too much. What I did have was washed away in last summer's floods. Still have my parsley which had gone to seed but doing fine again now after attention that Koala suggested.

Most of the soil here is sand so I need to be more inventive and get some soil and compost delivered I guess.

It was like a summer's day here today. I felt a little guilty basking in its beauty knowing what was going on elsewhere.

Lots of Bindii (prickles) in the lawn. Got rid of the lot of them by hand today. Have what looks like "dollar spot" in my tiny piece of lawn. Circular brown patches of dead grass. I think it's a fungus. Don't use chemicals so not sure how to deal with this yet. I usually have the best lawn in the town but it's only several square metres. I mow it with a push-mower. Trouble is the grubs love it because it's so lush.

Need to cut back a large Hibiscus. I dread doing it, but know it'll be worth it. Maybe do that on Wednesday. Spring almost here so lots of work to do.

that IS a great idea - and all the summer stuff is on sale now! ... hmm, could use one for composting, too!! thanks, Anne!

A child's wading pool would also be a great idea for extra garden space and if it had a hole in it, you would probably get it for free, or near to free. Half barrels and halved small water tanks are other ideas for expanding the space of small gardens.

I've even seen hanging baskets for tomotoes, strawberries and a few other plants. I guess there's lots of easy ways to make a garden, even if you have a tiny space.

I am enjoying the ideas shared here for small gardens.

For those who don't have creative access to a dump like Koala has (lucky for her)... this type of container is available at most Home Depots and Lowe's here in US.

http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/P...od_ID=RP091418

We have used these for years to shlep heavy stuff back and forth upNorth and on the boats in rainy weather. They were marketed long before the newer see thru type, and they are flexible and so we continue with them. I have seen them used for growing flowers and tomatoes in small areas, with drainage holes in the bottom. You have to punch the holes yourself, and I'd suggest 2-3 inches of gravel at the bottom before using the new Moisture control Miracle Grow Potting soil. This Miracle grow product is just fantastic and good for any container gardening. After the first season you will need to provide some long acting pelleted fertilizer once every 3 months or so.

I haven't seen the totes in green much anymore like our old ones, but there are tan ones, which are easy on the eyes.

Botanical interests catalog has a page in it with a book recommendation for creative container gardening. You can request this interesting catalog for free, where they sell Heirloom rare seed types here:
http://www.botanicalinterests.com/

This company is fascinating and any gardener will enjoy this catalog I predict! My catalog is floating around here somewhere, but I can't scare it up quickly now. I bought some Chinese Garlic Chives from them this spring, and the seeds were very vigorous with almost 100% germination. High quality.
The catalog has interesting articles and really unusual things in it.

Great ideas. Thanks.

I know those white polystyrene boxes the fruit shops use here would be great as well. As far as I know that stuff is not biodegradable, so it would be best to keep re-using it rather than have it dumped in the earth. Only one good thing is that they're so light in weight and easy to jab a few holes in the base.

Chop, chop. That's what I've been doing for a couple of days now.

I finally cut back that huge Hibiscus today. Ugh. It's such a job and I wait till the last minute of our winter to do it because once the rains come again it'll flourish. I just feel awful cutting it back really hard. Also means I lose a lot of privacy for a short time. Done now!

edited to add for clarification: 1st of September here in Australia which means... Spring has sprung.