***Official gardening, landscape and yardwork thread***

[lewdog]

We had a 2014 gardening thread and another planting trees thread. Figured it would be better just to have a general thread to share knowledge about all things yards.

I've learned stuff about growing things here in the desert from people all around the country. Post pictures and share your knowledge!

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

I leave the gardening to the wife, so take it FWIW, but she swears that the variety Super Sue (no idea if you can get them or not) taste way better than Jet Star.

That being said, Jet Star will produce more and are less susceptible to disease, but she's a snob so that's all she plants.

Good haul though. I couldn't ever grow peppers for shit.

Cherokee Purples are the only ones I absolutely will have every year - best tasting tomato I've had, though yield can be erratic even for an heirloom. If I could trust them more, I'd have them taking up half my garden. When I have a good year, I can really pass on anything else I planted and just eat those.

Arkansas Travelers tend to be in my garden as well because whatever else happens, I know those will produce. I do a Pink Girl every year for similar reasons - sturdy, productive and predictable.

I went off the rails a bit this year and tried a bunch of new stuff. An Ivan (Missouri Native), a couple Sgt. Peppers, a Parker's Whopper, a Lemon Boy, the aforementioned pink girls, cherokee and ark. travelers, an Abe Lincoln (I have no idea what this is) and a Campbell 33 (an early season determinate so it'll fruit early and then I'll pull it to leave a little more sun/space for late season growth from the surrounding plants).

I used to have a Jet Star in there pretty regularly but I liked the Ark. Traveler's a little more. I never really do any of those massive guys that make the 1lb fruits anymore - just too much to eat too quickly. I want something I can throw some vinegar on with a little basil and fresh mozzarella and eat for lunch. I'd love to try something like an Amana Orange but those things will make 2 lb tomatos...eh, pass.

I should've done something like an atomic grape but my wife won't eat the cherry/grape tomatoes. They're a little tart and purplish/green colored so they're just an interesting complement for things.

Over time I've essentially turned mine into a salsa garden, even though I don't make salsa. 10ish tomato plants, 6-8 various pepper plants (Ghost, Nepalese Bell, Numex Centennials and Fish peppers this year), a row of cilantro and a row of basil (always look forward to pesto season).

[DJ's left nut]

Side note - any of you guys deal with this damn annual blue grass this year? You see it called Poa Annua as well. Goes to seed about 2 days after you cut it - seeds incredibly short and it's just spindly, ugly grass.

I'm pretty sure there's not a damn thing I can do about it apart from deal with it this year, slam the yard with pre-emergent and not overseed like I do most years. It's an annual so it won't come back if the seeds it drops don't germinate. But since it's a grass, I don't think there's any treatment for it that won't kill all the perennial kentucky bluegrass I WANT to have around it.

I've just never seen anything like what I have this season. Something new every year man. Got awful nut sedge last year, the year before that it was prostrate spurge and before that a crazy bad crab-grass year. My old place I had the yard on lock in a couple of seasons and never got as much as a single dandylion but being on water with no wind breaks behind me, I think I just get more seeds blowing into my yard.

Every year I'm convinced I've addressed the last problem and then something else shows up.

[lewdog]

Took on the challenge of growing Plumerias here. They take a decent amount of care, drop leaves in winter but LOVE heat. Perfect spot for Phoenix if provided enough water. Got my first flowers off my Plumeria cutting called Nirvana, that a lady in Mesa sent me graciously. It smells more amazing than anything I can describe.

[KurtCobain]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Took on the challenge of growing Plumerias here. They take a decent amount of care, drop leaves in winter but LOVE heat. Perfect spot for Phoenix if provided enough water. Got my first flowers off my Plumeria cutting called Nirvana, that a lady in Mesa sent me graciously. It smells more amazing than anything I can describe.

I was super interested in this before I saw the word Nirvana, and now I'm even more so.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Side note - any of you guys deal with this damn annual blue grass this year? You see it called Poa Annua as well. Goes to seed about 2 days after you cut it - seeds incredibly short and it's just spindly, ugly grass.

I'm pretty sure there's not a damn thing I can do about it apart from deal with it this year, slam the yard with pre-emergent and not overseed like I do most years. It's an annual so it won't come back if the seeds it drops don't germinate. But since it's a grass, I don't think there's any treatment for it that won't kill all the perennial kentucky bluegrass I WANT to have around it.

I've just never seen anything like what I have this season. Something new every year man. Got awful nut sedge last year, the year before that it was prostrate spurge and before that a crazy bad crab-grass year. My old place I had the yard on lock in a couple of seasons and never got as much as a single dandylion but being on water with no wind breaks behind me, I think I just get more seeds blowing into my yard.

Every year I'm convinced I've addressed the last problem and then something else shows up.

Best residual pre for grass is pendimethalin. The stuff labeled for turf is Pendulum. But if you can get ahold of Prowl H2O it’s the same chemistry for 1/3 the money because it’s labeled for corn/bean post.

It will turn everything infuriating yellow, but if you get it watered in within 48 hours the shit really works.

[cooper barrett]

can he overseed in the fall? Put it down again a couple of times in spring and not hurt the
new grass?

Remember most sod is put over Sorghum quality clay and never gets manure spread over it, Just Scott's.

I overseed bluegrass with thin blade slow growth drought resistant tall fescue known by some as "no mow seed"

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

I was super interested in this before I saw the word Nirvana, and now I'm even more so.

Yeah there’s thousands of varieties of plumerias. This was just sent to me and it’s absolutely beautiful. Very interesting that these stick looking plants produce these amazing flowers.

[displacedinMN]

Not specifically this category but....

My deck is 4 years old.

The first pic is the original color, which we like.

Two years ago, I put Thompsons on it. It has since become dirty and grimy.

Today I hit it with the power washer. Took a lot off. But still have some white areas.. pic 2.

If I took off some of the Thompsons with the power washer, that is ok.

Should I hit it again and strip as much of the white stuff off as possible or light stain from this point?

[cooper barrett]

get a real power washer, use deck wash and spray every inch with the wand the same distance from the wood, then after drying use a real deck stain sealant like



this is what you should use

[eDave]

I've recently learned that peach trees do well in AZ.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by eDave

I've recently learned that peach trees do well in AZ.

I planted one in January! Along with a nectarine, which grows similar. Peach trees seem super easy and grow quickly.

[KCUnited]

First time in 5 years that I have a backyard. Its on the smaller side, but average for city life.

Wanting a bit of an urban lodge feel and put some emerald green arbs and smaller junipers in the ground. Thinking about sprinkling in some pollinators as well. I know **** all about landscaping and growing though.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

get a real power washer, use deck wash and spray every inch with the wand the same distance from the wood, then after drying use a real deck stain sealant like



this is what you should use

I didn't hit it real hard with the power washer until I thought I was taking off the seal. Still was ok for me.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

First time in 5 years that I have a backyard. Its on the smaller side, but average for city life.

Wanting a bit of an urban lodge feel and put some emerald green arbs and smaller junipers in the ground. Thinking about sprinkling in some pollinators as well. I know **** all about landscaping and growing though.

Do yourself a favor and find someone that knows something about trees before you plant anything.

A lot of conniferous trees drop their needs and create a super acidic environment and you can’t grow shit for grass or whatever. Another example is there are a lot of maple trees around (including one in my yard ) but it turns out they don’t handle high pH environments very well and get iron chlorosis really bad which really shortens their (including mine ) lifespan.

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

First time in 5 years that I have a backyard. Its on the smaller side, but average for city life.

Wanting a bit of an urban lodge feel and put some emerald green arbs and smaller junipers in the ground. Thinking about sprinkling in some pollinators as well. I know **** all about landscaping and growing though.

i planted a thornless blackberry bush (shrub) 3 years ago this spring/summer. last year i had a really good yield. had berries out the wazoo. this year it appears that i have at least twice the amount of berries as of today. also have a ton of new shoot going in several directions.
this started as on small bareroot plant the size of a coffee can. it appears to be around 20 feet long, 3 feet in depth now. i don't know if you're looking at that, but ive literally done nothing except water it early in the spring. and pick berries in summer.

also, i do a ton of salsa. ive got roma tomatoes everywhere in the garden. i plant in straw bales. yup, straw bales. if you have time to look at pictures and testemonials (sp?) look up on FB straw bale miracle garden site.