Greg, you and I ought to join Scroungers Anonymous. I'm always looking for ways to use simple stuff. I do draw the line at Godzilla action figures, though...

familyguy1957, I wouldn't prune much off determinates. See http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3721/video-how-to-prune-tomatoes for the indeterminate/determinate pruning distinction and also take a look at http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/6115/video-early-pruning-of-tomato-plants . The second video doesn't differentiate between indeterminates and determinates.

oops, I just checked in firefox, and there's no image available. You can see it in IE, and I'll try to get it working in firefox.

Greg, just click on the big video image, and the video should begin to play.

good catch, h1721. 400 lb. is, to say the least, highly unlikely.

Our tastes are similar. Romano used to be my favorite, but I think I like Rattlesnake a bit better now. Definitely try the Blue Coco if you have space; you won't be sorry.

Fantastic harvest--an inspiration to us all.

I've been growing Space for the past several years. The leaves are fairly flat, not crinkled, and the taste is mild and good. I use the leaves mostly in salads.

good suggestion. My Parks catalog arrived well after the others, so it didn't get reviewed in the first wave. I'll see what I can do.

Masik, this is an old article, so we can't ask the author about exact soil quantity, but we can do the math. The bed shown in the drawing is 4x8 and roughly 1-1/2 ft. deep, so filling it would require 48 cubic feet of soil (5-1/3 cubic yards). Hope this helps.

Your post brings back memories, Jodi. I haven't done this in eons, but when I did, we'd call the simmering pot "garbage soup" and we loved every drop. Recycling at its best.

Great post! And here are some more telltale signs. You start way more seedlings than you could possibly plant, and cheerfully give them away. You can't bring yourself to thin out plants and toss them; you replant them (even carrots). Most days, you garden before work and after work.

What a cute helper! I was going to suggest that you post this photo in the Fine Gardening January 2010 Pets in the Garden Contest, but I see you already done that. The link is http://www.finegardening.com/contest/january-pets-in-garden, if anyone wants to take a look.

Here in Connecticut, the rising moon looked three times its normal size through the sky, which was more misty than cloudy at that point (snow fell later). It was close to other-worldly. What an awesome end to 2009 and a very spiritual start to the new decade.

We've got woodstoves, too, Susan, and they make our drafty old house much more livable. It's snowing right now, and I plan to take in the blue moon this evening when I walk my husky (named Blue for his blue eyes) in the waning hours of 2009. With the new snowfall, it will be almost light enough to see colors.

ewurster, I haven't been able to locate a commercial source. Where I live, though, these plants pretty much everywhere: along roadsides, at the edges of meadows, or in overgrown fields. If you're ever in Connecticut, let us know (vg@taunton.com) and I'll be more than happy to dig some for you.

Jada, you have cherries? I'm so envious. I have two cherry trees, but I also have squirrels. So far I haven't figured out how to keep them away. The trees are too tall for netting.

I love the butterball story. If I did that, it wouldn't be a problem at all; my dog would find it in a heartbeat. Our local radio station mentioned two more turkey caveats from the Butterball hotline. One was don't use the self-cleaning setting on your oven to roast a frozen turkey. I don't remember the other one.

Hello, yankeefan61, and welcome to the site. Your tomatoes did a lot better than mine last year, and I've been growing them for decades. Gardening is all about perseverance. If one thing doesn't work, try something else, right?

Another vote for yogurt containers; they're very sturdy, and if you cut off the bottoms, they make great cutworm collars in the spring. I have lots and lots because my daughter brings me hers when she visits.

Perhaps you should build a better barrier, as suggested here: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/7193/raised-bed-pest-cover. If the critters are digging underneath, try extending your fencing 6 to 8 inches or more into the ground.

You'll find some good ideas for aphid control here: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4529/controlling-aphids-in-your-garden

Cool idea, tgirlstt. My old tees generally get used for dusting or polishing.

When I started a small garden annex on the side lawn, I loosely fenced in the area and covered the ground with leaves in the fall. By spring the grass was dead.

yes, do try tatsoi. It grew very well for me this season, in the cool, rainy weather that passed for summer. And there's still some in my garden.

Here's a to-do list from Texas, Chris.
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/7443/your-end-of-the-year-garden-checklist

We had a huge crop this year as well (Connecticut). I'm interested in your wine recipe. Can you post it? Do you need a large quantity of berries?

In my experience, sugar pumpkins make great pies, and so do many other varieties, including rouge vif. (Of course the liberal addition of spices helps a lot.)

Welcome to our site, CanarsieBK. I've been cruising through your site, http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com, and I really like it. (btw, I was born in Brooklyn, so I feel a certain kinship...) How about posting instructions for making your self-watering containers and hanging planters?

I didn't need to beg when the huge ash tree by the roadside was alive. It shaded the house in summer and provided more than enough leaves. We had it taken down after many limbs broke off and crashed, the last of which landed on my car and totalled it. It had to go before it killed someone.

Just a reminder to all to read our post carefully. Comments on this post are nice, but not what we are looking for. If you want to be considered for the blogger position, you need to create your own post, with text and photos, then email vg@taunton.com, as stated above.

Hello, foodie99, and welcome to the site. Could you be a little more specific? I'm assuming that you are starting seeds indoors, but what kind of seeds are you starting? Requirements vary as to spacing, depth of planting, and whether or not you cover the seeds. Daily is probably too often to water. When I start seeds, I check them daily, but water only when the soil is getting dry.

Thai hots look great in an ornamental bed. Since fenced-in space is limited, I'm happy that they can survive out there without deer protection. Apparently my deer don't care for fiery food.

Love your post. At my place, the lawn gets a little smaller each year. As for the neighbors, well, here in New England, you're allowed to be as crazy as you want, as long as your eccentricities don't impinge on somebody else's right to be crazy.

Leeks are a great addition to any garden. If you let them winter over and don't harvest them in the spring, they will. form a flower head and go to seed. The seeds will fall to the ground, and soon you'll have new seedlings, which can be transplanted out after they grow a bit. So the crop can be self-renewing.

You can use the search box on www.whiteflowerfarm.com to locate specific vegetables.

No, I don't. Several sources say that chamomile reseeds readily if allowed to, but you don't want to have it come up now but not live long enough to form flowers and seeds, or you won't get anything next year. Perhaps you should just save the seeds next year and broadcast them in the spring. Can anyone else out there provide more specific info?

You both have the right idea, that's for sure.

Welcome to the site, brownknukles. We look forward to your tips from the Pacific Northwest.

I'll research commercial sources for you next week, when I return to the office. If I don't find any, I'd be happy to send you some first-year plants, which will bloom next year.

Glad you like them. I'm in nyc right now, helping out with my new (first) grandchild. Can't wait to do little projects like this with her in a couple of years.

You are both so lucky to have tomatoes already. It looks like I might have to wait until Labor Day this year, since the varieties I'm growing don't take kindly to the cool, wet weather we've been having in the Northeast.

I like them on granola, or just unadorned in a bowl. I'll have to try a smoothie.

Here's a link to a delicious recipe for slow-cooked green beans, Lebanese style: http://www.finecooking.com/green_beans_onions.aspx

Nice planning. You get fruit in season over a period of several months. I'll bet the kids love it, too.

Coffee grounds are great for blueberries, conifers, azaleas, rhododendrons, and other plants that like their soil on the acidic side.

Yes, those little bulbils you saw are tiny plants.

Nicotiana is one of my all-time favorites. It's a homely plant by day, but it packs a punch after dark. In my zone 6a garden, it reliably self-sows and reappears the following year, both where it was planted and where it wasn't. That's fine with me.

Blueberry bushes flower once a season, so you will have to wait until next year for a new crop. And yes, as the plant gets established, it should produce more.

Also, you might try a net to protect your berries from birds and deer.

Could you take a photo and post it? That way we could see exactly what the critters look like. If not, you might just try picking off the worms or spraying with water (from a spray bottle) to dislodge them. You might also check out these articles for possible solutions:

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/2655/how-to-grow-bell-peppers

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/opp4527

Well, here in the Northeast, it's been incredibly cool and wet for a couple of months, and squash, while they like water at the roots, need some hot and dry weather to develop properly. Not sure what the weather is down your way, but I'm thinking Mother Nature may have been just a little too bountiful with her watering system this year.

My raspberries are pretty close to the house. The deer seem happier chomping on the black raspberries (berries and canes) that are out in the back field. Actually, it's my dog that likes to grab a raspberry or two as we pass through the patch on our frequent walks. I used to net the raspberries to protect them from birds, but that was cumbersome and not essential. We now just share the crop, and we get most of it.

Yes, you are correct (and thanks for reminding me). I've been so busy with slug management in my sopping salad beds that I forgot. You can get more details here: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3659/growing-upright-blackberries

Love the photo, Coolmom5. I'm a big fan of berries, too. Most are low-maintenance once established, and kid generally love picking and eating them. I hope you'll post more in the coming weeks.

Nice. I'm already making my list for next year. This year, I managed to squeeze in the following: Amish paste, linguisa, principe borghese, red pear, black krim, purple russian, black from tula, celebrity, carmelo, sun gold, juliet, jaune flammee, tigerella, raad red, and jetsonic. I mostly plant Noah's Ark style (two of each variety), and in light of this year's weather, that seens appropriate. Wet, wet, wet.

Your plants will be fine if you avoid putting the stakes right next to them. I'd suggest leaving about 4-6 inches just to be sure.

I'd rather not poke holes in the jugs, jeangogolin. I prefer the flexibility of being able to move them around as needed. But I did bury flower pots in the ground to water my squash hills this year, as described here: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/5352/how-to-grow-superb-summer-squash . I plan to post a photo or two at some point.

We've had tons of rain this spring, veggiegirl2. Do you have any watering tips for gardening in a hot, dry climate?

I'm drawn to plants with odd names, too, such as Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress and Wapsipinicon tomatoes.

I'm impressed that you're growin corn in a container. That's ambitious!

I planted my potato container this weekend, and yours is a lot more elegant than mine. I used an old plastic garbage can that drains through a cracked bottom. I'm attempting to grow blue potatoes.

Lobbydosser, welcome to the site. I'm no spring chicken either. With age comes patience and an appreciation for nature, and with luck, more time for long-term activities such as gardening. I traveled a little in Scotland many years ago, and I saw tomatoes being grown in greenhouses. If you have any photos, consider sharing them on this site. I'd be happy to help you post them if you encounter difficulties. You can email me at rdobsevage@taunton.com .

Ah, thinning. It took me decades until I could even contemplate uprooting and discarding any seedlings. Radish thinnings, by the way, are tasty in salads (see http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/5404/first-salads-of-the-season.

Did you read this story: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4878/seasonal-food-from-a-monastery-garden ? Apparently Brother Victor has written cookbooks. See this page for more information: http://dishnthat.blogspot.com/2008/07/divine-delights-await-at-monastery.html

Wow, those are gorgeous carrots. Is there a growing secret you'd like to share?

Raw garlic also works as a mosquito repellent. Sometimes on my backpacking trips, I eat a clove a day, and it seems to help.

We New Englanders are green with envy, Jeff. Yesterday I planted my salad bar with an array of colorful heirloom lettuces. I usually have that done well before Mother's Day, but it was the first chance I got.

Great idea, TorontoGardener. Could you post some photos to illustrate your ideas?

Jeff!!! Great to hear from you after all these years. Not a grandma yet, just a grandma-in-training. Hope you are well. How about posting some photos of those raised bed veggies for us Northern folk to salivate over.

Thanks for the details. I was curious about how the structure is held together at the corners. The Lee Valley raised bed kit page clarifies the point: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=47455&cat=2

Now I'm wondering what mushroom manure is. Maybe you should post a little story about it.

Even veteran gardeners get excited about the prospect of a whole new gardening season. I, for example, am waiting for my salad garden to produce. I've had next to no salad since last fall. Just can't see paying money for that insipid stuff at the grocery...

These are reallly nice, Peter. Can you tell us more about the materials and the construction? What's going on at the corners? Also, how high are they?

Small and midsized tomatoes do best for me, too. As for beans, I plant some of each, but prefer the pole beans. I think you can avoid the pest problem with your beans if you plant them late, say June 15-30. Your pole beans should produce from August to frost if you keep them picked. For the zukes, maybe a light netting might keep the pests away.

Your plants are probably too far from the light source. If you can, either lower it or raise the plante up.

Yikes, you're right. How could they not plant tomatoes??? Here's a little post on the topic: http://organicgardening.about.com/b/2009/03/27/tomatoes-and-the-white-house-garden.htm

Thanks, Kate, for posting this. Anyone who is gardening with kids (or has gardened with kids) should definitely take a look.

The plan download page is live now on this page: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4691. Or click on the plan image near the start of this article.

RBG, I'm reworking the article to add more information. A new related article will have a materials list, a cut list, and a detailed plan drawing with step-by-step instructions. Check back in a day or two, please.

Yes, I read the article, and I'm a big fan of slow gardening (though you won't find a bottle tree on my lawn). For me, it's a lifelong learning experience, and if something doesn't work one year, I just try it a little differently the next. Check out Lee Reich's video about leaf mold on FineGardening.com: http://www.finegardening.com/videos/index.aspx?id=102298&c=2

It's pretty much what I've been doing for years. I may turn the pile now and again, but when the kids were growing up, the compost pile was on its own, for sure.

Okay, everybody, check the article again. The box at the end has links to the plans.

Oops. Sorry about the missing dimensioned drawing and detailed building instructions. I'm going to build it into the page in the next day or two.

What a great idea. Growing veggies in some serious containers. Once the kids outgrow them as pools, they still have a useful life.

Yes, I can see how you would expect to find that info in this article, given the title. "Pickling cucumbers" in this case refers to the type of cucumber, not the method of preserving them.

For information on pickling the cucumbers, try this article:
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/2523/zesty-garden-pickles

See the links to the recipes for ingredients and quantities.

Here's an article on how I start lettuce:
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3911/grow-lettuce-from-seed

I like to start my lettuces inside, but you don't have to. You can direct-seed into the garden; exactly when to do it is a little trickier. In my experience, you can rush the season, but if you plant a couple of weeks later, those plants quickly catch up to the early birds. I sow seeds for spinach around mid-April; radishes and arugula mid-April through mid- to late May (in two or three plantings); lettuce maybe mid-April; cress mid-April. Try to dig a spade into your planting bed. If the earth is clumpy, it's too early to plant.

Nice photos, Shirley. My Zone 6 garden is probably not ideal for growing artichokes, but I'm trying them anyway (for the first time). Five seeds have sprouted so far. Stay tuned.

Don't despair, Pellice. Help is at hand. If you click on the Grow It tab at the top of this page, you'll find lots of articles that can help you. I've just come in from my garden on this lovely 60-degree Saturday, and things are sprouting everywhere. This being New England, though, it would be a mistake to conclude that spring is at hand. You are right to start out with a small garden, I think. That way it won't get out of hand. I don't start beets or spinach inside, but I'll be starting lettuce tomorrow or next week. I'm in SW Connecticut, and I plant spinach in mid-April, usually, and beets in the first or second week of May.

Welcome to VegetableGardener, TPS. I've never grown tomatoes in containers, upside-down or otherwise, so I can't help much there. As to location in the garden, get them as much sun as possible. The summer sun is very high in the sky at midday, so planting on the south side may not shade the other plants as much as you think.

There are a lot of tomato articles on the site. Use this link to locate them: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/grow-it/tag/tomatoes

It's level and it's near the house, two big advantages. I hope you'll post more photos as the dream turns into reality.

Nice post, Chris. I haven't used a cold frame in a long time, but I might cobble something together this spring. Many years ago, though, we used to put hay bales wrapped in plastic around the foundation of our house to help insulate in winter. In spring, I used some of the bales to make a little cold frame. An old window frame became the top. I used this little structure mostly to harden off seedlings, and when I no longer needed it, I used the hay as mulch or just composted it.

That's a nice idea, Shirley. I tend to use the block approach, but hey, whatever works for you is fine. The lettuces certainly don't care one way or the other.