# \#gardening **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/tag/gardening/59.md [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) --- ## [What foodstuffs have you gotten and consumed from your own garden, windowbox, back yard, fields, forests, or neighborhood wilderness?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foodstuffs-have-you-gotten-and-consumed-from-your-own-garden-windowbox-back-yard-fields-forests-or-neighborhood-wilderness/1018231)
**Author:** [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foodstuffs-have-you-gotten-and-consumed-from-your-own-garden-windowbox-back-yard-fields-forests-or-neighborhood-wilderness/1018231 "2026-09-30T21:45:46Z")
The Mrs and I were talking idly today about foodstuffs we’ve eaten/gathered/produced/found on our own property over the decades. We’ve had small vegetable/herb gardens off and on, though they’ve not been terribly succes… --- ## [Early girl. The red headed champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-girl-the-red-headed-champion/1030805)
**Author:** [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [June 11, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-girl-the-red-headed-champion/1030805 "2026-06-11T20:57:51Z")
My tomatoes are coming in the kitchen. Wow. I can’t say I had a whole lot to do with this project. I’m the cheering section, nowadays. I did pick the variety “Early girl” They are gloriously red. Supremely juicy. But…… --- ## [Anyone know the best style pitchfork for turning a compost pile?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-the-best-style-pitchfork-for-turning-a-compost-pile/1030182)
**Author:** [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2026, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-the-best-style-pitchfork-for-turning-a-compost-pile/1030182 "2026-05-18T18:03:30Z")
I had 3 at the old house and gave them all away before the move. So I’m now shopping for a new one. Compost is mix of pulled weeds, some grass clippings & some kitchen waste including coffee grounds. --- ## [Kalanchoe, the flower - pronunciation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kalanchoe-the-flower-pronunciation/1029278)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kalanchoe-the-flower-pronunciation/1029278 "2026-04-15T17:43:45Z")
We like these flowers because they have pretty blooms and grow well in our environment. Kalanchoe: We have always pronounced it ka -LAN - choe We were watching a video in which he pronounced it KOLIN - choe I looked … --- ## [(Old) Digging things up in the MMP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-digging-things-up-in-the-mmp/1028131)
**Author:** [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Replies:** 260\ **Last updated:** [March 9, 2026, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-digging-things-up-in-the-mmp/1028131 "2026-03-09T04:11:23Z")
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 10c/50f with a predicted high of 14c/57f and cloudy. Weather app says “You may feel like fucking walking around your yard naked. Your elderly neighbour, however, wishes you fucking wou… --- ## [Gardeners - what flowers give you the biggest bang for the buck?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-what-flowers-give-you-the-biggest-bang-for-the-buck/1024529)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [November 10, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-what-flowers-give-you-the-biggest-bang-for-the-buck/1024529 "2025-11-10T17:12:04Z")
Here in Zone 5 around Chicago, we are cleaning things up for winter. Most of the blooms are gone other than Russian Sage and some lavender. But the nasturtiums we started from seed back in May are still going strong! … --- ## [Talk to me about transplanting iris and daylilies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-transplanting-iris-and-daylilies/1023333)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-transplanting-iris-and-daylilies/1023333 "2025-09-23T23:02:46Z")
We’re about to have some major landscaping done or a rather ratty part of our yard. (Hangs head in shame for neglecting the garden.) Before they start, I’m trying to save as many iris and daylilies as I can, since I don’… --- ## [Gardening Season 2025](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardening-season-2025/1015086)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 110\ **Last updated:** [August 27, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardening-season-2025/1015086 "2025-08-27T19:59:15Z")
There is a tradition here of an annual thread on gardening. I see What\_Exit has started a thread on fences to keep rabbits out, and I suppose others are starting to think about their plans for this year–or if far enough … --- ## [What types of scissors and shears do you have?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-types-of-scissors-and-shears-do-you-have/1020327)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 2025, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-types-of-scissors-and-shears-do-you-have/1020327 "2025-07-02T13:45:35Z")
General purpose 4" scissors in my desk and workshop. EMT shears in the workshop. Mustache trimmer. Japanese style gardening shears with the loop handles. 2 kinds of kitchen scissors. A whole bunch of those lightweig… --- ## [Repotting a Boston fern](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repotting-a-boston-fern/1015888)
**Author:** [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repotting-a-boston-fern/1015888 "2025-03-20T22:56:05Z")
I rescued a Boston fern in very bad shape our next door neighbors left in the driveway. I moved it to a larger pot, it was quite root bound. Is this root mass from the single plant, or did it divide into many plants? S… --- ## [Rabbit fencing for a garden?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rabbit-fencing-for-a-garden/1015074)
**Author:** [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rabbit-fencing-for-a-garden/1015074 "2025-03-20T01:27:55Z")
I’m thinking at least 2’ above ground and maybe 6" deep? Probably a coated 1" grid type of fencing. Will this work? I think the garden will be 15’ x 20’. Ground is fairly soft, so hopefully shallow trenching won’t be… --- ## [How can I propagate some Yaupon Holly trees from cuttings?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482)
**Author:** [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 14, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482 "2025-03-14T16:21:18Z")
I have an area that I’d like to have a few more Yaupon Holly trees. I have some of them already. I’m having difficulty finding them at nurseries in my area that are at a size I can work with. They are in 7+ gallon pots a… --- ## [Unreasonable or not?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unreasonable-or-not/1013091)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 89\ **Last updated:** [January 22, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unreasonable-or-not/1013091 "2025-01-22T21:58:18Z")
The only two things we have in common are cooking and gardening. I like to be involved, and I like her being involved. If I get too involved it quickly kills her interest. She only wants me to locate what we need and dri… --- ## [How can I stop my lemon tree dying?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-stop-my-lemon-tree-dying/1012953)
**Author:** [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2025, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-stop-my-lemon-tree-dying/1012953 "2025-01-16T11:36:07Z")
I moved into a new house last year and it came with a Lemon tree which I didn’t really think about much until someone pointed out that it was showing signs of nutrient deficiencies in the run up to Christmas. The tree: … --- ## [Who likes the "tortured bush" effect?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-likes-the-tortured-bush-effect/1011110)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2024, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-likes-the-tortured-bush-effect/1011110 "2024-12-09T02:48:23Z")
The house directly across the street from us had very pleasant (to our eyes) front yard plantings - including a somewhat columnar evergreen near the front door and 3 mop cypress nearer the driveway. They had a fall clea… --- ## [Gardening Season 2024](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardening-season-2024/1000107)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 140\ **Last updated:** [November 26, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardening-season-2024/1000107 "2024-11-26T16:48:04Z")
In 2021 there were 219 posts in the gardening thread. This was reduced to 133 posts in 2022 and only 9 posts in the 2023 thread. Has everyone quit gardening? --- ## [Has anyone here tried growing a mango tree from seed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-tried-growing-a-mango-tree-from-seed/1004537)
**Author:** [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2024, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-tried-growing-a-mango-tree-from-seed/1004537 "2024-11-14T15:25:42Z")
It occurs to me that I live in a tropical climate, my front yard gets a lot of sun (not all day but close), and I have a lot of mango pits that I usually throw out. It takes time, I understand, to go from a pit into a tr… --- ## [Care of tiny succulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-of-tiny-succulent/1009727)
**Author:** [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2024, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-of-tiny-succulent/1009727 "2024-11-13T15:20:33Z")
I haven’t had a houseplant in 5.5 years and was just gifted a baby snake plant (mother in law’s tongue). it is ridiculously important to me that I do my best caring for it. the woman who gave it to me had planted it in … --- ## [Are you a good mulch or a bad mulch? (Gardening, not the Wizard of Oz)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-good-mulch-or-a-bad-mulch-gardening-not-the-wizard-of-oz/1003738)
**Author:** [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 6, 2024, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-good-mulch-or-a-bad-mulch-gardening-not-the-wizard-of-oz/1003738 "2024-07-06T04:48:01Z")
We have converted part of our front yard to an English country garden with the help of an environmentally friendly landscape designer. She has planted a bunch of native, non-invasive, pollinator-friendly perennials. Now … --- ## [Please help me think through a project](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-think-through-a-project/1003579)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [July 5, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-think-through-a-project/1003579 "2024-07-05T02:43:26Z")
When we bought our house, there were (and still are) about a dozen heavy timbers, 4" x 5" x 12’ (there may be different lengths, I can’t measure them effectively where they are now) stacked on a very heavy shelf. I want … --- ## [Need help identifying this caterpillar please](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-this-caterpillar-please/1001883)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-this-caterpillar-please/1001883 "2024-05-22T21:39:21Z")
It’s eating my Lilac bush. What is it and how do I rid myself of them? The culprit. --- ## [Domestic roses on wild rootstock?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/domestic-roses-on-wild-rootstock/1001874)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/domestic-roses-on-wild-rootstock/1001874 "2024-05-22T13:00:55Z")
Our house has a very nice row of pink roses that runs along the length of our terrasse. They came with the house and my guess is that they are maybe 30 years old. We first noticed two years ago that one of the roses had… --- ## [We planted about 100 bulbs yesterday and some critter dug up 30 of them last night (or maybe the morning.)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-planted-about-100-bulbs-yesterday-and-some-critter-dug-up-30-of-them-last-night-or-maybe-the-morning/1000104)
**Author:** [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2024, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-planted-about-100-bulbs-yesterday-and-some-critter-dug-up-30-of-them-last-night-or-maybe-the-morning/1000104 "2024-05-10T13:46:18Z")
Incredibly frustrating, we suspect it is a squirrel but wondering if it was some other animal. I know squirrels bury nuts and suspect he saw us burying nut like objects and decided to steal our stash. Sound reasonable … --- ## [Something attacking my spring blooms](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacking-my-spring-blooms/1000435)
**Author:** [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [April 18, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-attacking-my-spring-blooms/1000435 "2024-04-18T19:37:33Z")
I planted around 40 bulbs last fall, and yesterday I was admiring the first of the tulips to open, a pink Mystic Van Eijk and two red and gold Banja Luka. Today, around 10 more of them are open, but 3 of them have been b… --- ## [What to do with figs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-figs/999417)
**Author:** [@Deanna\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deanna_D)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [March 30, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-figs/999417 "2024-03-30T20:44:39Z")
So, I have a very happy fig tree in my yard that rewards my gardening efforts with more figs than I could possibly use. It’s already taking off, since the weather has warmed up, and I think I’m gonna have a lot of fruit … --- ## [Who knows their stuff about growing vegetables (tomatoes) in raised garden beds?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-their-stuff-about-growing-vegetables-tomatoes-in-raised-garden-beds/998283)
**Author:** [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [March 13, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-their-stuff-about-growing-vegetables-tomatoes-in-raised-garden-beds/998283 "2024-03-13T21:13:20Z")
This year will be my first attempt at growing tomatoes in a raised bed. Past tries, using pots or just the ground, have failed miserably. My bed is 12” high x 71” wide x 35” deep, or 17 cubic feet. I assume I’ll need a… --- ## [Anyone else germinating sprouts?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-germinating-sprouts/998169)
**Author:** [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-germinating-sprouts/998169 "2024-02-27T16:34:41Z")
For xmas my sister always gives everyone the same gift. Typically it is something she likes but nobody else does. This year she gave us all sprout germinating kits. At first I thought she’d done it again, but for the pa… --- ## [Need some houseplant advice re: loose moss pole](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-houseplant-advice-re-loose-moss-pole/997311)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 8, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-houseplant-advice-re-loose-moss-pole/997311 "2024-02-08T19:51:22Z")
I have a beautiful “white princess” philodendron in my office that I repotted not long ago. When I did, I added a moss pole to the pot. The plant lives on a high shelf because the pot is too big for the windowsill, but … --- ## [Call the HOA!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-the-hoa/996007)
**Author:** [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-the-hoa/996007 "2024-01-13T01:26:46Z")
(Actually, from what I hear about HOAs, they’d have conniptions at most of the TV gardening programmes in the UK, which these days are big on leaving wild bits for the bugs and creepy-crawlies, and creating meadow plan… --- ## [Annuals (flowers) in the House](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annuals-flowers-in-the-house/991651)
**Author:** [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 18, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annuals-flowers-in-the-house/991651 "2023-10-18T18:36:48Z")
I had two pots of double begonias outside that were still blooming like crazy (October). I also had a pot of New Guinea impatiens that were in full bloom and had lots of new buds on it. Usually by now, here in MN we’ve h… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/tag/gardening/59.md?match_all_tags=true&page=1&tags%5B%5D=gardening)