[Nicko]

Welcome to all! The long awaited gardening forum is now open. Your moderator's are Cape Chef, and Papa. Both have extensive experience in home gardens, and Papa has a great deal of knowledge of growing olives.

Enjoy!

[Papa]

Dear Nicko:

Thank you!

The garden is perhaps the only place left in our modern society where we can nurture our relationship with nature on a daily basis.

In our gardens we influence the lives of millions of plants and animals that share our space. Here we make our daily decisions about whether we want to engage in a war of wills with nature or to play the game by the natural rules (organic gardening). Gardeners by nature prefer to live in peace and harmony with our fellow creatures and the very essence of our favorite hobby is to create a kind of natural Heaven where all is sweetness, light and harmony in color and shape.

The garden is where we exercise our powers as the species on the top of the natural pyramid. With power comes responsibility. This is why as a gardener I live by nature's rules, interfering only where absolutely necessary. The result is an overwhelming natural beauty that is filled with wildlife and delights, and fascinates me every day of my life.

I would like to welcome every one to the Chef's Garden and I am looking forward to everyone's postings. We are lucky to have Cape Chef and his passion for our hobby with us. A Chef's Garden is full of visual beauty and good tastes. We'll all help each other as we strive to accomplish our gardening dreams.

[cape chef]

I must say that I am so excited to now have a forum on gardening!

This is an oppurtunity to exchange ideas and learn from one another.

I am so pleased to be able to share this forum with Papa,A man who truely understands the soil.I hope everyone finds this forum useful and enlightning. The next time you go outdoors...slow down and really take a look around you,Give yourselve a moment to take it all in.

So what are your questions?
cc

[momoreg]

Finally!!

I am excited to see this forum up and running. I know that I personally will learn a lot about the subject, just by reading posts, but I'll try to ask some questions too. I planted my first real garden this year, and so far everything is growing like crazy! I was expecting it to be more difficult.

I have a question, so I will start a new thread...

[Pastachef]

I've been thinking about starting an herb garden in containers. What can I grow on windowsills that get no sunlight? I know that basil is easy to grow, but what else can I plant that will thrive?

[Anneke]

Pastachef,
Nothing will grow without some sunlight. Your herbs will eventually wither away and die. You need a west or south facing window with plenty of sun. If you really have no sun, I would suggest you get some artificial plant lights. They might do the trick or supplement whatever natural light you get.

[Kimmie]

I just wanted to congragulate Cape Chef and Papa.

Like Momoreg, I'll just read the posts...and learn!

[Pastachef]

I really don't get sun in my windows. My house sits on a strange angle and the neighbors trees have all grown over my back yard. Guess that gives me some excuse for being an unsuccessful gardener. Plant lights it is. Thank you.

[Svadhisthana]

I'm so happy to see this forum! I know a little about gardening and hope to learn more.

How wonderful it is to see this forum. I have had a garden for a long time and this year is no exception. Hope I can help and be helped

[cape chef]

Hi Dave...

I can't get enough of gardening!!
Tell us about your garden. Herbs,vegetable,flowers ect. One of the type of garden I have been working on for two years is a cottage garden. It is truly coming along nice. I have herbs and Perennials,annuals over 75 species in that area.I have an oak bench and a wonderful ardor that is adorned with clematis,Wysteria and climbing roses. Thats how you enter I have laid little flag stone paths and made a annual cutting garden for my wife with things like Stock,nicatenia,cone flowers,cosmos those types of things
Well i hope you enjoy the forum and look forward to your post
cc

[cape chef]

Pasta chef, These are some container plants that work well in the shade.
Asparagus fern,foxgloves,begonias,Haosta,impatiens.
Also pasta chef here are some herbs that tolarate moist shade, Chervil,chives,lemon balm,asst mints,woodruff,parsley,lovage. So do not give up hope,where there is a will there is a way.
cc

[Pastachef]

Thank you, CC. That gives me a little more hope and some ambition.

There is hope! My tiny herb patch outside is great for the 4 to 6 warm months but winter always comes. Or maybe you don't even have a tiny space outside so try this.
I have a shallow bonsai planter that I keep planted with fresh herbs and I keep it under the florescent light near the coffee pot. I am fortunate to have a good farmers' market nearby where I can buy them year-round. I snip off what I need and when it's gone, I chuck the root ball and replace it.
Herb plant = $1.50. Cut herbs(which only keep a short while) = $1.89. This system has worked great for me.

[nancya]

Yeah! I'm so glad this new forum is here! Thank you to Cape Chef and Papa for being the moderators.

We have such a short growing season here and horrible soil. I do mostly container gardening, any ideas on some tomatoes - other than roma, that would do well in containers [and ripen quickly]?