Garden Time Coming

Gardening and Household tips. Good food. The Lighter side...

Moderator: Super Moderators

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 02-23-2014 12:20 PM

REMINDER: if growing your own gardens from seeds - check germination time and get those seeds started!!

User avatar
voguy
Pirate
Posts: 4175
Joined: 06-01-2011 05:47 PM
Location: Moving Target (soon SA)

Post by voguy » 02-23-2014 12:39 PM

I'm doing killer peppers this year.
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 02-25-2014 10:47 AM

voguy

got a special heating pad seed starter that makes the little seeds germinate a bit faster. It works very well so it will allow my seedlings to grow faster as usually the germination time is so much longer.

Before this had used a well covered heating pad. I do not need grow lights as I have windows for morning, mid day and afternoon light. BUT peppers take the longest to germinate so said hmm try this. and ya!! instead of the 4 weeks (for milder peppers) -- just a little over 2 weeks time and many are up and growing. This will allow me to have larger plants ready to go outdoors later - when spring cooperates.

GOOD LUCK on the hot peppers!!

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 03-01-2014 03:44 PM

Seedlings doing fine here but will hold off on starting the tomatoes. Still extremely cold outside and snow coming.

Hard to believe in a week's time will be DST...

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 03-22-2014 11:23 AM

weather starting to warm up - but only in the daytime..

garden pre-prep continues --

weed/water paper left on ground over winter - definitely helped kill weeds from germinating in spring... so far.

ph tests show only two areas needing more compost added

onions left in over winter are showing up - as long as we don't get another frost... ehh.

spring on the calendar (but nights sub zero - below 32°F) sure do not agree with the idea of spring.

Seedlings - transfers to larger plant starters - doing fine!

May your 2014 gardens be fantastic...

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 04-06-2014 03:41 PM

JUST GOT more of the weed/water paper today (ON SALE)...

with expanding gardens this year (Hubby says more peppers
) :) gee pepper seeds and powders and dehydrated pods -- well they do sell - covered all the watering, seed, and hours of picking, dehydrating - etcetc. and no you cannot use dehydrated seeds except in powders. NOW to see if I can find another dehydrator like the square one we got from kids last year. SO much better than the round one - but it still works too.

Soon be time to put the one solar panel to rest for the summer as the temps are warming up - night ones that is... and this particular solar one is heat type only. Comes in handy in the winter and cold weather. The ground underneath becomes home to dill and green beans!

Some plant seedlings now in the cold frame (which is anything BUT cold) and others will join them later in the week.)

HAPPY SPRING_SUMMER_FALL Gardening!

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 05-05-2014 09:59 AM

WEATHER FINALLY WARMED UP SO GARDEN COULD BE TILLED!!

finally!

Now on to get garden planted!!

User avatar
LeslieV
Pirate
Posts: 167
Joined: 06-21-2012 07:52 PM
Location: Ease of the Rockies

Post by LeslieV » 05-08-2014 08:17 AM

It's been fairly nice here so got a good start on the garden and moved some tomato plants out of the house to the garden with the cages over them and water bottles inside then wrapped with plastic.

It's been 60's and 70's lately and 50's at night so nice May weather until Wednesday night into Thursday morning. . .3-inches of snow and a 32 degree low.

Apple, cherry and pear trees are in bloom and the past couple days more bees than I have seen in years.

I haven't the heart yet to venture out, I'll let the clearing sky and sun do the work first then go look at the damage.

Pretty sure I lost the tomatoes and any blossoms that were out.

Just when it was showing signs of a nice growing season starting. :(

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 05-08-2014 08:50 AM

Leslie - sorry to hear about snow bit and cold temps --

I have plants ready to put out too, but have been holding off planting them outdoors - ya weather considerations. I am glad I have tarps and other types of covers for the wire baskets. JUST in case...

Tarps help too - even old blankets...

Hope you have something to cover the plants at night.

User avatar
LeslieV
Pirate
Posts: 167
Joined: 06-21-2012 07:52 PM
Location: Ease of the Rockies

Post by LeslieV » 05-08-2014 08:59 AM

The tomato cages were wrapped in heavy plastic with water bottles inside so may be OK as I had a feeling last evening so really tightened them for air leaks with lots of clothes pins.

I have plenty of starter pots going in the house and greenhouse so they will be OK.

It's up to 40 now and the snow is melting. I just pushed some off the deck but will wait until later to venture the long walk to the garden. I see the path is starting to clear so maybe by noon it should be pretty much clear.

In 20 years of living here I never put the snow shovel away even through the summer. This year I did and look what happened. :eek:

User avatar
Fan
Lady with a
Posts: 5307
Joined: 05-09-2011 02:18 PM
Contact:

Post by Fan » 05-08-2014 10:58 AM

I've got sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, dill, parsley and a few other goodies seedlinging right now. Built a raised bed out back for them, all composty and warm.
The heartbreaking necessity of lying about reality and the heartbreaking impossibility of lying about it.

― Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

User avatar
LeslieV
Pirate
Posts: 167
Joined: 06-21-2012 07:52 PM
Location: Ease of the Rockies

Post by LeslieV » 05-08-2014 11:09 AM

I just got in from brushing snow off the solar panels and checking on the tomatoes. They seem OK and we are getting filtered sun through clouds although the plastic is opaque so full sun won't be harsh. It felt warm inside when I opened up the top to let the melted water fall down in so I think they will be OK.

I have lots of herbs and other garden plants in their starter pots now, about 100 total.

I am so behind in getting the potatoes and onions in it has me worried about the crop this year. Weather has been so screwy lately although the Forensic Meteorologist say we saw this in the 50's and 80's which seems to follow sunspot cycles.

Greenhouse never got below 51 last night and is a toasty 68 when I checked so all is fine in there. Harvested some lettuce and radish out of containers for a lunch salad so doing good there.

Looks like we are in for a cold and snow Sunday again here on the plains of CO at my altitude so I guess I keep everything buttoned up and warm. :)

User avatar
SquidInk
________________
Posts: 5865
Joined: 03-15-2007 03:48 PM

Post by SquidInk » 05-08-2014 11:17 AM

Planted heirloom thyme, oregano, garlic, two kinds of onions, & a native ground covering strawberry (http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-cal ... chiloensis -- from collected wild specimens).

Also planted a grapevine here about seven years ago, and this year it is growing like... well, it's growing like a weed. It's got approximately 1 million grapes on it. Had to net it, so I might get a few in the end.

Everything is growing well, but this California. Not too challenging!
For if it profit, none dare call it Treason.

Cherry Kelly
Pirate
Posts: 12852
Joined: 07-29-2000 02:00 AM
Contact:

Post by Cherry Kelly » 05-08-2014 03:15 PM

Planted half my onions, still have the other half to plant - when the weather cooperates!!

YES, I do not have my potatoes planted - but am going a hay planting. Worked fairly well a couple of years ago, so said ehh - why not?

All but a couple packages of seeds are planted. (Misplaced the radishes -- found them.) The second will be the second corn rows group. Dill, beans, peas, beets, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, cloves and couple other all planted. Will do squash (cantelope and winter ones - soon as I see the corn rows (first group) come up a bit.

Tomatoes and peppers seedlings on hold - weather!! doing fine indoors so hopefully will get them out soon. AND tomatillo too.

---
UPdate on some flowers from earlier - all growing and yes blooming now!! Just because the tops were smashed down they were going to be tossed out (store) -- IF those people could see them now - well :) got two more of 'those types' the other day, home, watered and on a stand in the sun-room - checked about an hour ago and hmm BLOSSOMS!! and two with flowers out already. THESE places just need to learn to WATER plants more!!

User avatar
Fan
Lady with a
Posts: 5307
Joined: 05-09-2011 02:18 PM
Contact:

Post by Fan » 05-08-2014 05:01 PM

So cool you guys grow your own stuff. It is rewarding and a great hobby. I am thinking about setting up a basement winter grow operation. I got some cheap LED grow lights for seedlings and am looking into simple hydroponics DIY setups. Mostly I would just like fresh herbs, but maybe a tomato plant, lettuce, cukes, who knows.
The heartbreaking necessity of lying about reality and the heartbreaking impossibility of lying about it.

― Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

Post Reply

Return to “Garden & Galley”