2010 garden

[signseeker]

Well, all my seeds have arrived in the mail and today I took the saved seeds from last year out of the old fridge and I'm going to do a complete inventory and decide what to plant this year.

We are going to try to double the size of the garden... we'll be taking out lawn for that. That's probably going to be a bit of work...

I think I'll start my seeds for tomatoes and peppers around St. Patrick's Day.

So what are your plans, everyone? :001_302:


P.S. I'm also going to keep all my saved seeds in one box in the fridge in case I want to grab it fast. For some reason.

[hiccups]

I am still deciding what to plant. Gonna buy my seeds from Walmart again probably.

Part of our garden is going to be devoted to what my Activity Day girls want to plant. They are going to help with planting and weeding and all. One thing they really want to plant is strawberries. I've never done those before. Anyone have tips on them?

[ZDMZ]

I am going to try square foot gardening. I have tried a couple of gardens here and have not had much success. If I can get anything to grow I will be happy.
No plans on what to grow yet.

[Julie]

I have doubled the size of my garden this year too. I have a side of my house that I have tilled up and I have added one more growing area to my grow box garden.
With Mittleider mineral mix, you can grow anything.
I have got strawberries ordered and I am trying potatoes, watermelon, and melon for the first time. This is an experimental year for me and I am trying to keep accurate records on the outcome with my gardening journal. I am waiting for my tomatoes and peppers to come up in my little greenhouse.

[signseeker]

That guy on YouTube with the growing tomatoes video that NorthStar posted... he got some red potatoes just from the store, waited for them to sprout and planted them... just in a little one foot by 2 foot area... he got a big bowl of potatoes out of them.

DH thinks growing potatoes is a bit of a waste considering how cheap they are. He wants to grow the expensive stuff. But I think if I just use some out of the store, he won't care so much.

[Noahs ARK]

That guy on YouTube with the growing tomatoes video that NorthStar posted... he got some red potatoes just from the store, waited for them to sprout and planted them... just in a little one foot by 2 foot area... he got a big bowl of potatoes out of them.

DH thinks growing potatoes is a bit of a waste considering how cheap they are. He wants to grow the expensive stuff. But I think if I just use some out of the store, he won't care so much.

Try growing potatoes in those old whiskey barrels. It won't take up any garden space and it's all confined to one space.

[hiccups]

Try growing potatoes in those old whiskey barrels. It won't take up any garden space and it's all confined to one space.
Or if you haven't used up your barrel of "cooking" wiskey yet, Sign, use a trash can. :D

[Noahs ARK]

Or if you haven't used up your barrel of "cooking" wiskey yet, Sign, use a trash can. :D

Oooooh - good idea! :l0 (44):

[mgriffith]

Last year I experimented with the "three sisters" method which worked out fairly well. I also tried a bunch of sunflowers, and got a lot of seeds, but it takes hours of work to shell them just to get 1/4 a cup of seeds, so that proved we don't need to grow sunflowers. I may plant some more just for the pleasure of seeing them glowing in the sunlight.

I have not grown a bunch of broccoli in a few years so this year I'll put in about 60 plants and dry most of the harvest. I like these cause you can keep picking them all summer.

Then the usual romaine lettuce and such greens. I'm preparing a deep bed to try carrots. The ground here is so rocky that carrots get all stunted unless they have some deep soft soil. Probably do lettuce or maybe potatoes first, then carrots so I can let them overwinter in the ground and see how that workout.

Lots of options, too little time.

Mark

[mgriffith]

Here's some pics of my garden last year. I thought Mirk would appreciate the Scare Cat. He's not as effective as the dogs, but he's nice to me.

The spring view is when the red bud trees and apple blossoms are in bloom. The rest of the pics are the garden as it grows, and then the pic of the giant sunflower. The windmill next to it is 8 feet tall.

[Noahs ARK]

Last year I experimented with the "three sisters" method which worked out fairly well. I also tried a bunch of sunflowers, and got a lot of seeds, but it takes hours of work to shell them just to get 1/4 a cup of seeds, so that proved we don't need to grow sunflowers. I may plant some more just for the pleasure of seeing them glowing in the sunlight.

Mark

Have you tried hanging the sunflower upside down to let it dry? The seeds should just fall out as it dries up. Try hanging them in your garage with some cheesecloth wrapped around them to catch the seeds.

Or just let it dry and then put it out for the birdies?

[mgriffith]

Have you tried hanging the sunflower upside down to let it dry? The seeds should just fall out as it dries up. Try hanging them in your garage with some cheesecloth wrapped around them to catch the seeds.

Or just let it dry and then put it out for the birdies?

That's not the problem....it's getting those little seeds out of the shells. You know, the part you eat.

:l0 (7):

[signseeker]

This is an experimental year for me and I am trying to keep accurate records on the outcome with my gardening journal.

This reminded me of my Master Gardener teacher who says, "Everything in my yard is research." :l0 (6):

We're all experimenting all the time, aren't we? That's what's so awesome about it. And even the expert of all experts can have bombs. Or bad timing. Or bugs. Or whatever. It's awesome. :cornut:

[Noahs ARK]

That's not the problem....it's getting those little seeds out of the shells. You know, the part you eat.

:l0 (7):

Ohhhhhh - ha ha ha - I must've missed the part of your post where you said "shelled". Oops!

NEVER MIND......:l0 (15):

[signseeker]

Has anyone here started bell peppers from seeds? Do you bury the stems like you do tomatoes when they're transplanted? Do they grow roots out from their stems?

Anyone have any varieties of peppers they've really liked? I'm growing them from seed for the first time this year. I've got Bull Nose peppers (grown at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson!) and Odessa Market peppers. Both sweet bell peppers.

[Julie]

I have started peppers before and I plant them just like I do my tomatoes. I have some started for this year and yeah! my tomatoes are starting to come up.

[signseeker]

So, what kind? Do they grow out roots from the stem like tomatoes do?

What kind(s) of tomatoes are you growing?

[Noahs ARK]

Has anyone here started bell peppers from seeds? Do you bury the stems like you do tomatoes when they're transplanted?

I've never started bell peppers from seed. I plant them the same way I plant tomatoes - pull off any buds and bury the stem to get a good root structure going.

[Highlandsunrise]

Potatoes are cheap but I love eating them fresh so much that I grow a 3' x 7' box anyway. I grew red pontiac. I cut them up, let them dry out and start to sprout. Just before the last frost break up the soil (last year I didn't have any compost so I sprinkled on some Ironite and 16-16-8 and soil sulphur before tilling), scatter the pieces on top and cover them with grass clippings. Water about twice a week and continue to add a layer of grass clippings each time I mow the lawn (no weed killer on lawn) throughout the summer. When the plants die down they are easy to harvest out of the clippings which don't get slimey when added a layer at a time.

We have lots of rocks in our soil too. The carrots did better than ever last year in a garden box (no weed mat on the bottom--more weeds come up but vegetable roots go down deep and they did better that way). I will plant more this year.

Research, that's for sure!! I must keep records this year. I haven't been good at that.

mgriffith--that is some sunflower. Great pictures.

I am going to grow corn for the first time this year. I am planning to plant lots more seeds in the house.

Yippppeeeee, I can't wait.

We grew melons, winter squash and tomatoes last year under black plastic with sprinkler pipe underneath. We had lots to eat--they did well. The plastic heated them up and they loved that.

[signseeker]

So has anyone actually planted their seeds yet? I think Julie has started... her winter is probably over by now?

I was going to do it St. Patty's day, but I'm thinking I might do it later this week. Too soon? I think I'll start some lettuce or broccoli (wow! that just seems intimidating to me!) or cauliflower (that's intimidating, too!) or hmmm.... have to look in my seeds again. This is all inside starting I'm talking about...stuff to transplant outside later on.

[phylm]

Sign--I don't know if you'll have a problem with cutworms cutting your little broccoli and cauliflower stems where you live or not, but that is easily taken care of by making rings about an inch and a half wide and 2 inches high out of paper. I usually cut up a brown paper bag. You plant your seedlings, then slip the ring down over the plant, and push the bottom of the ring into the soil and firm up around it. As soon as the plants get some size, you can remove the papers from them. Nice cheap solution to a big problem in a lot of places.

[signseeker]

Okay, I planted some seeds today. Put them in one of those Jiffy trays that holds 72 little peat pellets. You add water, they puff up, you plant the seeds and then put the lid back on until they start sprouting up.

I planted:
Broccoli (first time)
Cabbage (first time)
Cauliflower (first time)
Jalapeno Peppers (first time)
Tomato - The Dutchman (large red tomato, first time)
Tomato - Eva Purple Ball (from my own collected seeds from last year)
Tomato - Homestead (from my own collected seeds from last year)

As these get bigger, I'll move the peat pellet into a styrofoam or plastic cup and add soil from the garden.

I have one more Jiffy tray and 66 larger peat pots I'll use in the next 2-3 weeks.

Excitement! :w00t: I might even bear my testimony about it today. :l0 (14):
Okay, kidding. :001_smad:

[Noahs ARK]

I might even bear my testimony about it today. :l0 (14):

You GO, Girl!! Make sure you give them allllll the details. :a0 (29):

[signseeker]

Yeah, Bro. S has 5 HUNDRED plants started under lights. :frown2:

[Noahs ARK]

Yeah, Bro. S has 5 HUNDRED plants started under lights. :frown2:

500??

What a show-off. :d0 (75):

[signseeker]

Yeah, no kidding. But get this- they're mostly flowers. The pansy. :l0 (58):

[Noahs ARK]

Yeah, no kidding. But get this- they're mostly flowers. The pansy. :l0 (58):


Pffffft - there ya go! Maybe you need to show him how to grow REAL stuff. :a0 (28):

[signseeker]

Well, I'm pretty sure I couldn't show him much of anything.

Hey! I have a broccoli sprout! In one day! :thumbsup:

[Noahs ARK]

Hey! I have a broccoli sprout! In one day! :thumbsup:

How's your broccoli sprout doing? :vork:

[signseeker]

Well, all the broccoli has sprouted as well as the cabbage. The cauliflower is starting to sprout and The Dutchman tomatoes (purchased- beefsteak type) and my personally SAVED Homestead tomato seeds are sprouting. YAY! I'm a grandma! :blink:

Anyhoo-- the Eva Purple Ball tomato seeds that I saved have not started sprouting, so I'm a little nervous about that. I didn't cut corners when saving the seeds... I really hope they sprout. The jalapeno's aren't sprouting either, but their package said up to 20 days for that. Today is Day 5.

I'll probably start another tray of seeds around the 21st or so.

What's everyone else doing? :)

[signseeker]

I went and checked the Eva Purple Balls after I posted and two are sprouting! :thumbup:

I'm putting the tray out in the sun for 30 min. right now (no wind and even though it's in the 40s, it's sunny) and maybe for an hour this afternoon.

[phylm]

So has anyone actually planted their seeds yet? I think Julie has started... her winter is probably over by now?

I was going to do it St. Patty's day, but I'm thinking I might do it later this week. Too soon? I think I'll start some lettuce or broccoli (wow! that just seems intimidating to me!) or cauliflower (that's intimidating, too!) or hmmm.... have to look in my seeds again. This is all inside starting I'm talking about...stuff to transplant outside later on.
Peas, broccoli, lettuce and more is up, and sweet onions thriving, with most of the rest of the vegetables planted this week...although we still may have a freeze. The Meyer lemon tree and the pineapple plants came through an exceptionally cold winter, with a lot of babying, but not sure about the Satsuma orange tree (It's supposed to stand temps to 15 degrees.) But two of the apple trees are in bloom, and we've finally had a warm day, so we're hopeful. Good luck to all of you other hopeful gardeners!

[signseeker]

Planted more tomatoes yesterday... Sioux (first time), Eva Purple Ball (some more of my seeds), Snow White (white cherry), Mexico Midget (teeny red cherry), Rutgers Select (my saved seeds). Also planted bell peppers... Odessa Market and Bull Nose (grown at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson - that's how much I love the Founders, baby).

All my other seedlings are in larger peat pots now.

[mgriffith]

I'm gonna go get some more topsoil for my raised beds this week. Temps on Weds. are supposed to be in the low 80's!

Also need to service the rototiller and make sure it's working. Perhaps get some manure too.

Last date for frost in Missouri is around April 15th, so I don't usually put anything out before then. I need to setup some seed growing areas for next year in the garage. Or better yet, build the greenhouse I've been planning for the last 10 years.

/\/\ark

[signseeker]

DH keeps bringing up a greenhouse. I feel like I need to research that a whole lot before we jump into something that big.

[KF7EEC]

DH keeps bringing up a greenhouse. I feel like I need to research that a whole lot before we jump into something that big.

You might be able to grow bananas in a greenhouse....

[signseeker]

Wouldn't that be something? :w00t:

[Buffie]

I went to a gardening show once that displayed some greenhouses. Some were big and expensive, but they had smaller ones, too. Don't give up on it until you do some real exploring.

[Noahs ARK]

I went to a gardening show once that displayed some greenhouses. Some were big and expensive, but they had smaller ones, too. Don't give up on it until you do some real exploring.

We were thinking of adding one to the side of our house. Like a 4-season porch, but a greenhouse instead.

[mgriffith]

We were thinking of adding one to the side of our house. Like a 4-season porch, but a greenhouse instead.

That's my plan....to add it to the south side of my workshop. It would only take a few days of work to get it done. I really need to start on that.

/\/\ark

[phylm]

That's our plan this year, too. Then we could move those pesky pineapple plants and lemon tree inside! Down here, we could keep lettuce and greens going all winter.

[mgriffith]

Getting ready to prepare the beds for this year. Need to add more dirt. Where does it all go??