Gardening: My Tomatoe and Pepper Progress
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Half of this thread seems to be passed posting "just tried a pepper, my mouth is on fire!"
Just got in from a bike ride. Looked at this guy, wondering when he was going to make me some babies. He did already! Two red cayennes had grown inside the the plant where I didn't see them. I plucked them, and now the plant will give me four. When I pluck those, I'll get eight. That's the way these guys do it.
I'mma living forever baby. It's science.
HarborTownBrewing
Well-Known Member
And here I am, sitting inside on a cold, dreary day just waiting for a few MONTHS to pass before I can even think about putting a plant in the ground.
I'm actually tilling the beds tomorrow and getting ready for the new crop I will be planting this year. I will work in chicken manure from my chickens and then add some cow manure also. Then I will start my seeds indoors in about a week. My last frost date is March 15th where I live so by then the seedlings will be good transplanting size (I have grow lights), and I am looking forward to a great pepper and tomatoe crop this year!
John
John
In fact, I cut exactly 8 peppers off this guy yesterday.
Just planted strawberries. Never grew them before.
applescrap
Be the ball!
My strawberries havent produced. I think they are supposed to live over the winter and flower in Spring and late fall. But freezing temps keeps killing them. They love to spread. Im ready!
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My last freeze date is March 15. I guess I better get off my butt and get started. It's supposed to be 80 degrees here today, and the urge to go ahead and plant stuff is almost overwhelming, but I'm old enough to remember this is north Texas and it is not unheard of to have ice storms or snow even in early March!! lol
My new habs are just starting to pop! I cut the old plants down due to white fly infestation. But I planted one of them in the ground and it's grown back and looks like it's about to begin producing fruit.
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
Well it looks like we've come full circle. Getting ready to start my nightshades indoors again.
Also, getting ready to plant onions, spinach and potatoes.
I think onions are about the hardest thing to grow, and as cheap as they are one has to wonder if it's even worth the effort. When you plant onions, take care that there aren't any street lights or anything nearby, as it can have a negative impact on bulb production. They are slow to mature so that, any onions you plant in the late winter, won't be ready in time for the spring planting. They'll be about "half grown", you can still dig and enjoy, not to mention the scallions are really the best part anyway.
My grandpa always said Valentine's Day was a good day to plant potatoes here in Zone 7, but I'm usually busy that day. So I'll try to get them in the ground shortly before or after.
I got some Boomsdale Spinach, I'll get it planted in the next few days. Spinach will grow when it's fairly warm out, but it WON'T sprout if it's too warm.
I prefer to get a lot of gardening stuff from my local Co Op. Spinach, beans, corn, potatoes, onions and really any kind of fall crop, they usually have, and it's cheaper. Home Depot/Lowes a lot of times don't even have potatoes or onions. Sometimes it's a little annoying at the Cop Op because when you ask for potatoes your get "red" or "white". Have no clue what variety a lot of the plants are! I did get enough spinach for about $3 to plant a half acre though haha.
I hope everyone had a good holiday season, my little girl was born the day after Christmas, so I've been busy!
Also, getting ready to plant onions, spinach and potatoes.
I think onions are about the hardest thing to grow, and as cheap as they are one has to wonder if it's even worth the effort. When you plant onions, take care that there aren't any street lights or anything nearby, as it can have a negative impact on bulb production. They are slow to mature so that, any onions you plant in the late winter, won't be ready in time for the spring planting. They'll be about "half grown", you can still dig and enjoy, not to mention the scallions are really the best part anyway.
My grandpa always said Valentine's Day was a good day to plant potatoes here in Zone 7, but I'm usually busy that day. So I'll try to get them in the ground shortly before or after.
I got some Boomsdale Spinach, I'll get it planted in the next few days. Spinach will grow when it's fairly warm out, but it WON'T sprout if it's too warm.
I prefer to get a lot of gardening stuff from my local Co Op. Spinach, beans, corn, potatoes, onions and really any kind of fall crop, they usually have, and it's cheaper. Home Depot/Lowes a lot of times don't even have potatoes or onions. Sometimes it's a little annoying at the Cop Op because when you ask for potatoes your get "red" or "white". Have no clue what variety a lot of the plants are! I did get enough spinach for about $3 to plant a half acre though haha.
I hope everyone had a good holiday season, my little girl was born the day after Christmas, so I've been busy!
imasickboy
Drinkasaurus extraordinarius
It sounds like you might be trying to grow the wrong kind of onions for your locale. Most are day-length sensitive. The rough dividing line for varieties is 36° latitude. North of that, long-day are the right choice. South of that, is where short-day are best.
Alternatively, intermediate-day can be grown anywhere, though there isn't as large of a variety to choose from that way.
And congrats on your short one.
Aside from that, I am beginning to plan my gardens for this year. I'm only about 50% of the way through the decision making process, but am really looking forward to this growing season. I am considering a small patch of barley, just enough for a couple pounds to roast or malt and toast for some added "me" factor to a couple of beers. Or I could just say "screw it" and plant more vegetables.
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
It sounds like you might be trying to grow the wrong kind of onions for your locale. Most are day-length sensitive. The rough dividing line for varieties is 36° latitude. North of that, long-day are the right choice. South of that, is where short-day are best.
Alternatively, intermediate-day can be grown anywhere, though there isn't as large of a variety to choose from that way.
And congrats on your short one.
Aside from that, I am beginning to plan my gardens for this year. I'm only about 50% of the way through the decision making process, but am really looking forward to this growing season. I am considering a small patch of barley, just enough for a couple pounds to roast or malt and toast for some added "me" factor to a couple of beers. Or I could just say "screw it" and plant more vegetables.
I usually grow short days. Since I plant my onions in the late winter instead of early fall, I've always wondered if I should try a long day, problem with that is the Co Op really doesn't have any. Everyone else here plants the short days this time of year and at least some of them seem to have positive results. The best onions I've seen grown were direct sewed and harvested in the summer. I would have thought they would have bolted but didn't.
Thanks she is quite a handful! Good luck on your Barley, that's one cereal grain I don't have any experience with, other than brewing with it of coarse. I will say that to only grow a couple pounds you won't need to plant but a very small area.
I'm headed out here in a bit to get my seeds, and buy the supplies for starting my nightshades.
StonesBally
Well-Known Member
Just ordered $115 of seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds. It's going to be tough balancing the garden duties with my new executive chef job at Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor. I hope the wife and kids will put in a little more effort this year. Last year I grew 77 varieties of heirlooms, I always push myself to grow and try more. In addition to my tomatoes and peppers this year I'm trying out field corn for tamales and tortillas. Hoping all turns out well. I'm going to try the Native American method of companion planting beans, squash, and corn together.
Grats on your baby girl!!! Love both of mine and got two grandsons from them last year!!
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
I used a pick, cultivator and hoe to get a few rows laid out today. Got the old mustard greens pulled up. This particular variety I'm definitely going to plant again, it never died in the winter, and only bolted recently. Growth did slow way down though when the cold hit. I harvested some of the seeds, and they are drying now.
So far I have 2 rows of onions and a row of spinach. Took me 30 mins to do all that work "by hand". Hopefully I'll get the "pretes" planted tomorrow.
Pictures of my night shades sprouting soon hopefully.
So far I have 2 rows of onions and a row of spinach. Took me 30 mins to do all that work "by hand". Hopefully I'll get the "pretes" planted tomorrow.
Pictures of my night shades sprouting soon hopefully.
HarborTownBrewing
Well-Known Member
It's February in Chicago and my hops are ready. These next few days will be in the 60s but it's way too early for these guys to be showing themselves.
Do I need to be worried? I guess I can trim them back once spring is here.
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Do I need to be worried? I guess I can trim them back once spring is here.
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If some sprouts die, more will pop up. I wouldn't worry about it until the plants are well on their way. Then maybe take steps to prevent frostbite.
HarborTownBrewing
Well-Known Member
Thanks Homer!
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
My tomatoes and peppers are off to a good start I think. They are out in my shop, so the temps have been cool at night, I have a heating pad under them but it isn't working right, so going to have to order a new one. Probably going to add a 3rd light as well. The peppers are a Burpee variety pack, and the tomatoes are Beefsteaks.
Spinach is coming up slowly, though the temps have still been too warm for it to sprout well, no potatoes peeking yet.
Spinach is coming up slowly, though the temps have still been too warm for it to sprout well, no potatoes peeking yet.
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
Ok, now I'm excited about this spring growing season!
Those peppers in the middle look happy.
Gotta get my starters started. I want to make a couple of planter boxes for the garage and back deck so I can have small plots of different plants here and there and save the garden area for bigger plants.
Try using toilet paper instead of paper towels. (there's a sentence that needs some context
) I had to throw out my first round of tomato seedlings and replant last year because the seeds germinated faster than I expected and the little roots were all tangled up in the paper towel. I'm germinating seeds in wet TP this year and it's going much better. It just falls apart when you pick the little sprouts out instead of tearing the rootlets off.I just started the tomatoes this morning. A 15 year old packet of Better Boy seeds (no idea if they'll sprout) because I couldn't find Better Boy seeds yesterday at Fleet Farm, and some seeds that I saved from a volunteer grape tomato that came up in the garden last year that tasted really good.
So far I have peppers and milkweeds up, growing under 220W fluorescent lights in my basement. The peppers look really happy; the milkweeds just came up so it's too early to tell how they're doing. This is the first year I've used T5HO lamps.
Nice growing, we've started on our pregrowing a bit earlier, end of januari.
Most stuff won't be planted outside, but move to our greenhouse in about a month and a half.
Most stuff won't be planted outside, but move to our greenhouse in about a month and a half.
I've got a Carolina Reaper finally getting largish. As if the habs weren't hot enough. Not sure why I did this. I'll post pics when the fruit comes in.
Stillraining
Well-Known Member
Is that still snow on the ground in those pictures?
applescrap
Be the ball!
Have seed and am ready, but need net cups. My plan is to start the seed in net cups sitting in a 1/4 inch of water. Sub irrigating. I might just plant them. The pools aren't leaking this year but i still plan on turning them off and on. They are clean and ready. Al pacino here has become a problem i fear. He stares at me like this all the time.
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Sadly, we are having a very cold spring here....but the snow you see there is just the pile from all winter's shoveling...
Got my seeds in the starters and only waiting for a dry day to go out and work up the plots outside. I want to make some boxes to hang on the back deck railings and maybe the garage. Because I bought too many seeds for the garden plots!
Stillraining
Well-Known Member
Sadly, we are having a very cold spring here....but the snow you see there is just the pile from all winter's shoveling...
We have had and are still having an unusually wet/cold late winter spring here as well. Lots of our bulbs and tubers such as gladiola, dahlias and tulips have rotted in the ground. We have not had 2 sunny days back to back yet this year. Totally burnt out on it.
same, haven't had a day over 50 degrees yet....and wet snow and freezing during the night, only just today finally swapped to summer tires..
I'm late again this year, but not as late as last year I had to replant the flower bed around the pool, but finally got my Walmart bag PVC pipe planter cleaned up and ready to replant. The weed stop cloth and mesh cups that allow the roots into the pipe were no match for the roots, and I had an impressive amount of roots inside the pipe
Now all I have to do it get some plants and I should be ready to go again.
I had to replant the flower bed around the pool, but finally got my Walmart bag PVC pipe planter cleaned up and ready to replant. The weed stop cloth and mesh cups that allow the roots into the pipe were no match for the roots, and I had an impressive amount of roots inside the pipe Now all I have to do it get some plants and I should be ready to go again.
OP
OP
estricklin
Well-Known Member
My tomatoes are over a foot tall, haven't had a chance to plant them yet as I should have by now. That's ok I plan to plant them along with my peppers and some hops this evening. Thinking about picking up a small Honda Tiller.
I have a bellafina pepper plant growing now in one of my dbl buckets. I love those things. I eat them like apples. I was going to try to germinate from seeds, but then I found a potted plant.
Everything except the Jalapenos has sprouted in the starter cups. A pair of squash darn near lifted the soil up and out of the cup!
Still too early to plant much of anything, but I might rig up something for some peas to climb on and get them going. They usually do well early.
Still too early to plant much of anything, but I might rig up something for some peas to climb on and get them going. They usually do well early.
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I've planted already. Avg last frost was nearly 2 weeks ago. No peppers this year.
Tomato, herbs, cuke, Okra, and melon.
Tomato, herbs, cuke, Okra, and melon.
Make some Okra mead. I hear it's good!
BowAholic
Well-Known Member
...but you don't have a 20' hops tower in your garden...
My son just bought a cheap electric tiller that works like a champ. He broke up virgin yard with no problems at all... so I bought one to keep the grass and weeds down between my rows... :rockin:
Beer time...
