Terri, we don't have lots of room. Last year, I had about 8 plants, but DH loves maters and wants to grow them, so we're expanding our garden. He's in charge of killing the hornworms since he wants all these tomatoes!
We're going to build something this year to support these tall indeterminates. They're wild! Last year they were all over the place!
Tomato suggestions for our hot summers needed. . .
Terry I do grow rosemary and I noticed that the deer didn't mess with it so I started a bunch of new plant and plan to plant it all over the yard. I am aslo working on some new fencing and around my little trees I plan to put t posts and plastic fencing. Thanks for the info. I just checked all the tomato seeds again I have a bunch of starts I'm going to have to stay home from fishing today and transplant them in peat pots. I bought one of those seed starting kits from lowes the one with the heater wow does that thing work. I planted 72 with tomatos and different kinds of peppers and some herbs and the only ones that aren't jumping out are the herbs. The seeds germinated in half the time that the package said they would. I'm going to try flowers next. I also have started some pickle cukes and butter bush sqash out in another building. I wish I had that kind of sucess with the tree seeds I am trying to start.The only ones I am having sucess wit are Orchid trees and Flowering Maple. I am going to try a new process for the Red Bud seeds and Mimosa. I have just given up on the crimson bottle brush just can't get them to go.
Wow, didn't know Lowe's had a heated seed starter kit, rucky. Will have to check. For some of your tree seed and the herbs you might want to check out the winter sowing forum if you haven't already done so. I tried it last year and got some results going, but unfortunately a coyote got really interested in my results and then I had no results. But I think it really does work! Will try again now that the area around the greenhouse/shed is more secure. In the meantime I have 72 tomato seeds started indoors, myself. DH said I did not have enought tomatoes last year. If all seed germinate and grow we shall see what he has to say this year... =~D!
You go girl!! I bought the heated seed starter for about 35 bucks but if your having success the way your doing it I wouldn't mess with it. I really bought it for the flower seeds and I was just trying it out to see if it worked on some veggie seeds I had it does work well. Dang Varmints! but seriously watch your dogs with the coyotes I have some friends who lost their dogs to them. They send in one to get the dog riled and then when the dog gives chase the pack is waiting.We used to have a lot where I used to live. I love listening to them at night.I have read up on winter sowing I will check it out again Thanks..............Ron
rucky -- where is Huffman? What zone are you in? Inquiring minds want to know. . .
I battled deer while in Montana. Best defence I found was a 8 foot fence. Amazing how cute those deer can be as long as they are not in your yard! I finally put up a 8 foot fence around my veggie garden two years before I left. And all flowers I planted had to be deer resistant, which usually helped -- as long as they weren't too hungry, as during a drought. I do not miss that battle, especially being constantly on the lookout while driving.
I did finally start some tomato seed, using those I had already. I need to get them on a heatmat. If I can find it. Moving 3 times in two years sure encourages misplaced things.
Huffman is just northeast of Houston in zone 9b I think. Actually I am in the city of houston because I live on Lake Houston and anything on the water was claimed by the city because its one of their water supplies. The area I am in is expanding they are biulding huge subdivisions all around me and the deer are out of a habitat. I kinda feel sorry for them but I don't like them eating my plants. I planted food plots and I am going to put up a feeder,I know thats probably a bad idea but maybe they will leave my trees alone.
My SIL and daughter are in the military and they move every two years so I know from them how you feel They have been in 6 states in 11 years they were in Kansas only one year.
My first two season growing tomatoes I cut my teeth on indeterminates: Pruden's Purple (my fave), Eva's Purple Ball, Cherokee Purple (yeah, it's a purple thing...), Black Krim, Persimmon, Arkansas Traveler, and Azoycha. These are all roughly 80-90 DTM (the newbie didn't know...)
Anyway, I love the Pruden's, Eva, Cher and Ark Traveler, and the Black Krim the best, and have been fighting the Texas planting calendar to make it happen again. We have a VERY short window for long-season veggies! And, I grew all of these tomatoes from seeds.
The Black Krim went exactly 150 days from seed to my mouth, and it was worth every second of that wait!
(Azoycha's (my least favorite) are great decoy tomatoes for Stinkbug nymphs, which totally congregated on these 'maters while ignoring ones right next to it)
Persimmon is a lovely orange beefsteak....
With that said, I'm pushing the envelop again this season. I have Winter Sowed all my tomato seeds outside in one-gallon milk jugs, and have 1" tall seedlings as we speak. I intend to deep root the ones I will keep by up potting to 5 gallon grow bags, and adding potting mix to the container as the seedlings grow taller. Between February 20 to March 20th they will then be transplanted to their final growing place in 20-gallon nursery tree containers.
Since I plan to offer my excess indeterminate seedlings for sale, I will up pot these to16 oz. solo cups and deep root them like above. They'll leave home in individual cups with good, sturdy root systems.
Any tomato that hasn't produced by June 20th gets pulled for the season. That's 90 days of chance to do something special....
That's my plan, and I'm sticking to it!
Linda
It seems that, for any vegetable with the exception of okra, peppers, beans, cowpeas, and maybe sweet potatoes, the best varieties for us to grow here in Texas are the early varieties.
Naw, Steph!
Be bold, be brave!
When do you plant out your okra, peppers, beans and cowpeas? I believe these are all direct sowed, correct? My schedule has me planting sweeties in April.
I'll plant okra at the end of Febuary, peppers and tomatos in mid March along with green beans. Its taking a chance but I usually can't wait. I used to allways wait to plant untill after Easter. But I have been starting early the last couple of years and only had to replant once.
Rucky,
I like the way you think! You're direct sowing seeds or seedlings?
When did you harvest the tomatoes you planted out in mid-March? Were any indeterminates? My tomato seedlings are 1" tall as of today.
What kinda green beans have you planted? I desperately want (LOVE) green beans, but have never managed to get the schedule right (until NOW!!!)
Oh, and what about green PEAS? I have Wando Peas that have already sprouted for about 1 week now. I was gonna put them out this weekend, but the weather isn't right.
Here's a pic of the peas a week ago. They've filled out and are falling over the sides now!
LMK soonest. Thanks!
P.S. What zone is Huffman, Texas? Knowing your zone helps tremendously in the conversation.
Linda
This message was edited Jan 27, 2010 4:09 PM
Gymgirl I'm NE houston I'm not that far from you maybe 25 miles north of you. If your yard is protected from the North wind we can plant pretty early. I allways plant Blue Lake Bush Beans they are great producers I usually plant them around the bottom of my tomatos leaving room to walk. But this year in order to save space I plan on trying pole beans I'll put a stake in the ground with abot 7' above then run string down to small stakes kinda teepee fashion then plant pole beans at the bottom to climb the strings. This is something new to me but I'm up for trying new things. With the bush beans you can plant them in a patch close together and you won't have to worry about weeds because they will squeeze out any weeds this is how I used to plant them.
As I said above I plant mostly Parkswhopper Tomatos because they are producers I had four plants last year and we had toms for months we made salsa and stewed tomatos we ate fried green tomatos I made green chow chow. They are amazing producers. And with a little MG and lots of water the plant will grow so big cages won't hold em. I can't remember when we first started getting tomatos I need to keep a calender on these things. I should have time this year to do so. I have some starts that are 8 " tall but kinda drupy because of all the cold weather. But I have new starts at 2" high I hope they will be ready. I am also planting Tomatillas they grow faster than the tomatos......RON
I'll start sowing the 2nd week in February.
Carrots, onions, potatoes, lettuce, peas (green peas) will be sown in Feb-March, some in succession to extend harvest season.
Beans and cowpeas are sown in March. All of those will be direct sown. Peppers, okra, sweet potatoes, and go in in April.
I posted the link to the list of what I'm planting on my blog. I did a Google doc spreadsheet.
Thanks Rucky and Steph.
Rucky, how'd you get 8" seedlings already? Oh, and I totally get the bean TP. Great space saver idea!
I'm going to try some beans on an old wooden rickety ladder.
Gymgirl I started some tomato plants last fall in my greenhouse that I built so my wife who has a bad problem with skin cancer can get out side to work on her plants without being in full sun. It has alumamesh on it. It had open ends and the deer just decided that it was their own pessonal buffet and just went through and topped everything. Including my tomato plants . But they came back and were pretty sturdy. We totally wrapped the GH in plastic and built ends to keep out the wild life I will enclose a picture.Right now it kinda looks like a bag lady has just moved in its pretty raggy looking . But it serving a purpose. Then the freezing nights we had the little heater I had in it wasn't big enough and it got below freezing in there one night and killed a lot of our presios plants. I was hopeing to grow some winter tomatos in the GH but that didn't work out. I had a tomatilla plant that had little toms on it but it froze. It also killed all my citrus trees even the really big one I'm bummed out about that. You know what they say about Houston weather if you don't like it right now wait a minute it'll change.
Stephanie I have to wooden ladders that I grew some bird house guords on last year this year I want to grow the bigger rounder gourds on one and louffa on another. The ones I grew last year wern't big enough for me. So I'l try the bigger ones. Here is a picture of me standing in front of the GH I think you can see the ladders to the left..Ron
No sorry you can't see them. By the way I am 25 lbs lighter than I was in that picture. I took that one last Sept right after I retired to send to the guys at work. We couldn't grow beards where I worked so I was gloating a little. But after 32 years working shift work in a chemical plant I deserved a little gloating :-)
Wish I had a yard big enough for a structure like that, it's very nice.
C
Wish I had a DH who'd allow me to put up a structure like that in our yard that IS big enough!
It is very nice!
Rucky, what did you use for the bones? Are those bent pvd pipes or steel pipes?
Looks like you built a basic square frame on the ground and used the trellis pieces on front to stabilize 2x4? for a frame that you attached the door to. It's so simple, even I can see how it's done!
Great job!
I like the "Gothic Farmer" pose, Rucky. Yeah, I retired from the ExxonMobil Refinery here in Baytown about five years ago and look what I grew. I'm a professional Santa.
Don
Steph,
Where's the link to your blog?
Excellent photos! This has been a verrrrry long week. DH actually told me to go to David Austin website (usually he just goes out and buys me a candle) for a little retail therapy as I have been dealing with sooooo many grouchy and, well, just plain odd customers this week--bless their dear little hearts for calling us in the first place. But really! Sorry for the rant but, anyway, love the photos and especially love the pitch fork!
Here you go, Linda! http://haphazardgardener.blogspot.com/
Don ain't retirement a wonderful thing. I worked at Bayer in Baytown and its a good place to be from. I stay so busy now I don't know how I find time to work. I do still find time to fish some a man has to have his priorities.
I have three acres so I have plenty of room newtons. I love it untill it comes time to mow it. We just planted 30 Cyprus trees the other day I'm a gluton for punishment.
Gymgirl the whole GH was a kit I ordered on line from "GreenHouse Solutions" it is all metal frame inside 1 1/2 inch aluminum pipe its 16' long and 32' wide. It seems pretty sturdy luckily I didn't put it up untill after "Ike" the outside is alumamesh and cuts 60% sunlight and the plants love it. The whole thing was around 500 bucks. BUT I spent allmost that much trying to put in a floor I cut all the grass out and layed down weed cloth then I put rubber mulch down on top of that. This spring I am going to have to pull the whole thing up (floor) and put some kind of stabilizer under it because it stays soggy and mushy I sink in when I walk. I think I am going to spread dry concrete around and mix it in to stabilize it. As I said we have been fighting a long battle with her skin cancer she has three or four removed every couple of months and at least a couple of surgeries a year. Luckily they are so far all basilcell. So this way she can get out with some safety. I enjoy it too I have a bunch of my own plants in there too I have started about 10 Orchid Trees and as many Flowering Maple trees. And as I said I planted tomato and pepper starts. Right now the GH looks like heck but in the spring we'll make it purty again. Oh and the ends in the picture I built myself using 2x4 and you can't see it but under and aroung the lattice is chicken wire for varmits....Ron
Brrrrrrrrrrr!! It's a cold start to our Saturday. Everyone stay warm and safe if you have to get out!
Hi Stephanie did Y'all get any snow in DFW area ,Nephew is travelling to Colorado and is stranded in Amarillo said there were lots of power lines down north of Wichata Falls i can't hardly imagine a Coon*** from Louisiana in a west Texas snowstorm LOL Guess if Greta has any Mater seeds started she best be trying to keep them warm ..We have only a very light snowfall here but can't wait till the roads are cleared so I can head up Talamena drive for a photo op..
When anyone asks me about retirement, I tell them I highly recommend it. I know exactly what you mean about not knowing how you found time to go to work. However, I do a little tractor work and Santa during the season. I make enough to support my hobbies. I guess you could say I am semi-retired.
I really like your GH. I was looking at plans just last night for building a small one from PVC pipe. My yard is small, so don't have room for a large one. The site I was on, showed a really cool way to make hinges and latches out of it.
I have a cousin in Huffman. He lives just a few blocks from the lake. He's been after me to go fishing with him, so this spring I guess we'll go out and see if we can find a spot to chase a few bass. His boat is really too big and draws too much draft for bass fishing, It is a 19' center console bay boat, but oh well. I'd rather have a little jon boat and about a 12 hp. motor.
Funny story: Last summer, we were supposed to go fishing, but he called me the night before, saying the trip was off because his motor wouldn't start and he was going to have to take it to the shop. That morning, I went over and was looking around and asked him if he had the kill switch plug plugged in..... He didn't. Sometimes he ain't too bright. LOL
Don
Can't wait till I can retire...but not planning on growing a beard! How did you come up with dgal name? I was sure you were female until clarified.
rucky, love that greenhouse and congrats on losing lbs. Retirement must be good for you.
stephanietx, that is a very nice blog you have set up.
Bananna, dgal is first letter of first name and first three letters of last name (as in Galaway). LOL, my wrist isn't even limp. Sorry.
Don
LOL Don!
Anna, thanks for the comments on the blog. I don't really advertise it and it's really more for me to let the meanderings of my mind out. It's really more a personal diary with pics for me to remember what I did and what things looked lik.
Grits~NO SNOW!! (Woohoo!) We didn't even get any wintry mix on my side of the Metroplex. So glad we dodged that bullet! However, after 2 days of people staying pretty much inside, cabin fever has set in and folks are out and about with a vengence!
Ha HA Well you know on this website, people may refer to their husband as DH...D as in dear or any other adjective that works
I guess I was thinking you were a darling gal!
Steph-I love your blog and the name is great. Now I can't do one because you have taken the perfect name for mine (Kidding). I keep saying I'm going to start one on Local Harvest but never got around to it. My exhusband was here this AM and ask me if I still knew how to work the vacuum? I said not until it warms up and the plants go outside until then I'll keep sweeping. Never been much for housework, but my seeds are doing great.
Lisa
Lisa, I really despise housework! LOL I really need a housekeeper, but that'll never happen!
Thanks for the nice comments about my blog. I really do need to do a better job of keeping it up during the season.
Hey Don I hear ya on the kill switch. Thats just funny never done it on my boat but did on my 4 wheeler almost wore the battery down untll my wife (of all people) showed me the error of my ways. Forget the bass the crappie are in the mouth of the river.I catch several everytime I go out. (east fork)
Ok sorry not tomatos.....oops!
When I retired I made a deal with my wife I cook she cleans. She really got the raw end of that deal I am a messy cook. I do all of the mowing etc. and we garden together.