BELLS AND EGGPLANT QUESTIONS 101

Oh, Kelly!

Sorry. Bubbles lives in Austin...

Guess that won't nwork then - lol... That's a ways from SA...

Pod, wouldn't it great if they would cross as easily if we WANTED them to do so? LOL!

All the comments about cross polinating has me nervous about all the peppers, tomatoes and melons that I'll be planting this summer.

Only a problem to save seeds. Of course, I am sure you have read how to select the "seed" plants and protect the blooms for pollination. Far more effort than I am into I am afraid.

No, haven't got that far....

I may have saved some info on cross pollination. I am bad about cutting and pasting but then can't find it in my stash. I'll look if you are interested...

Basically you can plant them a certain distance apart or bag blooms. Bagging only works for self pollinators like maters and peppers and such. If you bag blooms that are not, like squash, melons etc (they have male and female flowers) you will have to hand pollinate.

I am having to watch myself closer now. I took inventory of my plants tonight. After overfertilizing them, after half freezing them to death, out of 38 tomato plants I have 3 good beefsteaks, 4 potato tops, 5 ultimate openers, 4 giant belgiums, 1 mortgage lifter and 1 Delicious left, the rest look so-so (9) or bad (20). I have more coming though, and this will probably work after 2 mishaps already. One thing is for sure, the survivors, after making it through my abuse will be able to handle anything this world hurls at em right?
joy

Thanks, but I found Melody's and Carolyn's posts in a 'tomato sticky". I think I read it before. I'll just plan on seperating the different peppers and melons too. Fortunately I have plenty of room to do that.

~~~~~~~~

Yep, Joy, only the strong survive. At least you didn't lose the whole lot, like I did with a lettuce tray.


This message was edited Mar 5, 2010 9:15 PM

Msrobin: After being all thumbs and dumping a whole tray of tomato seedlings (50 of them), oh, well, they say third time's a charm right. I got more seeds on the way and they will be in next week.
joy

Don't feel bad, Joy. You over-fertilized, and I under-fertilized (starved) my poor pepper and tomato seedlings. I will be applying my second dose of MG to my seedlings next Wed. Hopefully they will "catch up". Boy do they look good, but they are small.

Yeah, in my case, a book called "dont do what this dumby does...". LOL
Down to about 30 out of 100. But my other seeds came and I got them in the seed starter tray along wtih the eggplants and peppers. Next will be okra and corn.
joy

Guess who went out on a field trip today?

Lookin' good!

Another View

You're cruising right along, Gymgirl Great job!!!

John,
I'm only growing 3 of each variety for myself. The rest I'm selling.

You've got some peppers I don't have, and I'd be interested in negotiating a swap if it's ok with you?

We could rendezvous at Baybrook mall! LMK!

Linda

That would work Gymgirl, but unless my plants experience a growth spurt I may be out of luck! I'll try and post some pics later this evening of what I have so far. Unfortunately (as you know), I made a key mistake by not feeding the seedlings with MG (or similar food) early on.

Maybe the cold weather will bail me out and give my plants the time they need to develope?? The veggie planner for Harris County says mid-March - end of April would be ideal planting times for peppers.

Ok, John. I believe you do have time. Just LMK.

Linda

That's the spirit!!! Thanks, I need all the positive thoughts I can get.

We can talk "Trade" in detail in a couple of more weeks, but I like the idea.

Gymgirl: You go girl, those are lovely plants. I'm planning on only keeping about 2-3 of each variety for myself also, the rest are give aways, problem is I think I'll only wind up with maybe one or two of the mortgage lifter and delicious tomato, I have a lot of the ultimate openers.
Down now to about 30 out of the first batch I planted and they are still small. The stems are so skinny, that is bad isn't it? They barely have their first true leaves also.
joy

I put my seedlings out 1st time yesterday for 2 hours. They've been out since 6p this evening. It's nice out and I wanna know if they can stay out all night or is it too soon?

Never mind. They're in 4 de nite.

Linda - you can leave them out at night if the daytime and nighttime temps aren't too far apart. Otherwise, ease them into overnight...

Thanks, Kelley.

I had forgotten them, and it was soooooooo late, and bed... but, I went and brought them in. They'll go out this evening when I get home.

Gymgirl: Its' getting warmer here too, love it. And can hardly wait for the tomatoes, the groceries are claiming this was a bad year for them and are asking almost $4 a lb for them and said the price is expected to get worse, whew, glad I got some planted hey?
joy

Here are some of my California Wonders.

GYMGIRL... I am starting a veggie garden this year but have to resort to containers since I can't afford a raised bed. I was given a wonderful Texas Gardening book by Neil Sperry (sp?) & I think it's really good, except the parts on insecticides... as I am trying to keep my gardens insecticide free as I am also attracting butterflies.

I bought seeds & after reading this book I don't think I will be successful with the leeks or beets this time around so I will have to wait until the fall!!!
I have started seeds in those peat pots & already have sprouts! With the weather being too cold this weekend I am going to have to wait!! The charts say we could plant/prune after March 16th & I did all that on the 18th ( last Wed) but now will have to go out & cover everything tomorrow (Sat)!!!
I have frost cloth I bought last year from Calloway's that works VERY well... I used it all winter to cover my contained plants that couldn't come indoors & I think they've all survived! I can't tell yet since some don't bloom until late spring/summer.
So... cover those babies tomorrow after the rain... but don't use any plastic!
Good Luck

John: Those Calif wonders look really nice, my chocolate bells aren't that big yet; but, that's ok too, Sunday and Monday we are getting a cold wave, so, nothing is in self watering containers yet.
joy

Thanks, Joy. I am hoping these plants will be productive.

Gymgirl- what do you think of my plants? They are a bit on the wee side but growing very well nonetheless. What's your plant-out strategy for your peppers?

Oh- I just got back from a Farmer's Market in Clear Lake Shores. It was great! Bought some red lettuce and pita bread. Lots of good stuff and we just beat the rain! Apparently, they are open every Saturday, 8am-noon. League City is finally getting into the act and our 1st Farmer's Market is May 8th.

This message was edited Mar 20, 2010 12:00 PM

Hey, John!
You're plants look great! And, even tho mine are about 4x as tall, I think you're gonna catch up in no time, because I still haven't put them out! So glad I didn't. I did put only ONE bell pepper outside in the eBucket last weekend and, so far, it's doing A-OK! Put it and all the cabbages and onions under the hoop house last night. Covered with sheets followed by the plastic. 30s predicted for tonight.

All in all, the bells and WS cole crops this season have been my most successful seeding effort since the tomato seeds in my first two seasons as a veggie gardener (2007-2008).

Linda

Wow - I can't believe you guys are still getting that cold weather!

Yeah, we have the heater on right now and I even thought about buying a little bit of fire wood for one last evening by the fireplace.

It's snowing here... shouldn't last but geeez -- enough already.

I had to pull all my mater babies in last night, due to severe thunderstorms and cold weather, they are inside for a few days and none go into self watering containers til after Good Friday, then they should be safe. My FL Highbush eggplants have finally sprouted, the lavender touch ones also, just a few black beauties though, my chocolate bells doing well and finally some of my heirloom tomatoes have sprouted and are growing at super speed to catch up to the hybrids.
This is what has survived so far:
Tomatoes:
Ultimate Opener -2
Bush Beef Steak - 3
Mortgage Lifter - Only 1
Giant Belgium - 2
Potato Top - 4
Caspian Pink - 7
Abraham Lincoln - 7
Celebrity - 4
Mountain Belle (this is my only cherry) - 7
Aker's West Virginia - 10
Early Wonder - 10
RH Shumway's Medium Red - 11
Delicious - 2
I have 16 Brandywines coming from Shumways and 12 coming from Burpees to add to the above and want about 60 for myself, have given away about 17 already.
I have about 8 Lavender touch eggplants, about 7 FL Highbush eggplants and only a few blackbeauty eggplants. But have 8 chocolate bell peppers. Will only keep 2 each of the eggplants and probably 3 of the chocolate bells as I have 4 varieties of bells coming from Shumways also.
joy

Whew! That's a mouthful, Joy!

Am I the only one in Houston who hasn't put out the seedlings yet???!!

My babies are still in 16 oz. Solo cups inside tall Sterilite containers, protected from the chilly nights we just had. They are beefing up nicely and growing faster. They know it's almost time!

The bells are still inside under lights (about to sprout!), and the cabbages are holding on to this last bit of winter chill (they know it's almost OVER, for them!)

Turnips are bursting out in the raised bed. So are the mustards, spinach and Wando peas. Still figuring out where to put the zuchini and other squashes that run eas-west. My only east-west line available is down the fenceline that I sit my EBs on. Full sunshine there most of the day. I'd have the perfect cubbyholed for them if I could get the DH to not use the side yard for the summer, but that is NOT gonna happen!

I found colanders large enough to outfit the 20-gallon tree containers, so at least 4 of my heirlooms will end up there. Still deciding what to put in my 2nd raised bed that's completely empty now.

Is there a space-saving way to grow cowpeas?

Suggestions, ya'll?

Gymgirl: A bean pole trellis perhaps? Don't feel bad, nobody is planting out til after good Friday here where I live; I might get anxious though and go with the first of April. LOL
joy

I am getting anxious as well.. my beans are still inside too.. I am waiting until I know for sure if the freeze spell is gone! Only, my seedlings are getting lanky!!