Spinach

Thanks HoneybeeNC and Gymgirl. I appreciate the information.

Gymgirl - thanks for the link. I recognized several plants from the many years I lived in South Florida.

Evelyn ...I started the celery from seed and planted outside in a southern facing garden I have in March, I used a Ferry Morse Utah Variety. Celery takes forever to grow, so just plant it and ignore it. The one thing I have learned about it is, you have to keep pushing your garden dirt up against the base of it, like you would do to Potato's, I hope this helps.

MrPappyG ~ Thanks a bunch! I will try that! Do you start them in containers first, or direct sow? Thinly?

I direct sow them, I tried to cultivate them in peat pots in one of the garden window's and when I went to transplant they died soon after, when I planted from seed they grew sooo slowly I was sure they were lost. When I go out on my deck now even in December all I smell is celery, its the closest garden to my back door, and they are the Hardiest vegetables I have ever grown, and taste amazing.

MrPappyG ~ I have the Utah variety as well, though distibuted by Lake Seeds. Hopefully the quality will be good. On the label it says to start indoors indoors, but I do not want to do that. even if they are slow, I would rather sow outside.

I think I will sow a few seeds this month and even if they are slow, they will come up when they are ready, hopefully. I will also try them in spring, but it gets so hot in summer, I thought that winter and spring would be better.

I would plant as many as I can now evelyn, they survived two frost's already and a snow, and seem to be thriving now.
Good Luck, and keep in touch.

I just sowed seeds for some Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach, in a large clear plastic spinach container from Sam's/Costco. It's oblong and came with a lid. I drilled drainage holes in the bottom. It's sitting in the "cool room" for germination. Then, "outside with you!" where it will grow on as a living salad bowl. Just snip off some leaves as I need to.

How's that for recycling? From spinach to spinach, you see!

GG ~ Great idea! I usually use those plastic berry boxes from the produce dept to winter-sow and start indoors as well. I wrap them in the produce bags, since they already have holes in them, and when they germinate, I pull off the plastic bags.

Ahoy, Mates! Thar be Spinach bloomin' in them thar plastic bins!

Yep! After TWO days in the "cool" room, there is a spinach seed that has popped!

Words from a spinach grower wannabe. Not to be confused with words from a famous spinach-loving sailor man.

HAHAHA, I Love it.

I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me spinach, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man ♫♫♪♪

Hoo, hoo!

(Too many cartoons when young!)

GG I am hoping your Spinach Refrigerator germination experiment worked , (no don't tell me) is working from November, I got inspired tonight, Grabbed some Bloomsdale and stuck them in the Fridge, wet paper towel in a ziploc. I thought about the constant temperature, above freezing, and GG what an incredible Idea. we come from different zones, but I've spent some time in Texas, and Oklahoma, and I know how crazy the weather there can be, here it seem's more stable except for the past two year's, so I thought I would give it a try. I love the recycling...LOL. I'll keep you posted on the Fridge Spinach. Congrat's on the sprouting.
Evelyn and GG, I can already see I'm spending way to much money on all this gardening, even though I love everything I eat from the garden's, it's time to hunker down and be innovative, creative, and maybe even a little trash pickin, lol.
Honestly, I Love Coming here at the end of the night.

I bought a pack of seeds last wendsday and planted some of them.
Dont see any sprouting yet.

Did you plant them outside? If so, be patient as they will be slow to germinate this time of year.

OK I had an Epiphany today, I went and picked up some Manure today, and while considering which garden to start in, I realized, I had Hoop cover winter garden cover's in my backyard. Last Summer I went and bought Fencing to use as Tomato Trellis, it's wire mesh and stand's 6' Tall for Brandywine Beefsteak Tomato's, worked perfectly.
Today I was online,( we spend too much time there I think...LOL) looking for Hoop garden cover's, went outside with my Coffee, and saw the Tomato cages, opened them up and had instant Hoop Frames, took some material I had for weedguard, and had my covers for my winter Garden, OK someone say something Positive, I'm expecting a lot of Hooplah, this is Dave's Wife Please say something ( I meant Mr Pappy G), he's very excited all of our children's friend's call him Pappy G, he thinks he's quite cool, I'll delete this before he wakes up...

Pure G-E-N-I-U-S!

That's what real gardening is about! And, doesn't it feel great to discover something useful right under your nose??!!

Linda

As someone who would use cattle panels for almost anything in the garden, I applaud your use of fencing as hoop frames! LOL! It will probably really stand up to the wind this winter!

Hi all,
Merry Christmas!!
I just wandered in here from other Dave's Garden forums. It is so Great to read all of the interesting
comments, wherever I go.
For Spinach, I suggest that you go over to the winter sowing forum. Spinach would be a Great seed to
winter sow. God will control when the seeds decide to sprout.
If you go over to the container gardens, you will see what others are doing with containers.
Please take a few minutes to tell us ONE thing you are thankful for this Season!!
I will start:
I am Thankful for my family and their Love for me.
Paul.

lonejack...
Very nice Gesture, I am Blessed in Heart and Soul, warmed by the Family we are, Hug's abound. Thankful each day to make this a better Place for the ones that come behind me to have a Healthy Meal. I am Still learning to nurture Mother Earth, in a natural way, I do this Daily, and fight against those who do not.

Hi, Lonejack, and welcome!

I am thankful for many things...my wonderful husband and family, fairly good health, mortgage paid, cars paid and no subscription TV. We have an antenna and a Channel master DVR, 12 acres in the Sierra foothills and lately it has been very nice weather. I am thankful for my large seed box and the ability to go outside and sow them, as usually we have snow on the ground this time of year. That is when I usually do winter sowing on the back porch. I have been going outside and doing some direct sowing. I am thankful that my husband has a laptop as my 2 computers are both broken and will not go online. This laptop is old, but it works...WIN 98! I cannot access my Hotmail though, so I will have to call HP, a call I have been putting off.

I am also thankful to be a member of DG for many years and the friends that I have made along the way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

Thanks, Dave's Wife for your "Epiphany"!! I have been wracking my brains as to how to create a lower, decent "hoop" house for the winter and you've got it! It's so simple I can't believe I missed it since I have all kinds of wire fencing that would work perfectly. I bought 4' x 50' wire fencing covered with the green plastic and can cut it easily to any length. It will be PERFECT. I have tons of weed cloth so there it is!! Such a hoop set up can be used year round when the sun gets too hot as well, etc. So easy to set up and take down as needed!!
Thanks, and continued Happy Holidays to all. I am thankful to smart DG members as well as my family and continued good health which allows me to garden and travel!!

I am thankful for God's hand of protection and care of me in this past year! Divorce and relocation, making it again with His help and those he sows into my life.

The many DGErs who have been an encouragement to me in this year, those who came "alongside", who taught me more, shared more, cared more. I have had a truly bountiful year from the Lord!

Looking forward to 2012 when I can do more, grow more, share more, care more!

Linda

Hello All!!!

May you all have a healthy New Year!!!

I am thankful for all friends and the continued Blessings through out the year.

Stay warm and looking forward to Spring!!


Linda,
You are an inspiration to all of us not so knowledgeable gardeners.

Belle

I just wanted you all to know these past few Post's made my Holiday season, and I saw that my wife snuck in here...LOL.. Have the Most blessed Day's, you can have, enjoy Family and the warmth that Love bring's, I'm a Hugger come here...LOL...God Bless.