STARTING OUR SPRING VEGGIE GARDEN Pt. 2

Indoor: Peppers and Eggplants growing really well. Some of the pepper plants are making flower buds.

Indoor: Okra, Cucumbers and Watermelon all germinated after 2-3 days. Some are still to coming up

I think it's still a bit too early to start seeds for the hot weather loving plants. Last year I started early, and they just sat and sulked in cool soil. Then, when the soil finally warmed up, I think many were permanently stunted.

Since I have finally come to believe that we really DO have a LONG, HOT, growing season, I'm not starting seeds for okra, squash, and watermelons until April 1st. That will leave at least FIVE months of Texas Heat for growing.

Any longer, and they'd be in the way of my fall brassica crop!

My beds need refilling too, and I usually add mushroom compost, chicken manure, and cow manure. I can do earthworm castings, but they are expensive, and I throw in a little cottonseed meal and bone and blood meal, but just a little. But I do mix up the bottom layer before I put on the new layer, and then take a pitchfork and toss them together. I guess it depends on how much new soil you are putting in. I started the beds with peat moss and vermiculite, as well as the compost, manure, and castings, but only add the compost items each season, as needed.

Around this time of year I like to drape tarps or plastic over my RBs, and arrange for rain to run away from the beds. (When I find time and energy!)

3-4 weeks of drying out and warming up are good for them!

I have some cardboard over mine , too wet too dry syndrome mine too.CONSOLATION ,the plants grow nice in them ,when they grow . lol

If Ida thought of it, Ida covered my beds before the rain.....No matter. No more rain before the weekend, so, may be good to go if sun comes out tomorrow!

No worries. Apart my tomatoes already outside all my other plants will go out at the same time I transplanted last year (which it was just perfect) probably end of March or beginning of April. Okra maybe later ... we will see the weather ...
The only difference this year, is that the plants will be so much bigger already.
Now with three shelf with T5 fixtures I can enjoy growing my veggies inside and control them so much better ... or it is just an excuse to watch them grow ...

I did harvested all my radishes, kale and collards. Broccoli are heavy producer of side shoots.
Lots of green lettuce in the garden and soon my white carrots will be ready.

Kale and Collard were full of aphids ... those plants have been in the garden since August and they are tired now.
My radishes were starting to bolt already ... so time to go !!

Looks good drthor!

Gymgirl - I think you could just add your new soil on top of your old soil. The earthworms will soon mix it all together. It will also avoid disturbing the mycorrhizae beneficial fungus in your old soil.

With the little bit of rain we got here, I thought in Houston it was about the same. We hardly got a couple tenth's of an inch... With that small amount, it would help just add a little moisture to the mix.

Hotlanta isn't hot this morn- rain and temps dropping to 40* at the moment. About to head for the highway to Reading, Pa and get really colder...Wavinghey to my Bama and Georgia friends.

Ok Ok, I am going to have to read another thread . I have about 1 1/2" of snow and ice on the ground. It is starting to melt, but it would be nice to be able to plant something instead of reading about it. Fred

We hear ya Fred... You can poke at us when it's a 102 degrees, and all our stuff has shrivelled up & died, and you're barely hitting 80 up there...LOL... Paybacks come in many forms....

It looks like this thread is going strong and let's make it easier to load, so there's a new page here::

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1299711/

Let's keep this going.....

Looks like my work is cut out for me in the greenhouse. But I have a new helper, who somehow got in there this winter, and now expects me to feed her. I will grow some extra Cosmos in my sister's honor this year. She passed away yesterday. I posted a song on Facebook in her memory, but didn't notice until I watched the video after posting it, that the artist who did it also died on the same day as my sister. Unbelievable.

I went into the greenhouse the other day to see what all needed to be done, and do some mental wishing for this summer, and found this little gal lying on the table in there, as calm as could be. She rubbed up against me, purring, like a long lost friend. Who knows how long she's been staying in the greenhouse. Yes, I did get her some food, though she must weigh 30 pounds... She stands on the hay bales and stares through the window, hissing at the other cats inside. She's there every morning looking in the window.

Oops, clicked the wrong string to put this on.

Awesome tho

I'm glad you put this on the wrong thread. So sorry to hear about your sister. The singer and your sister both passed yesterday? Very strange...

I love your new helper. I bet she's a good mouser, she can retire now that your getting her food. Lol

Eddie Lee, the singer, passed away 7 years ago on Feb. 22, the same day my sister did, yesterday.

That is strange, I'm sorry about your sister.

Thank you, 1lisac.

Oooh. kept that link. Got plants to add...

This Rosemary has been in the ground for 15 yrs. It has never bloomed, after all these yrs I have no idea what kind it is...I do know I hate the smell, it makes me sick to my stomach. Argh...

There are a couple of herbs with good purpose or use , that are rather unpleasant to me also.. Everyone has their preference.

Well, what are they?

They are usually in pizza spices , caraway and savory when they are dry mixed as packaged, They have a rather bad effect on me.Something with an ""off cinnamon"" odor or flavor in the pizza mixes does that to me also.