yeah i do have to agree there also, of course my inner cheese addict would be tempted to throw on some shredded cheddar afterwards ;)
Fall/Winter Gardens 2014-15 Part 2
My last harvest of 2014
#1 broccoli, radishes, mix lettuce, parsley and thyme
#2 kale and chard
Linda, thanks for the welcome back, and good luck on the drip irrigation system this year. I will be very interested to know your progress as you tackle it. It's on my "someday" list.
drthor, I'm jealous of your broccoli. And I'm going to make a salad today with a bunch of icicle radishes that are coming up. It's really just my usual cucumber salad recipe using a light rice vinegar sweet/sour marinade with a few slivers of onion, but I'm also adding the radish to it too. Maybe that is somewhat close to your pickled radish. As a kid, I used to eat open-faced radish sandwiches (butter, salt and pepper) and they were pretty good.
It is time to start tomatoes seeds already.
My calendar suggest to start tomato seeds on January 7-8-9-10.
The planting out date will be February 15 or 16th.
I will start my cucumber seeds and hot pepper seeds next week. I am not doing tomatoes from seed this year. I can get "Better Boy" and "Celebrity" plants, and I have had better luck with those two than any I have started by seed. Might do "Nugget", which is an orange 'grape' tomato.
happytail
when are you transplanting out your cucumbers?
I'm starting tomato seeds tomorrow. I'm actually two weeks late. Was supposed to sow on December 20th.
They'll transplant out Feb 14th.
wow, the joys of being in Tx, lol. up here in VA, i dont think that we can even THINK of seeds just yet.
Some years I might be able to transplant in mid-February, but if this winter is anything like the last, it will be a month later than that. I will begin the germinating process this coming week. I'll have several tomato varieties (3), bell pepper, lettuce (2), melon, cantaloupe, onion (2), cilantro, zucchini, broccoli, and Thai basil seeds to germinate.
Ken
although i cant quite start my seed yet, doesnt mean i havent stocked up though ;) LOL!
Usually I can plant out my seedlings at the beginning of March, but I will just have to watch the weather. I do have some little domes that can go over them, if needed.
and GymGirl would be proud of me over this one, lol, ive used some of my christmas card $ to purchase a 2 foot long T5 grow light fixture, and dad is going to let me borrow some of his bricks to sit the ends on, and i can just keep stacking them up as the plants need more height.
I use the stacking method also, I've raised 1000s of seedlings a season doing that. I won't be starting tomatoes tell the end of the month. But I may start peppers sooner the superhots can take forever to germinate....it's supposed to be 22* Sunday night. The top of the soil will have frost.
I'm a bit behind, but sorted through my seeds last night, and also ordered a few new packs that I hope won't be too long in coming. Hubby's putting some shelves across my office window as I type this, just so I can get some seeds going. Then Monday I'll head to Lowe's and pick up some sort of light fixture. Will read up on what others are doing in the meantime.
Good to see you again LiseP. What are the temps like in SA?
It's funny bc I've always known the temps in my microclimate were colder then even downtown L. H. , but I came back from the Austin airport last Sunday (the trip took 45 mins) it was 38 at the airport and dropped steadily as we came northward at my place it was 27. Just enough of a difference to freeze everything...
Lise, IF you can find a T5 fixture, and even better a T5H, get that. The light is much more intense so you get more bang-for-the-buck. Keep in mind that a T8 fixture has more light (psi) than a T12, a T5 more than the T8, and the T5H more than the T5. The T12 ad T8 generate almost no heat (at the tubes/bulbs), the T5 a bit of heat, and the T5H even more heat. You don't want the T5 and particularly the T5H to be too close to your pots or your seedlings. The heat will burn and/or desiccate those seedlings and dry the media quickly.
Hi Lisa,
1lisac -- Over holidays, the weather was cold-ish, with frost on my neighbor's roof Christmas morning (yeah, a white Christmas! sort of, lol). It was in the 40s that week. Since then, it's been dreary but warmer. Friday night we had a hellacious storm that brought a good dump of rain. That cleared and brought a gorgeous sunny day today -- currently 53F. Going to take a drive in a few minutes to enjoy the day.
I know what you mean about microclimate. We often get winter freeze warnings for hill country a few miles to the north, but that doesn't mean it will freeze here (NW 'burbs of San Antonio).
drdawg - thanks for suggestions on the lights. When we get back from our afternoon jaunt, I'm going to spend a lot of time looking at various set-ups (been peeking at yours, Linda) and also looking at a couple youtube videos, etc., to figure out what to buy tomorrow.
Eleven varieties started yesterday, in community flats. May or may not pot up after true leaves. Only have six weeks before transplanting out, Feb 24th, so not sure potting up will benefit in any way...
Do I absolutely need to pot up, and, if so, what should my time frame be, i.e. do I pot up right after the first true leaves, then harden off at week 5 for transplanting at week 6?
This message was edited Jan 4, 2015 3:03 PM
Lise-we got that same storm, it was a surprise. Today is cold. Took the dog to the park and he was shivering.
Linda-are you talking abt tomatoes? There is a sticky at the top of the tomato forum that might help. I give 6-8 weeks between sowing and plant out (depends on the weather) and I always pot up, unless I start each seed in its individual pot/plug. Even then I usually pot up, the plants just seem to grow faster.
Supposed to be 22* tonight.
I start seeds in a small container. Just sprinkle them around & cover lightly.
When the first 2 true leaves come out, I transplant into small pots, like 6 pack.
When they are about 6" tall, transplant into a 2" pot.
They go into the ground when about 12" tall.
Never let them get root bound.
In the 2" pot, they can go quite a while if weather isn't good for setting them out.
We sell them in the 2" pots & people brag about how good they do.
Sold hundreds last spring.
Hi, guys!
I just reread Carolyn's seed starting article, and I understand why I need to pot up the seedlings at least one time.
Thanks again!
This message was edited Jan 4, 2015 10:09 PM
Just an update here. We re-purposed an old utility shelf and now have some shop lights (T8) affixed with chains, and a few seed trays. Both the lights and the trays lap over the shelf edges by 2" on either side, but I think it'll be okay.
Putting the shelf next to the window was our only option. I know that some folks put their seeds in the dark at first, but I don't quite get why that would be necessary, since in nature the sun does come out every day. Or is it just that right next to the window is too cool? It's about 70 in the room and it's a south-facing window.
I've started seeds from last year's packets, and am waiting on an order of some others. Let the games begin.
That looks like a good set-up, Lise. Your seeds should do well there. I have never heard of growing (or starting) seeds in the dark. You have me scratching my head about that notion. Unless the seeds are literally sitting on the surface of the potting soil or slightly beneath, they wouldn't even know whether the sun was up or not............LOL That's not what germinates them in any case. Moisture and warmth is what does that.
Ken
"Unless the seeds are literally sitting on the surface of the potting soil or slightly beneath, they wouldn't even know whether the sun was up or not...LOL"
Exactly my point, Ken. Which is why I save my electricity until they declare, LOL!
Linda
No worries, lol. I agree with both of you, Ken and Linda. I recently read something that said "warm and dark" but they may have meant "warm and moist." or "warm and in a place where they will not be disturbed, like a closet." LOL, I agree with you -- sun or dark should not matter!
I did hear warnings against putting the seeds next to windows, but I'm assuming it was due to temperature fluctuations. Mine are next to a sunny window, but not *against* the glass, so it should be fine.
I cannot tell you the number of orchids brought to me to "revive" (almost always Phal. bought at a big-box store). They were sitting in a window, and it doesn't seem to matter whether it is a single or double-pane one, during winter and basically froze. Some I have saved, some not. People simply don't realize that the window pane will basically be the same temperature as that outside. Thus, when the temperature is below freezing, those plants were right up against a sheet of ice!
Check your seed packets. Some seeds need to be in the dark, some in light, some covered, some not covered.
I used to know all this off the top of my head when I raised perennials from seed. At one time I started nearly everything you could start from seed.
Window glass varies. A double pane window will be warm on the room side. Also low-e glass is great. We can grow African Violets in south facing windows since we installed low-e glass windows.
Double paned windows arent as bad, but the tint (even slight) is enough to knock out the benefits of windows. I was til Nov for fall garden, but had great munchies when I got home at New Years. I expect Feb to be as miserable as Jan and wait until Feb to start the Spring garden veggies. Hi everyone. 1) chinese cabbage, 2) collards, turnips, mustards, mexican mint marigold, chives, a ton of seedlings cant be seen, like radish, dill, parsley are just popping up 3) parsley volunteers
I spy a snail shell just above that seed envelope in the first photo, and most likely the master mind of those little munch marks on the leaves :)
This message was edited Jan 7, 2015 8:25 PM
They dont worry me- the snails- as GG will tell you, everything grows well in Houston area, and I am from the no poisons era- so it all gets washed before eaten. It is supposed to hit freezing temps the next few nights and I will see what survives til I am next home. I am the only one who eats what I grow in the wintertime at home, chuckl
Thanks for the advice on the seeds. No reference to dark on any of my packets, Countrygardens, so think I'm good.
Ken, interesting about the orchids. So far, a hand held at the window-side of my set-up feels the same temp as the rest of the room. I'll keep an eye on temps -- can always move it a few inches into the room, if need be.
Kittriana, nice to see your veggies. Thanks for photos. Good luck on all the seeds about to pop. Always fun to see them!
I just checked, and the Mortgage Lifter and Momotaro tomatoes came up last night! That's 5 days from sowing.
Wow, very quick on those tomato seeds, Linda!
Some of my seedlings are also coming up already (not tomatoes, though). One lesson learned is that I should have organized my seeds better. Some veggies are coming up quick (so dome should come off), while others take a few more days (so dome should still be on). That's hard to manage when they're all in one tray, lol!
I tried to split the difference, by removing the dome after about half the seeds popped, but I'm seeing a little white furry stuff at the bottom of a few of those first tender seedlings. A little worried about them! Domes are off now.
Mist the fuzz with some H2O2, Hydrogen Peroxide. 1 capful/gallon water.
The fuzz is an airborne spore. But, just to be sure, the H2O2 will put it in check. I had it once on the soil surface. The details above come from Carolyn Male.
Arkansas Traveler, Pruden's Purple, and Sweet Ozark Orange came up last night - day#6.
Thanks, Linda. Will do! I had a vague thought about that, but couldn't remember for sure.
Awesome on your tomatoes.
As usual, I'm late to the party.
Naw, Steph, you're right on time, LOL!
Now, go ahead and throw those seeds out!
I actually pulled out my seeds today. I made my little garden map, walked outside in the garden with the hubby plotting where we're going to plant. Just need to get my maters and peppers started. I got an Amazon gift card for my bday back in November so purchased a heat mat and a thermostat to use on the peppers. Just need to get it all together at the same time.
What kind of gardening sin would I commit if I planted my onions in the same place I grew them last year?
I have done that for three years and haven't noticed any problems. I don't know whether onions are one of the vegetables that should be rotated.
Ken