Two Questons:
1.) When should I start seeds for Tomatoes, Okra, Peppers?
Last year I started mine way too late, and I had to buy plants from the nursery. :-(
2.) Can I plant sweet potatoes from organic sweet potatoes bought at Whole Foods Market? If so, how would is it done (I'm sure you don't just plant the whole potato do you?)
I live in New Braunfels (half way between San Antonio & Austin)
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Dorie in New Braunfels
Starting Tomatoes etc. / growing Sweet Potato Questions
Dorie, you can start sweet potatoes from the ones you have.
Cut one end of the potato about 4 inches long. Not a slice of the side, but across the potato, and put toothpicks across from each other about half way down or at the 2 inch level.
Fill a glass or jar with water and suspend the potato on the top with the toothpicks.
Half the potato should be in water and the other half above water. Put it on your sunny window sill and the potato will sprout many shoots.
When all danger of frost is past cut the shoots from the potato with a little piece of (heel) attached and plant in your well prepared bed. They make pretty vines and you can harvest in the Fall.
You can also cut a potato in half lenghtwise and put it ni a shallow pan of water cut side down, and put it in your window sill.
Let me know how it works out.
Josephine.
Yay!!! Thanks Josephine.
I will try that. I was going to buy plants fromthe web, but they wanted 9.95 for 12 - and that's a lot for me since I'm just experimenting with sweet potatoes anyway.
We normally start our tomato and pepper seeds in January in the greenhouse and have large plants to set out at the beginning of April. Last year we got excited (or something) and planted around the first of December. I had to transplant into gallon pots before it was safe to put them outside. We had green tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse and a tremendous early crop. The weather was unusually warm in early spring.
Okra just won't grow until warm to hot weather. We plant it in the garden about May. It pops up in just a few days and takes off.
You are a good bit south of us, so your growing season will start earlier. Mother Nature seems to have a sense of humor, so we like to wait a little longer than the average last frost date to set out tender plants. Maybe some gardeners in your area will offer some tips.
Good luck!
Thanks Patrob!
I'm going to start my Tomatoes and Peppers after New Years. I don't have a greenhouse, but I'll figure something out.
I'm so looking forward to spring, but I still have lots to do even now. I have tons of leaves still left to rake up and carry out back, and I am preparing a bed for blackberries and locations for two pomegranate trees. I also have lettuce, garlic, radish, greens, etc. in the garden.
Life is good when your hands are dirty :-)
Dorie Hi ~ I'm hoping the leaves you are raking and moving are for a compost pile? They are always too good to waste. Best wishes with your gardening!
I guess I should be buying tomato seed now. I would love suggestions on good tasting varieties that will grow well here. I like slicers.
Podster - I pile leaves on the outer edges of my garden about 18" deep then I begin making the giant mountain of leaves behind my garden shed (and I mean mountain - I have a lot of leaves!!!). In spring/summer I use the leaves from the mountain in the compost bin and as mulch to keep the weeds down. I will be raking for another month probably (I have two jobs so not a lot of time to get stuff done).
Siggy - I've had a lot of luck with Celebrity Tomatoes (Slicing) and Sweet Million Tomatoes (cherry). Everthing else seems to die on me for one reason or another. I always try two or three varieties each season hoping to find something that likes me, but these two always come through.
Atta girl Dorie! The leaves here in the pineywoods are abundant too. We get two doses, the main portion in the fall and when the new buds begin, the oaks finally shed the rest. Lots of raking going on...
Our current favorite tomatoes are Early Girl, Viva Italia, and Cabernet. We also grow San Remo for drying. Cabernet does well in the greenhouse and in the garden. We loved Merced, but it is no longer available.
I had heard Merced and Amelia were both good tasting and grow well in Texas. But I have not been able to find them.