Snow warning and winter mulch removal? Newbie needs advice

Yeah, alrycs. They were both on my full list.

That's one thing I've never done - hanging head in shame. I've only fertilized my bulbs when I've planted them.

Dave, I thought you did wall-o-waters and put your tomatoes out early?

Anita - I've been lax on doing it, too. They seem to happy to grow and I do feed the soil, quite well, when I get around to moving them. From what I've heard, bulb food works best scratched in (as Dave said) as soon as the foliage emerges. I add just a little compost, or manure or even Miracle Gro soil just to keep nourishing the soil.

thanks Arlene - now I don't feel as bad!

Anita - as I said earlier, there were many years when I did not fertilize at all. They seem to bloom all the same to me. I am not big on fertilizers in general. The exception is annuals where it does make a big difference since they're gone in one season.

thanks Victor

Victor - isn't it true that via their leaves the bulbs manufacture all the food they need to live?

Yes - that's why it's important not to cut the foliage back. It has to store all that energy back into the bulb for next year. They got along without our help before!

So then Anita and I are off the hook, right?

And me as well! I usually don't get around to it either. Of course the bulbs do have roots which take in nutrients so a little extra can only help - especially if the soil is low on nutrients. But I honestly could not tell the difference in the performance when I fertilized vs. when I did not.

As I said: "Nature doesn't apply bonemeal twice a year".
Don't braid the leaves either. That hampers them from doing their job.

Yes Anita. I put a few tomatoes out 2-3 weeks early in wall-o-waters and the rest out around May 15. If I forget to get them out early in w-o-w I use them on the 15th because they will grow faster inside a w-o-w when the ground isn't very warm yet.

you use the wow's in May too?

We've never even tried a WOW! Wow, am I ever behind the times.

Anita, yes. Tomatoes (and peppers) like very warm weather & soil and the wows promote this which results in more growth so it's a benefit beside extending the season to April.

Pirl you should get a good WOW every now & then.

LOL - I'm hoping we have a better year than last for tomatoes. I'm giving peppers another shot. I didn't have alot of luck last year. Kept getting a worm in my peppers!

Dave, I assume these are seed grown tomatoes? When do you put them out? I'd like to try that in my raised bed, which warms up much faster than the ground anyway. But I have to be able to find plants - I don't do them from seed.

Dave - I do believe you're right and I do need a good WOW!

Victor - why not?

I just planted the seeds at the end of March. Many times I started earlier but they get floppy inside. The nice thing is that with tomatoes you can transplant them up to their necks(their stems will set out roots if under ground). I plant them outside May 15 but I put some out 2-3 weeks early with Wall-O-Waters. They say you can use them 4 weeks early.
To all of this, Pirl would be the expert (even though her life,so far, is WOWless)
But it's like any other plants, use seeds and you get a great deal more varieties to choose from.

Pirl is definitely the queen of tomatoes Victor as she loves salsa - if I remember correctly. How many did you start this year Arlene?

I seem to have only so-so luck starting things from seed. My one try with tomatoes - Brandywine - was a failure. Seeds are a lot of work and I just have not had sufficient success to justify the effort. I have used the seed starting kits with the reservoir, capillary mat, plastic cover, etc. While a good % germinate, I then find that they perish as little seedlings. They start thinning at the bottom of the stem. What am I doing wrong?

I have had success with certain plants. For example, I have Centaurea right now that are doing great - virtually every one germinated and they are now in 3 " pots. I have had success with Agastache, despite the teeny seed size. Normally I have found that the bigger the seed, the better the success for me. I don't think I ever had a castor plant seed not do well.

It's my husband, Jack, who grows the tomatoes - I just get to watch their progress.

Overwatering is the number one cause of failure and watering from the top has to be second in line.

I'll go downstairs later and take photos of Jack's progress.

Sounds like damping off disease Victor. There is a powder to add to the soil that prevents this (soil guard is the brand I have) plus bottom watering helps to prevent this. It also prevents root rot. My guess is I get it from Garen's Alive.

I've only had success with wintersowing. I'll never try any other method again. If it doesn't wintersow, I'll buy it from the nursery.

I can't get over the weather! It feels like February. I took some forsythia cuttings for forcing in the house. I also have several African Violets, Streptocarpus and orchids in bloom to ease my Spring Fever.

Jack's tomato seeds.

From,
WOWless in Southold

Awww look at those babies growing!

A close-up.

Did you start them later this year? For some reason, I thought I remembered larger plants when you posted pictures last year.

This was last year, May 2nd, and the tomatoes had been transplanted already. He normally starts the very end of March to very early April.

Just checked and he started April 2nd this year.

This message was edited Apr 7, 2007 8:38 AM

I do use bottom watering in the kits I have. Winter sowing looks interesting - and easier! Might try next year.

Give it a try Victor - you might be pleasantly surprised.

I'm trying my second year of wintersowing. Last year I had some horrible potting soil for my w/s and had mixed results so I'm interested to see how this year goes. Either way, I'll continue to do both. They give me something to do when nothing else is going on.

Dave - do you try more annuals than perennials? Which ones worked best for you?

On the Cape it's wise to remember that you're not really safe from frost until after Memorial Day -- no planting tender stuff till then. Tough pansies, ok, no tomatoes.

Pansies certainly aren't pansies.

Pirl, I do both annuals & perennials wintersowing & inside.

If that's the price tag to live on the Cape it's worth it. I even want my ashes scattered there: I love Cape Cod.

Dave - which plants worked best with the w/s?

Poppies, which I guess is logical. Beyond that I can't remember much (lousy record keeper). Anita is better at keeping records & wintersowing. Anita?

This is what I've sown so far and what has germinated - http://www.lakehousecreations.com/wintersown_2007.htm I tell you that it saves me quite a bit of money and I can have some plants that I can't get at the nursery.

I'm so impressed by your list, Anita!!!!! Zounds! You must have a nice big plot of ground.

Yes, very impressive Anita. Will you rent me some space next year??