Gardening 2020

[Cynical25]

My craft room has flowers & herbs germinating, and shop lights over tomato, tomatillo & pepper seedlings. Beets, bok choi, and cauliflower were transplanted last week, and winter mustard, radish & turnips are still going strong.

My biggest challenge in North Texas is getting a harvest before it gets too hot for fruit to set. I’m on track to put out seedlings around the 3rd week in March, cross my fingers & and cover with freeze cloth as needed. I usually direct sow corn, beans & squash in April, then mid June to early Sept everything except okra & peppers goes semi-dormant until it cools off enough to try for a fall harvest.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@CanadianTrotter here ya go. Just tagging you so you could find it.

[CanadianTrotter]

@Obsidian Fire

@CanadianTrotter here ya go. Just tagging you so you could find it.

Lol, I was here reading when you tagged me! I’ll just copy and paste from the thread I started in OT.

I’m chomping at the bit for the countdown until I can start playing in the dirt again.I looked for the old gardening thread to revive it because there was so many good ideas and information and ideas on it, but I couldn’t find it.

Has anyone seen the euphorbia Diamond trio that PW’s is pushing this year? I’ve used Diamond Frost and Super Flash Euphorbia every year but the new Snow and Mountain are absolutely gorgeous! I’m going to try keeping a few inside to see if I can train them as house plants.

https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/…al-of-the-Year

I bought some large Canna bulbs and the Euconomis caught my eye as well so I’m going to try those. I want to add a lot more Silver Falls and Persian Shield to my displays this year as well. I also want to try some King Tut again now that I’m more familiar with it.

I have my Morning Glories, Cups&Saucers and Moon Flowers sprouting up in the windows and under grow lights. I’ll be planting more seeds indoors in the following weeks.

I’ve been slowly buying succulents for my succulent bird bath project and am going to add some fountains this year.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹Squeeeeeee!

[CanadianTrotter]

My friend found this Garden Porn for me and I’m addicted to watching a bit every day. The garden tours are absolutely stunning and the information videos are packed with ideas. The big bonus is that she has two ginger cats that join her all of the time!

https://m.youtube.com/gardenanswer?u…Aa66hZWq7VPg7Q

[CanadianTrotter]

@Cynical25

Once all my indoor started seedlings have decent “true leaves,” I turn on an oscillating fan or two - they grow much stronger in the breeze and fare better when hardening off. I live on a VERY windy property and need sturdy plants, lol.

Yes, fans are a very good idea and I’ve used them for many years. They also help maintain a good moisture level and stop it from growing out of control.

[NancyM]

My ginger cat is one of the greatest gardening kitties ever. His name is Perry. He is especially helpful in planting potatoes, he is always heavily involved. As I dig the hole to put the potato in, he gets into it, turns upside down, and grabs hold of the seed potato as I attempt to put it in the hole underneath him. Every time. We move on down the row together. It rather extends the amount of time it takes to plant a row of potatoes, but is very cute, and makes me laugh. He is also helpful at harvest time. While helping me in the garden, he also guards me from predators, growls if he thinks he sees a coyote, or anything he feels may be a danger to me. Perry is a large, solid orange cat, with a swaying udder, who was feral when he got here. He welcomes all other cats he meets, is a friend to all. You can’t garden properly without a gardening kitty to help you, guard you, and generally get in the way.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@NancyM – oh yes!! Of course! Mine were digging up (fresh dirt, yay!) some starts I’d put in the other day. Ooops, no kitties! I have spots I’ve had to make “kitty unfriendly” to keep them out!

[SusanO]

Canadian Trotter - yes Euphorbia ROCKS! I have planted one of the diamond series but can’t remember which one. Blooms when it rains all the time, blooms in a drought, blooms in 100 degree humid heat. Hard to find around here though. Lowes’ website always says the stores have it but they never do except for the potted " gardens" they sell for way too much $$$. I did find some at Petals from the Past last year. I wish it was winter hardy. It is so beautiful paired with petunias.

I bought some brussel sprout plants and went down to the overgrown garden. I am going to have to move my tomato plant area because of diseases in the soil. That means I have to move a 4 foot wire fence and t posts by myself. At least the weeds are not 4 feet high like they were last year. I tried to buy a few tomato plants to get any early start but it appears they all froze at the stores last week when the temps dipped into the upper 20’s at night.

There is some kind of large burrow down there. I don’t think armadillos can get in the fence there and no signs of them digging. Maybe rabbit??? The only critters that have been in there are possuums and racoons. I don’t think they dig burrows though. Going down with shovel to excavate.

[Obsidian_Fire]

I started my seeds yesterday. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons. Last year I started them too early; hopefully this will be ‘just right’.

I am going to start some corn too, and then put in a later planting by seed outside, so I have a longer corn season.

I have seed potatoes on order, a small pkg I picked up locally to plant, and last years “leftovers” are sending up sprouts.

Last weekend it was actually dry enough that I could get some tilling (aka weed management) done.

Tomatoes this year are: Boxcar Willie, Damsel, Marzinero F1, Gold Nugget. Melons are: Oregon Delicious, Honey Rock - those are Canteloupe. Watermelon is Ultra Cool and Sugar Baby. Cukes are Piccolino and Mini Munch.

I also have yellow zuchinni, and green peppers, and there will be other things I plant later, maybe. Just the basics this year.
I always get a “leftovers” crop of Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry too, and probably some volunteer tomatoes from last years.

Plus the blueberries…now that’s something I can’t wait for. Strawberries too. Oh and this year my (gold) raspberries should outdo themselves.

[Cynical25]

Any tips on potatoes? First time trying them and I’m already a bit late in planting (N Texas, most people got them in by Valentine’s Day.) I keep dragging my feet because I can’t decide if I should take up space in my raised beds or my little in-ground bed that’s a bit squishy from all the early spring rain, or put them in my 3x3’ landscaping tree containers.

[Scarlet_Gilia]

@Cynical25

Once all my indoor started seedlings have decent “true leaves,” I turn on an oscillating fan or two - they grow much stronger in the breeze and fare better when hardening off. I live on a VERY windy property and need sturdy plants, lol.

@Cynical25 I am reviving this thread to get more info from you about using fans. I think this is a great idea; usually by the time I feel safe transplanting my seedlings outside, it is hot and windy.

Do you leave the fans on all day once you start, or do you gradually increase the time?

[TheJenners]

I also want to know! :yes:

[NancyM]

I have not used fans, but my celery babies are desperate to go outside. They might get the chance to do so today. I’ve planted corn seeds, which is an act of bravery around here. But we can get frost in July, so one has to think positive, and “go for it”, in order to give them enough time to mature to harvest. I planted beans too, but I have row covers for those. It’s a bit early to plant both these things here, but the weather has been nice, warm and sunny, and no guts, no glory. And I have LOTS of seed, so can replant if disaster happens. The celery babies will be wearing their clear plastic covers for a while, mini greenhouse type things.

[SharonA]

Well, my son and husband, “helping” me with something that I didn’t ask for any help with, have just pulverized three of my old-fashioned bleeding hearts, stomping all over them while spending three hours on a project I didn’t ask for. They were just beginning to bloom. Large, thick-stemmed plants with two-foot sprays… Last year, spouse pulled them thinking they were weeds (they were covered in flowers…) I have banned spouse and son and their giant boots from that part of the garden, forever. I don’t care if diamonds and million-dollar bills are spouting out of the ground: neither of them is to go in that section of the garden, ever, ever, ever again.