Gardening: the 2013 season

[Alagirl]

[QUOTE=Bacardi1;6798801]
I learned to not even THINK about sowing any indoor seeds until mid-February. My earlier eagerness had me transplanting tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs, flowers, etc., etc., into larger & larger pots that quickly had me running out of room & fluorescent lights. It was a nightmare, since my traditional plant-out date since I was a little sprout myself has always been Mothers Day weekend.

So now I hold myself back as much as possible. I am planning to do a bit of “winter sowing” very soon for a few things - Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, “Bright Lights” Swiss Chard, some Kale varieties, hardy lettuce, flowers, etc., etc. For those not familiar with the technique, this is where you sow seed in a covered but vented plastic container outdoors. The seeds easily survive the freezing/thawing cycles, since that’s what they’d normally do if self-sowing outside. It frees up a lot of room indoors, & requires very little if any care after the initial sowing.

Since I buy filtered water for my coffeemaker, the gallon plastic bottles make absolutely perfect winter-sowing containers. Nothing goes to waste around here. :)[/QUOTE]

pictures, or it didn’t happen!

[Bacardi1]

[QUOTE=Alagirl;6798841]
pictures, or it didn’t happen! ;)[/QUOTE]

Huh? Pictures, or “what” didn’t happen? I haven’t done ANY sowing yet, as I said.

[cowgirljenn]

@Bacardi1;6798801

I learned to not even THINK about sowing any indoor seeds until mid-February. My earlier eagerness had me transplanting tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs, flowers, etc., etc., into larger & larger pots that quickly had me running out of room & fluorescent lights. It was a nightmare, since my traditional plant-out date since I was a little sprout myself has always been Mothers Day weekend.

A lot of things can go out here in mid to late March. Last year I didn’t start tomatoes until sometime in mid February, and they weren’t able to really get big enough to produce before the summer heat set in and they quit. So I am starting earlier this year and hoping I time it right…

[QUOTE=Bacardi1;6798801]So now I hold myself back as much as possible. I am planning to do a bit of “winter sowing” very soon for a few things - Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, “Bright Lights” Swiss Chard, some Kale varieties, hardy lettuce, flowers, etc., etc. For those not familiar with the technique, this is where you sow seed in a covered but vented plastic container outdoors. The seeds easily survive the freezing/thawing cycles, since that’s what they’d normally do if self-sowing outside. It frees up a lot of room indoors, & requires very little if any care after the initial sowing.

Since I buy filtered water for my coffeemaker, the gallon plastic bottles make absolutely perfect winter-sowing containers. Nothing goes to waste around here. :)[/QUOTE]

Here we can go ahead and sow the cool weather crops directly into the garden now. Again, timing can be hard - because the weather patterns really do seem to be shifting and it is getting warmer earlier each spring. I put kale, lettuces, spinach in the garden this week and will see what happens.

I think next year I want a cold frame.

[Bacardi1]

I have a cold frame that hubby gifted me with a few years ago. So far I’ve primarily used it for hardening off seedlings started indoors so I don’t have to bring them in & out of the house.

[Katy9532]

Hubby built me a new raised bed yesterday and we started our onions and some broccoli. Going to plant carrots tomorrow. So excited for the spring!!!

[vineyridge]

It’s January and some of my daffodils have budded out and are close to blooming.

I’ve just had my big tiller fixed and am planning a real garden this spring. For the past couple of years, I’ve had a raised bed for tomatoes, but I’ve been inspired to think of planting vegetables. Lord knows I have the space and the manure.

I’m torn between adding raised beds or just having a ground level tilled up area. If I can find the furrower/hiller that goes with the tiller, I’d much prefer to just have regular raised rows.

Since I’ll be handling the tiller myself and it’s a monster, my plans may well shrink.

[anon68314200]

A hah hah hah… Somebody posted this on my FB feed…http://www.wngd.org/

[Untidy_Rabbit]

:encouragement:Untidy Rabbit is planting carrots. Many, many carrots and some spring lettuce.

[cowboymom]

I started a couple pots full of lettuce, spinach and kale. In the kitchen. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I’m faced with a challenge now-I may, or may not be moving, sometime in the next ten months or so. I still want to plant vegies b/c it just chaps my hide to pay $2.50 for a head of LETTUCE when I know how well it grows. So it seems all my stuff needs to go into pots, right? any advice?

[cowboymom]

[QUOTE=Isabeau Z Solace;6807029]
A hah hah hah… Somebody posted this on my FB feed…http://www.wngd.org/:D[/QUOTE]

That link should come with a warning! LOL

[Alagirl]

[QUOTE=cowboymom;6807215]
I started a couple pots full of lettuce, spinach and kale. In the kitchen. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I’m faced with a challenge now-I may, or may not be moving, sometime in the next ten months or so. I still want to plant vegies b/c it just chaps my hide to pay $2.50 for a head of LETTUCE when I know how well it grows. So it seems all my stuff needs to go into pots, right? any advice?[/QUOTE]

pot away! half whiskey barrels, plastic buckets…
Lettuce will not take 10 month to grow…so you are safe there!
You can grow pretty much everything in pots. if they are large and deep enough you can actually expect a pretty good yield! just remember to fertilize a little more often. The nutrients tend to get washed out with the overflow. trellises for peas and cucs and such…

[Bacardi1]

[QUOTE=Alagirl;6807360]
pot away! half whiskey barrels, plastic buckets…
Lettuce will not take 10 month to grow…so you are safe there!
You can grow pretty much everything in pots. if they are large and deep enough you can actually expect a pretty good yield! just remember to fertilize a little more often. The nutrients tend to get washed out with the overflow. trellises for peas and cucs and such…[/QUOTE]

Definitely! I grow EVERYTHING on my deck these days - tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, greens, flowers, herbs. And this year I’m actually going to give some corn a try. Burpee has been advertising a new “mini” corn that only reaches 4’-5’ in height & is suitable for large containers, so I ordered a packet just for fun & to see how it does. Over the years I’ve found that trying to grow corn out in the garden is a waste, as it’s like ringing a dinner bell for every critter on the planet. I’m hoping a few deck tubs next to the house might hide them better - lol!!

[JustFive]

For the potato and corn growers, if you have an old watering trough that leaks, they make great red neck raised beds. For the potatoes you just plant in layers and keep adding old compost and when ready to harvest, get a tractor with a bucket and tip the whole thing over. Pick out the potatoes and then spread the old soil/compost.

[cowboymom]

I’m all over pinterest for free pots and container ideas too. The pallets are a good one and the broken tanks. I usually plant a really big garden so thinking of transferring all that into pots is a little mind-boggling!

I try to keep some lettuce growing in the kitchen all the time for the birds and rabbits and the occasional sandwich.

[cowgirljenn]

Where do you all buy seed potatoes and onion sets? I had put in an order at Gurney’s, but they told me they won’t ship until mid April. That’s far too late for the growing period here in central Texas. If I don’t have potatoes in the ground by mid to late February, I might as well forget it.

So I’ve cancelled that order and now need to go find someplace that will ship earlier, has good customer service, and good products. Who do you all use?

[2DogsFarm]

cowgirljenn:
I find mine at the local garden centers when it nears planting time and then throughout the Summer.

You can also get organic potatos (that have not been treated to prevent sprouting like supermarket ones) & cut them into pieces - each piece with an eye if you can manage - then plant those.
That’s how I grew German butterballs last year.

Onion sets I cannot help you with, but I’d guess you could try planting a sprouted onion {shrugs}

[Bacardi1]

[QUOTE=cowgirljenn;6807892]
Where do you all buy seed potatoes and onion sets? I had put in an order at Gurney’s, but they told me they won’t ship until mid April. That’s far too late for the growing period here in central Texas. If I don’t have potatoes in the ground by mid to late February, I might as well forget it.

So I’ve cancelled that order and now need to go find someplace that will ship earlier, has good customer service, and good products. Who do you all use?[/QUOTE]

Can’t help with potatoes, but for onions, try Dixondale Farms. While I haven’t personally ordered from them, I know plenty of folks who have, & they enjoy an excellent reputation for a quality product & good customer service.

http://www.dixondalefarms.com/

[pony4me]

Even Wal-Mart had seed potatoes and onion sets last spring, at exactly the right time for planting. I was very surprised, but hey, they know what sells, don’t they?

I’ve started some pepper seeds germinating, and once sprouted, they will go into little pots. I still need to put the lights back in the greenhouse, but I’m waiting until it gets warmer. Last year I started plants too soon, and had to panic and cover when a cold snap hit.

Forecast low for tomorrow night is 20, so nothing is happening right now.

[anon68314200]

[QUOTE=cowboymom;6807217]
That link should come with a warning! LOL[/QUOTE]

Ok, maybe, yeah. But then I don’t get the pleasure of imagining the beat red faces…

[Alagirl]

So much for my head start:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/Alagirl_photos/010-1.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/Alagirl_photos/009-1.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/Alagirl_photos/008-1.jpg