23,594 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
I'm staying, I moaned and complained in the beginning, I'm a grumpy old man that hates change! But I've gotten used to it. It's the people here that make this site great! From what I have read we need to be grateful that Houzz saved the site!
My first seed starting attempts were with Jiffy Mix and later, with peat pots. I never had good results AT ALL. (the peat pots dry out in no time and before you know it your seedlings are dead) For a long time I used just a high quality potting mix, and it worked pretty well. But a couple of years ago I decided to experiment with Gardeners Supply Seed Starting mix. I like it very much and I do believe I have a higher rate of germination with it. I also keep a bag of vermiculite on hand for dusting over fine seeds. It holds in the moisture and the seedlings can come up through it very easily.
I really think that for most beginners, it's more about technique than it is about the medium. It certainly was for me. Read the seed packet carefully. If it says the seeds need light, be sure they have it This may mean you just press the seeds into the soil and don't cover. If it says dark, put the pots in the dark, keeping close watch so you move them into light as soon as they begin to come up. Also, pay attention to the germination temperatures that are stated. They are very important. It's always a good idea to google the plant you are growing and learn all you can before you begin. And finally, moisture control is crucial. Moisten your medium well before you put it in pots. Sow seeds and give just enough water to settle them. Let them drain a few minutes and then put them in an airtight location. I use Rubbermaid clear storage crates for a whole flat. If you are only starting a pot or two, you can put them in a ziplock bag. This will keep the atmosphere moist and help the plants come up more quickly and more uniformly.
I have it marked on my calendar for March 14th (zone 6b NY), to be transplanted out about a week or two before last frost towards the end of April. I also don't want them to get rootbound. This is my first time with them though so I can't say yet how it will go.
In Zone 6, as well. I tried starting my early spring crops this early last year and they ended up pretty leggy. I had them in my window sill (facing west). I suppose now would be a good time if you have a grow light set-up. Otherwise, I'm targeting March 1.
dave_f1 SC, I am planning to do carrots in the fall as well. I've never really bothered with them in the past, so this year will be my experiment to see which season will have produce better carrots.
My revised plan now is to still put peas in the 6.5 ft bed, behind the garlic. Then, depending on harvest times, I'l put the summer squash there or do green beans, since they grow fast. I'll do spinach in a section of the 10 ft bed, which will give me plenty of space for the cucumbers and I'll have room for the eggplant when the spinach is done.
As far as my primary issue, the garlic and squash problem, I think I'm going to play it by ear. I need to get the winter squash in the ground by the end of May, so I'll probably pull some garlic early to make room.
If I make a mess of things, so be it. I'd just rather plan to do all of it and have the seeds ready than decide not to do it and end up with an empty bed.
That's exactly what I do with my garlic to squash planting. I pull a few to early eat in the center of my garlic patches creating a space big enough to plant a hill of squash. By the time the squash is getting any size, the garlic is ready to pull.
I'm a bit warmer then you but I succession garden almost year round with the help of some creative hot beds, row covers, frost covers, etc. Last week I was harvesting lettices, mustards, kale fennel, cilantro and such from my Fall planting. This week the weather isn't being nice so am pretty sure it's the end!
Found the Ambrosia Bicolor in my last Jung seed catalog I'm putting it on my order list it will be my 2nd crop . I have three generations (wife kids and grandkids ) who always make sure I'm ordering that Kandy Korn. can't wait to try it , I won't tell them it's something different see if they notice.
It can't be washes off its soaked through the tuber. That being said a small percentage of tubers resist over time ( maybe the agent wears out???) and sprout anyway. Jean yes its early but I have a grow closet with lights and wanted to get slips growing indoors so that come warm weather I can start a succession planting.
sorry for delay in reply. phone konked out.
thank you for the advice. now got the garlic onion and shallot sets all in modual trays to get the going while i finish digging.
now i am aware it is far to late for digging, now cause i cant use the frost to brake up the soil, hoiw can i get it to a fine till (i think the word is) i have a basic soil rake and a leaf rake a metal one. i will be double digging and adding in around 200ltrs of manure as that what i can afford at the moment,. i have bags of odd compost (wont be using the ericatous)that i'll be adding into the soil too.
i have poles from an old broken green house that i;ll be using to build a netting cage. an old child door gaurd that i will be using top grow peas or something else on, old fan covers to use as protection. (about 15" round)
anything else you can advise?
thak you
It is not at all too late to dig, mushibu. Winter digging is traditional but you can do it any time the soil is not frozen and not too wet to work. If you rough dig now there will almost certainly be a couple more days with a frost to help it along. The word you want is 'tilth' and you get it by digging over with a fork, raking lightly with a metal tined rake, not a leaf rake, and by not standing on the soil. After a few years of adding as much compost, etc. as you can get, all it will need is light forking or just stirring up a bit. You'll only need to double dig once. BTW I would never spend money on compost to add to the garden. You do have a compost heap going don't you?
I dug some of my patch over in the mild weather around Christmas but since then I've left it alone. I'll do the rest as I need the ground. Planting some broad beans tomorrow.
Thanks for posting this. I'm quite intrigued by this growing method and have bookmarked your page as I already know I'm going to have to try this some day. It actually appears to be rather easy to do with minimal effort.
Must start saving coffee containers immediately.
above the photo it says advice.click that it will take you to a page where on the left side it says garden forums,click that and you're in. and yes it is more convoluted but houzz is a home improvement site that now has a garden feature. that isn't going to change but gw remains the same.
I know its different but if everyone leaves how can we learn and help each other??? Please stay yall....
wouldnt it be nice if most gardeners in most places lived near each other so we could share more??? share crops and ideas.... as long as a gardener did not over fertlize etc.....lol
you should have manured and covered it with straw.
how deep was raised bed. well given it takes 3 years till harvest for aspoergus.
you have time deal with past mistakes if made one.
As for price that varies from seller to seller.
8 for is not bad but it has been while since priced asparagus plants.
if is good depends on how old the roots are.
you planted it already sounds like. I would have done some research first on how to grow, then picked a spot as this is a perianal and will last many years if properly cared for. It will take at least a year to get production if you have 2-3 year old roots. plant would have waited to be planted. they are shipped by mail all the time
I was wondering when the forum participants from the southern hemisphere were going to start complaining about their days growing shorter. Didn't we used to have a Gardening Australia forum in GW?
Looking outside today it looks like a beautiful sunny spring day.
Then you walk outside....