2022 Garden Thread

[EatenByLimestone]

I need to order seeds. My wife wants lots of peppers this year. I've never had much luck with them. Should be interesting!

 

[Northern NH Mike]

I need to order seeds. My wife wants lots of peppers this year. I've never had much luck with them. Should be interesting!

I'm going to be ordering my seeds this weekend as well. I grew peppers in pots last season as I have had little luck in the raised beds in the past. It allowed me to move them when the temps got cooler and manage the soil moisture better, They did quite well.

 

[Dan Freeman]

That's a good suggestion, Mike.

I never used to have luck with peppers either until I decided to keep them in 9" pots in my greenhouse all summer. They definitely benefit from the constant warmth of the green house as now I get so many peppers I am giving them away.

Here in the Pocono Mountains, we have cool to cold nights right through May and they begin again in August. That makes it difficult to grow peppers.

 

[Northern NH Mike]

That's a good suggestion, Mike.

I never used to have luck with peppers either until I decided to keep them in 9" pots in my greenhouse all summer. They definitely benefit from the constant warmth of the green house as now I get so many peppers I am giving them away.

Here in the Pocono Mountains, we have cool to cold nights right through May and they begin again in August. That makes it difficult to grow peppers.

Dan, that is the main issue here in northern NH, the temps have big swings in the early and late season so we are in a constant race with Mother Nature to squeeze every growing day out that we can . I've looked at greenhouse plans online to see if I can extend my season.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Maybe that's the issue I have. It probably is.

I ordered 50 poblano pepper seeds. Maybe I'll put them in containers. It should keep the soil warmer.

I ordered from MI Gardner. Their prices have gone up, but still cheaper than most at $2/pack. Doesn't seem to matter what the seed is. I've always received good seeds from them.

 

[Dan Freeman]

Maybe that's the issue I have. It probably is.

I ordered 50 poblano pepper seeds. Maybe I'll put them in containers. It should keep the soil warmer.

I ordered from MI Gardner. Their prices have gone up, but still cheaper than most at $2/pack. Doesn't seem to matter what the seed is. I've always received good seeds from them.

I would almost bet on it being up there in Schenectady. Anything you can do to keep your pepper plant's "feet" warm will help.

 

[Montanalocal]

I have the same cold nights problem here in central Montana at 5,000 ft. elevation. I grow all my warm weather plants like tomatoes and squash in 5 gallon buckets with their whole entire bottom cut out. I put them in my garden and the roots grow all the way down through the buckets and into my garden soil.

 

[clancey]

I think that is a good idea Montanlocal...helping to keep "the feets" warm..lol thanks..clancey

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Meanwhile, in south central Texas I have to worry about peppers getting too much heat and sun. I will say, though, that I’ve generally done better with peppers down here than I used to in Virginia. I still don’t do well with bells, though. They get sunburned.

It’s getting to be potato planting time down here. Just yesterday I was able to pick up some seed potatoes (Yukon Gold, Red Norland, Adirondack Blue). We have some work to do in the bed before we plant, but we’ll plan to get these in the ground soon. We need to give them time to mature before the heat sets in.

 

[clancey]

Can you take a regular pot out of the bag and plant it in good soil? clancey

 

[Dan Freeman]

Can you take a regular pot out of the bag and plant it in good soil? clancey

Most store-bought tomatoes have been sprayed to reduce sprouting. Some will still produce sprouts, but the crop is usually diminished because of whatever they spray them with. You can do it with organic potatoes if you can find them, like at a farmers' market.

 

[clancey]

Looking on the net I found this article about different things and potato's too..You people will read it and I bet know a lot already but it was interesting for me so I thought that I would share it here..clancey

How Far Apart Do Potato Set Rows Need to Be?

You may be wondering how much space between rows of potatoes to prevent overcrowding. The...

homeguides.sfgate.com

 

[Northern NH Mike]

Just bought my seed potatoes this morning through Annie's Heirloom Seeds. Did reasonably well growing a small crop of reds in clear rubbermade containers last season.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Well it was 16 degrees this morning. After splitting I started my seeds.. Planted peppers, tomato, onion, eggplant, basil, cilantro, celery.. some of the other stuff that doesn't take so long will start next month

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I need to get on top of the potatoes too! Ignorance is bliss! Thanks alot for telling me I need to work more, lol.

Luckily there is still a ton of snow and ice on the ground. I won't have to look at the ground until the end of March!

 

[clancey]

Ha Ha--you need to work more and dig up all that snow--kidding.., enjoy this month and just relax with your feet near the fire or heat and have a nice cup of hot chocolate instead..That's what I am doing right now and when its time i will go to home depot and pick out about two or three plants and ask you people what I do with them after I take their pictures..lol So we have plenty of work in store to get our plants in the ground...and they look so cute in their containers all covered up if that's what I am seeing...plant on...clancey

 

[Dan Freeman]

Well it was 16 degrees this morning. After splitting I started my seeds.. Planted peppers, tomato, onion, eggplant, basil, cilantro, celery.. some of the other stuff

Seems very early to be starting peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. Where do you keep them while you are waiting for your last frost date? I usually wait until the first day of Spring to start mine (another 42 days), and I keep them in my greenhouse until planting outside. Our last frost date is May 30 or there-abouts. I usually "cheat" and plant outside two weeks earlier, but I start so many seeds I always have extra plants in case we get a bad frost or freeze.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've started plants as early as March 1st. I really don't know that it got the plant off to that much of an early start. The harvest seemed regular.. It was nice seeing them growing in the window though. And that may be the ticket that gets you through March, lol. I've had volunteer tomatoes growing right next to ones I've started inside and both seem to do just fine.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Seems very early to be starting peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. Where do you keep them while you are waiting for your last frost date? I usually wait until the first day of Spring to start mine (another 42 days), and I keep them in my greenhouse until planting outside. Our last frost date is May 30 or there-abouts. I usually "cheat" and plant outside two weeks earlier, but I start so many seeds I always have extra plants in case we get a bad frost or freeze.

Im a little later then last year. There are professional growers in my area that start early January... with tomatoes on there's in latter April/may. I do notice a difference in my plants, larger when they go in the ground, yield is a little better and a little earlier. I start my plants in the house they tend to be a little slow. Ill move them to the greenhouse in like a month. My pepper plants will be like 9 inches or better and the tomatoes will be over a foot to 16 inches. Really its never to early.. a person can plant when ever they want, just up pot if needed. the plants that I start now, I will still be picking this coming December. Just like I did this past year. I have had pepper plants for 2 years.. starting them in February of 19 and still picking the. December of 20. There is really only 1 right time to plant.. that is the time the gardener feels its best for him/her.

 

[Dan Freeman]

Im a little later then last year. There are professional growers in my area that start early January... with tomatoes on there's in latter April/may. I do notice a difference in my plants, larger when they go in the ground, yield is a little better and a little earlier. I start my plants in the house they tend to be a little slow. Ill move them to the greenhouse in like a month. My pepper plants will be like 9 inches or better and the tomatoes will be over a foot to 16 inches. Really its never to early.. a person can plant when ever they want, just up pot if needed. the plants that I start now, I will still be picking this coming December. Just like I did this past year. I have had pepper plants for 2 years.. starting them in February of 19 and still picking the. December of 20. There is really only 1 right time to plant.. that is the time the gardener feels its best for him/her.

Maybe I'll have to try this. What type of greenhouse do you have? I've had mine since 2016. (https://www.gardenhouse.com/product/mt-rainier-8x16/) I retrofitted it with insulation and even heated it a couple of winters, but that gets expensive, more expensive than buying produce in the store (even though it's not as good).

EatenByLimestone - You are definitely right about doing anything that gets you through March. If I didn't grow lettuce and tomatoes indoors during the winter, I think I would go out of my mind.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Maybe I'll have to try this. What type of greenhouse do you have? I've had mine since 2016. (https://www.gardenhouse.com/product/mt-rainier-8x16/) I retrofitted it with insulation and even heated it a couple of winters, but that gets expensive, more expensive than buying produce in the store (even though it's not as good).

EatenByLimestone - You are definitely right about doing anything that gets you through March. If I didn't grow lettuce and tomatoes indoors during the winter, I think I would go out of my mind.

I custom built mine out of 6mm polly carb and pressure treated lumber. The foundation are 4x4s with 18 inches of modified and dark pavers on top for thermal mass. I have a small solar array on the back side the operates a DC fan for air circulation. 3 automatic solar openers for the vents for fresh air and to keep it cool starting at 80 degrees. I have electric baseboard heat and a programmable thermostat. I have solar on the house with an electric line run to the greenhouse. I have a 52 panel system so I dont pay anything to heat it. I ran a i inch line from the irrigation system so I have a drip irrigation system inside on a timer as well as hose for watering.. Its not a big greenhouse.. but plenty big enough.. cost nothing to run which is why I grow well into winter..

 

[Woodsplitter67]

here's a pic of the outside.. took me a minute to find it

 

[Dan Freeman]

Very nice @Woodsplitter67

Here is my greenhouse:

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Before I went to electric heat, I did have a solar heating system, but it just took up too much room in my greenhouse with the 2 solar collectors and the 4-55 gallon drums, so I dismantled it after two seasons. I probably should have gone with an outdoor glycol system, but at the time it was too expensive. You can see the solar heating system here:

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Here's what my greenhouse looked like inside last year at the end of June.

Just bought 5 bags (16 quarts each-80 quarts total) of Pro Mix Organic Seed Starter Mix to start my seeds. I used to use Jiffy, but I find my seedlings get off to a much better start with Pro Mix with the mycorrhizal fungi. When I up-pot the ones that will stay in the greenhouse all summer, I make my own potting mix using 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite, with some organic fertilizer and lime. Also bought a 27-pound bag of Espoma Organic Garden Tone Herb and Vegetable Fertilizer. I usually buy a much smaller bag, but I keep reading about fertilizer shortages, so I thought I would stock up. Looked at the seed potatoes in Home Depot today, but they looked terrible with black spots and soft.

 

[clancey]

I have some pictures of some of them--different styles from the web...clancey

Beautify Your Backyard with a DIY Greenhouse

Minimal effort required!

www.countryliving.com

 

[Dan Freeman]

In the past, when I needed any new raised garden beds, I would make them myself from tamarack or black locust (from a local sawmill) or buy cedar ones. Last year, later in the season, I needed 1 more, and I couldn't find cedar in the size I wanted, so I ordered a galvanized one. I was a bit unsure. When it arrived, it seemed a bit flimsy, but once assembled it held the soil very well without any bowing.

This year, the price of cedar raised garden beds have greatly increased. I decided to look at more galvanized beds and found a great deal on Amazon for 4x8x1 beds at just about $75 each, so I ordered 10 of them with free shipping. (I did find them on a couple of sites for a few dollars less, but the shipping made them more expensive.) This is a good deal I just thought I would pass along.

Amazon product ASIN B07T499RHJ