Garden Thread 2023!

[DuaeGuttae]

Just found this thread today. Last year was my first year gardening and I learned quite a bit to put to use for this year. Don’t get over eager and plant too early!

Last year started a perennial fruit section with apple trees, a peach tree, and this year added blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Also added in some asparagus near the vegetable garden, and planted a black walnut in a different section of the property last year.

Expanded the vegetable garden this year and will soon be planting spinach and radishes and some sugar snap peas.

Welcome. We enjoy all sorts of contributions in this thread. Glad you found us. I love that you’re adding perennials. That’s wonderful.

I’m far south of you in south central Texas. I have sugar snap peas growing now from transplants I started a while back, a wonderful lettuce bed that I seeded out in November, and I just saw my first radish sprouts from seeds my daughter and I put in last week. In our case we have to hope that the heat doesn’t come in too early and end all those crops. (It even gets too intense in the summers for heat lovers at times.)

@Dan Freeman, your turkey comment made me laugh. I had bought three organic turkeys in December of 2021 because they were on the smaller size and such a good discount. One we at that first winter, the second we had this Thanksgiving, and the third I started defrosting at the end of last week with the intention of cooking it over the weekend. I didn’t manage that, and today was the coolest day we’re going to have till late in the week, though it was by no means cool. I ended up baking the turkey while it was 87 degrees outside, but it made for a nice dinner with baked potatoes and green beans.

My pomegranates are now all leafing out, and my blueberry bushes are putting on flowers, so I don’t want any freezes (we’re still two to four weeks out from our last frost date, though, so it is possible, of course).

 

[begreen]

We are delayed this year with seed starts. It's just too cold out to consider planting much. Our average temps remain around 10º below normal and the soil is cold and heavy. Normally I would have started our plants two weeks ago, but the only way I can start tomatoes and cukes in this weather is indoors.
Wood supply is dwindling too. I am trying to eek it out until the end of the month, but it will be close. This is the most wood we have consumed since we moved here.

 

[EbS-P]

We are delayed this year with seed starts. It's just too cold out to consider planting much. Our average temps remain around 10º below normal and the soil is cold and heavy. Normally I would have started our plants two weeks ago, but the only way I can start tomatoes and cukes in this weather is indoors.
Wood supply is dwindling too. I am trying to eke it out until the end of the month, but it will be close. This is the most wood we have consumed since we moved here.

it’s warm and dry here. Have not burned much in February. Dry. Spent the last two afternoons getting the sprinklers up and running. Grass needs water. Left it in while I cleaned some heads out and the worms were pushing up castings 15 minutes later.

But our average last freeze is March 18th. Spin the wheel or play it safe and wait till the end of the month.

Squirrels found my bag garden today. F*#% squirrels. I’m fixin to put a hurt on them. $1k damage on two cars and will get an estimate on the Tesla next week now my garden…….. most of it is salvageable if I get netting tomorrow.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

We are delayed this year with seed starts. It's just too cold out to consider planting much. Our average temps remain around 10º below normal and the soil is cold and heavy. Normally I would have started our plants two weeks ago, but the only way I can start tomatoes and cukes in this weather is indoors.
Wood supply is dwindling too. I am trying to eek it out until the end of the month, but it will be close. This is the most wood we have consumed since we moved here.

I think I remember that last year was unseasonably cool in spring for you as well. I take it this is the “triple-dip La Niña“ effect. Are you getting more moisture because of it as well? We’re warmer and drier down here.

When you says that the only way you can start tomatoes and cucumbers in this weather is indoors, do you mean that as opposed to starting in a greenhouse? I’ve really only ever started those kinds of plants indoors (though I do sometimes direct seed cucumbers once it’s a lot warmer), so that struck me as nothing unusual, but you seem to be implying that it is because of the unusual cold.

I hope you’re able to stretch your firewood supply through the worst of the cold. I’m glad you have that high efficiency heat pump for shoulder season.

Down here it’s been hot enough that we’ve used the air conditioner a couple of times, but it has cooled off to more reasonable temperatures now. It’s not enough to use the stove, though, since the heat and sunshine warm things up quickly in the afternoons. The outside is beginning to look like spring.

I spotted the first rhubarb sprout this week, and we are getting just a few asparagus spears showing in the warmest corner of the garden bed..




Texas Mountain Laurels (not in any way an edible plant—just a pretty native) are starting to bloom. My pomegranates are all leafing out, and I hope they’ll be mature enough to flower this year.


My lettuce bed survived a brief hailstorm this other night with surprisingly little damage. It has a large oak tree with spreading branches above it, and the hail knocked leaves and twigs into the bed, but I imagine that most of the stones were deflected. It was a loud storm but not a damaging one, thankfully.

I had moved my seedlings back inside before that storm occurred. They’ve been going in an out depending upon temperature and wind. I’ve reseeded some of the empty spots, hoping for a few more plants, but overall I’ve got a nice showing of some tomatoes and peppers.


My Aerogarden jalapeño is loaded with peppers. I’m trying to let them really mature to red, but I did use a couple more last night in some seasoned ground beef.

 

[begreen]

My Aerogarden jalapeño is loaded with peppers. I’m trying to let them really mature to red, but I did use a couple more last night in some seasoned ground beef.

Picture please! How are you supporting the pepper plants?

 

[EbS-P]

Tomatoes are doing really well. Trying to make a go of the salad rack. It’s not been as easy and the aeroponic tower. Getting ahead of root rot meant starting completely over. Twice. Trying some UV light to see if it will help sanitize without taking the rack completely apart.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Those tomatoes do look great, @EbS-P . What variety are they?

@begreen, I took a photo of the jalapeño for you. I pruned it very aggressively several times, and I’ve continued to pinch off flowers and new growth. I noticed some this evening that I’ll take off tomorrow if I think of it. I still have a hard time pinching off flowers, but I think there are perhaps 18 peppers in various stages on this plant, so I’ve been keeping it from trying to put on any more new ones for a while. The stalk of the plant is super thick (thicker than my thumb). My harvest just came from the side where I took the photo, but there really are lots of other peppers in there amidst that foliage. Because it’s so short and stocky, it really hasn’t needed support. Because my Aerogarden doesn’t go up all that high, I have to make the plants bush out early on and keep them contained.



I went out this morning before church and harvested 2 and 1/4 pounds of lettuce to give away. It all came from just one end of the bed. It had lots of oak leaves mixed in that had to be picked out, and while I was doing that, I found some caterpillar frass and what looked like cabbage worms. It’s supposed to be warm this week, so there may be more moths laying eggs. This may be the beginning of the end, but I’m really hoping for more harvest time. This week is supposed to be hot, but then it cools off again (60s) next weekend. I’d like for spring temperatures not to end too fast.

 

[begreen]

Well done, thanks for the picture. So there is only one plant growing in the aerogarden?

Do you keep a sunscreen over the lettuce bed to reduce the heat?

 

[EbS-P]

Those tomatoes do look great, @EbS-P . What variety are they?

@begreen, I took a photo of the jalapeño for you. I pruned it very aggressively several times, and I’ve continued to pinch off flowers and new growth. I noticed some this evening that I’ll take off tomorrow if I think of it. I still have a hard time pinching off flowers, but I think there are perhaps 18 peppers in various stages on this plant, so I’ve been keeping it from trying to put on any more new ones for a while. The stalk of the plant is super thick (thicker than my thumb). My harvest just came from the side where I took the photo, but there really are lots of other peppers in there amidst that foliage. Because it’s so short and stocky, it really hasn’t needed support. Because my Aerogarden doesn’t go up all that high, I have to make the plants bush out early on and keep them contained.

View attachment 310669

I went out this morning before church and harvested 2 and 1/4 pounds of lettuce to give away. It all came from just one end of the bed. It had lots of oak leaves mixed in that had to be picked out, and while I was doing that, I found some caterpillar frass and what looked like cabbage worms. It’s supposed to be warm this week, so there may be more moths laying eggs. This may be the beginning of the end, but I’m really hoping for more harvest time. This week is supposed to be hot, but then it cools off again (60s) next weekend. I’d like for spring temperatures not to end too fast.

Not sure what is what and it’s possible it’s not either of these. My dad may have had some other packet he handed me.

TOMATO, CHERRY, BABY BOOMER HYBRID​

​

TOMATO JELLY BEAN HYBRID ​

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Well done, thanks for the picture. So there is only one plant growing in the aerogarden?

Do you keep a sunscreen over the lettuce bed to reduce the heat?

You’re welcome.

There is just one jalapeño in the Aerogarden. It only has six slots, and I figured two would be too crowded. I originally had a bit of lettuce on each side, but I ate that a while ago and removed those entirely since my lettuce bed outside succeeded so well.

I do have a second Aerogarden, also six slots but a slightly different shape, so it’s a bit larger. I have two mini cherry tomatoes in there. I’m going to let the current batch of green fruits ripen, then remove them.

The lettuce bed outside is located quite close to a large live oak tree, and this time of year it gets a fair amount of shade. I do have shade cloth I can deploy, but I hope not to need it for a while yet. I harvested lettuce today for a neighbor and for our lunch and saw more caterpillars. They may do the crop in before the heat.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Not sure what is what and it’s possible it’s not either of these. My dad may have had some other packet he handed me.

TOMATO, CHERRY, BABY BOOMER HYBRID​

​

TOMATO JELLY BEAN HYBRID​

For your sake, I hope it’s the “Baby Boomer,” if my quick search on those turned up proper information. I read that “Baby Boomer” is a determinate plant and a pretty short one at that, coming in around 2 feet. “Jelly Bean” was listed as indeterminate. That could turn into a jungle in pretty short order. How many of these are you growing in that tower?

 

[EbS-P]

For your sake, I hope it’s the “Baby Boomer,” if my quick search on those turned up proper information. I read that “Baby Boomer” is a determinate plant and a pretty short one at that, coming in around 2 feet. “Jelly Bean” was listed as indeterminate. That could turn into a jungle in pretty short order. How many of these are you growing in that tower?

6 of one 7 of the other. Too many! One is growing twice as fast and will will have blooms this week. Probably time to up the nutrient level. I was hoping to get a few more plants established but I’m running out of time. I’m contemplating buying another tower. But at like $800 with cages I haven’t yet.

 

[begreen]

The lettuce bed outside is located quite close to a large live oak tree, and this time of year it gets a fair amount of shade. I do have shade cloth I can deploy, but I hope not to need it for a while yet. I harvested lettuce today for a neighbor and for our lunch and saw more caterpillars. They may do the crop in before the heat.

Have you tried bacillus thurengensis (BT) to control the caterpillars?

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Have you tried bacillus thurengensis (BT) to control the caterpillars?

I haven’t tried it on the lettuce, mostly because the bed is so thick with plants that I’m not really sure that I can spray at all effectively. I can’t really get to the undersides. I have had success using BT on brassicas for cabbage worms. I do already have a bottle of it under my sink, so I’ve been debating whether to give it a try.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

6 of one 7 of the other. Too many! One is growing twice as fast and will will have blooms this week. Probably time to up the nutrient level. I was hoping to get a few more plants established but I’m running out of time. I’m contemplating buying another tower. But at like $800 with cages I haven’t yet.

Wow. It sounds as though you already have a jungle. Are you planning to raise all thirteen to maturity in the tower, or were you going to put some in grow bags?

 

[EbS-P]

Wow. It sounds as though you already have a jungle. Are you planning to raise all thirteen to maturity in the tower, or were you going to put some in grow bags?

Might bag some but chance for a freeze next week. Between the bugs vermin and heat, tomatoes just don’t do well outside. I make have started them early enough to get fruit setting before the heat gets it. Nets can keep the squid and rabbits out. It is way too many to keep in side I think. I need to build new cages and light supports in a couple weeks if I keep them all inside.

 

[clancey]

I am thinking about a very small greenhouse on my garden side of the house with a table inside of it for a few tomato plants as well as some pepper plants. For the bugs I want to get a organic type of spray that will help with the bugs. I might suggest this to my carpenter and also look up what they have with small greenhouses but not too small--I might also put hard wire small holes on the bottom half of the greenhouse--have not made up my mind just yet--but reading your postings and enjoying them...Where is freeman-missing him? old clancey

 

[EbS-P]

Frost advisory just went up for tonight/to tomorrow AM. Harder freeze on tap for the next front. Time to move in the citrus. I moved the bags to beside the garage door if the now cast changes later tonight I can move them in.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Might bag some but chance for a freeze next week. Between the bugs vermin and heat, tomatoes just don’t do well outside. I make have started them early enough to get fruit setting before the heat gets it. Nets can keep the squid and rabbits out. It is way too many to keep in side I think. I need to build new cages and light supports in a couple weeks if I keep them all inside.

Squid? Really? You have squid attacking your tomatoes on the coast of North Carolina? (I’m pretty sure you meant squirrels, but I couldn’t resist. It did give me a start when I first read it.)

I can’t imagine doing thirteen tomatoes inside, I have to admit, especially if any of them are indeterminate. I know the trouble of pests outside, though.

This morning it occurred to me that if I was seeing caterpillars on my lettuce that my brassicas were definitely in danger. I had earlier gotten 2-gallon paint strainer bags to cover my wire wastebaskets in the hopes of deterring flea beetles from eggplant. I haven’t got any eggplant at the moment, so I decided to put them over what kale and broccoli/cauliflower I do have. (These are transplants that got knocked off my table during high winds, and so I lost a number of the broccoli/cauliflower seedlings, and I’m not sure which type survived.). I’ll have to check to make sure that I haven’t trapped caterpillars inside on my plants, but I did an inspection of the leaves today and didn’t see any.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

My indoor jalapeño plant is beginning to show red on a couple of the earliest peppers. I know that jalapeños are often eaten green, but I’d like to let a bunch ripen to red for stuffing. We enjoy the fruitiness that comes with more maturity.


Late last week I started a few more plants: Red Noodle Yardlong Beans and Woods Mountain Crazy (Bush) Beans, Pumpkin, Zucchini, and Cucumbers. Normally I put beans directly in the ground after soaking or sprouting, but we’re in for a little cool spell where the nights may drop to the thirties. Last year I waited too late for beans in the spring, and the heat came on too fast, so this year I’m going to attempt a head start with transplants. I’m getting good germination, so I’m pleased about that. Everything is sprouting except for the zucchini and pumpkin so far, but it has only been since Thursday.

 

[clancey]

Your off to a pretty good start and that jalapeno looks "ready", your sprouts look good and your off to a good running start. Free has not been on for awhile and I imagine his computer is down...I guess anyway and I sure miss his banter--lol...I am thinking about having a few jalapeno plants as well but with so much to do have not decided just yet..clancey

 

[EbS-P]

Frost warning this morning and a freeze warning tomorrow morning. I’m thinking harder about a greenhouse.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Seems like a good day to break this out.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Amazon product ASIN B07CKK8Z78
Aerogarden is on sale at Amazon!

 

[begreen]

It's a slow start to spring, but I am finally starting stuff. Got lettuce, peas, & broccoli started and some tatsoi. I also have many flats of flowers from last year's saved seeds. Hope they make it. Tonight I am cleaning out the iDoo and will start some tomatoes, peppers, and cukes in it for transplanting in about a month.