Posted on 03/21/2014 12:44:59 PM PDT by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks.
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If other plants are present in the sun room , all the more likely that aphids may have overwintered elsewhere.
Check the bottom of the leaves with a magnifying glass for possible beginning of aphids, or white fly .
I always have to start stuff indoors if I don’t want to buy. We have too short a growing season.
And the selection when buying isn’t as good.
I like the heirloom varieties so I can save the seeds myself.
I ordered extra asparagus seeds to replace any attrition in my bed over winter. No asparagus here yet but I haven’t looked in a couple of days.
Transplanted tomato seedlings from their starter container to bigger containers yesterday and today.
Last week I gave the wrong date (3/8/14) for the Joe Bastardi upcomming spring conditions and moisture conditions.
The correct listing should have been for 3/1/14 submitted by Freeper 'Excellence' at:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3130994/posts
Excellence states :" First 10 minutes is a not-global warming rant (pure Joe and great, as always), quick look at March/April/May/Summer (don't blink, you'll miss it), and temps/precipitation for next winter."
I just wanted to submit the correction - TIK.
I have several raised planter beds with kale and Swiss Chard.
What is the reasoning behind changing the soil in raised beds?
I’ve heard it recommended but never knew the reason. Any info appreciated!
Could I get on the ping list, please?
Certain plants require mineral use intensive than other varieties in order to grow .
Plants of the brasscia family (kale, cabbage,brussel sprouts,kohrabbi,etc.) require more calcium from the soil;
Not changing out the soil will result in stunted plants, and more susceptability to disease .
Crop rotation, soil testing, and soil amendments will minimze disease and provide for healthier plants .
I need help with Fingerling Potatoes. I have 10 that have come from Burpee. The instructions on their website is nothing for Fingerling, just regular potatoes. So, I looked around the net and saw some cut them up but most plant them whole but they should have some eye growth on them to do that, right? They have nothing. Maybe two have some little bit at their ends but I'm not at all sure that is the start of new growth.
I'm going to plant them whole but what do I have to do before that since there are no eyes producing growth?
I have worked today to fill black pots with potting soil mix so I can transplant plants from the greenhouse. It is sunny and gets hot when one is working but this is nothing compared to what it will be so the pots have to be done now. I have many more pots to fill.
Aha! The seeds I planted last Monday in Espoma seed starter are coming up already. I knew they would in that starter. I have two types of sunflowers peeking up and Homemade Pickle cucumbers breaking through the soil. I really need those T squash seed to hurry up and grow.
The first squirrel appeared yesterday. As a result, I had to cover everything with net and spent time trying to separate a huge mound of netting. I finally got two large amounts folded and ended up tossing a mound of net that would never be untangled. I must have ordered an amount to cover the entire world. Plants are to the left and to the right on the deck and both sections are now covered with net. I have some metal plant support stakes and stuck a few of those around under the net to hold the net above the plants. I got those especially to do that as the metal is thin and will stick through the small holes between the planks on the deck to hold them up.
Since the under the roof deck has been cleared I have room out there for two people to sit and have room to move around, I ordered a Craftsman work station, not large but with a top to work on and shelf underneath to hold the various tools I use in the garden. I had them on the dining table out there but that wasn't great to have tools facing you as you sat there. Plus, having no real place to put something meant I couldn't find what I needed at the time I needed it. I spent 15 minutes today looking for the scissors I use out there. When that station gets here, that will be the place for my garden tools.
If you have planted Fingerling potatoes, please tell me what to do with these in order to plant them. I am at a loss right now with those.
Can ferilization and soil supplements be used instead of changing the soil or is it better to just change it out? That’s a lot of grunt work
Ok. I planted some fingerling potatoes about a month ago. Here’s what I did. I put them in in a bright spot (but not direct sun) for several days. Then I looked for the eyes. Many fingerlings won’t have more than 2 or 3 eyes per potato. Need at least 2 on each seed piece. On potatoes that have 4 or more eyes try to divide them up as evenly as possibly wrt the eyes leaving as big a chunk of ‘potato’ with each set of eyes as you can. Next I took a dinner plate, put several layers of paper towels on it, and then put the cut potatoes on the plate and back in the bright spot for 2 or 3 days. Then Planted them just like regular potato planting.
As of right now I have pretty close to 100% germination from the pieces I planted. These weren’t ‘seed’ potatoes either but some I got at Kroger. YMMV.
Was watching this video last night and the host mentioned this website below for vegetable diseases and maladies.
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Tomato_List.htm
OK.
We miss you when you are gone.
Best brands/types of landscape fabric? No, I don’t have a scrap carpet supply and refuse to do newspapers that blow all over the yard. No, I don’t want mulch because I garden barefoot. Online reviews are all over the place from either one star or five stars with nothing in the middle on the same product so makes me wonder who is posting reviews and what their agenda is. Anyway, which brand do y’all recommend?
The main garden has been tilled and hopefully will get the side one done this weekend. Next week will be devoted to measuring and getting the landscape fabric down. We’re supposed to have some rain next week so that’s all good.
I’m getting antsy to put things in the ground so I may be slapped AGAIN by Mother Nature by getting them out too early. A&M says March 15 but this gal didn’t just fall off the turnip truck. Though I’m getting antsy and so are the seedlings. Thinking of making a garden center trip tomorrow to get that landscape fabric, stakes, wire, berries and whatnot.
I couldn’t find peanuts so planted a whole tray of very old ones Sunday so cross your fingers and toes for just a couple to germinate. If just one makes it, then that’s seeds for next year.
Me too. I like heirlooms the best. I do try hybrid stuff now and then, but mostly do heirloom
We are normally blessed with a long enough growing season that we have the option of planting most stuff outdoors.
However if we get a jump start with seeds indoors, then we can also get a second planting sometimes.
You are ahead of me except for the Mr. Tomato that I grew over the winter indoors.
Thanks.
I don’t change the soil in my raised beds. I just add compost/nutrients and green manure such as winter rye and hairy vetch to turn under come spring.
When you grow veggies, the nutrients in the soil are used up and need to be replaced. Perhaps some people are simply dumping the soil, and adding new, but it is more self sufficient and cheaper to have a compost pile and add the compost to your raised bed.
Another reason might possibly be if you have some sort of soil borne disease in the bed, and you wanted to sterilize the bed and then add new soil? Just a guess.
Yes you can. Will add you for next week’s ping.
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