Posted on 04/04/2014 12:54:31 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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Hi Greeneyes and everyone!
Parsley
I have written in the past that last year and earlier this year, I was having trouble with my parsley growing from seed. I learned that it is highly sensitive to being transferred, and so, keeping that in mind, I was able to collect the ones that had sprouted on the paper towel in my sprout tray by cutting out that section with them on it, and putting them all into a cup with soil which can then be planted in its final home without disturbing the roots.
I was so excited a couple days ago to see my little baby parsleys making an appearance!
Seedlings
The other seedlings I sprouted a couple weeks ago which have been transferred to small sprouting cups with soil are also doing well. I have among those, the T Squash, sugar snap peas, flax, trellis beans, Asian (long!) green beans, daikon radish, and Atkins tomatoes.
Darlin reminded me that I had not started sunflower yet, so today I went through my seed library and put together three sprout trays containing:
Four kinds of OKRA: Clemson spineless, Jing Orange, Stelley, and Eagle Pass
HERBS and GREENS: Cumin, Cilantro, Strawberry Spinach, and New Zealand Spinach
FLOWERS: Sunflower, Echinacea, Chamomile
BEANS: Pinto, Black Bean, Great White Northern, Cranberry
GRAIN: Emmer, Red Amaranth
SQUASH: I’m gonna try again the White Bush Squash which was such a disappointment last year. I don’t know at this point if I’ll try any other squash this season. Except I do plan at least one zucchini. I had not tried that last year. The yellow squash was a real bust!
PLANS:
I have a GARLIC set containing 3 garlic bulbs which are actually sprouting that I plan to plant as soon as the frost date is past. I also discovered that I still have some ASPARAGUS roots from last year that I never got my round tuit to plant. I plan to give them a go to see if they’ll grow. I also have those two little “guaranteed-to-grow” seed cups that I’ll try.
Potatoes:
The sweet potato sprouts are as last reported and just waiting for the after frost date. The white potato I was reporting last week has increased the size of its sprouts, and I am waiting for a couple days before the after frost date to cut it up and let the callous form, as advised last week. (THANKS!)
Carrots
I also have a couple of different kinds of CARROTS that I want to try. I did manage to sprout some in the garden last year, but they did not make it. This year I’m going to try little ones that do not require deep soil.
Onions
I still plan to set out the onion sets Darlin and I got at the grocery store!
OH OH OH!!! I am delighted to report that the WALKING ONION I set out right before that last freeze is actually making an appearance. The ones I set out in the fall have not appeared. I fear the last freeze got them because their pot is not sheltered from the north wind.
The temps have not been officially freezing, but they have been getting down to just above freezing. We have elected not to set anything out till the after frost date.
Hope all is well with all of you!
~ ~ ~
Thanks for the links, greeneyes! I just was prompted from your post that while we do not use coffee, I go to some gatherings where coffee with grounds is served. I could easily obtain the coffee grounds from our refreshment committee!
You are making memories and you are making self-sufficient smart young people.
I joined a local farmers market group. One of the members has raised beds that made me real envious. 18 inches high, 24 inches wide, and ~ 24ft long. She had one that was filled to the brim with onions and another that was all asparagus. She was also building more beds. Lucky for her that she doesn't have the deer problem I have. She doesn't have to invest in fencing to keep those varmints out.
She made me feel like a real piker with my small beds......
Mind sharin' some???????
For future refenrence and further inquiry , I believe that it is called "Companion planting", frequently used in organic gardening .
Consider lightening up the soil, especially if you have clay ! Add sand , vermiculite , potting soil ,last years leaves, especially add compost
Around here , I always add sand, vermiculite , or old chopped-up leaves to all 'root crops '.
A lighter soil will result in straighter carrots , and fewer crop deformities .
/johnny
Planted my purchased Snap Dragons, boxwood basil (grows in mounds, and German Thyme. Lily shoots are poking out of the ground. Parsley and oregano seeds sprouting. Pansies blooming up a storm and outdoor violets following close behind. Picked flowers to my heart’s content.
Planted my purchased Snap Dragons, boxwood basil (grows in mounds, and German Thyme. Lily shoots are poking out of the ground. Parsley and oregano seeds sprouting. Pansies blooming up a storm and outdoor violets following close behind. Picked flowers to my heart’s content.
good enough.LOL
:-D That is GOOD news!
Oh, TIKilty, thanks so much for your advice. We DO have clay soil! I was going to put my experiments in pots, but I might have to go for a ground plot, as I might run out of pots!...in which case, it would be critical to do as you suggest!
I just read your suggestion to Darlin, who definitely ratifies it!
So pleased that your stuff is doing so well. I have delayed even some of my planned starts indoors, because it is just so yucky.
The carrots, beets, and onions that could normally be started outdoors and row covered are going to be started in doors this year too, and I don’t want to transplant them until well into May.
Also I would normally have lettuce already growing under row covers, and be harvesting them at this time, but not this year.
We have both reduced our coffee consumption considerably this year. One or two cups at breakfast, so we don’t have as much grounds as we used to when we drank it constantly during the day. We have a new restaurant in town, so I may go see if they would let me have their used grounds.
Wonderful news! Thanks for posting!
Yes, it is companion planting, which has been mentioned before.
However companion planting in the garden goes beyond what I mentioned to consideration of depth of roots, as well as nutrients.
That doesn’t really apply to Marcella’s plants that she has in containers which is why I just mentioned the pieces of companion planting that might be relevant to her particular situation regarding whether to move them in their containers together or not.
Sounds good - especially picking the flowers.
After the weekend, contct your local highway department and see if they have any composted leaves , or mulch for free !
Also , check with any of the tree removal companies in the area. The only leaves /mulch to avoid is walnut (julgone).
Oak leaves are slow to break down , but a lawnmower or grass trimmer can do wonders to speed up the process.
When in doubt , always go for the "free Stuff ", especially arround the town barns , or town dump, or tree trimmers lot.
That’s a great looking loaf.
Garden envy is rampant this time of the year.LOL
I also was inspired by Square Foot gardening. This is my 4th year. I now have over 600 sq. ft. of garden beds on the property. I used electrical conduit for my hoops. It holds up in my harsh climate.
I prefer alfalfa for my nitrogen. No soy is allowed on the property. We got 4 Buff Orpingtons Wednesday. Next year, free nitrogen from their poop. (laughing) We have to build a movable coop next week. They will go all over are meadow that the furtherest beds are. They have to be caged “free range” up here. Death from above and below is too numerous to thwart any other way.
The ground is no longer frozen. I uncovered 15 feet that has our strawberry plants. They perked right up after I got the beds tended. I get at least 60 pints from them. The outer gardens in the meadow will be uncovered next week, compost forked into them, ready to plant by the end of the month. The tobacco, tomatoes and peppers will be started in a small growing tent in the garage this month, too. My garlic planted last fall is already 8” tall. A few onions I stuck in also came up. I do not know if the artichokes came up in the outer area yet.
This month will be brassicas, spinach, more onions and carrots. Next month will be everything else. After getting each bed planted, I cover them in plastic, making a ton of tunnel greenhouses. It is one way to grow things in the northern regions. Our growing season is very short.
Oh, be sure to go very light on nitrogen wherever you plant carrots and other root crops. Otherwise, your carrots come out like little headless and armless people... Forked. They still taste great, but a booger to peel.
All nightshades get a dose of finely crushed eggshells and pinch of sulfur, blood meal, bone meal and bat poop. That seems to make them happy. Beans and legumes get a pinch of fish emulsion.
I cannot wait to get started. The chickens will be helpful, eating bugs and providing next year’s composted poop fertilizer. A perk- my egg allergy may from what they are normally fed, soy. I found an organic feed that uses lentils and nuts for the plant part of their feed. Soy-free eggs and meat. One can hope. At least the family can enjoy them if it is not the cause, yes? .
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