Weekly Garden Thread - January 9-15, 2021

January 9, 2021 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[Diana in Wisconsin]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato#History

[MomwithHope]

Bookmarked for later thanks.

[MomwithHope]

Love that tomato picture, stole it for my jigsaw puzzle program.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I took a piece of brown packing paper and cut it to 3 feet by 2 feet.

Put packing tape over the back side thendrew out all my planting beds on the paper side.

I made a list of all my seeds and penciled put where everything will be going.

I am going to grow 5 of the hot peppers oshkalaboomboom sent me seeds for. 3 of the varieties will be in large pots.

The layout if my gsrden with a greenhouse in the middle means my best sun catching beds are being reused for tomatoes peppers and eggplant again this year.

Any advice to keep the chances of blight down?

I have a thick layer of wood chip mulch over the the planting beds.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Any advice to keep the chances of blight down?

Plant blight resistant varieties.

Lose the wood chips and use straw if you can. Don’t add more wood chips to your raised beds. I’m in the Anti-Wood Chips Club.*

Mulch well but leave a ring around the base of the plant so you can water directly at the base of the plant.

Plant tomatoes far enough apart so you have good air circulation around your plants.

Prune your tomato plants, removing lower leaves/stems that are closest to the bottom; blight starts from the bottom UP. It’s in the soil.

At the first sign of trouble, use a copper spray on the bottom 1/3 of your plants - again, blight starts in the soil and moves UP the plant. Copper is organic.

If you have Early Blight and are getting brown ‘bruises’ on your fruit, abandon ship! This is rare, but it happens from time to time. It has to be introduced to the area through a plant that already has it; it won’t be your fault! Late Blight is what most of us deal with.

*Why I don’t use wood chips. MOST people do not do it right and make more problems for themselves and their soil in the long run. Your mileage may vary:

http://www.reformationacres.com/2014/05/5-things-you-should-know-about-wood-chip-mulch.html

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Thanks! Downloaded it for printing tonite at work.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I have a tomato and cucumber photo you may like for you jigsaw puzzle program.

If you pm me your email address I will send it to you.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Thanks. Apparently I know all your tips already! I thought you had some secret sauce for me! Hahaha

I love the woodchips. Free and easy to move in buckets when delivered.

Retains moisture in soil like crazy.

Here in the Seattle area straw gets too waterlogged and mold sets in.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Here in the Seattle area straw gets too waterlogged and mold sets in.”

I have access to tons of straw, so that’s my choice. I notice that MY wood mulch is prone to growing mushrooms and mold, so I’m constantly having to ‘rough it up.’ I just have it on my rose bed and across the full-sun front of the house - where the PUPPIES usually take care of that for me!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

*FRIDAY IS FOR FLOWERS*

[Liz]

You might like this coffee deliciously flavored w/ cinnamon,
and orange zest. Add rum if you imbibe. Whipt cream
w/ flecks of grated chocolate finish it off.

CINNAMON ORANGE RUM COFFEE

METHOD In heatproof glass, stir/dissolve 1/2 c hot strong coffee, 2 tsp sugar.
(Can stir in oz ea gold/dark rums here). Add small cinnamon stick, long strip of orange peel .

SERVE Garnished with whipped cream, grated Mexican chocolate, julienned orange slivers.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oooo! How did I miss this? I LOVE Taco Salad! :)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

THE JANUARY 9-15 GARDENING THREAD HAS ENDED!

CLICK THE PICTURE FOR THE NEW JANUARY 16-22 THREAD!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

FREEREPUBLIC WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD

ARCHIVE OF GARDENER'S RESOURCES

Creating this resource for refrence so that we do not keep re-posting the same information on each new thread,and/or need to conduct a back search of all the old threads for vaguely remembered posts.

Note that any lists posted here are not exclusive! Some of these are online suppliers, some are Mail in Seed Catalogues. (Order from one and you will get 6 catalogues next year!) An online search will result in many more.

As always be certain to check and support your local garden store whenever possible!

Acknowledgements and thanks to all the regular posters to the Weekly Gardening Thread who made these suggestions!

For the sake of brevity and readability I did not attribute here unless including a comment or special recommendation from the original poster! (Your names are on your original posts!)

(Resource listings begin in next post!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

SEEDS, FRUIT TREES, GARDENING SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPTMENT
(A very limited list!)

ARBICO Organics

Almost Eden

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Edible Landscape

Grow Organic / Peaceful Valley

Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co

Johnnies Seeds

Jung seeds & Plants

One Green World

Prairie Moon Nursery Raintree Nurseries

Seed Savers Exchange

Stark Brothers Nurseries

Territorial Seeds

Thompson and Morgan

GREENHOUSES
(A Small sample…check online for other sources! May want to ask for other FR gardener input and experiences before you commit a substantial amount of money to purchasing a greenhouse! )

FarmTek

Home Depot

Lowes

Shelterlogic

Walmart (online)

Note To: TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig

“buy the polycarbonate panels” I bought the much cheaper “clear” ( but you can’t see clearly through it) 4 year greenhouse film. Has lasted 8 years and still doing fine. Ha! Still have the link:https://www.growerssolution.com/PROD/4-year-6-mil-clear-greenhouse-film/G4Y6MGF If making one for occupation T recommend getting clear vinyl for some clear windows. The vinyl will have to be replaced every year so don’t overdo it’s use..

IRRIGATION
(Again, a very limited list. Search online for other sources! Lots out there because of hydroponics cannabis growing operations. )

Drip Works

Home Depot

Lowes

Peaceful Valley

Rainbird

Check your local hardware, farming, and gardening centers!

BOOKS ON GARDENING AND ONLINE ARTICLES
(Check your library or local bookstore or order online.)

For New Gardeners and beginners!

https://www.almanac.com/vegetable-gardening-for-beginners

YouTube Search “ Beginning Gardening” and do a serial review of offerings! Video is an extremely helpful learning tool and there is a lot of gardening videos available. When you are ready to move on to more advanced books and subjects:

"Gardening When it Counts. Growing Food in Hard Times"
Steven Soloman.

Founder of Territorial Seeds. Feels that If you have the space and fertilizer to garden and farm use it.

"How to Grow More Vegetables (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land with Less Water Than You Can Imagine, Ninth Edition"
John Jeavons

I have this book. Book for people gardening in limited space with limited resources. It does teach you a lot about growing vegetables and composting organically. Good to know but I think If you have space and fertilizer, use it you will get larger vegetables and yields

"Whizbang Gardening!"
Herrick Kimball

A “DownEaster” who offers interesting ideas on gardening. He also has a website and a few you tube videos.

Whizbang Gardening - Home | Facebook

Minibed Gardening Videos | Planet Whizbang https://www.planetwhizbang.com/minibedgardeningvideos

Minibed Gardening Videos In 2016, after decades of gardening by other people's methods, and experiencing the shortcomings of each different approach, Herrick Kimball developed Minibed Gardening. It's a comprehensive new system of gardening that is manageable, productive, and profoundly satisfying.

"The New Organic Grower"
Elliot Coleman

If you have or want to have a Greenhouse!

"Four Season Harvest"
Elliot Coleman.

"Straw Bale Gardens Complete"
Joel Karsten

"The Resiliant Gardener"
Carol Deppe

"How to Breed You Own Vegetable Varieties"
Carol Deppe

Even if you don’t intend to take up plant-breeding, she has excellent advice about how to save seeds in a way that minimizes inbreeding depression, and how to select for plants that do well in your particular area.
Ellendra

"The Modern Farmer ... Or, Home in the Country; Designed for Instruction and Amusement on Rainy Days and Winter Evenings"
REV. John L. Blake.

"Weekend Garden Projects"
By Nancy Bubel

"The Founding Gardeners"
by Andrea Wulf

Andrea Wulf's fine story of how gardening and farming shaped the thinking of Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and James Madison … One of Wulf's most luxurious and sharp-witted chapters concerns the matter that would fertilize a new nation: 'Mundane as it seems,' she writes, 'manure was of the greatest concern to all four of them." San Francisco Chronicle

Diana in Wisconsin

Permaculture and Disguised Vegetable Gardening Secret Garden of Survival How to Grow a Camouflaged Food Forest
Rick Austin

Edible Landscaping / Prepper Gardening
Rosalind Creasy

“Edible Landscaping” by Rosalind Creasy is an excellent book. ALL of her books are terrific!”

Diana in Wisconsin

(Related online links!)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secret-garden-of-survival-how-to-grow-a-camouflaged-food-forest-rick-austin/1114910772

https://www.thespruce.com/best-vegetables-and-fruits-for-edible-landscape-1403436

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/landscaping-with-vegetables.htm

https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/rosalind-creasy/226104/

? “Are there any easy to maintain permanent plantings you can make? (Beside chives!!)”

https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/20-perennial-vegetables

Prepper niche fruit: Fig Trees / Edible Landscaping

Fig trees grow quickly and are fairly easy to grow and maintain! If you live in a area with high summer temperatures they will grow and thrive when other fruit will not (Provided they are watered, although they do NOT like being in standing water!) There are figs that can grow in ground in zones 5 or 6 and higher. You can grow them in pots in winter areas and take them outside after last frost. If you relocate or move, you can take your orchard with you!

Peppers; If you need to quickly bug out you can cut off a branch or branches and take them with you to your bug out spot. Subject to the planting zone (6 ang higher) and time of year (Spring to early Autumn) you can find a suitable spot (no standing water, 6 or more hours of sun, some winter protection) and replant them directly in the ground. Using this “Old Italian guy” poke a hole in the ground and push it in planting method you may figs in 2-3 years! Note that you will need to defend them from Voles who eat the roots. (Sharp gravel a couple feet around the trunk hurts em’s lil’ paws)

FIG INFO

http://seattlegardenfruit.blogspot.com/p/2017-fig-taste.html

https://www.ourfigs.com/

https://www.figdatabase.com/

http://seattlegardenfruit.blogspot.com/p/2017-fig-taste.html

ONLINE VIDEOS AND ARTICLES / ODDS AND ENDS

The joe gardener Show with Joe Lamp: Top 10 uses of stock panels in the garden.

https://joegardener.com/podcast/livestock-panels-top-10-uses/

If you’re wanting free heated space for activity a low thermal mass attached greenhouse is great!

https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Sunspace/sunspaces.htm

I can sit buck naked in mine after 2 - 3 hours of sunshine even when the outdoor temps are in the teens.

Not much good for plants though as they get too warm in the day and too cold at night.

(Notable posted by mrsmith!)

https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/seed-starting-faq/7882.html

ttps://www.almanac.com/extra/most-nutritious-vegetables-you-can-grow

https://squarefootgardening.org/2019/03/planting-chart-cheat-sheets/

These charts from Botanical Interests are also very helpful. Printable PDF Files:

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Sowing-Guides

Diana in Wisconsin

Thank you for the Sweet Potato sprouting link. Bumping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35dp5iS8u7M

TianaHighrider

To: Grammy

Here’s some more good info, Grammy!

“How to Build a Straw Bale Garden” ~ Modern Farmer

https://modernfarmer.com/2013/07/straw-bale-gardening/?fbclid=IwAR3LMpf8e5n5z7jFR2l-ZEA7qIJS7cdi3sq_EwOotGUXHAqzNELAG1yZ1jc

(Encouragement from Diana in Wisconsin!)

“You’re NOT a ‘bad’ gardener! You’re just a novice - and I’ve been doing this for 50+ y

ears and I still learn something new nearly every day! :)

“Days 4-10: Feed the bales using a high-nitrogen organic liquid fertilizer – any standard vegetable and flower mix will be fine. Simply add it to your watering can as directed on the pack and pour onto the bales.”

https://sympathink.com/conditioning-fertilizing-straw-bales-for-gardening/

Look for a liquid fertilizer that has a high ‘N’ or FIRST number in the NPK rating. Bales need Nitrogen more so than a garden in the soil and a liquid will be the easiest way to apply it and get it to the plant roots.

They should give you some specific recommendations in any of those books suggested for Straw Bale Gardens.

'Land Girls' is a pretty good series to watch, too.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1449940/

https://www.createcraftlove.com/garden-hose-spring-wreath/?pp=0&fbclid=IwAR2Y6v7qoYAABrvg8hiL_gWFvToUFqxPOwDjCW-o_hkpZI06rXbmYasnzNM Diana in Wisconsin

MISCELLANOUS-- CALENDER DATES / PLANTING TIMES QUARTER DAYS AND CROSS-QUARTER DAYS

ApplegateRanch

But, Spring started nearly 3 weeks ago, Feb 2! Match 21, Spring Equinox, is Mid-Spring.

For the ancient Celts, Cross-Quarter days signaled the beginning if a season! For example, what is now Groundhog Day (Candlemas) would be considered the start of spring! Together, the Quarter Days and Cross-Quarter Days made an eight-part year that reflected the natural procession of the seasons.

That explains why June 21 is Mid Summers Day; and December 21 is Mid Winters Day.

Moon phase calendars!

https://earthskystore.org/

(Selections from first 3 months of 2021!)