Weekly Gardening Thread – 2009 Vol.23 – October 23

Free Republic | 10-23-2009 | Red_Devil 232

[Red_Devil 232]

Good afternoon to all of you gardeners. I apologize for the late post today. Well the last days of October are upon us and the garden is finally tilled for the last time this year. I seeded it with an annual rye grass. I also started rebuilding my compost pile. The oak and pecan trees have yet to drop their leaves so I will have to wait for their contribution to the compost pile until November.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I’m needing some advice from a northern, or northern midwestern, gardener on Irises. Anybody out there?

[Gabz]

And it’s cold and raining like the dickens here todoay.

It's been sunny and in the mid 70s here on the Virginia end of the DelMarVa Peninsula. We had the cold and the rain all of last week.

[MtnClimber]

That cold spell a few weeks ago that got down to 7F put an end to everything I had growing. I planted 8 12 ft rows of 4 varieties of garlic. Got about a foot of mulch on top and shoveled the snow off the deck on top of that so it is under about a foot of snow now. I have many seeds left from last year so I an trying to figure out where to plant to get some crop rotation.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Please explain further how you are doing “winter sowing”. Do you keep these jugs under a grow light? What are you sowing?

I’m starting a Square Foot Garden for vegetables next spring. I have the boxes built, but no planting mix in them yet because the garden centers are all sold out. It is not safe to plant outdoors here until May. In fact most people plant over Memorial Day around here, although you can do it earlier with protection. It would be nice to have a few seedlings ready to go out mid May.

[Red_Devil 232]

I am in East Central Mississippi.

[Red Badger]

Of Turnips, Mustards and Collards, Collards are my least favorite. But ALL are better than spinach or cabbage!.........................

[MtnClimber]

I am at 8500 ft elevation in the Colorado Rockies NW of Golden right next to Roosevelt National Forest.

[Red_Devil 232]

YOU HAVE

ADDED TO THE WEEKLY GARDENING PING LIST

YOU HAVE

[afraidfortherepublic]

Irises anyone? I need to lift them and add fill underneath in a bed that is too low. They’ll need to be divided, but it’s getting really late in the season. Would they survive the winter if I just dug them up and stored them in the basement in Peat Moss?

Or, should I forget the whole thing and leave them for thel Spring?

If it were 10 degrees colder out there, I’d have 2 feet of snow on that bed right now. It might warm up again, but I have little hope.

[Gabz]

We had over 9” of rain two nights ago. And most of that came through the ceiling. One guess what we’re doing this weekend.

OMG ---- I'm so sorry to hear that.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I have a cousin who lives there, but I haven’t seen her in 50 years. (MS)

[afraidfortherepublic]

My daughter lives in Richmond, VA, but I always think of her weather as much milder than ours. Your report sounds just like what we’ve had the last 2 weeks with a good day sprinkled in here, or there.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Your location sounds gorgeous. I hope people will post pictures of their views and their gardening successes ove the upcoming weeks.

[Gabz]

Diana will be your go to person for growing in Wisconsin, but I would venture to say that she is probably still at work right now.

[Red_Devil 232]

I am sure Diana in Wisconsin will stop in at some point and she may be able to help you. Diana is one of the 4 FReeper Master Gardners that regularly visit the thread.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Diana is north-west of me with a bit harsher climate. But, she is a good source. I didn’t now she was into gardening. Thanks.

[Gabz]

Richmond’s weather tends to be different than ours. I’m slightly northeast as the crow flies from Richmond, but on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay. Both the Bay and the Atlantic effect our weather.

I long ago learned the only thing consistent about DelMarVa weather is its’ inconsistency :)

[afraidfortherepublic]

Can you tell us how you do your compost pile? I need to make one for my Square Foot Garden. I'm not getting a lot of help from my husband who is just laughing at my goal to grow vegetables. He thinks that I will let this plot go all to weeds (and he has good reason to think that).

But, I have carefully planned these boxes, and I need a lot of compost for next year. Right now, I have a lot of leaves and grass clippings which would be a good start. But, the snow is coming soon. What happens if it freezes? Will it thaw and continue decomposing in the spring?

[TNdandelion]

Sure! With Winter Sowing, you plant in containers and place them directly outside and let "nature" do all the work. No grow lights or heating pads required. Rain, sleet, snow....all good for the seeds and the milk jugs and containers act like little miniature greenhouses.

There are limitations to what you can grow using this method but I'd say that is limited more to tropicals or temperature sensitive plants. I grow mostly tomatoes, peppers, perennials and hardy annuals using my pots outside.

I use my husband's soldering iron to burn the holes and then cut the containers about 3/4's of the way up. Plant the seeds in the potting soil (anything cheap will do), tape the tops back down and leave the screw caps off for air and water to get in. Stick, them in a sunny spot in my backyard and wait for sprouts around March/April. I live in zone 7B.

I'm not good with html code but here's a good website with more info about this technique. http://www.wintersown.org/ I've been doing this for about 3yrs now. I now only grows heirloom tomatoes since I can finally grow them myself. I never had luck with indoor planting, unfortunately. Too many curious kids, dogs, not enough space and my own incompetence. lol

[MtnClimber]

Here is a photo looking west off the deck from about 2 weeks ago: