Posted on 02/08/2013 1:30:15 PM PST 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.
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I will be sowing some clover soon to turn under later as soil improvement crop. Indoor peppers are in bloom again, and lemons are a little larger than olives. Garlic is doing well outside.
Have a great weekend. God Bless.
Building a cold frame for the herb/salad garden today, too. Kid came by and we went to pick up lumber and plastic for the cold frame. Daughters are a blessing.
Got to see some of my grandkids, scored a deal on Hatch chili peppers while shopping, and those are roasted now, and awaiting processing.
Early tobacco sets growing well. Tomatoes are a little leggy, so I'm leaving them outside to chill and backing off on the water.
Jalapenos are in a starter flat and should peek out in a week or so.
Hiring a kid this weekend to finish tilling the main garden.
All in all, it's been a blessed week.
/johnny
Pinging the list. My internet service has been acting up today. It keeps going down right in the middle of trying to get this thread and list posted. Finally I have the thread posted, still trying to get the list pinged.
I have five varieties of tomatoes sprouted in peat pots. Lesson one: don’t use the small size, the roots get crimped too soon. Lesson two, better using plastic cups with holes in bottom. Peat pots wick water away from sides too fast.
I’m in Vegas, so I have to start early to beat the heat.
I’ve compiled a whole book on survival food gardening for preppers if anyone is interested.
http://www.futurnamics.com/garden.php
Are you going to freeze them?
I am, however, this year going to espallier my tomato plants instead of growing them in cages. I want to see how they do growing along a wire instead of getting bushy in cages.
Darn things take up too much room in the garden as it is.
/johnny
Wow. Send some of that sun this way.LOL. Just seeing the sun gives me energy to get up and get some work done. Sounds like you had a good week.
Nah, my grandkids are cool enough just the way they are.
Oh... the peppers? I make a pepper puree with a little salt, pepper, and vinegar and use it for a spread or as compliment or ingredient for certain dishes.
I'd put that stuff on ice cream, if no-one was looking.
I'll have hatch chili sauce on my eggs tomorrow morning, that much, I can guarantee.
/johnny
Reason I raised freezing them is that most people peel and seed the peppers before freezing, but if you leave the peels and seeds in place when they are frozen, the peppers have better flavor when you later use them, and it’s actually pretty easy to peel half-thawed peppers.
Today, daughter and I bought a bunch of Solo(tm) cups to move the tomatoes and peppers and tobacco into when the time is right.
I'll spend the evening cutting slits/holes in the sides/bottom.
90 Solo(tm) cups in the bag... take one down... stab it carefully... 89 nine Solo(tm) cups in the bag. ;)
Being a commercial cook type person. I plant exactly ONE type of tomato. Roma. I can make it work for most everything. And it does VERY well here. I'll can some, sun dry some, have some fresh, have them as fried green 'maters, make tomato paste, and dehydrated tomato powder (think tomato bullion).
Roma works for me.
/johnny
The Mennonites around here turn out great tomatoes by the first of April, including romas and other varieties. I use romas when I make Pasta Putanesca. YUM !
I was wondering the same thing about grafted tomatoes. I ordered most of my stuff last fall during the sales, and I save my heirloom seeds, so I don’t have much to order.
I sent in an order for some strawberry plants, goji berry bushes, blueberry bushes last week since they were on sale.
If I had any peppers left, I'd try just freezing some, but alas, I started roasting as soon as I got home with them.
Do you blanch them or anything before freezing them?
/johnny
I was looking at goji berries but they looked kind of puny. Does a goji bush produce large quantities ?
Thanks for the link. I am planning on starting my plants this year in the 3-50z paper cups. I figure I’ll make a tiny hole in the bottom to help with drainage and it will make transplants easy.
Heartbreaking.
They didn't look moldy, they were dry and looked like seeds were supposed to look, but during the germination test, and followup test, both sets only grew mold.
I hate mold. It's why I can't make sourdough bread here.
/johnny
Transplanted my zinnia and marigold seedlings to bigger pots this morning and letting them spend some time outside. I think I'm giving up on my alyssum seedlings; I just let them get to leggy and now they are small, weak and floppy. I'll start over with new seeds and this time put them closer to the light in the little greenhouse--that might help.
I think I mentioned before one of my freesia bulbs in the pot came up last week; she's about 2 inches high now. The other nine are lagging, and I hope to see them soon. :)
My pepper seedlings (Explosive Ember and Bolivian Rainbow) are now starting to leaf. Yay! My wife's tomatoes and other veggies are coming along well; she's even having remarkable success with her Moringa (Miracle Plant) seedlings. We'll have more than we know what to do with! :)
I am not sure. The fruit provides great anti oxidants and is good for the liver. It can be eaten fresh or preserved many different ways, including wines.
A big plus is the tolerance to drought. After last year’s experience, that was a big enhancement.
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