Posted on 04/03/2021 6:39:27 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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They’re pretty tough. I am planting red onion sets (bulbs), today, April 3, Zone 4/5, SW Wisconsin.
I see there are a few that I missed harvesting from last fall and they are up and growing again, though we DID get a good insulating layer of snow before we got the really cold temps this winter.
I have some that I planted last fall for seeds and mulched them and they likewise got buried under a good layer of snow. They are coming up, too.
We’re expecting pretty cold tonight, but after this, the lows are forecast to be in the mid 30’s and that seems like just fine for cool weather crops. I’ve had snow peas get frosted down to 27 or 28 and still come back.
I have the means to protect any cool weather crops from a hard freeze if frosts are not an issue. Like for broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
The perennial herbs are doing fine, but the leafy, delicate ones look pretty sad.
The ones in the garden are fine, but the ones in pots got trashed, probably because they didn’t have the earth to protect them. Oh well...it’s early yet.
Those look like ours, except ours are brown.
We turned the kids playset into a grape arbor and have hanging strawberry baskets on the pegs.
That’s too bad. You might want to consider some clear silicone when you put the windows back in, along the edges to lock them in.
Here in zone 9b, I’m already late putting my starts into the ground!
I’ll have a big crop of San Marzano tomatoes for canning this year. And pickling cucumbers.
Only the strawberries are in.
Probably too late for scallions?
Peaches, Plums. Apricots and Olives coming along nicely.
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My tomato seedlings are up but they always seem to grow slowly after that, not put out new leaves. They’re under lights, and I put then out on nice days, and I’ll pot them up when I see roots out the bottom, but what’s a good fertilizer, and how much?
I think commercial growers pump in extra CO2, not possible for home grower.
Hello! The first thing you might want to do is to find out what your soil types are, including ph, and what fertilizer amendments the soils need. Drainage is important too. You are smart to put the seedlings out. They need to be in the sun, wind, and rain in order to harden off before planting.
Your local garden center or county Extension office can likely help with soil testing.
A lovely and cheerful picture. Thank you for brightening the day.
How high was the wind speed? I have a couple of cedars very close to the house and recently had 50 mile an hour wind gusts. They are messy but block the sun from the south...I’d die from heat without them.
Gusts around 30 mph (in general). The ground is SUPER soggy/soft so that doesn’t help. Also, in certain spots, the wind gusts could be higher. His yard must have had something going on - big pine/cedars uprooted & everyone else around looked ok. The trees just went over, pulling up the roots on one side.
(Hope this is a photo and not a drawing)
I’ll suggest the silicone to Beau. We got it all put back together and made some wind-proof modifications.
It was such a gorgeous day! I got the rose beds weeded, but there’s still a little more to do, and I need to get pruning, too!
Done! Welcome!
Wait to fertilize until your tomato seedlings have 4 ADULT leaves (those first two leaves are called ‘seed leaves.’ The plant still has all the nutrition in needs in the seed up until then.
Any fertilizer you like for tomatoes is fine, but look for one with a higher MIDDLE number for better blooms and fruiting.
Follow the label directions for what is recommended for seedlings. It will be a greatly reduced amount, and use a water soluble fertilizer. I like AlgoFlash, anything in the Foxfarn line, and even Miracle Grow has some really good plant-specific mixes these days.
If they’re still under lights, go with 16 hours on, 8 hours OFF - and the OFF is important so they can rest. Moving them in and out to harden them off is great. I also GENTLY rub my hand over their tops to simulate them getting some wind; it toughens up the stems. :)
My tomatoes and peppers are just about ready for transplanting. So glad we got the greenhouse fixed, today!
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