Posted on 04/23/2022 6:00:06 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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.
If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.
This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.
NOTE: This is a once a week Ping List. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!
Nature Planting Signals for Vegetables: Phenology
The flowering of trees, shrubs, and perennial plants is determined by day length and temperature (this also applies to the lifecycle of insects and animals.
You can use the bloom time of shrubs and trees to tell you when it is safe to plant vegetables in the garden. Look at blooming trees and shrubs in your garden or neighborhood as indicators of when it is safe to plant vegetables directly in the garden.
Keep a record of weather conditions in your garden. Note when trees and shrubs leaf out and bloom—record the date and soil temperature (leaf and bloom times are triggered by soil and air temperature). Do this for 3 or 4 years and you can make your own nature planting signals calendar for your garden.
The study of regular events in the lives of plant, animals, and insects is called phenology (from Greek words meaning “science of appearances.”) Plant and animal life cycles are predictors of reoccurring events in nature.
Here is the lilac planting calendar for the vegetable garden:
Lilac begins to leaf out: direct sow seed of cool-weather vegetables such as peas, lettuce, and spinach; direct sow cold-tolerant herbs such as parsley and chervil; direct sow hardy annual such as calendula and sweet alyssum.
Lilac flower spike is in full bloom: direct sow seed of basil, corn, and tomatoes; direct sow marigolds and geraniums.
Nature Cycles and Vegetable Garden Planting
Here are shrub and tree bloom times that can be used to signal vegetable seed sowing in your garden:
Green Bean: direct sow when lilacs bloom.
Broad Bean: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Beet: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Broccoli: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Brussels Sprouts: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Carrot: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Cauliflower: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Celeriac: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Celery: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Chervil: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Corn: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
Corn Salad: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Cucumber: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
Endive and Escarole: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Eggplant: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Florence Fennel: direct sow when flowering quince, saucer magnolia, grape hyacinth, narcissus in full bloom.
Kohlrabi: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Leek: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Lettuce: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Lima Bean, bush: direct sow when Chinese wisteria blooms.
Lima Bean, pole: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Melon: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
New Zealand Spinach: direct sow when Chinese wisteria blooms.
Okra: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Parsley: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Parsnip: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Pea: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Peppers: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Onion (sets, seed): direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Potato: plant when daffodils and dandelions begin to bloom.
Pumpkin: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
Radish: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Salsify: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Soybean: direct sow when Chinese wisteria in bloom.
Spinach: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Squash: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
Sweet Potato: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Swiss Chard: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Tomatillo: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Tomato: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Turnip: direct sow when forsythia and dandelions begin to bloom.
Watermelon: set out plants when peony, black locust, and goldenchain tree in full bloom.
Zucchini: direct sow when redbuds, flowering dogwoods, flowering crabapple in bloom and lilacs are in full bloom.
Succession Plantings of Crops: Make succession plantings any time after the first planting dates but keep in mind the number of days for a crop to reach maturity and the increasing or decreasing air temperature as the season progresses; i.e. cool-weather crops must come to harvest before the warm temperatures arrive in late spring or summer and warm-weather crops must mature before cool and chilly temperatures arrive in autumn.
https://harvesttotable.com/nature-planting-signals-for-vegetables-phenology/
I’ve gotten to the point where my seedlings have become a bit unmanageable. The tomatoes are all mixed up, I only know the variety for sure of 9 of them.
“In ancient times, it was standard practice to remove one’s trousers and sit on the ground before seeding, to determine whether the soil was ready to be planted. If the flesh found it discomforting, it was too early to sew.”
~ Christine Allison, 365 Days of Gardening
Back when I was in the seed business and never lacked for any, there would be years when I’d just plant it all and let God sort it out, LOL!
Thats about what will happen here too, it will be a surprise! Well, two weeks to harden off the seedlings and then in the ground they go
CLICK ON THE PICTURE!
I’m in the N.C. Mountains (zone 7) and Spent a few days this week cleaning leaves and weeds out of my raised beds, and adding in some “Kickin’ Chickin’” composted cow and chicken manure. I can’t plant anything till last frost date which is a week after Mother’s Day. A lot of perineals are coming up nicely and the Peonies along the outside edge of the garden fence have huge buds already. The roses from Jackson Perkins should be here any day…. They are going along the front side of the fence and a climbing one over the entrance arbor. I could not plant them last year because garden and fence was new and fence wood had to cure for several months so I could not paint it white till after growth died back late fall. I’m so excited to add the roses this spring.
QUESTIONs:
(1) Has anyone grown Pineapple Sage. Mine was planted last year, grew 3 feet high and full and lovely blooming all summer and fall. I cut it back for winter and the root system is huge and thick and and the 3 x 5 inches sticking above ground appears to be healthy. But unlike the other perineals there is no sign of new growth yet. Perhaps the new growth will be late spring when it gets much warmer? I’m hoping that is the case.
(2) My tomatoes did not do well last summer. Maybe I didn’t use the right variety. Anyone in zone 7 have a recommendation of a good variety to use? I want big red juicy ones.
I wanted a David Austin rose last year - had NO idea they were so expensive. I ended up buying this one anyway and do not regret it:
My cactus are starting to bloom: Secret to growing them - do not water them.
This hibiscus came off of the dead table at Lowe's - I think it was $2.00.
My pomegranate trees are exploding in bloom and hopefully a lot of fruit will set - I'm counting on kitty to keep the tree rats out of my bushes.
This week the weather looks favorable so the cabbage, lettuce, and onion sets are going in.
The warm weather stuff I started in flats is going gangbusters.
Once some of the cool weather crops are out of the flats, stuff like basil is going in.
Thanks, Pete!
I am back in the garden - woo hoo!! :-)
Yesterday, I got one raised bed weeded & the 2nd “bad” one is 2/3 done. My SIL got me herb plants Thursday & I’ll get them planted today or tomorrow - same with seeds I have.
Mowing - brother mowed the place again for me Thursday & last evening, BUT I was able to safely get on/off & drive the mower to the shed where we keep gas. I will be able to mow myself the next time the place needs it.
The hummingbird feeders went out yesterday and there was a male feeding within 15 minutes. On the feeder in the front (1 @ front porch, 2 in back @ hummingbird garden) there was a hummer coming every 20 minutes or so and just before sunset, hummers were “filling their tanks” for the night ahead.
Adventures in wildlife: I was on the couch Thursday night & around 11:30, something hit the storm door with a bang (I had the door open so I could look out). My first thought was a bird flew into the glass, but birds aren’t flying around at that time of night. As I looked, there appeared to be fur at the bottom left and the next thing I could see was a face looking through the glass at me - it was a fox kit! Cutest little guy - ears perked up, obviously curious. If the storm door had not been there, I think the fox would have come right on in. When I reached for my phone to try for a picture, the kit saw the movement and a couple of seconds later, it trotted down the steps & disappeared into the dark. The foxes didn’t den under our barn this year - I suspect they denned at the next door neighbor’s - old ground hog holes & he’s rarely around so it’s a lot more quiet than our place. There’s a pile of chicken feathers in the back field so I suspect some other neighbors are missing a hen or two!
Beautiful spring day here - going to be near if not 80 - happy gardening all!
Here’s your State Extension site, which should help you answer a lot of your gardening questions:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-elegans/
Lucky you to have Pineapple Sage as a perennial! Up here, I just grow it as an annual - such a lovely fragrance! Reminds me of my trip to the Anza-Boreggo Desert State Park in southern CA. I was there in February when everything was in bloom. Sage bushes as big as trees and so many Hummingbirds that you had to practically swat them away like mosquitoes, LOL!
http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
Best Tomatoes for Zone 7:
https://rockinwhomestead.com/tomato-guide-by-zone/
My personal recommendations, and ones I have grown myself in the past for big, red juicy ones are:
Grandma’s Pick (I always grow this one; am growing this year!)
Better Bush
Celebrity (We grew this one for market back in the day)
Jersey Devil
Brandywine (Cannot beat it for flavor!)
Cherokee Purple (Another flavor explosion!)
Mortgage Lifter (HUGE tomatoes)
Bonnie Best
Good Morning, Everybody!
:-)
Tiger/Calico cross; An Amber Cat! (Thats what we named ours way back when!)
I wish I could grow the David Austin Roses! I did find a ‘Therese Bugnet’ rose at Walmart (bare root) for $8.97 last week, so that was a big SCORE! Hoping to get her in the ground, today. Beau & Emma Jolene went hunting last night, so he won’t be up for a while, yet.
I was always very careful to make sure people weren’t disappointed with plants, trees and shrubs that they bought at Jung’s and KNEW what was going to thrive in our Zone and what wouldn’t.
Always got a chuckle out of ‘garden newbies’ and the FIRST seed packet they’d go for were Blue Himalayan Poppies which are near impossible for anyone to grow. ;)
Happy gardening. I have a mobile mechanic coming over to help me get my Ferguson TO35 Tractor running. I hope he is successful.
I feel your pain. Our skid steer is in the shop right now for a hose replacement. Normally Beau can do these repairs himself, but it’s one of those hoses that you ‘can’t get to’ to fix. Even my little hands can’t get in there. :(
She sure is a valuable piece of equipment, and one that’s hard to live without!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.