https://whdh.com/weather-blog/raw-saturday-ahead-dry-sunday/
Posted on 03/25/2023 6:47:01 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!
But would they not sprout earlier if kept inside? I just filled about 75 large paper coffee cups with dirt and planted 4 different kinds of tomato seeds in them, but they need to stay inside for about 6 weeks after sprouting until they can be planted, though bringing them outside for a week or so before that for hardening.
And today hardly looks like Spring in NH and MA!
https://whdh.com/weather-blog/raw-saturday-ahead-dry-sunday/
The garden expert in my local paper has always said to plant everything before April 1st, otherwise it won't survive our brutally hot summers, but a lot of ground is still soggy right now.
This beautiful iris decided to bloom early this year, it usually blooms in the summer:
And, my orchids are doing well - only two of them bloomed this year:
Sweet Red Marconi peppers, Early Girl tomatoes, Plum Regal tomatoes
- nothing else has sprouted yet. (but patiently waiting...)
(Images are of mature plants - NOT what the seedlings currently look like...)
.
.
Snow Blizzard variety of Iris - my dad loved these - so did the deer.
We would notice that they were going to be in full bloom tomorrow -
Next morning - all the blossoms - were GONE - into the bellies of the dang beasts!
Snow almost to my knees this morning!
One of my cats likes to race out the door without looking. Normally we shut both cats in another part of the house so I can get out to feed my chickens without “feline assistance”.
Today one of them didn’t get shut in. As usual he raced toward the door when he heard me open it . . . then saw the wall of snow and raced the back to the kitchen!
Can’t say I blame him, it was a workout just getting the coop doors to open.
We got 6” of heavy, wet YUCK out here. Beau just left to help dig out ‘The Housewives of Shorewood Hills.’ ;)
I shoveled the landings, and the steps, and a path to the compost and the greenhouse. Had to take a broom out to the satellite dish and brush that off - Internet Restored! Good thing I worked in IT in the Army all those years. *SMIRK*
I DO see some sun peeking through and BLUE SKIES to the West.
This won’t last long, if it hits mid-40’s as predicted for the rest of the weekend.
Between onion sets and Dahlia tubers, Walmart keeps me happy! :)
I’ll have to see if I can get the Candy variety.
I’ll just use those first and can also chop and freeze them.
This year I want to try bok choy. It is supposed to be a very fast growing and maturing crop.
Thanks, Pete!
Tomatoes are far more cold sensitive than onions.
Once the onions sprout and have a couple weeks under the lights and fan, then they go outside. I know the need for good conditions to get them a good start but once they are mature enough, it’s easy enough to put them outside in a somewhat sheltered place that gets full sun most of the day.
Right now, we are waiting for the snow/rain to start. My garden is still buried in snow from the last storm that took out our power.
I’m glad you are back in business after your year off.
Praise God we are looking at a decent week this week. It looks like the sugar season was a good one this year, near perfect sap run conditions. I’ll have to hear what the local reports are but the temperatures have been just what they needed.
Nice! Very generous of you, too! I always smile when I see veggie and flower plants for the taking at my local Food Pantry when I do a drop off in Spring.
Each One, Teach One! :)
I cannot WAIT to taste that first home-grown tomato of the season!
I take a large pot--12 Inches diameter is good--put some oak leave mulch at the bottom and and fill within 2" of the top with compost or your seed medium (It will settle!) Sprinkle your Leek seed widely on top, push down for good contact. Sprinkle a small amount of compost over the seed. Lightly water. If going outside cover with some gardening fabric and secure it with some cord or twine. (Squirrels and heavy rain1) You can do this on the back porch or in a potting shed or just leave it outside somewhere sunny in the garden or near the faucet where you will remember to occasionally water it (if its dry!) Depending on when you intend to plant you can leave the pot outside all winter or do this in early spring.
Sometime in early spring remove the cover and check for sprouting. Once those grow to about 2-3" snip the tops and remove the snips from the pot.This will force them to start side branching. Fertilize lightly after you get 2 or 3 leaves. (The top snips will usually have the seed hanging on to it...the snips do not seem to die, but linger on and look like new sprouts! Put the pot on its side if you can and snip the tops! ) Wait a few days....fertilize lightly...maybe 50% dilution of miracle grow or equivalent; 2 or 3 weeks later more heavily. Keep snipping the ends as they get taller each time a bit higher. (Thin if they are too crowded.) In a month or so you should have a pot filled with plant-able baby leeks. When ready to plant de-pot, divide the clump and plant in trenches along with good fertilized compost.
Right now I have about 10 overwintered Blu d' Solaise leeks growing in the garden that I started sometime last May. (No covering this winter at all... just some mulch... More violet colored than blue!)
ONION SETS: I think that you could probably do easy onion sets in pretty much the same low maintenance way if you start early. (I would do this on the back porch late winter though!) I have tried planting bublete annual onions and have never gotten good results. (The bundles of sets is the better way.)
This would easy for people with potting sheds, you, Augie, Pollard!
I’d like to get some bok choi seeds too. It’s done well for me in the past. Last year I could not find any except the mini variety. They weren’t kidding. So small almost not worth it.
Nice to see you back. Always enjoyed your pictures.
I think mine are the mini variety, but since it will only be mr. mm who eats it unless God, by some miracle, heals me, then it will be enough.
Oh No! I don’t have problems with deer but my mother did - rabbits too. My problems are raccoons and squirrels - that raid my fruit trees - little buggers. My kitty takes care of the tree rats.
I had a beautiful iris that was about to bloom - was really excited because it was a new one and I was anxious to see it.
It was planted alongside the driveway - husband came home on his motorcycle, decided to park right next to that iris and broke off the flower stem! Right as it was about to open. I was not happy - he said he didn’t see it.
The white ones are my favorite - they are beautiful.
I have a German Bearded Iris very similar to that one.
I have about 20 varieties from a local iris grower (www.BreezewayIris.com). Hoping the winter was not too severe for my iris.
I’d like to see them multiply well this year.
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.
