Gardening 2024

[Expat]

@Expat , this sucks..looks like the next week I'll be covering the broccoli and cauliflower. Carrots haven't sprouted yet, not sure what to do about that..

Don’t panic. Broccoli and cabbage both can take a frost. I never cover.

i I always plant some radish seeds with the carrots. they come up right away and help loosen up the soil.

 

[Expat]

My spring stuff is all through soil now. The peas popped up today

 

[gassprint1]

Asparagus is coming on good. Cut a double handful of spears this afternoon.

Had some for dinner yesterday.

 

[gassprint1]

Carrot is a tricky little plant from seed. Can not start them inside as they do not transplant well. . Tiny seeds I always plant to close and have to thin out. I have to grow danners cause my soil is great but my beds are short.

Carrots can take up to two weeks to sprout. They also must never dry out during that time. I always use cardboard after planting carrots laying on top checking about daily on wetness (has not been an issue ) and the after a week checking for the sprouts starting. Once I see a few popped I remove the cardboard cover because they have sprouted just not pushed up above the soil yet.

I made a few 12x12 boards with planting hole spacing in them as I grow some stuff in square foot plantings. This above everything else has helped to not have to thin much. I plant two or three seeds per hole so normally I have to remove one or maybe two per hole as compared to how grandpa taught me to sow and light rack then thin the heck out of the space.

Well i don't know if carrots will do anything. I have them in a 3x6 bed with asparagus. Got done making covering frames for 2 of my 4x4 beds to cover my brassicas and @Expat replied while i was covering them. Checked carrots and apparently 1 of the cats(probably white sox) decided to use the potty in the box, inturn tearing up half of the papper strips. Guna try the layer of cardboard like you do and see what happens.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I was wondering what fertilizer is best for small seedling tomato and pepper plants. Last year I used miracle grow in water and I think I didn't dilute it enough and/or just used too much. When they started to show signs of yellowing, I watered them heavy with water, then re-potted them. Most of them survived, but I lost a couple.

My plants are at the stage where I would like to feed, but I want to avoid making the same mistake. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[snapping turtle]

I was wondering what fertilizer is best for small seedling tomato and pepper plants. Last year I used miracle grow in water and I think I didn't dilute it enough and/or just used too much. When they started to show signs of yellowing, I watered them heavy with water, then re-potted them. Most of them survived, but I lost a couple.

My plants are at the stage where I would like to feed, but I want to avoid making the same mistake. Any advice would be appreciated.

If I can stand it I use fish fertilizer but Inside it can get stinky. I think it is just liquid 2-3-2 which I use at half strength Indoors because it smells at full strength. Liquid miracle grow works once again half strength mix.

When young they just need a little boost.most plants you do 't
Want to big before replanting the main exception is tomatoes as you can bury them deep or long and they root from the stem.

 

[gassprint1]

I was wondering what fertilizer is best for small seedling tomato and pepper plants. Last year I used miracle grow in water and I think I didn't dilute it enough and/or just used too much. When they started to show signs of yellowing, I watered them heavy with water, then re-potted them. Most of them survived, but I lost a couple.

My plants are at the stage where I would like to feed, but I want to avoid making the same mistake. Any advice would be appreciated.

I've never used or added fertilizer to starts being there is enough newts for 3 to 4 months in the soil used to start them. I use solo cups or the black starter cups you buy plants in and haven't had to transplant anything before going outside. Yellow from my personal experience has been from not enough water or poor lights. I used to use the cfl bulbs and then went to the led shop lites and for the last 3 years, i use the grow lights i found on Amazon. I used to do hydroponics and grow peppers inside for 2 years.

 

[snapping turtle]

I've never used or added fertilizer to starts being there is enough newts for 3 to 4 months in the soil used to start them. I use solo cups or the black starter cups you buy plants in and haven't had to transplant anything before going outside. Yellow from my personal experience has been from not enough water or poor lights. I used to use the cfl bulbs and then went to the led shop lites and for the last 3 years, i use the grow lights i found on Amazon. I used to do hydroponics and grow peppers inside for 2 years.

We sprout seeds in coconut core vermiculite mix. It has zero nutrients basically so when the first real leaves start I transplant to the solo cups in coconut core and potting soil mix.
I also hit it with neptunes harvest 2-4-1 organic fish fertilizer using house plant strength even though it stinks a bit.

And FOX59 weather tonight said that planting season can now start in full early (April 28 is my last frost date)

I think we can roll. Below is picture of one of 12 San Marzano and I have 11 Amish paste to go around also. Two Fourth of July tomatoes are already in and I will get a cucumber out soon and my sweet 100's cherry.

 

[Expat]

It is supposed to get down in mid 30’s tonight then warmer as far as the forecast shows. So I am going to look at tilling and planting my beans and corn as soon as the ground is dry enough.
The rest will go in a little later. I am still not brave enough to put out the really frost sensitive stuff.

 

[snapping turtle]

It is supposed to get down in mid 30’s tonight then warmer as far as the forecast shows. So I am going to look at tilling and planting my beans and corn as soon as the ground is dry enough.
The rest will go in a little later. I am still not brave enough to put out the really frost sensitive stuff.

 

[Expat]

And you are a couple hours south. Completely different. Probably 2+ weeks ahead.

 

[gassprint1]

It is supposed to get down in mid 30’s tonight then warmer as far as the forecast shows. So I am going to look at tilling and planting my beans and corn as soon as the ground is dry enough.
The rest will go in a little later. I am still not brave enough to put out the really frost sensitive stuff.

I did cover m6 brassicas a couple times when it was so close to 30 overnight. Gound out last night tge gf had cheated and turned the heat up the otger day when i was gone a couple hours..otherwise it has been a low brisk 60degrees in the house.
I haven't decided if i was guna till where i put tomatoes yet moving the cattle panel 3 feet over from when Matos were last year.

 

[indyblue]

So, last fall I was listening to wibc's home & garden show when they spoke to a rep for a bio science company where he described a new luminous houseplant the "Firefly Petunia". Supposedly created by splicing part of a gene from a luminous mushroom into the petunia. The plan was for them t go on sale and ship spring 2024.

Well, it's spring 2024 and I thought I'd take a chance and order one for my Master Gardener GF. Only $29 but $27 UPS shipping seemed salty. Got tracking number after 3 weeks and they arrived less than a week later.

In daylight they look like ordinary petite petunias. But at night or a dark room they are quite "Avatar" like. They emit a subtle, eerie glow from all parts of the plant but most prominently the flower petals, buds, and new growth.

Who'd a thought we'd see something right out of a sci-fi movie come to life so quickly?

Here's a 25 sec. exposure. I might try some longer exposures to see what I can capture.

 

[snapping turtle]

I guess everyone is busy planting out items.

 

[BigRed]

Beans are coming in well after only a week in the ground.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Planted potatoes last year up north and they did really well in that sandy soil. Tripled the size of the bed and put in 16 plants this April. At least a dozen are looking really nice.

 

[gassprint1]

Beans are coming in well after only a week in the ground.

I planted tomatoes and muskmellon last week of April. and week before i put the broccoli n cauliflower plants in. They are doing very well..Also did carrots. Carrots i just cannot for some reason get to sprout. Maybe it's the spot where i tried last 2 years..idk. guna try in another bed tomorrow. Other stuff is good. I made 2 attempts to sprout last years saved bell pepper seeds with no luck. Never had that happen. So it was basically too late to try a 3rd time, so i sprinkle hundred, maybe more, of seeds in the bed. Got nothing. Sad thing is, i do the same thing every year. Do seeds after saving from a 2nd years grow just go dormant?

 

[Expat]

Carrots sometimes will take 2-3 weeks to sprout, that’s why you can add some radish seeds with them, they help loosen the soil for the carrots.
some seeds don’t last long from what I’ve read, even just one year.

 

[snapping turtle]

beans and corn will be in maybe tonight. If not before Friday . Still have pumpkins watermelon and muskmellons to get in also.

 

[stocknup]

Our newly added arch for our beans ......

New strawberry bed in front , Peppers , tomatoes ,peas on the fence , sunflowers and spices

One of the onion beds , Broccoli , Kale , lettuce , more peas ......



Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic


A few carrots , Beets and Radishes ............the Mint bed behind


A couple more onion beds ..........




More tomatoes and cucumbers still to plant


Cabbage , Pumpkins , Zucchini and Squash still to plant .......