This year's seed starting did not go well. I started too late (early April) and tried to start the seeds in my kitchen bay window. I should have known...even though these windows are not as new as the ones in the rest of the house, they are modern windows. Remember my plight 2 years ago? So the seedlings didn't do well inside, and even when I put them outside I hesitated to put them in direct sunlight where the critters could make an easy meal of them. So, they hung out on my porch not doing too much.
My gardening buddy, Kim, took pity on me and gave me some of her leftover plants. She always does well with seed starting. I think her south-facing side porch helps! So I did have a couple of plants, but with all of the June rain and lack of sun, nothing was really doing well.
So, last weekend I bought some tomato plants from a local store to supplement my scrawny seedlings. All 'patio' varieties which were supposed to be more bushy with thick firm stems.
I took them home put them in soil mixed with composted sheep manure (ewe poo) in well drained pots.
I put them among all my other pots filled with veggies, flowers and herbs on the porch steps. Covered everything with bird netting to protect everything from the deer and 'Chucky' and went about my weekly business.
When my mom came to visit on Wednesday they were all DEAD! Probably a fungal infection of some sort, but I had to bring them back to the nursery and try again this weekend with new plants.
These are not "patio" plants, but hopefully will survive ok in the pots anyway.
Everything else has managed to survive in pots on the steps, even the broccolin and cauliflower were doing well until someone found them - that's why there's bird netting now.
The peppers even look like they are thriving.
Keep your fingers crossed for me. I can't imagine another summer with no tomato harvest - and neither can my son, Ronnie...
I'll keep you posted.
Showing posts with label seedstarting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seedstarting. Show all posts
I'm at it again - The Garden Experiment 2009
Last year was pretty pathetic, after initial success with the indoor seedlings and lettuce and garlic harvest, the groundhog (aka "Chucky") pretty much ruined things for me.
Every time I thought I'd managed to bar his way he found a new one. I had very little in the way harvest after the begining of July...mostly just basil.
This year, I had a sluggish start at planting indoor seeds and most things are still really small.
Around Mothers day I started a second batch of seeds in seedling containers, mostly herbs and flowers.
I also started some window boxes and flower pots using the SFG (square foot gardening) theory that you don't need more than 6" deapth of dirt to grow most things.
So, I've got radishes coming along in a window box on the porch rail, and transplanted, store-bought cauliflower and broccoli plants donated by my friend Kim, in large flower pots perched on the patio steps.
I did plant onion sets in the main garden, noting the big tunnel Chucky already dug...
And my husband purchased some mesh fencing that I need to lay around the outside of the garden to prevent Chucky's digging habits.
Yesterday I planted two topsy-turvy tomato hangers with seedlings (Amish Salad, and Prudence Purple varieties) provided by my best garden pal, Kim (of the broccoli and cabbage). And planted some bean seeds, both pole and bush in some more window boxes which I have on the cement patio next to the house. I also planted lettuce, broccoli rabe, and spinach seeds in window boxes on the porch railing. I also planted zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumber seeds in peat pots, in hopes that I'll be able to fill in the main garden at some point........
As you can probably tell, most of my plants are close to the house so far this year.
I am too tired of doing the work of gardening without reaping the rewards!!!
I'll try to keep a record of how it is going with the window box garden and take some pictures to post.
So far, the radish greens are lush and enticing, but no bulb of significance has formed.....
Every time I thought I'd managed to bar his way he found a new one. I had very little in the way harvest after the begining of July...mostly just basil.
This year, I had a sluggish start at planting indoor seeds and most things are still really small.
Around Mothers day I started a second batch of seeds in seedling containers, mostly herbs and flowers.
I also started some window boxes and flower pots using the SFG (square foot gardening) theory that you don't need more than 6" deapth of dirt to grow most things.
So, I've got radishes coming along in a window box on the porch rail, and transplanted, store-bought cauliflower and broccoli plants donated by my friend Kim, in large flower pots perched on the patio steps.
I did plant onion sets in the main garden, noting the big tunnel Chucky already dug...
And my husband purchased some mesh fencing that I need to lay around the outside of the garden to prevent Chucky's digging habits.
Yesterday I planted two topsy-turvy tomato hangers with seedlings (Amish Salad, and Prudence Purple varieties) provided by my best garden pal, Kim (of the broccoli and cabbage). And planted some bean seeds, both pole and bush in some more window boxes which I have on the cement patio next to the house. I also planted lettuce, broccoli rabe, and spinach seeds in window boxes on the porch railing. I also planted zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumber seeds in peat pots, in hopes that I'll be able to fill in the main garden at some point........
As you can probably tell, most of my plants are close to the house so far this year.
I am too tired of doing the work of gardening without reaping the rewards!!!
I'll try to keep a record of how it is going with the window box garden and take some pictures to post.
So far, the radish greens are lush and enticing, but no bulb of significance has formed.....
Transplanting 1
Yesterday I transplanted ALL of my tomato seedlings and some of my flower and herb seedlings. It was exhausting and dirty work.
Exhausting because I did it in my kitchen and because I tried to save as many tomatoes as I could...and I only lost 2 during the process. It seems as though the separation of even the tiniest of starts worked.
I have no pictures at the moment, because I was too tired to take them and my kids were yelling for dinner by the time I finished.
Right now, I have no place to put these plants once Mothers' Day rolls around and I can plant outside. The fenced in area that was home to my tomatoes and squash (and everything else) last year should not be a home for them again ghis year according to crop rotation guidelines, but right now I don't have the larger area I intend to use fenced in.
But that problem still has 4 weeks to get a resolution.
In another week or two I'll be doing the transplant shuffle on the peppers and eggplants, and probably more herbs and flowers.
Exhausting because I did it in my kitchen and because I tried to save as many tomatoes as I could...and I only lost 2 during the process. It seems as though the separation of even the tiniest of starts worked.
I have no pictures at the moment, because I was too tired to take them and my kids were yelling for dinner by the time I finished.
Right now, I have no place to put these plants once Mothers' Day rolls around and I can plant outside. The fenced in area that was home to my tomatoes and squash (and everything else) last year should not be a home for them again ghis year according to crop rotation guidelines, but right now I don't have the larger area I intend to use fenced in.
But that problem still has 4 weeks to get a resolution.
In another week or two I'll be doing the transplant shuffle on the peppers and eggplants, and probably more herbs and flowers.
Growing Challenge - Peas Plus Garden 2008 Update
OK - There's a lot to report, and pictures to go along with the reports, but it's been crazy couple of weeks, so I'm going to start posting and just add as I'm able.
For the Growing Challenge - I said I'd grow peas this year, and I planted them as my friend had advised "BY PADDY's Day" but I have seen NOTHING come up yet and am a little discouraged at this point.
Since I've planted about 6-8 new things, other than the peas, this year I will be ok to go forward no matter what...but I really want the peas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, in addition to the stuff K and I planted at the begining of March I've also planted more flowers and early crop veggies on my own. Right now all of the seeds have been sown in trays indoors except for the peas which were direct seeded outdoors.
(The plants in green type are new to my gardens)
The additional flowers are: coleus, cosmos, more marigolds, petunias, 2 sizes of sunflower & nicotania.
The additonal veggies are:
Cabbage, kholrabi, lettuce, arugula in addition to the earlier veggies.
This weekend I planted onion sets and shallots outside, and as soon as it gets warmer, there are LOTS of other new things to direct seed too.
So, K and I planted our tomatoes and peppers at the same time, but my peppers have taken their time germinating... as you can see in this picture, they are just starting to come up.
Back outdoors, the rhubarb patch is starting to show signs of life...but the asparagus is still a long ways off.
Also new this year - the tags I've made to label the seedlings (re)use strips of #5 plastic tubs that are not recycled around me. This includes yogurt containers, sour cream containers, margarine tubs etc.
For the Growing Challenge - I said I'd grow peas this year, and I planted them as my friend had advised "BY PADDY's Day" but I have seen NOTHING come up yet and am a little discouraged at this point.
Since I've planted about 6-8 new things, other than the peas, this year I will be ok to go forward no matter what...but I really want the peas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, in addition to the stuff K and I planted at the begining of March I've also planted more flowers and early crop veggies on my own. Right now all of the seeds have been sown in trays indoors except for the peas which were direct seeded outdoors.
(The plants in green type are new to my gardens)
The additional flowers are: coleus, cosmos, more marigolds, petunias, 2 sizes of sunflower & nicotania.
The additonal veggies are:
Cabbage, kholrabi, lettuce, arugula in addition to the earlier veggies.
This weekend I planted onion sets and shallots outside, and as soon as it gets warmer, there are LOTS of other new things to direct seed too.
So, K and I planted our tomatoes and peppers at the same time, but my peppers have taken their time germinating... as you can see in this picture, they are just starting to come up.
Back outdoors, the rhubarb patch is starting to show signs of life...but the asparagus is still a long ways off.
Also new this year - the tags I've made to label the seedlings (re)use strips of #5 plastic tubs that are not recycled around me. This includes yogurt containers, sour cream containers, margarine tubs etc.
Seed Starting 08
And then there were two.
For last year's seed starting, three of us got together....
Friend K who has the most green thumb of all and plants an enormous garden....she hosted the get-together, supplied the knowledge and some of the equipment....
Friend D and I who wanted to get stared in the gardening arena, but with far more modest plots.
This year...K, D and I got together for seed selection night, but since then, D found out that her well water is contaminated with arsenic and that there's a good chance her soil is as well...which leaves her with needing to haul in lots of soil to make raised beds and figuring out ways to water not involving her well...
I found seed-starter kits at the local Lowes that are window box size, so I bought a few of those to put in the kitchen windows - the only windows in the house which are not glazed, low-e.
The rest of the stars will go in the basement under a grow light.
We started all 9 varieties of tomato - the seeds we ordered and two I found at a local shop...
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Cabbage, Leeks, Sweet and Hot Peppers, Herbs - basil (5 varieties) Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel and Dill, and some flowers - Marigolds, & 4 o'Clocks.
I'll be starting additional flowers at home over the next few weeks.
For last year's seed starting, three of us got together....
Friend K who has the most green thumb of all and plants an enormous garden....she hosted the get-together, supplied the knowledge and some of the equipment....
Friend D and I who wanted to get stared in the gardening arena, but with far more modest plots.
This year...K, D and I got together for seed selection night, but since then, D found out that her well water is contaminated with arsenic and that there's a good chance her soil is as well...which leaves her with needing to haul in lots of soil to make raised beds and figuring out ways to water not involving her well...
I found seed-starter kits at the local Lowes that are window box size, so I bought a few of those to put in the kitchen windows - the only windows in the house which are not glazed, low-e.
The rest of the stars will go in the basement under a grow light.
We started all 9 varieties of tomato - the seeds we ordered and two I found at a local shop...
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Cabbage, Leeks, Sweet and Hot Peppers, Herbs - basil (5 varieties) Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel and Dill, and some flowers - Marigolds, & 4 o'Clocks.
I'll be starting additional flowers at home over the next few weeks.
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