Gardeners in the Asylum

[jjirons69]

No problems with weed or grass seed in the clippings. Initially I was worried about it, too, but there's been nothing to worry about. Go for it!

[shilala]

We have a few flats of tomatoes and peppers started in the greenhouse I put up in the basement. They're doing great, should be big and strong when it comes time to put them out to harden.

Grass clippings are great if they're used in a balance. Jamie has a big garden, small amount of clippings, and he uses leaves and other organic matter to mulch.
Folks with raised beds tend to put a whole garbage bag of clippings around one plant. It's great for the first year because the grass doesn't break down so much. The following year there's so much free nitrogen that plants grow huge and fruit very little.
Go easy on the grass clippings, B. A little is great, too much is not great.

[Mr B]

Thanks Jamie
Thanks Scott

[363]

It's not very pretty but the wife and I put our 1st garden together this year. We planted zucchini, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We are also growing strawberries in a container on the porch. I think some moving around may be done before all is finalized but it is a good start I think.

[Mr B]

Very nice Brendon. Good luck!

[Mark C]

My tomato plants are starting to get too big, I'm afraid they'll be root bound before the nights are warm here, but don't have room to pot up. They're in 3" pots now, 6-8" tall and growing fast.

Anyone use "wall o' water" or similar season extenders? Our temps are likely to be in the 60s during the day and 40s at night for the next few weeks. Historical average evening temp of 55 isn't until mid-May. Thoughts?

[shade]

Originally Posted by Mark C

My tomato plants are starting to get too big, I'm afraid they'll be root bound before the nights are warm here, but don't have room to pot up. They're in 3" pots now, 6-8" tall and growing fast.

Anyone use "wall o' water" or similar season extenders? Our temps are likely to be in the 60s during the day and 40s at night for the next few weeks. Historical average evening temp of 55 isn't until mid-May. Thoughts?

Quite a few Mennonite families around here use the 'wall-o-water' with great results. Usually have the first tomatoes in our area. I see a lot of gallon milk containers with the bottoms cut out also. Much cheaper route if you have lots of plants.

I planted some habarneros, and two tomatoes plants the other day, but in an area that is well protected, and has it's own micro-climate. Still, with temps predicted in the mid to upper 30s tomorrow night I'll have to cover them.

[jjirons69]

Mark, I just use an inverted 5 gallon bucket when I need a night's protection.

I wouldn't worry too much about the size of the tomatoes. Tall, lanky ones will be fine. Dig a trench and plant as much of the stem as you can leaving a few set of leaves above ground. The stem will grow roots along itself when buried - a good thing.

[SvilleKid]

Here's the start for 2013. I still have to place my soaker hoses and mulch. And I'm waiting for some sweet taters to put out some "slips" to plant those. Otherwise, it's all in the ground. Zucchini, pink-eyed purple-hull peas, three types of watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, yellow squash, onions, peppers, three types of tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, red potatoes, green beans and corn. Maybe that will keep me busy.

[Mr B]

Love your plot man. Everything by seed?

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Love your plot man. Everything by seed?

No, the far end has starter plants of Tomato, Peppers, cabbage, broccoli. Potatoes are from leftover runt potatoes of last years crop (how I usually do it). The sweet taters slips are being sprouted from runts left over from last year's crop also. The onions are actually still growing from where I planted them last fall/early winter. The melons, squash and corn are from seeds purchased at a local co-op. One pound bag of seed will usually last me 3 seasons on corn, as will 1 ounce envelope of melon seeds. The peas, butterpeas and green bean seed are taken from dried pods of last years crops, and seem to work as well as buying new ones. All seeds are stored in a chest type freezer all year except for a day or two when they are taken out to warm up and plant,

[Mr B]

Nice

[Mr B]

Here are some pics of what is outside already. I still have alot of stuff under the lights, in the house. I started everything by seed this year.



Here is my early season raised-bed.

Onions, Beets, Red Chard, Spinach, Boc Choy, Broccoli, Butter Lettuce.

[Mr B]

This is more of the stuff I have moved out doors to Harden-Off.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Mark C

My tomato plants are starting to get too big, I'm afraid they'll be root bound before the nights are warm here, but don't have room to pot up. They're in 3" pots now, 6-8" tall and growing fast.

Anyone use "wall o' water" or similar season extenders? Our temps are likely to be in the 60s during the day and 40s at night for the next few weeks. Historical average evening temp of 55 isn't until mid-May. Thoughts?

I used to have a pile of them. They work great.
If the plants grow out the top and get nipped by frost, you just lop them off. It's got to be a very hard frost for them to get nipped, even outside the wall0water.
I started cukes in them, too. We had a very short season in PA and they were a big help to get some early stuff.

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by shilala

I used to have a pile of them. They work great.
If the plants grow out the top and get nipped by frost, you just lop them off. It's got to be a very hard frost for them to get nipped, even outside the wall0water.
I started cukes in them, too. We had a very short season in PA and they were a big help to get some early stuff.

I'm on the southern border of PA, so that helps. Glad to hear they work, they'll be delivered on Friday

[jjirons69]

Great start, B!

[Mr B]

I am having problems with Leaf Miners (first time ever) in my Chard, Spinach and Beet leaves.
What Non-Toixic methods do you guys use for these?

[Mr B]

Here's whats under the Plastic Lean-to, hardening off.









I am building another raised bed. This one is 14' x 4' x 18" high.
This is 1 of 2 halves. They will be joined together and a 1/2" threaded rod will go in the mid-cross section to keep it from bowing apart. Its upside down right now. The long legs will go in the ground. I will update the status as I go.

[jjirons69]

This damned gardening is hard work!!