Author Topic: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017  (Read 105625 times)

G-dog

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Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« on: March 04, 2017, 02:34:29 PM »
OK - let's get this party started!

What are you growing this year?
Trying anything new this year?
What did you learn from past years?
Best tips to pass along.
Having problems?

Poundwise

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2017, 02:48:28 PM »
- tomatoes, peppers, basil, lettuce so far, but I have seeds fore every occasion
- I'm going to try to get some new soil in my garden so I can have a real garden!  Also I'm going to leave one fruit each on the new little apple trees I planted last year...
- I learned that I have to water consistently in the summer!  I thought that shade would keep the soil moist, but it's dry shade and all my shrubs died.
- You don't have to plant all the seeds in the packet and then thin.  Plant just what you need. Or, if your seeds are old, start them in baggies or indoors first, and then set the seedlings out later. Square foot gardening is great!
- Yes, see my post in DIY about contaminated soil!

Rural

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2017, 03:50:43 PM »

 Here we go! I have tomatoes sprouting outside in raised beds already. These may survive; we're a long way from last frost historically here, but it's been a weird spring, and this raised bed is right against the south side of the house we are set up for passive solar heat gain anyway.


Tomorrow, I'm planting lettuces and spinach in our atrium, which stays even warmer because it's south and enclosed  on three sides.  I probably should have planted there about mid February, but I'll get a cutting or two before they bolt.

Tris Prior

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2017, 04:51:23 PM »
Posting to follow! My community garden org's seed swap - AKA help yourself to shittons of free seeds! - is tomorrow and I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement. So I figure I'll be starting seeds tomorrow when I come home from that.

Even better news: in a month we're moving to an apartment with full-sun garden space that I will be allowed to plant things in. I need to verify with the landlords that they don't use pesticides on the existing ornamentals that are planted nearby though, before I start sticking stuff in the ground there.

In my community garden bed, assuming everything made it through the winter (we're not allowed in until late April so cannot check), I should have:
-dwarf raspberry
-dwarf blueberry
-3 strawberries
-oregano
-thyme
-chives
-garlic
-chocolate mint, which I attempted to overwinter in a container so it doesn't take over the bed. I have never successfully overwintered anything in a container so we'll see.

I'll be adding lettuce, spinach, chard, onions, dill, basil when it gets warm enough (may just leave that in containers; our spring can be fickle here), sugar snap peas, lots of tomatoes, and peppers. I'm thinking I'll cut down a bit on the tomatoes this year and put more peppers in their place. I did well with the mini pepper varieties last year.

Beyond that, I'll be growing whatever I find at the swap that looks interesting. I kind of want to try something new this year but am not sure what. Maybe some new herbs? I have failed repeatedly, every time, at anything in the squash family so I think I'm done trying.

Eggplant is out this year, I've grown it twice and realized that I just don't like it that much. (Pretty sure I've still got some in my freezer from last summer!) Best to use that space for something I'll eat, since I only have the 1 raised bed and whatever space I'll have in the backyard.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2017, 04:54:29 PM by Tris Prior »

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2017, 05:16:20 PM »
Do many of you use inoculated (Rhizobium sp.) when planting peas? We will try it this year. Along with planting the peas much earlier - tomorrow. We haven't had much luck with peas (or any early spring plant). Thus may be the year!

We've had trouble growing radishes, carrots, beers and the like. We get tops, but the roots don't fill out. My spouse may be pulling them too early, but still there is very poor development.

I've already got some seeds started - three tomato varieties, jalapeño peppers, beans, one cabbage (planted 3 seed each of 2 varieties - got one seedling), and some marigolds for borders.

We've grown lots of tomatoes and peppers for several years. We need to back off this year to allow some rotation and recovery. Though I doubt my spouse can resist ....




horsepoor

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2017, 09:28:46 PM »
Posting to follow.

I've innoculated pea seeds before, but don't bother anymore because I didn't notice a difference.

Starting my seeds and direct sowing some things tomorrow.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2017, 10:08:18 PM »
Ooohhh....shiny new thread for 2017!

A lovely day spent in the garden today...the sun came out, and because of my garden's location in the middle of a forest glade which traps the sun's heat and blocks a lot of the wind...it warmed up enough to work in just a t-shirt and jeans.

In the ground, as of today....peas, radishes, arugula, corn salad, spinach, mustard greens...overwintered Swiss chard and kale look a little worse for wear, but I expect them to perk up. Garlic planted last Fall is looking good...though I wish I had planted more. I'm even got some Brussel sprouts plants still producing.

I do worry about lots of wood (pill) bugs lurking about...one of the big downsides of having leaf/straw mulch covering my beds is that it gives these little b*stards a place to hang out all winter, munching on the decomposing matter. We will see if they go to town on my little seedlings as they emerge this year. I suspect this is what happened to my spinach crop last year....or...the soil pH was too high. This is only my 3rd year of gardening....still TONS to learn. This process of learning things completely new to me has been great fun and suprisingly rewarding.

Within days I will be getting a bunch of things started indoors....and I want to build more wood-sided raised beds. Import some high quality topsoil. Really thinking about a small greenhouse too.

At some point I will post a list of everything I'm going to grow (or at least ATTEMPT) this year. It is a big list...and it has gotten bigger again this year. I've been told this is a common occurance in the life of a vegetable gardener. I'm finding restraint difficult. :) I worry about this...my current garden occupies a small corner of a 5 acre lot...there is far too much room to expand. I don't want this to EVER feel like a job. Been there, done that. ;)

Here's hopin' that everyone has success this year!




FerrumB5

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2017, 10:41:33 PM »
Following

oneyear

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2017, 03:27:29 AM »
Spent yesterday building fences and prepping for our first year hop production. Harvested some rhubarb and leeks that were ready also. First of the year and worth the wait. This year it's: potatoes, onions, peas, rhubarb, strawberries, hops, garlic, sweetcorn, plums, pears, apples and an array of herbs.

Trifle

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2017, 06:44:37 AM »
Hey all

-On tap again this year:  Kale, chard, spinach, asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, leeks, onions, cukes, beans.  I will try white potatoes again, however last year the slugs destroyed them.  First time I've ever had a potato crop fail.

-New this year (We just moved to this property last year, so this is only a second year garden): planting perrenials such as blueberries, raspberries, sorrel, cherry trees.

-Today:  I'm starting peppers in my indoor grow cabinet.  I'm filling a new raised bed that DH made for me (yay!)  I'm going to try a 'hugelkultur' type thing, with rotten wood in the bottom of the bed, compost and soil on top of that.  I've gardened in raised beds for many years, but have never done any hugelkultur experiments. 

All in all -- very excited about 2017.  Still learning how to garden in this new climate.   
 

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2017, 06:49:49 AM »
Can you tell us more about hugelkultur? What advantages or logic behind it?

A friend used to grow potatoes by putting down layers of newspaper, potato starts, then cobpvering with straw. That might discourage slugs. In fact I think straw is supposed to discourage the little bastards.

Cranky

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2017, 06:49:56 AM »
I'm resisting the temptation to start any seeds before 4/1, but last week's nice weather did lead to some yard clean up work. The herbs are all in good shape, and I've even got a little kale that wintered over.

I should buy some onion sets next week.

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2017, 06:58:09 AM »
I'm resisting the temptation to start any seeds before 4/1, but last week's nice weather did lead to some yard clean up work. The herbs are all in good shape, and I've even got a little kale that wintered over.

I should buy some onion sets next week.

It's hard to wait though!

KMMK

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2017, 07:39:39 AM »
I have a yard this year but not sure how much time I'll have and it needs a lot of soil prep. I'm thinking two small areas - a raised bed in the front yard and a small patch in the back. Maybe 4' by 4'. (And expand each year.)
I think I'll focus on greens that I can use a lot of, can freeze and are expensive to buy: kale, spinach, turnip, chard. Maybe two zucchini plants. Short growing season here so things like tomatoes and peppers would take more effort than I can commit to right now.

Mezzie

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2017, 07:51:21 AM »
My plan:
Various lettuces
Strawberries
Basil
Thai basil (this one already started)
Thyme
Rosemary
Sage (I've started this one as well)
Cilanreo
Italian parsley
Curly parsely
Chard
Spinach
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Various squash
Onion
Garlic
Cucumber
Saffron

I kill most plants, so we'll see how I do! I'm also planting a milkweed garden for endangered monarch butterflies.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #15 on: March 05, 2017, 08:51:27 AM »
Can you tell us more about hugelkultur? What advantages or logic behind it?


Once the wood gets nice and rotted it acts like a big sponge that holds and releases moisture all summer.  Large, established hugulkultur beds ofthen don't need to be watered at all in summer.  I've set up three in raised beds, but the rotting process is going slowly, so I don't seem to be recognizing the benefits just yet.  They are traditionally just stacked wood and soil, but that can be a little impractical for regular backyards.  https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/many-benefits-hugelkultur

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #16 on: March 05, 2017, 08:57:27 AM »
Can you tell us more about hugelkultur? What advantages or logic behind it?


Once the wood gets nice and rotted it acts like a big sponge that holds and releases moisture all summer.  Large, established hugulkultur beds ofthen don't need to be watered at all in summer.  I've set up three in raised beds, but the rotting process is going slowly, so I don't seem to be recognizing the benefits just yet.  They are traditionally just stacked wood and soil, but that can be a little impractical for regular backyards.  https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/many-benefits-hugelkultur

Thanks! I imagine you have to be careful what wood you use, e.g. untreated, or type of wood (hardwood vs. softwood, etc.)

horsepoor

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #17 on: March 05, 2017, 09:26:01 AM »
Can you tell us more about hugelkultur? What advantages or logic behind it?


Once the wood gets nice and rotted it acts like a big sponge that holds and releases moisture all summer.  Large, established hugulkultur beds ofthen don't need to be watered at all in summer.  I've set up three in raised beds, but the rotting process is going slowly, so I don't seem to be recognizing the benefits just yet.  They are traditionally just stacked wood and soil, but that can be a little impractical for regular backyards.  https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/many-benefits-hugelkultur

Thanks! I imagine you have to be careful what wood you use, e.g. untreated, or type of wood (hardwood vs. softwood, etc.)

Yes, you would only want to use raw wood.  Also, I've read that brassicas don't appreciate hugakultur beds because of all the fungal activity in the soil, so that's one limitation to be aware of.  I used Russian elm because we've been cutting them off our property, but softwood would probably break down faster.

Trifle

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2017, 11:48:38 AM »
Horsepoor, you beat me to it.  :)   Yep, at our new house we found a pile of old cut firewood that had rotted, so I am using it to fill in the bottommost layer of this big new raised bed I have.   It's supposed to hold moisture and please all the micro- and macroscopic critters in the soil.  The name 'hugelkultur" means "hill culture" in German.  The classic way to do it (see link provided by Horsepoor) is to actually pile the wood up above the ground (the "hill").  What I'm doing is just an experiment.  Figure it can't hurt, and it might be really good.  Gotta put something in there after all.   

Tris Prior

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #19 on: March 05, 2017, 02:06:06 PM »
Back from the seed swap..... and, I've no idea where I'm going to put all of these goodies. :D Yes, I went a bit overboard, but hey, it was all free. Lots of greens, tomatoes, herbs, peppers. Only things I wanted and didn't find were rosemary and mini sweet peppers.

I need to google some of the tomato varieties I got; some weren't in their original packets and I just grabbed them because their names sounded interesting.

10dollarsatatime

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #20 on: March 05, 2017, 05:33:25 PM »
I haven't started my garden planning yet.  I'm doing the whole30, accidentally discovered that peppers are a trigger for me, and figured I should go full AIP to see what nightshades I was OK with.  Losing peppers saved me 30 row feet right off the bat.  If I lose tomatoes, I don't know what I'm going to fill this garden with.

I know for sure that I'll be planting sweet potatoes, and hopefully I'll be ok with my purple potatoes as well.  Spaghetti, SweetMeat, and Delicata winter squashes, along with a couple of zucchini plants will be going in.  I'll probably do rows of kohlrabi, rutabegas, carrots, and turnips.  Should they prove to not be a trigger, I'll plant green beans, sweet peas, and heirloom red runner beans.  I had been doing corn, but still have jars from two years ago that I canned and never ate.  With the new room in the garden, I may try some brassicas... cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower... I've never had much luck keeping the pests away from those, though.

Waiting to see what I can eat without ill effect is frustrating.  I'm usually planning the garden by this time of year...

SAfAmBrit

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #21 on: March 05, 2017, 09:06:37 PM »
I currently have mostly herbs growing right now- chives, mint, basil, flat leaf parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, scallion and peas. I just harvested my cauliflower - and will be planting my tomatoes next week. I have not had a lot of luck here - forget to water 1 day in 115 deg F weather and everything dies! I am definitely going to try garlic this year!

Trifle

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #22 on: March 06, 2017, 04:38:10 AM »
I haven't started my garden planning yet.  I'm doing the whole30, accidentally discovered that peppers are a trigger for me, and figured I should go full AIP to see what nightshades I was OK with.

Waiting to see what I can eat without ill effect is frustrating.  I'm usually planning the garden by this time of year...

Hey TenDollars -- I'm doing the Whole30 as well, to try to get a better handle on my food allergies.  I have Oral Allergy Syndrome, Birch group, diagnosed many years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_allergy_syndrome   

Peppers are supposed to be a Birch group trigger, but I've always eaten them without any immediate effects  . . . But I've been having some mystery hives lately that I haven't been able to pin down.  I'm going to eliminate peppers on the W30 and then see what happens.  I LOVE peppers and really hope I don't lose them.  I will be devastated if I lose tomatoes too . . . 


asauer

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #23 on: March 06, 2017, 05:22:11 AM »
We will grow: kale, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos (we make hot sauce for xmas gifts), patio eggplant, cupcake squash, strawberries, carrots, beets, figs, blackberries, blueberries, pickling cucumbers and tons of herbs (we make our own herbal teas). 

New this year are the patio eggplants and cupcake squash- very excited to try.

Back this year are 4th of July tomatoes.  These things are incredibly easy to grow, prolific and germinate wonderfully.

No winter squash this year. Every year we've had terrible squash bugs and it's just not worth the space to try again. : (

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #24 on: March 06, 2017, 06:36:24 AM »
We've had trouble with squash bugs too! Ugly smelly bastards. Usually on zucchini. We had some luck with zucchini last year, I think because we got them in earlier and avoided early insect pressure.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #25 on: March 06, 2017, 10:18:09 AM »
I have a bit of spare time this morning....so while sipping my coffee...my GROW LIST.

Arugula - already planted
Beans - (soya, bush, pole)
Beets - (Red Ace, Detriot Supreme)
Broccoli - (Everest, Gypsy)
Brussels sprouts (Roodnerf)
cabbage - (Charmant, Copenhagen Market, Early Jersey Wakfield, Super Red) I love cabbage guys. :)
Carrots - (Danvers, Canada, Imperator)
Cauliflower - (Amazing, Snow Crown) For some reason, I didn't know you were supposed to fold the leaves over the "head". Will do that this year.
Corn Salad - already planted...then it SNOWED. :(
Cucumbers (Patio Snacker, Green Dragon, Lemon, Pickles!) Going to really get into pickling these.
Garlic
Horseradish - learning to preserve this was a highlight of last season
Kale
Kohlrabi  - I saw this in the seed catalogue and thought it looked funky...why not give it a shot?
Lettuce - too many varieties to list
Mint - this stuff is EVERYWHERE
Mustard greens - planted a few days ago.
Onions - (Alica Craig, Walla Walla, Red Wing)
Pac choi - planted
Parsley - same as the Mint
Peas - snap, snow...if there is one thing I can count on..it is PEAS. Planted some already.
Peppers - really need a greenhouse to do these justice, but still worth doing with current setup
Quinoa - excited to try this for the first time
Spinach - (Olympia, Samish) Didn't work last year...trying again.
Squash - (Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti)
Swiss chard - so easy to grow
Tomatoes - too many types to list. But Sungold's picked off the vine are one of life's true gifts. :)
Zucchini

That's it for now...I reserve the right to add to the list. :)






G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #26 on: March 06, 2017, 10:52:51 AM »
Horseradish is almost impossible to eradicate - and it spreads. So be careful where you put it. It won't look like much this year, but you'll have a nice surprise next year. The foliage reminds me of Jurassic Park environs!

Jon - How did you preserve it? The typical way (grate and acidify)?

Jon_Snow

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #27 on: March 06, 2017, 11:00:02 AM »
Horseradish is almost impossible to eradicate - and it spreads. So be careful where you put it. It won't look like much this year, but you'll have a nice surprise next year. The foliage reminds me of Jurassic Park environs!

Jon - How did you preserve it? The typical way (grate and acidify)?

I was warned of this when I bought the first package of horseradish roots...I took proper heed and it has it's own separate area away from most everything else. I'm actually hoping it spreads...in a way I can manage. :)

Nothing fancy to preserve it....yes, just grate it up, some salt and vinegar. Ate a ton over a few weeks, froze a bunch. I need to learn how to preserve it the "pressure seal" way so I can really stock up on it.

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #28 on: March 06, 2017, 12:20:41 PM »
Woooooooooo gardening! There's still a foot of snow on the ground here, but I got antsy and have so far started peppers, tomatoes, scallions. We've got indoor grow lights and a shelf system rigged up this year so hopefully no leggy seedlings. It's our first full gardening season in the new house (got possession start of summer last year) so we've definitely got a lot of work to do - we're planning on doing raised beds in the south-facing, hottest part of the yard, and continue growing more shade tolerant crops in the garden already established to the west of the house.

We're also hoping to remove some of the overgrown/neglected perennials/trees (ew lilacs) and replacing them with fruit trees (apples, saskatoons, haskaps.)

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #29 on: March 06, 2017, 12:23:08 PM »
Horseradish is coming up (actually spotted it more than a week ago), and rhubarb is coming up.  And I think one garlic leftover from last year, fell off when harvesting, so I just covered it back up.

And dandelions, and creepy charley...

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #30 on: March 06, 2017, 02:47:18 PM »
I have a couple of bags of sprouted potatoes.  What stops me from just planting them and seeing what comes up (apart from my contaminated soil, that is?) I seem to recall some warnings about plant viruses...?

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #31 on: March 06, 2017, 05:10:12 PM »
I planted peas today. And some romaine. The packet advises doing staggered plantings for romaine. I planted another lettuce in a container.

We are supposed to get some rain tonight. I hope that will help get these started.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2017, 08:21:22 PM by G-dog »

horsepoor

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #32 on: March 06, 2017, 07:47:13 PM »
I have a couple of bags of sprouted potatoes.  What stops me from just planting them and seeing what comes up (apart from my contaminated soil, that is?) I seem to recall some warnings about plant viruses...?

I do this.  No apparent problems so far.

Today I seeded two 72-cell flats with 10 varieties of tomatoes, about 100 pepper plants and three kinds of eggplant.  Somehow I don't have any Opalka tomato seeds, though I was sure I'd ordered a new packet.  They are my prime canning tomato, so I'll be ordering new seeds and starting ~10 of those.  In cups I started broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, collards and several kinds of onions.  Peas went in a plastic baggie with a wet paper towel to sprout, and will go out in the garden in a few days.  Also hoping to plant out carrots, radishes, beets, spinach, lettuce, chard and parsnips this weekend.  My purple sweet potato harvest is still in pretty good shape, so I'll start some new plants from slips, and find a nice orange yam to use for slips as well.

Rural

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #33 on: March 06, 2017, 08:26:09 PM »
Today I planted spinach, lettuce, chard, and thyme.

FerrumB5

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #34 on: March 06, 2017, 08:28:19 PM »
I have a couple of bags of sprouted potatoes.  What stops me from just planting them and seeing what comes up (apart from my contaminated soil, that is?) I seem to recall some warnings about plant viruses...?

What do you mean? it is the best potato to be planted - with sprouts! (I don't do it here in the US, but we did it for many many years overseas)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #35 on: March 07, 2017, 02:48:37 AM »
At the moment:
- 2 stems of spring union that are growing new green bits out of them.
- 2 pieces of fresh coriander with a root, planted in a pot. 1 died, the other 1 is growing.
- 1 avocado stone buried in a pot now gives a nice plant. I don't expect it to really give new avocados, but it is nice to have created a new plant for free.
- Grape bushes in the garden, trying to survive the winter. An attempt to make new plants by planting the stems did not work.
- Lots of blueberry bushes in the garden. They were there when we bought the house.
- Some edible mushrooms in the garden. I will try this summer/autumn to shake out my favorite forest mushrooms in the garden to sow them.

Trifle

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #36 on: March 07, 2017, 03:53:06 AM »
I have a couple of bags of sprouted potatoes.  What stops me from just planting them and seeing what comes up (apart from my contaminated soil, that is?) I seem to recall some warnings about plant viruses...?

What do you mean? it is the best potato to be planted - with sprouts! (I don't do it here in the US, but we did it for many many years overseas)

I think she means is it safe to plant potatoes that have been sprayed with anti-sprouting chemicals.  In the US all grocery store potatoes are sprayed after harvest, unless they are labeled "Organic".   Of course if you buy organic potatoes and they sprout -- that's a good thing.

@Poundwise -- I haven't ever planted sprayed potatoes that are sprouting.  I guess I assume they won't be as vigorous as non-sprayed spuds(?)  Plus it's so easy to just buy organic ones. 

« Last Edit: March 07, 2017, 05:43:39 AM by Trifele »

Trifle

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #37 on: March 07, 2017, 03:55:10 AM »
At the moment:
- 2 stems of spring union that are growing new green bits out of them.
- 2 pieces of fresh coriander with a root, planted in a pot. 1 died, the other 1 is growing.
- 1 avocado stone buried in a pot now gives a nice plant. I don't expect it to really give new avocados, but it is nice to have created a new plant for free.
- Grape bushes in the garden, trying to survive the winter. An attempt to make new plants by planting the stems did not work.
- Lots of blueberry bushes in the garden. They were there when we bought the house.
- Some edible mushrooms in the garden. I will try this summer/autumn to shake out my favorite forest mushrooms in the garden to sow them.

That's cool, Linda.  I've never grown mushrooms, but would like to try.  I'll have to read up on that.  Not sure if we have the right conditions.

asauer

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #38 on: March 07, 2017, 05:51:17 AM »
We've had trouble with squash bugs too! Ugly smelly bastards. Usually on zucchini. We had some luck with zucchini last year, I think because we got them in earlier and avoided early insect pressure.
I'm hoping our cupcake squash does well since it's not out in the garden as long as a winter squash is.  Crossing fingers.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #39 on: March 07, 2017, 06:46:41 AM »
That's cool, Linda.  I've never grown mushrooms, but would like to try.  I'll have to read up on that.  Not sure if we have the right conditions.

I guess you would need to adapt the mushrooms to your kind of garden. My garden looks like our local forest, so I can try to sow Cantharellus and Russula. If you have a grassy lane, you could try Agaricus. There are several wild varieties that grow on grass.

I have heard of people successfully sowing Cantharellus in their garden. When the mushroom is ripe, is will loosen it's spore's. You can see this if you leave a mushroom on a sheet of (coloured) paper overnight. The only thing I don't know is whether it is enough with the spores from 1 mushroom or whether you need somelike like a male and a female.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #40 on: March 07, 2017, 07:03:37 AM »
I am going to plant
beets
beans
cukes
zukes
greens -lettuce, kale, chard, mustard, arugula
potatoes
tomatoes
peas
basil
dill
parsley
cilantro
and flowers - lots of flowers to brighten my garden.

Some greens are planted in the greenhouse already.  Will start the tomatoes on the weekend.
I am excited about the potential

I tried growing shitake mushrooms but some creature kept eating the spawn plugs.  Spent 70 bucks and four hours drilling the holes and many minutes watering and checking and got nadda.  It was so disappointing.

My six maple trees are tapped and the sap was running slowly yesterday. 

recklesslysober

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #41 on: March 07, 2017, 01:11:33 PM »
We have a tiny apartment balcony but I'm giving container growing a shot, mostly herbs to start - basil, cilantro, oregano, chives, parsley, arugula, and spinach.

FerrumB5

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #42 on: March 07, 2017, 06:50:33 PM »
We have a tiny apartment balcony but I'm giving container growing a shot, mostly herbs to start - basil, cilantro, oregano, chives, parsley, arugula, and spinach.

Don't waste time on chives. Buy a bunch of store green onions, use greens as desired, and stick the white parts with tiny roots into dirt. You will never need to buy green onions again. Tested. Much faster than from seeds

recklesslysober

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #43 on: March 07, 2017, 06:58:37 PM »
We have a tiny apartment balcony but I'm giving container growing a shot, mostly herbs to start - basil, cilantro, oregano, chives, parsley, arugula, and spinach.

Don't waste time on chives. Buy a bunch of store green onions, use greens as desired, and stick the white parts with tiny roots into dirt. You will never need to buy green onions again. Tested. Much faster than from seeds

Thanks but I actually like the taste of chives way better than green onions so I'm going to try with seeds. If it doesn't work out I'll switch back to green onions.

evensjw

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #44 on: March 07, 2017, 07:08:16 PM »
What are you growing this year?

Tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, some kind of greens.

Trying anything new this year?

I have walking onions that I planted last fall, but will harvest this year, which I haven't done before.  Except the chickens got in and tore them up a bit.  Hoping something survived.

What did you learn from past years?

Tomatoes are going in the front yard this year, not enough sun out back.  I've given up on squash, too many squash beetles.

Best tips to pass along.

Get ducks for weed control

Having problems?

Don't get chickens, their scratching is too destructive.

FerrumB5

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #45 on: March 07, 2017, 07:12:06 PM »
We have a tiny apartment balcony but I'm giving container growing a shot, mostly herbs to start - basil, cilantro, oregano, chives, parsley, arugula, and spinach.

Don't waste time on chives. Buy a bunch of store green onions, use greens as desired, and stick the white parts with tiny roots into dirt. You will never need to buy green onions again. Tested. Much faster than from seeds

Thanks but I actually like the taste of chives way better than green onions so I'm going to try with seeds. If it doesn't work out I'll switch back to green onions.

Ah (we have both chives and scallions)! In this case you are set for years (if they start) - chives are perennials.

G-dog

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #46 on: March 07, 2017, 07:24:22 PM »
A friend of mine cannot garden - the chickens destroy just about everything!

FerrumB5

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #47 on: March 07, 2017, 07:30:27 PM »
A friend of mine cannot garden - the chickens destroy just about everything!

I have bunnies + squirrels + birds problem. They destroyed my peas completely last year and ate my best tomatoes (how do they know, really!?) But when they tried my jalapenos - it was just one bite and escape :)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #48 on: March 07, 2017, 11:22:52 PM »
The vegetable leftovers are doning very well.
The spring unions stems have gotten 5 cm of green growing out of it. The garlic is getting a 10cm long green leave. And the coriander is looking good.
Yesterday I put a sellery stem in water to see whether it will start growing roots.

Tris Prior

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Re: Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017
« Reply #49 on: March 08, 2017, 08:44:34 AM »
This morning I had two tiny arugula sprouts! Hooray!

 

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