Author Topic: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019  (Read 93675 times)

RetiredAt63

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Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« on: December 22, 2018, 08:08:10 AM »
I know we are not quite into 2019 yet, but I got my first seed catalogue in the mail, so it is officially the 2019 growing season!  You know, like cars, the 2019 models are already out.

Last year I got my overgrown garden under control.  This year I want to grow more food for storage, since I now have more space.  That means things like winter squash.

I also want to do more of my own seed saving, which means buying open pollinated and non Plant Variety Protected seeds.  I have also been reading about OSSI (Open Source Seed Initiative) and plan to buy some OSSI seeds.

Anyone else thinking about next summer's garden yet? 

CalBal

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2018, 09:50:53 AM »
Me! Me! I got my first seed catalog this past week too (Territorial)! I love looking at all the varieties. Although I do buy a few new varieties of things each year, I find I have sooooo many left over from previous years, and the seeds keep quite well that I try to restrict myself from only buying a few each year. Last year my new things were kohlrabi and sprouting purple broccoli, and corn! This year who knows! Maybe redventure celery? Thinking about doing some fun potato too, which would be a first for me. Possibly sunchokes. I like to grow things I can't easily get at the grocery store (if at all). I am thinking about getting a couple of dwarf cherries this year too. :O

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2018, 10:38:13 AM »
Me! Me! I got my first seed catalog this past week too (Territorial)! I love looking at all the varieties. Although I do buy a few new varieties of things each year, I find I have sooooo many left over from previous years, and the seeds keep quite well that I try to restrict myself from only buying a few each year. Last year my new things were kohlrabi and sprouting purple broccoli, and corn! This year who knows! Maybe redventure celery? Thinking about doing some fun potato too, which would be a first for me. Possibly sunchokes. I like to grow things I can't easily get at the grocery store (if at all). I am thinking about getting a couple of dwarf cherries this year too. :O


Mine was William Dam.  Founded by immigrants from Holland, so they have quite a few European vegetables.

I also have lots of seeds left over, but since I didn't do much gardening for a few years most of them are not great for germination rates.   I had been buying off seed racks the last few years because I was ordering so few seeds, but I find the quality isn't as good even at a garden centre.  I'm back to catalogue orders.  I also want to try ISSO seeds, which means hunting out really small seed companies, the kind that operate out of the kitchen.

I moved my cherry trees last fall, and they were a bit big for moving, so I am just hoping they survive the move and the weird winter we are having.  Cherries will be a bonus.  Gardening is always a gamble.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2018, 11:39:40 AM »
Yes!  I did a lot of work on my garden last month, so I should be able to grow a lot more in 2019.  I'm also interested in growing more for storage (onions, spaghetti squash, corn for cornmeal, maybe have another go at growing dried beans).  I planted about 200 garlic cloves around the edge of one of the new beds.

Seeds already ordered from Pinetree and Baker Creek.  I will probably begin the seed-starting process in February. 

In the winter I like to make "seed mats" by gluing carrot, beet and radish seeds to single-ply paper towels with Elmer's glue.  Makes succession planting easy in the spring when I'm otherwise too busy to be bothered.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2018, 01:00:23 PM »
Following.
2018 was great for tomatoes and cucumbers! A complete disappointing disaster for jalapenos and bells - bushes were strong (topped them after 3rd knot) but almost no peppers.. WTF? Any ideas what could have happened?? Bells - don't even want to talk about it. Banana peppers were OK, but also on low side

krmit

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2018, 02:45:12 PM »
Following!

I bought a house this year, so have a brand new gardening space to whip into shape. Rehabilitating two 4x8 beds and one 4x4 bed, as well as deciding where all my potted perennials are going to go come spring. Really enjoying the planning process.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2018, 02:56:25 PM »
Following.
2018 was great for tomatoes and cucumbers! A complete disappointing disaster for jalapenos and bells - bushes were strong (topped them after 3rd knot) but almost no peppers.. WTF? Any ideas what could have happened?? Bells - don't even want to talk about it. Banana peppers were OK, but also on low side

I don't know why I even bother growing bell peppers.  I always swear it's the last time, then I find seeds and start them the next spring anyway.   I get peppers, but they are mostly small, and only a couple ripen just at the time they're dirt cheap in the store.  Some of the pointed sweet peppers seem to fare better than the bell types.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2018, 03:34:37 PM »
Following.
2018 was great for tomatoes and cucumbers! A complete disappointing disaster for jalapenos and bells - bushes were strong (topped them after 3rd knot) but almost no peppers.. WTF? Any ideas what could have happened?? Bells - don't even want to talk about it. Banana peppers were OK, but also on low side

I don't know why I even bother growing bell peppers.  I always swear it's the last time, then I find seeds and start them the next spring anyway.   I get peppers, but they are mostly small, and only a couple ripen just at the time they're dirt cheap in the store.  Some of the pointed sweet peppers seem to fare better than the bell types.

Last summer was the first year I had good red sweet peppers.  It was super hot and we had no rain for a month (I watered), I think that helped.  They came in waves, I  think there was a long period where it was too hot at night and the pollination didn't take.  That let the first batch ripen, and then the second batch of babies also did well.  It may also have been the variety - I got these at a garden club plant sale and don't what variety they were.  Most years planting them is a triumph of optimism over experience.  The basil in the same bed also did really well, I have enough dried basil to easily get me through the winter and spring.

happy

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2018, 03:41:56 AM »
Its mid summer here, and in spite of life happening, I have a modest vege and herb garden, currently yielding a trickle of beans, lettuce, silverbeet, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and a small variety of herbs.. The parsley, shallots and leeks have all gone to seed. I'm hoping 2019 will see a major increase in production.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2018, 06:32:16 AM »
Its mid summer here, and in spite of life happening, I have a modest vege and herb garden, currently yielding a trickle of beans, lettuce, silverbeet, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and a small variety of herbs.. The parsley, shallots and leeks have all gone to seed. I'm hoping 2019 will see a major increase in production.

Are you in a warm enough area that you can have a winter garden and a summer garden?  Or far enough south that winter really is winter?  I read  about southern American (US, not the continent of South America) gardeners and pacific coast gardeners who can have both, and feel a bit of envy.  But then I realise my nice cold winters kill a lot of garden pests and mean a lot of others only have one generation a year, so maybe my garden situation is not so bad.   ;-)

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2018, 03:39:10 PM »
I put together a seed wish list, but I have more than I need so I'm making myself wait.  I am debating on trying winter sowing again, but I can never seem to get it together. 

Following.
2018 was great for tomatoes and cucumbers! A complete disappointing disaster for jalapenos and bells - bushes were strong (topped them after 3rd knot) but almost no peppers.. WTF? Any ideas what could have happened?? Bells - don't even want to talk about it. Banana peppers were OK, but also on low side

Do you fertilize at all?  If so, don't.  Peppers thrive on neglect and the nitrogen will make them grow like weeds, but produce nothing.  I stopped using seaweed fertilizer on my peppers and I finally got a good harvest. 

Trifle

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #11 on: December 24, 2018, 07:08:28 AM »
I'm in!  Got my first seed catalog the other day -- Seed Savers Exchange.  My favorite -- love those guys. 

Major plans this year include an 8 foot deer fence around our vegetable garden.  Last year we focused on perennials, including berries, grapes, and fruit trees.  This year, with the help of that deer fence I will go full steam ahead on vegetables again, including some fennel and beans from my friend @Indio.  :) 

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #12 on: December 24, 2018, 01:13:02 PM »
PTF for ideas. I have a serious case of black thumb, but I want to start growing some of my own veggies/herbs (just in case the zombiepocalyse happens ;) ). I'm looking into purchasing an indoors kit (Aggressively Organic looks good), rather than something outside though.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #13 on: December 24, 2018, 06:17:59 PM »
Has anyone used LED grow lights?

I'd like to get one more fixture for seed starting.  I like my T5 fixtures, but the price on LEDs has come down, so thinking they may get be a good option.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #14 on: December 24, 2018, 07:16:48 PM »
Has anyone used LED grow lights?

I'd like to get one more fixture for seed starting.  I like my T5 fixtures, but the price on LEDs has come down, so thinking they may get be a good option.

Not  yet.  I did switch from the old tubes to the newer ones, basically because you can't get replacement ballasts for the old ones anymore. I researched K values and got ones that seemed appropriate, now I forget what they were.  But the plants like them.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #15 on: December 26, 2018, 12:54:16 PM »
Me! Me! I got my first seed catalog this past week too (Territorial)! I love looking at all the varieties. Although I do buy a few new varieties of things each year, I find I have sooooo many left over from previous years, and the seeds keep quite well that I try to restrict myself from only buying a few each year. Last year my new things were kohlrabi and sprouting purple broccoli, and corn! This year who knows! Maybe redventure celery? Thinking about doing some fun potato too, which would be a first for me. Possibly sunchokes. I like to grow things I can't easily get at the grocery store (if at all). I am thinking about getting a couple of dwarf cherries this year too. :O

I got the same catalog and placed an order today. It’s my annual birthday gift to myself. I did order some of that sprouting purple broccoli seed!

I’ve tried the redaventure celery before and wasn’t pleased. It takes forever to grow and is very demanding in terms of water. I have lovage now instead- it’s stronger flavored and a perennial. I use it in cooking so the stronger flavor is just fine.

I try to add an edible perennial or two each year. This year’s picks included the small kiwi and two huckleberry plants. I have the perfect spaces for both.  Oh and I did buy asparagus crowns- the ones at the local nursery always look like moldy crap. So I guess that’s three for this year.

New seeds this year include butterbaby squash and a collard variety. Last year I started some cardoon and those are overwintering just fine in pdx.

I’m already growing greens in the basement- tired of the lettuce recalls! I have lights set up already anyway so I figured I’d start a few trays every 2 weeks. The mustards, kale and chard from a few weeks ago is not quite baby size yet- definitely well past micro but not quite but enough to harvest much.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #16 on: December 26, 2018, 01:04:46 PM »
PTF for ideas. I have a serious case of black thumb, but I want to start growing some of my own veggies/herbs (just in case the zombiepocalyse happens ;) ). I'm looking into purchasing an indoors kit (Aggressively Organic looks good), rather than something outside though.

I looked up the aggressively organic. Didn’t look for the price but they are using a growth medium and fertilizer, which they presumably sell you at some amount of $.

I think it depends on what you want to grow inside, and how much you want to spend. I buy a few new seed packets each year (those last for at least 5 years, since I’m not growing the whole packet at once) and reuse my pots. Some stuff like tomatoes and peppers I start indoors but it all gets shifted outdoors as spring progresses. Other than an occasional bag of soil and a few packets of seed, my annual costs are pretty small. It rains a lot here, so water is less of a concern. I also keep chickens, which provide an amazing fertilizer if you don’t mind waiting for it to compost for a year. (I am adding a couple of edible perennials each year, but I’m really talking about the cost of annual veggies!)

Anyway, lots of folks on this thread could help if you give us an idea of what you want to grow!

krmit

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #17 on: December 26, 2018, 01:12:29 PM »
Mr. krmit got me a seed warming mat for Christmas!  I had been concerned about the ability of seeds to germinate well in an unheated garage, so I'm very excited to try it out in a month or two.

More advanced gardeners, would you say that kohlrabi or cabbage is more challenging to grow? Trying to finalize my seed order...

CalBal

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #18 on: December 26, 2018, 01:16:08 PM »
I've not grown "head" cabbage (if that's what you mean?) but kohlrabi and cabbage are the same species, just different varieties selected for different things. I have grown kohlrabi and it is fun because I rarely see it in the store. You can eat the leaves of kohlrabi just like other cruciform crops, I usually saute them. I didn't find it difficult, and you don't have to worry about getting it to "head" before it bolts.

CalBal

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #19 on: December 26, 2018, 01:17:27 PM »
I’ve tried the redaventure celery before and wasn’t pleased. It takes forever to grow and is very demanding in terms of water. I have lovage now instead- it’s stronger flavored and a perennial. I use it in cooking so the stronger flavor is just fine.

I knew celery took forever (like 270 days or something ridiculous!) but I hadn't thought about water. If lovage can be substituted in cooked things, maybe I will try that instead!

krmit

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #20 on: December 26, 2018, 01:26:52 PM »
@CalBal Thanks! I've attempted fall cabbage in containers with somewhat disappointing results, especially considering how cheap it gets at the farmer's market this time of year. Might be a more rewarding use of space to attempt the unusual.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #21 on: December 26, 2018, 01:27:58 PM »
Lovage does get reallllly tall. It produces seeds but here in the maritime PNW the seeds won’t grow new plants so it stays in one place and doesn’t tend to get much larger around once it’s mature.. They need cold treatment to sprout and it just doesn’t get cold enough. I’ve successfully propagated from seed, but really most folks don’t need more than one plant.

CalBal

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #22 on: December 26, 2018, 01:47:23 PM »
@CalBal Thanks! I've attempted fall cabbage in containers with somewhat disappointing results, especially considering how cheap it gets at the farmer's market this time of year. Might be a more rewarding use of space to attempt the unusual.
That's what I figure. :) One thing I learned is you don't want to wait too long to harvest for the actual "kholrabi" part of the plant (the bulbous part of the plant at the base) or it will get woody. I've been told softball size is good. You can eat the leaves after that though still if you miss it, until it bolts.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #23 on: December 26, 2018, 08:45:20 PM »
I tried the Redventure celery once several years ago and was also disappointed.  Maybe I didn't water it enough, but it was bitter and stringy.  This year I'm trying Chinese pink celery.   Sounds promising - it will go in the part of the garden that gets the overspray from the lawn, so watering shouldn't be a problem.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #24 on: December 26, 2018, 09:19:06 PM »
Last year, we had our best crop yet, but I want to do better this year with what I've learned. I ordered equipment to do my own canning so we should be able to make jam from our strawberry patch and blackberry plants. I want a lot more carrots, onions, and peppers for stews and I want to grow a lot more of my own herbs. The garden will be significantly larger this year, so hopefully I can make this happen.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #25 on: December 27, 2018, 02:12:28 AM »
One new thing I'm trying this year is a 'tea garden' -- plants for herbal teas.  So far I've got on the list:  various mints including catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, and stevia.  Maybe lemon grass? I was surprised to read that lavender can be drunk as tea -- interesting.  I would think it would smell like you were drinking soap?  (I associate the smell of lavender with soap or dishwashing detergent).  Anyway I've grown lavender before and it's beautiful, so I'll include it. 

I'll set aside a section of the garden and just plant a bunch of things -- see what's what.  if anyone has any ideas let me know! 

CalBal

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #26 on: December 27, 2018, 07:42:40 AM »
One new thing I'm trying this year is a 'tea garden' -- plants for herbal teas.  So far I've got on the list:  various mints including catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, and stevia.  Maybe lemon grass? I was surprised to read that lavender can be drunk as tea -- interesting.  I would think it would smell like you were drinking soap?  (I associate the smell of lavender with soap or dishwashing detergent).  Anyway I've grown lavender before and it's beautiful, so I'll include it. 

I'll set aside a section of the garden and just plant a bunch of things -- see what's what.  if anyone has any ideas let me know!

I have a lavender earl grey tea and it is *lovely*. Not herbal, I know, but a data point for lavender in tea.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #27 on: December 27, 2018, 07:49:06 AM »
One new thing I'm trying this year is a 'tea garden' -- plants for herbal teas.  So far I've got on the list:  various mints including catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, and stevia.  Maybe lemon grass? I was surprised to read that lavender can be drunk as tea -- interesting.  I would think it would smell like you were drinking soap?  (I associate the smell of lavender with soap or dishwashing detergent).  Anyway I've grown lavender before and it's beautiful, so I'll include it. 


Same!  We're try to inch ourselves away from relying on commercial products to growing / making our own, and coffee is a big area for me to tackle (my husband doesn't care for the stuff, lucky bastard!).   I'm hoping that adding some tea plants to our existing garden will help me break the habit.  Right now, I'm thinking mint, lemon balm, and chamomile.  Maybe lavender too, if we can swing it.  Not necessarily for tea, but as a cooking spice.  Stevia would be cool too.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #28 on: December 27, 2018, 08:29:04 AM »

I got the same catalog and placed an order today. It’s my annual birthday gift to myself. I did order some of that sprouting purple broccoli seed!

<edit>

Please tell me how you get on with that.  I cannot get it to flower.

I’ve tried the redaventure celery before and wasn’t pleased. It takes forever to grow and is very demanding in terms of water. I have lovage now instead- it’s stronger flavored and a perennial. I use it in cooking so the stronger flavor is just fine.

I knew celery took forever (like 270 days or something ridiculous!) but I hadn't thought about water. If lovage can be substituted in cooked things, maybe I will try that instead!

I started to get my celery fix at the grocery store.  I purchase one organic celery (bulb attached), eat the celery, plant the bulb uncovered, and I'll get a continuous harvest of celery as long as it has sufficient water. 

nessness

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #29 on: December 27, 2018, 08:36:21 AM »
I'm in! Last year was my first year gardening. It went pretty well but this year I want to plan my garden better to maximize space and prep my raised beds a little better to hopefully improve productivity, plus try a couple new plants.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #30 on: December 27, 2018, 09:56:45 AM »
I'm curious whether I can grow a decent garden using only dollar store seeds. Anybody ever tried that? The seeds I've seen are all heirloom varieties.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #31 on: December 27, 2018, 10:14:09 AM »
I'm curious whether I can grow a decent garden using only dollar store seeds. Anybody ever tried that? The seeds I've seen are all heirloom varieties.

If they grow in your area and you have the right light requirements for the plant, then it’ll work. You might have to do a little googling to figure out when are the right times to plant each seed. For example, you can’t plant zucchini in the midst of heavy spring rains and cool weather and expect them to grow.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #32 on: December 27, 2018, 11:45:00 AM »
@Trifele a friend just posted her "wellness tea" blend on FB, here are the ingredients she uses:  Nettles, oatstraw, mint, lemon balm, rose, chamomile, red clover, and calendula.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #33 on: December 27, 2018, 06:37:00 PM »
I'm curious whether I can grow a decent garden using only dollar store seeds. Anybody ever tried that? The seeds I've seen are all heirloom varieties.

You can! I get my heirloom tomato starts from my sister & brother in law (free, but I pay them back in homemade jams). I buy squash (zucchini & yellow crookneck heritage) from Dollar tree & direct sow it with some soil amendments (compost from our local recycling facility, free for anyone with a container & a shovel). I have successfully planted Dollar tree version Alaska bush peas and a container of Dollar tree sweet basil & Thai basil.

Trifle

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #34 on: December 28, 2018, 05:40:50 AM »
@Trifele a friend just posted her "wellness tea" blend on FB, here are the ingredients she uses:  Nettles, oatstraw, mint, lemon balm, rose, chamomile, red clover, and calendula.

Thanks @horsepoor!  I can easily do nettles, rose, and clover -- I'll add them to the list.  I already have loads of roses; they grow like weeds here.  I'll have to move some inside the new fence though -- the deer eat roses like candy.  I'm amazed that they survive the heavy browsing year to year.  Calendula and oatstraw I'll have to research . . .

Thanks for the comment on lavender @CalBal -- good to know! I had no idea. 

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #35 on: December 30, 2018, 08:10:14 PM »
I'm on board with this challenge!  My husband and I have a 4 x 10 balcony, so pretty limited space, but in the past we've grown tomatoes, hot peppers, lettuce, and all kinds of herbs.  We didn't do anything out there this year because the summer was so rainy here, but we're determined to grow some respectable edibles in 2019.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #36 on: December 30, 2018, 08:25:36 PM »
I'm in!  We recently had the contaminated soil in our yard removed so this is the year where we will have clean soil delivered and will finally be able to have our own food garden!  It's a huge and daunting task because right now our yard is just rock and rubble. One thing at a time.

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #37 on: December 31, 2018, 07:50:12 AM »
Following!
Just finally got some deer fence up last November, so this year I should be able to plant something without having it instantly eaten. This place was an estate sale so the deer got used to using it as a highway.
I'm looking forward to re-trying the Volovske squash from The Scatterseed Project https://www.scatterseedproject.org/available-seeds. It's supposed to be naked seed AND good to eat AND the shell is thick enough to use for bowls.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #38 on: December 31, 2018, 09:20:17 AM »
Following!
Just finally got some deer fence up last November, so this year I should be able to plant something without having it instantly eaten. This place was an estate sale so the deer got used to using it as a highway.
I'm looking forward to re-trying the Volovske squash from The Scatterseed Project https://www.scatterseedproject.org/available-seeds. It's supposed to be naked seed AND good to eat AND the shell is thick enough to use for bowls.

That sounds like a good squash - let us know how it does?   And how many seeds you get for your $5? I wonder how easy the seeds are to save.

Indio

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #39 on: January 01, 2019, 07:58:56 AM »
 

In the winter I like to make "seed mats" by gluing carrot, beet and radish seeds to single-ply paper towels with Elmer's glue.  Makes succession planting easy in the spring when I'm otherwise too busy to be bothered.

@horsepoor I love the seed mat idea. I've made them using toilet paper and a mixture of flour water paste to hold seeds in place. It takes time, but it's a fun activity when it's snowing outside.

I've also done a lot of experimentation with indoor grow lights. Started with T5's and T8's, but didn't like how many expensive bulbs I had to replace in a growing season.

Fell in love with red/blue LEDs. Getting the light spectrum for leafing and flowering stages is key. I've got 3 of these light panels - > MAIICY LED Grow Lights 45W, UV IR LED Plant Grow Lights 225 LEDs for Indoor Greenhouse Hydroponic Plants Growing and Flowering

Have used them for the 3 years without losing a bulb. I've toyed with the idea of trying to make my own light panel, but life got in the way, though I'm sure it is doable.

Indio

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #40 on: January 01, 2019, 08:09:18 AM »
A few years ago I started an aquaponics experiment using a spare backyard stock tank. Gave up on the project when a raccoon jumped into the tank and left 15 headless tilapia on my back steps. Now I'm more proficient with electric fencing and can protect the tank better so I think I will start it up again this year. I haven't decided if I want to do tilapia again or try shrimp. Need to research how quickly shrimp grow. The aquaponics grow bed was about 30" x 30" and 12" deep. I had 3 squash and 1 tomato plant growing in it and they were huge and prolific.

Last year, I grew Moringa but didn't start it early enough so that will be one another one of my growing goals.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #41 on: January 01, 2019, 09:34:01 AM »
@Indio glad to hear you like the LEDs.  I have my eye on a set of 4 17" blue/red LED strips for $40 from Amazon.  I have some old shop lights, so it would be nice to retrofit the LEDs into those reflectors.  Flo tubes are expensive to replace, which makes the LEDs even more attractive, assuming they retain their spectrum output fairly well.

Basenji

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #42 on: January 06, 2019, 12:51:16 PM »
Following, gonna see what seeds I have and start planning my beds.

nessness

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #43 on: January 07, 2019, 01:37:46 PM »
Chicken people: I've noticed a fairly large percentage of my chickens' eggs have had blood spots lately. I know this isn't a concern for eating the eggs, but could it be a concern for my chickens' health, like maybe they're not getting enough calcium?

(I hope chicken questions are allowed in this thread - you all were such a help to me in last year's thread).

chaskavitch

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #44 on: January 07, 2019, 02:54:45 PM »
Chicken people: I've noticed a fairly large percentage of my chickens' eggs have had blood spots lately. I know this isn't a concern for eating the eggs, but could it be a concern for my chickens' health, like maybe they're not getting enough calcium?

(I hope chicken questions are allowed in this thread - you all were such a help to me in last year's thread).

I am also interested in the answer to this.

On another chicken related note - why aren't my spring chickens laying anymore?  It's been super nice in CO lately, and we have 6 new chickens we added to our 4 three year olds this year, and we have gotten ZERO eggs for the last week.  They just all decided to boycott at the same time.  I'm very sad.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #45 on: January 07, 2019, 03:43:05 PM »
Chicken people: I've noticed a fairly large percentage of my chickens' eggs have had blood spots lately. I know this isn't a concern for eating the eggs, but could it be a concern for my chickens' health, like maybe they're not getting enough calcium?

(I hope chicken questions are allowed in this thread - you all were such a help to me in last year's thread).

I am also interested in the answer to this.

On another chicken related note - why aren't my spring chickens laying anymore?  It's been super nice in CO lately, and we have 6 new chickens we added to our 4 three year olds this year, and we have gotten ZERO eggs for the last week.  They just all decided to boycott at the same time.  I'm very sad.

Possibilities: Daylength - are you giving them extra lights?  Molting - they don't lay while they are molting.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #46 on: January 07, 2019, 04:19:10 PM »
Molting takes a lot of protein. You can switch them over to a grower feed instead of a layer feed until their combs/wattles turn bright red again. If you just got the hens this past spring (2018) and they are under a year, they may not go through a full molt.

Chickens also need about 14 hours of daylight to produce an egg, so production drops off dramatically in the winter months. Mine typically pick up again in February. I don’t do supplemental lights- I let their natural cycle just complete. Some folks add supplemental light. I give them a break.

Stress will temporarily stop laying in some hens. Attacks, changes in housing and changes in flock make up can all play a role in stress.

Indio

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #47 on: January 07, 2019, 04:22:55 PM »
@chaskavitch Chickens need a lot of exposure to light in order to lay. I have a single LED bulb on a timer in my coop to ensure that we get some eggs during the Winter. The timer is set to go on at 4:00am and off at 8. The girls have enough space to walk around and eat till the coop door opens at 7am, without getting fussy at each other. This way hens get about 12 hrs of light exposure a day. In my experience, it doesn't have to be sunlight or bright light, just any kind of light to stimulate egg laying.

We went away over the holidays and the bulb stopped working. After 2 weeks off from increased light, it's taking them a long time to ramp back up the egg production. Will remember to ask our chicken watcher if she got eggs next time.

I don't think molting is the problem for your 2018 spring chicks because they usually don't molt until they are about 18 months old. Always find lots of feathers flying around the yard in the Fall due to molting.

@nessness Not sure about blood spots, but it seems to happen mostly in eggs from my heavy breed hens. If the spots are big, I don't use them.

Vasilisa

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #48 on: January 09, 2019, 04:13:10 PM »
Hey gardeners! Garden is still producing here in Central Coast California land. Been harvesting greens (kale, arugula, collards, pea shoots) and planting onions, garlic, and a few flowers for bouquets. I'll have to measure our beds one of these days to get an idea on square footage.

Have a bunch of popcorn we harvested and am wondering if there's an easy way to tell if it's "ready" to be popped and any tips for shucking it easily (besides buying a tool I'll use once a year).

I also love looking through those seed and plant catalogs (Pinetree being the one I order from the most often). I don't have the best seed starting area anymore- goal for this year!

nessness

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Re: Planting/Growing Your Own 2019
« Reply #49 on: January 09, 2019, 04:38:39 PM »
Thanks @Indio . I did some googling and various articles mention diet, breed, chicken age, and egg age (eggs can absorb the spots over time) as factors in blood spot frequency, but none of it seemed to be of concern, so I won't worry about it anymore.