Author Topic: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020  (Read 61627 times)

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #350 on: April 21, 2020, 01:18:51 PM »
I have a community garden plot!!!  Now we just have to persuade the powers that be that these are safe to open.  BC has opened theirs.  There are Covid19 guidelines that we would need to agree to.  But the plots are large enough that we should certainly be able to manage social distancing.

Just started my pepper seeds in anticipation.  Too soon for tomatoes.

raincoast

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #351 on: April 21, 2020, 02:35:30 PM »
I have a community garden plot!!!  Now we just have to persuade the powers that be that these are safe to open.  BC has opened theirs.  There are Covid19 guidelines that we would need to agree to.  But the plots are large enough that we should certainly be able to manage social distancing.

Just started my pepper seeds in anticipation.  Too soon for tomatoes.

BC's COVID shutdown has been much more relaxed than Ontario's. The garden centres and greenhouses are still allowed to open. The government seems to want us all to go outside.

Cgbg

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #352 on: April 22, 2020, 09:04:30 AM »
Harvesting kale seeds is relatively easy- the flowers bloom and the pods leftover from the blooms dry. If you can easily open the pods and the seeds come popping out, that’s the perfect time. If you have to scrape the seeds out then it’s too soon.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #353 on: April 22, 2020, 09:46:01 AM »
Harvesting kale seeds is relatively easy- the flowers bloom and the pods leftover from the blooms dry. If you can easily open the pods and the seeds come popping out, that’s the perfect time. If you have to scrape the seeds out then it’s too soon.

Thanks for this. I’m going to give it a try.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #354 on: April 23, 2020, 08:54:30 AM »
BC's COVID shutdown has been much more relaxed than Ontario's. The garden centres and greenhouses are still allowed to open. The government seems to want us all to go outside.
Being active outside a couple hours a day is good for health. As long as people maintain social distancing the risk of spreading disease is quite low. I haven't heard of any health professional saying that outdoor public spaces should be closed.

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #355 on: April 24, 2020, 07:22:14 AM »
Just a happy picture from our place.  This is our alpha hen, a 4 year old Crested Cream Legbar.  She is only about 3 pounds soaking wet, but she is in charge.  It's funny to see huge hens just doing as they're told.  All she has to do is look at them sideways.  Our young rooster treats her like the queen that she is.  She's probably the best chicken we've ever had -- ultra smart, friendly, sensible.   CCLs don't lay nearly as many eggs as some breeds, but if you don't care about that they are wonderful. 

If you look closely you'll see that she only has two toes on her right foot.  She developed a very bad case of bumblefoot last year and had to have half her foot amputated.  We normally provide our own chicken healthcare, but this was a special situation for a special hen, so we happily ponied up the vet care cost.  It was a long recovery, and I changed her bandages and dressed her wound many dozens of times.  She was patient, sweet and appreciative through the whole thing.  What a gem. 

 

Eowyn_MI

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #356 on: April 24, 2020, 09:32:15 AM »
Just a happy picture from our place.  This is our alpha hen, a 4 year old Crested Cream Legbar.  She is only about 3 pounds soaking wet, but she is in charge.  It's funny to see huge hens just doing as they're told.  All she has to do is look at them sideways.  Our young rooster treats her like the queen that she is.  She's probably the best chicken we've ever had -- ultra smart, friendly, sensible.   CCLs don't lay nearly as many eggs as some breeds, but if you don't care about that they are wonderful. 

She is really pretty!!  I'm glad she survived the foot operation.

Does she lay blue eggs?  Are all Cream Legbars that small or just the crested ones?

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #357 on: April 24, 2020, 10:15:45 AM »
Just a happy picture from our place.  This is our alpha hen, a 4 year old Crested Cream Legbar.  She is only about 3 pounds soaking wet, but she is in charge.  It's funny to see huge hens just doing as they're told.  All she has to do is look at them sideways.  Our young rooster treats her like the queen that she is.  She's probably the best chicken we've ever had -- ultra smart, friendly, sensible.   CCLs don't lay nearly as many eggs as some breeds, but if you don't care about that they are wonderful. 

She is really pretty!!  I'm glad she survived the foot operation.

Does she lay blue eggs?  Are all Cream Legbars that small or just the crested ones?

Yes she does lay pretty blue eggs.  I'm not sure about that!  We have three CCLs and they are all that size, but it does seem a bit small.  They all came from the the same local breeder, so it could be just her breeding flock that's small.

This breed also isn't supposed to go broody, but two of our three are.  This hen, the leader, isn't broody but she manages the laying and the chick rearing for the flock.  It's super interesting watching her work -- she patrols inside the coop every day.

When she first returned to the flock after being crated for three months last year (recuperating from surgery) she marched straight into the coop to see what was going on.  We had two hens at the time that had been brooding for far too long.  We had tried to break them (because we didn't want any chicks just then, and there is no point in them doing it unnecessarily).  Where we had failed, she succeeded.   She assessed the situation, had "a talk" with them, and both were up and broken within an hour.  I saw one of the "talks" -- with a 9 pound Brahma hen -- and she never even had to touch her or raise her voice.  The Brahma just got the message and got up. 





Indio

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #358 on: April 27, 2020, 03:10:06 PM »
@Trifele That's a beautiful CLB. My new one seems to be on the small side compared to the other pullets the same age. Hope she can hold her own against the RIR chicks that will be joining the flock a few weeks after the first batch of chicks are acclimated.

After such a mild winter, it's disappointing to have such a wet and chilly April in zone 6b. Wasn't able to get much done outside over the weekend, even though every day is a weekend for me now.

Was trying to come up with another way besides liquid fertilizer to encourage a growth spurt for the basement seedlings. About 5 days ago, I decided to top dress 12 tomato seedlings with vermicompost to see if that would provide the plants additional energy. I'm going to give it about 10 days and decide if I should add it to the other seedlings. Next year I may mix up my own batch of seedling mix because the plants seem as if they are growing very slowly this year.

On rainy days, I've been watching "homesteading/cooking/gardening" videos by Liziqi, a chinese youtuber, with my Gen Z family members. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoC47do520os_4DBMEFGg4A
While youtube access is restricted in China, these idealized, highly edited and produced views of farming life contain some good ideas. I especially like the beautiful bamboo fence around the family compound.
 


MudPuppy

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #359 on: April 29, 2020, 01:53:19 PM »
I have some LED full spectrum bulbs in a standard lamp to boost a houseplant in a darker corner of my house. I got them at home depot. Or do you mean something more like this?


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Professional-Plant-Growing-Light-Photosynthesis-Lamp-LED-Clip-Plant-Growth-Light-Timed-5-Modes-Adjustable-Lighting/880142477?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=18988

Indio

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #360 on: April 29, 2020, 08:12:39 PM »
@Tinker

I use these LED lights from Amazon. They are $21.99

45W LED Grow Light, UNIFUN New Light Plant Bulbs Plant Growing Bulb for Hydroponic Aquatic Indoor Plants

I've had them about 4 years and haven't had a problem. The T5 bulbs on the first set of grow lights I used are always burning out and are expensive to replace, but these are still working.

Dee_the_third

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #361 on: April 29, 2020, 09:55:00 PM »
Lol Indio I've been doing the same. I recognize that it's borderline fiction but it's just so soothing!

I've been trying to figure out if it's even possibly for her to grow all the stuff that she harvest on camera. It's gotta be warmer than like zone 7, there's citrus and pineapple(?) at one point. But there's also snow at some points. And somehow she grows ginger outdoors?

TomTX

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #362 on: April 30, 2020, 06:28:44 PM »
Ugh. It's going to get disgustingly hot in a few days. 36C. I hope the garden can take it.

Trudie

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #363 on: May 03, 2020, 12:44:37 AM »
Does anyone here dig and bury veg scraps to compost?  I’m looking for a super simple way to compost waste.

Also, pistachios are our snack of choice these days.  Any good uses for the shells?

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #364 on: May 03, 2020, 08:07:17 AM »
Yesterday was a big day in my garden.
First off - I harvested 0.5lbs of shiitake mushrooms from the one little log I inoculated ages ago.  I think this is the fourth time they have flushed.
I also was able to make dinner with garlic, potatoes, scallions and kale from my garden.  And the greenhouse crops are coming along nicely.  Should be harvesting more buttercrunch lettuce than I can use.
With the lockdown I have gotten back into sprouting and the kids are loving the crunchy bean mix.  The bag of seeds is nearly gone.

I transplanted rhubarb that was now in deep shade to my veggie patch at the neighbours.
The onions and kale that I was too sick to harvest last fall have come back strong so we are able to eat fresh from the garden less than a month since our last snowfall.

I decided to plant seeds in the ground- the earliest I have ever tried.  So far in the ground:  fava, arugula, raddicchio, bok choi, snow and two types shelling peas, more kale, swiss chard, radish, five types of lettuce (small patches for lots of variety), dill, parsely, all the onions I didn't use this winter and spinach.  I am just so excited about my garden this year.  My kids and partner are starting to mock my enthusiasm.

The seedlings under grow lights are coming along.  I decided to start some beans and soup peas under lights to get them going and then as soon as they are up I will move them to the greenhouse.  It is about a month before frost free, but I am going to put them in the ground in two weeks under floating row covers.  I have never tried orca beans or green split peas, but I just love garden experiments!  Eggplant (2 types), peppers (4 types), tomatoes (15 types), leeks are coming along nicely now.

It is going to be 20C today but tomorrow night -3C.  Gotta pace myself.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #365 on: May 03, 2020, 08:27:31 AM »
FL, your gardening sounds wonderful.  It is warm here but we are forecast for flurries next weekend!?!?!?  At night I am guessing, highs of 5, lows of 0 and 1.  Spring seems to be toying with us.

TomTX

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #366 on: May 03, 2020, 03:41:21 PM »
Does anyone here dig and bury veg scraps to compost?  I’m looking for a super simple way to compost waste.

I just throw them in the compost heap.

horsepoor

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #367 on: May 03, 2020, 11:18:26 PM »
This was a big gardening weekend here too.  I put 22 tomato plants in the ground today.  I'm sure I'll regret it when I'm canning in September.  I think 19 was my previous high number of plants.  Also put in 15 cauliflower and a couple cabbages, broccoli and about 50 onions and 25 shallots. Still lots of leek and red onion seedlings to get in over the next few days. Next weekend I'll probably get the cucurbit seedlings in the ground as well as 3 kinds of basil, Fortex beans, okra, eggplant and about 75 pepper seedlings.  It's looking like we'll be able to harvest lettuce next weekend, and kale, collards and chard in 2-3 weeks.

Root vegetable germination has been pretty poor.  I just took another run at carrots, putting a board over them this time, and seem to have better emergence.  Now to keep those little buggers alive.  Hopefully I can get some more beet seeds in the ground and do another planting of radishes.  Not sure if it was seed predation or cool soils, because being stuck at home, I've been much more consistent than usual with watering.

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #368 on: May 04, 2020, 05:05:53 AM »
Does anyone here dig and bury veg scraps to compost?  I’m looking for a super simple way to compost waste.

@Trudie, yes my dad did it this way sometimes.  He would dig a shallow trench where he planned to plant the following spring, and bury the raw compost.  For this to work you have to  be able to wait awhile (maybe 3-6 months) because it's risky to plant on top of raw compost that hasn't broken down enough yet.  Might make the plants unhappy or worse.


This was a big gardening weekend here too.  I put 22 tomato plants in the ground today.  I'm sure I'll regret it when I'm canning in September. 

Same here @horsepoor -- I just finished planting way too many tomatoes (24).  I got seriously carried away.  Last year we were swimming in them from only 8 plants.  I'm really in for it this year.  Time to buy a lot more jars. 

I also have broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, turnips, peppers, pak choi, chard, and kale going.  Tonight I'm planting the last spring crops -- peas and beans.  We had a slightly cool spring f(last freeze was two weeks after the average) so I'm just getting to those now. 

My challenge right now is some herbs I'm trying to grow from seed.  The mints are being really difficult.  Sometimes they won't sprout, and then if they sprout they die.   If anyone has done this, please give me pointers!   


YttriumNitrate

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #369 on: May 04, 2020, 06:08:50 AM »
Here in Indiana, I'm in the midst of grafting my fruit trees. I've slowly grafting over a god-awful Bradford pear over the last few years to turn it into something useful. Currently, it's about 20% edible pear (Bosc/D'Anjou/Bartlett) and I'm really hoping that this will be the year I'm hoping to get it closer to 80%. As of the last weekend in April, about 30 new grafts were done on the tree. 

This past weekend was all about grafting American persimmons, and next weekend starts the pawpaw grafting.

Dee_the_third

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #370 on: May 04, 2020, 06:28:12 AM »
We have a light freeze forecasted for Friday 😱

Good thing I bought some row cover this year to try winter gardening- I'll throw it over my precious peach tree. I've been waiting 3 years for it to bloom and set fruit, I'll be damned if I let the blossoms freeze!

Roots&Wings

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #371 on: May 04, 2020, 06:42:09 AM »
Does anyone here dig and bury veg scraps to compost?  I’m looking for a super simple way to compost waste.

@Trudie, yes my dad did it this way sometimes.  He would dig a shallow trench where he planned to plant the following spring, and bury the raw compost.  For this to work you have to  be able to wait awhile (maybe 3-6 months) because it's risky to plant on top of raw compost that hasn't broken down enough yet.  Might make the plants unhappy or worse.

I do this. It breaks down in a couple weeks here (the worms really go to town), and it makes beautiful rich soil.

YttriumNitrate

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #372 on: May 04, 2020, 06:47:42 AM »
We have a light freeze forecasted for Friday 😱
Good thing I bought some row cover this year to try winter gardening- I'll throw it over my precious peach tree. I've been waiting 3 years for it to bloom and set fruit, I'll be damned if I let the blossoms freeze!

This certainly is the nerve racking time of year for fruit trees. Best of luck in your efforts to keep them warm.
https://extension.usu.edu/productionhort/files-ou/CriticalTemperaturesFruitTrees.pdf

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #373 on: May 04, 2020, 06:48:31 AM »
Here in Indiana, I'm in the midst of grafting my fruit trees. I've slowly grafting over a god-awful Bradford pear over the last few years to turn it into something useful. Currently, it's about 20% edible pear (Bosc/D'Anjou/Bartlett) and I'm really hoping that this will be the year I'm hoping to get it closer to 80%. As of the last weekend in April, about 30 new grafts were done on the tree. 

This past weekend was all about grafting American persimmons, and next weekend starts the pawpaw grafting.

That is super interesting @YttriumNitrate.  What a fascinating idea.  I've got several Bradfords, and multiple varieties of edible pear, but I never thought to go all Frankenstein.  Hmmmm . . . [raises eyebrows and chuckles . . .]

So far the only grafting I've done is bench grafting, but I've already been thinking of trying field grafting to deal with an apple tree we have that isn't flowering.  (It was a seedling we brought with us from up north, and given that it's now 9 years old and isn't flowering I'm concluding we are probably too far south for it/not enough chilling hours.)

Some questions for you if you don't mind:  Do you  agree grafting will deal with the issue of this tree being too far south?  (I'm assuming the scion drives that aspect of the fruiting?)  Do you think I should try bud grafting late summer, or do you think it's better to wait and use dormant scion wood next winter?



 

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #374 on: May 04, 2020, 06:51:00 AM »
Does anyone here dig and bury veg scraps to compost?  I’m looking for a super simple way to compost waste.

@Trudie, yes my dad did it this way sometimes.  He would dig a shallow trench where he planned to plant the following spring, and bury the raw compost.  For this to work you have to  be able to wait awhile (maybe 3-6 months) because it's risky to plant on top of raw compost that hasn't broken down enough yet.  Might make the plants unhappy or worse.

I do this. It breaks down in a couple weeks here (the worms really go to town), and it makes beautiful rich soil.

Whoa, that's fast @Roots&Wings!  That's fantastic -- are you doing it in the spring/summer it sounds like?

YttriumNitrate

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #375 on: May 04, 2020, 07:38:52 AM »
That is super interesting @YttriumNitrate.  What a fascinating idea.  I've got several Bradfords, and multiple varieties of edible pear, but I never thought to go all Frankenstein.  Hmmmm . . . [raises eyebrows and chuckles . . .]

So far the only grafting I've done is bench grafting, but I've already been thinking of trying field grafting to deal with an apple tree we have that isn't flowering.  (It was a seedling we brought with us from up north, and given that it's now 9 years old and isn't flowering I'm concluding we are probably too far south for it/not enough chilling hours.)

Some questions for you if you don't mind:  Do you  agree grafting will deal with the issue of this tree being too far south?  (I'm assuming the scion drives that aspect of the fruiting?)  Do you think I should try bud grafting late summer, or do you think it's better to wait and use dormant scion wood next winter?

Being in northern Indiana, whenever I see "chill hours" being discussed, I immediately skip over that part since it's never been a problem for me. I am definitely not the right person to answer that question.

I'm a fan of grafting early and often. Assuming you have an ample supply of scion wood, and a bit of free time, you can do both bud grafting in the summer and dormant grafting in the winter.

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #376 on: May 04, 2020, 07:41:45 AM »
I'm a fan of grafting early and often. Assuming you have an ample supply of scion wood, and a bit of free time, you can do both bud grafting in the summer and dormant grafting in the winter.

Excellent.  Thanks!  :)

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #377 on: May 04, 2020, 09:42:22 AM »
OOOhhh grafting - an unexplored territory for me. 

I had an excellent gardening weekend.  And we have snow in the forecast for the end of the week.  I too will be hauling out floating row covers.....

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #378 on: May 04, 2020, 10:01:21 AM »
My grocery store has opened its seasonal garden center.  Not a lot of plants yet, but I now have 3 bags of potting soil for starting seedlings.  Win!!!

Dee_the_third

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #379 on: May 04, 2020, 10:48:14 AM »

This certainly is the nerve racking time of year for fruit trees. Best of luck in your efforts to keep them warm.
https://extension.usu.edu/productionhort/files-ou/CriticalTemperaturesFruitTrees.pdf

Thanks @YttriumNitrate! I'll keep this handy.

Roots&Wings

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #380 on: May 04, 2020, 12:29:00 PM »
Whoa, that's fast @Roots&Wings!  That's fantastic -- are you doing it in the spring/summer it sounds like?

Burying food scraps year round works here (subtropical 9b/10a). When I lived up north (7a) things didn't break as quickly. Very location dependent!

We have a light freeze forecasted for Friday 😱
Good thing I bought some row cover this year to try winter gardening- I'll throw it over my precious peach tree. I've been waiting 3 years for it to bloom and set fruit, I'll be damned if I let the blossoms freeze!

This certainly is the nerve racking time of year for fruit trees. Best of luck in your efforts to keep them warm.
https://extension.usu.edu/productionhort/files-ou/CriticalTemperaturesFruitTrees.pdf

Good luck protecting the peaches! If you have holiday lights, those might help too. I've lost all but 2 peaches so far this year to critters (guessing raccoons or possums), I didn't know to protect them.

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #381 on: May 05, 2020, 01:35:33 AM »
I too will be hauling out floating row covers.....

Same here @Frugal Lizard -- hauling it all out again, freeze warning for this weekend.  Dang it, we are almost a month past the average last freeze date, and I just folded it all up . . . .

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #382 on: May 05, 2020, 06:31:21 AM »
Our average last freeze day is May 20 so I should just stop whining, but hell, I am somewhat calmer overall if the weather is my thing I can't control.  The others are too scary.
ETA - there was ice on the bird bath
« Last Edit: May 05, 2020, 07:01:07 AM by Frugal Lizard »

chaskavitch

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #383 on: May 05, 2020, 06:38:51 AM »
We just planted all of our perennials on Sunday, because the 10 day forecast gave overnight lows of at least 37 or 38 F, but it definitely frosted last night.  Our average last freeze day is May 15.  I shouldn't be surprised, but I always am, haha.  It's always so nice for a few weeks, and I think "surely this year it will last", and then I get overconfident and all of my plants are sad.

I didn't have time to go check on them before I left for work, so fingers crossed that they didn't all die :'(
« Last Edit: May 05, 2020, 06:42:04 AM by chaskavitch »

coffeefueled

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #384 on: May 06, 2020, 07:43:26 AM »
Prepping for a possible freeze here too. I saved a bunch of plastic containers to cover the dahlias (they're only about an inch tall). My large unplanted dalhias will go into the shed for the night. I had started hardening off my cucumbers and tomato seedlings, but avoided planting once I heard the weather prediction. Those will go under a clear plastic tote to keep warm. Somewhere I think I have some scraps of weed block fabric that will go over the strawberries.

My raised bed has kale, chard, and peas that are all about 2-4 inches tall. Do I need to frost protect them too? I wasn't sure if the cooler weather crops would be fine with a possible frost.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #385 on: May 06, 2020, 07:46:26 AM »
How hard of a frost are you getting? I’m not covering mine, but then again I also just let my stuff overwinter.


I have had to hold off putting my tomatoes out and will cover my seedling that don’t have two set of true leave yet.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #386 on: May 06, 2020, 08:59:59 AM »
Yesterday morning there was ice on the bird bath until 10:30.  It is going to be colder all weekend.

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #387 on: May 06, 2020, 11:17:43 AM »
My raised bed has kale, chard, and peas that are all about 2-4 inches tall. Do I need to frost protect them too? I wasn't sure if the cooler weather crops would be fine with a possible frost.

My kale and chard are good down to a 28 degree overnight low with no protection.  Peas are more tender and I cover if 32 or under. 

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #388 on: May 06, 2020, 01:26:43 PM »
My kale and onions came up in the garden on their own so I think they can take it chilly.  Peas aren't up yet, so I think they aren't as tolerant of the chill.

Jon_Snow

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #389 on: May 06, 2020, 07:42:31 PM »
Goodness, it’s been a while since I’ve updated my own garden progress here. Great to see everyone still pursuing their respective garden goals....despite what appears to be some challenging climactic situations....both in terms of heat AND cold.

Due to the pandemic I have been keeping my travel over to my garden (requires ferry travel) at a bare minimum so today was actually the first time I had seen my garden in a couple of weeks. I have family that were keeping tabs on things and were prepared to water if necessary, but so far the Spring has been perfect in terms of conditions. Sunny, warm days, interspersed with occasional showers had me quite optimistic as to what I would see when I opened my garden gate and walked into that space. But there is also trepidation....and usually this is how I feel when I return from my usual Spring trip down to Baja. First thing I noticed - not surprisingly - was the immense, blossoming mass of my overwintered kale plants trees. If I end up saving seed from these things I might be able to supply all of this islands kale lovers with seed. 😉 Even from 20 feet away I could hear the frenzied drone of pollinators amongst the yellow kale blosssoms. Later I would see that not only insects are fond of the kale blooms.

I took my time wandering around the garden space, making note of the shin high grass that I will cut tomorrow and soaking in just how green and lush everything is....but I also delighted in seeing that my brassicas are all doing wonderfully....though one red cabbage had been assailed by some pest and I put a replacement seedling in it’s place. You see, I brought “back up” seedlings with me on this trip for just such an occurrence. My first planting of peas, sowed in early March are about 3 feet high on the trellis...and later plantings are well on their way up their own trellis structures. The first peas of the season are not far away now. Seed potatoes are up and about 6 inches high. Parsnips and turnips and carrots are looking good. Onions are looking great...garlic too. Rows of beets that I sowed a few weeks ago exhibited largely successful germination....though there were a few gaps in the rows due to woodbugs (pill bugs, roly polys) I suspect. I planted some new seed in these bare spots. Rhubarb looks like it will be huge this year. But the highlight has to be my edible greens....spinach and lettuce. I planted a new spinach variety this year (along with some of my tried and true favourites) called Monstrueux de Viroflay and I cannot believe the scale of the leaves. Really tasty too, as I ate it after I snapped the pic. I have some ideas kicking around in my brain as to how I’m going to use up all this spinach.



My hands are rather huge so that gives you an idea of the scale of this spinach variety. 😊

Lots of gorgeous lettuce ready to harvest - actually harvested some for a salad tonight - especially the romaine, a variety called Coastal Star. I cannot properly express just how beautiful things are becoming in my little forest garden grove. Blackberries, salal, ferns are literally exploding with growth....as well as our fruit (pear, apple, plum) and nut bearing trees (walnut, hazelnut).

The next week of weather is looking to be truly perfect...highs in the low to mid 20’s Celsius and overnight lows staying in the 10 Celsius range (50F) so I’m thinking I may just go all in and get everything else in the ground, squash, tomatoes, tomatillos...and just MAYBE my peppers if I provide them a bit of a greenhouse plastic cover until June. If I don’t get tomatoes and squash in tomorrow, I’m DEFINITELY planting my beans tomorrow, both bush and pole varieties. Cucumber starts are probably a few weeks away from planting out as I got a bit of a late start with them.

I mean, it’s not unheard of to have this kind of weather in early May here on the balmy West Coast of Canada, but it is still a bit of a gift and should aid me in getting a further jump on my garden this year.


I know I’m not alone here in possessing an increased desire to have an especially successful garden this year of all years. If Mother Nature can serve up just a bit more of this, and then ramp up the heat a bit in June for my transition into the heat loving crops....I will be endlessly grateful to Her. I’m hesitant to even say this in case I jinx myself, but the signs are there for this to be my best garden ever....this being my 6th garden in my 6th year of FIRE.

I might post some more garden shots here soon...once I cut the grass and do a bit more weeding....both of which I actually enjoy doing.









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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #390 on: May 07, 2020, 04:22:00 AM »
That spinach! Did you know it was a monster when you planted?

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #391 on: May 07, 2020, 06:27:21 AM »
Wow, that is some spinach.  I find harvesting spinach a pain but the picking time to yield of that variety is fantastic.

I am not going to post our forecast.  IT is too depressing.  But I am going to run over and turn the heat off in my greenhouse.  At least there wasn't ice on the bird bath this morning at 7.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #392 on: May 07, 2020, 09:26:19 AM »
That spinach! Did you know it was a monster when you planted?

I did not. But perhaps I should have been tipped off by the variety name, Monstrueux de Viroflay? 🙂

I am not going to post our forecast.  IT is too depressing.  But I am going to run over and turn the heat off in my greenhouse.  At least there wasn't ice on the bird bath this morning at 7.

You won’t post it, so I looked. Yipes, those overnight lows. Perhaps the weather gods of Eastern Canada need to be told we are now in the second week of May? Sheesh.

I have toyed on and off with building a greenhouse, but can’t quite bring myself to pull the trigger. What is the size of yours, Frugal Lizard?

MudPuppy

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #393 on: May 07, 2020, 10:41:00 AM »
Ha! I definitely read it as “monsieur” in your post!

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #394 on: May 08, 2020, 02:08:27 AM »
I put a slice of zucchini in a little growing pot with earth, made it wet, covered it with plastic and put it on a warming tray in the kitchen for one and a half week. Nothing green is visible. I did this, in the hope that a slice of zucchini contains seeds for a new plant.

I have a few questions:
- Should this method above have worked and should I try again, maybe with better earth from our own composting bin?
- Should I rather use seeds from the shop?
- Is it still not too late in the season to start growing a zucchini plant from seed?

My goal is to have one 1 plant only this year.

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #395 on: May 08, 2020, 05:37:07 AM »
- Should this method above have worked and should I try again, maybe with better earth from our own composting bin?
- Should I rather use seeds from the shop?
- Is it still not too late in the season to start growing a zucchini plant from seed?

I doubt that the zucchini would have matured enough to develop seeds. Usually eating quality vegetables are picked while they're young and tender. Once they have developed seeds they're quite tough and woody.

I'd buy a seed packet. It should be cheap. If you store the packet in a cool dry place (fridge works well) you will keep it fresh for next year too.

It is almost certainly not too late, unless you have very short cool summers. Put it in the ground and see!

Trifle

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #396 on: May 08, 2020, 05:49:17 AM »
- Should this method above have worked and should I try again, maybe with better earth from our own composting bin?
- Should I rather use seeds from the shop?
- Is it still not too late in the season to start growing a zucchini plant from seed?

I doubt that the zucchini would have matured enough to develop seeds. Usually eating quality vegetables are picked while they're young and tender. Once they have developed seeds they're quite tough and woody.

I'd buy a seed packet. It should be cheap. If you store the packet in a cool dry place (fridge works well) you will keep it fresh for next year too.

It is almost certainly not too late, unless you have very short cool summers. Put it in the ground and see!

+1 -- I would get some seeds. 

Zucchinis like it warm -- more than 15 degrees C -- so once it gets to that temperature you should be good to put it outside.   

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #397 on: May 08, 2020, 07:09:30 AM »
I say "my greenhouse" which to mean, 'my dear neighbour's greenhouse that I have free access to'.  It is a model from the eighties.  10x12.  Not the best location as it is too close to trees on the west.  It is single pane glass. 
If I were to get my own greenhouse, I would have it sunken into the ground a little (even 18" would be good) to get some more thermal mass around the plants and use the fancy new polycarbonate panels with higher R-value. 

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #398 on: May 08, 2020, 07:46:10 AM »
Snow in the forecast tonight ($$*##(@!!!)

Here's my plan - appreciate any input on if it's a dumb idea or not. 

First, everything in pots will be moved into our mudroom, where it's 50-55ºF (10-12ºC).  Should be warm enough.
After that - I've got just one raised bed planted, and those are all starts 2-3" in height.  Since it's a 3.5' x 7' bed I'm thinking I'll just put a 2" sheet of XPS foam over the entire bed and weight it down with bricks.  It won't be an air-tight seal but my thinking is it'll be close enough of one to 1) keep the snow off and 2) let the plants stay warm from the soil below.

It's supposed to climb back into the 40s (5ºC+) within 24 hours, so this would just be at night and during the actual snowfall.

Ok idea?  Other suggestions?  Thought about stapling plastic sheeting to get a more airtight seal, but that seems overkill.  Or is it...?

RetiredAt63

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Re: Planting and Growing Your Own - 2020
« Reply #399 on: May 08, 2020, 08:03:25 AM »
Snow in the forecast tonight ($$*##(@!!!)

Here's my plan - appreciate any input on if it's a dumb idea or not. 

First, everything in pots will be moved into our mudroom, where it's 50-55ºF (10-12ºC).  Should be warm enough.
After that - I've got just one raised bed planted, and those are all starts 2-3" in height.  Since it's a 3.5' x 7' bed I'm thinking I'll just put a 2" sheet of XPS foam over the entire bed and weight it down with bricks.  It won't be an air-tight seal but my thinking is it'll be close enough of one to 1) keep the snow off and 2) let the plants stay warm from the soil below.

It's supposed to climb back into the 40s (5ºC+) within 24 hours, so this would just be at night and during the actual snowfall.

Ok idea?  Other suggestions?  Thought about stapling plastic sheeting to get a more airtight seal, but that seems overkill.  Or is it...?

Sounds reasonable.  I would go with the plastic or an old sheet over the foam and draped down the sides of the bed to make a better seal.  Unless it is supposed to be windy it should be OK with just a few things holding it down to make sure it doesn't blow off.

 

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