What are your garden plans for 2021?

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Harvested some purple asparagus. They came in a week earlier than last year. Will be planting new raspberry plants today: double gold, royalty (purple) & Himbo Top (red).
 
My asparagus is still slow - only a few harvestable stalks, and a number are bolting while very skinny, instead of of forming thick stalks. This is just the 3rd year after planting.

The wind died down considerably today, so I planted most of my tomatoes, plus 2 tomatillos. I planted 23 of the tomatoes - the ones that had thick stems. A few grew slower, so I didn't want to risk wind damage to those thinner plants. I still have at least 8 tomatoes to plant.

Still some nights forecast in the high 40s, so too cold for planting peppers and eggplants.

I only noticed flower buds starting on one of those plants - one of the two 42 day cherry tomatoes. It wasn't gets as rootbound as some of the others, but one was just starting to show flower buds. I pulled them off, but it will be interesting to see when they start producing flower buds again.
 
My asparagus is still slow - only a few harvestable stalks, and a number are bolting while very skinny, instead of of forming thick stalks. This is just the 3rd year after planting.

I noticed that the stalks in my community garden plot are much thicker than the home garden. They were both planted the same year. The difference is the amount of sunlight. The community garden gets more full sun. Maybe twice as much? Could that be the case for yours?

I also noticed that one of my asparagus plants seem to produce deformed Spears that tend to curl. I guess there is a disease there
 
This is year 3 for my asparagus. I have a mix of thin and thick. About 25 plants in all, so far, maybe 10 stalks. Since I wont really have enough to pick to do anything with ( a this time), I bought a bunch from the grocery store and supplement the 3 or 4 home grown ones the are pickable. If I wait to have enough, the ones ready now will bolt.

Rhubarb pis pickable a long with the radishes, mustard greens, even dug up a few sun chokes. Lettuce should be ready in about a week, along with the arugula ( which seems to be taking its time this year). Everything else seems to be going as planned , so far.
 
This is year 3 for my asparagus. I have a mix of thin and thick. About 25 plants in all, so far, maybe 10 stalks. Since I wont really have enough to pick to do anything with ( a this time), I bought a bunch from the grocery store and supplement the 3 or 4 home grown ones the are pickable. If I wait to have enough, the ones ready now will bolt.
Here's an idea for your 10 stalks of asparagus (next time ;)) : I love to make risotto with fresh spring vegetables like asparagus, green beans and peas. You only need about a half cup of each, with the asparagus and beans cut into half-inch pieces.

Or use them in a stir-fry with several other vegetables.
 
Big set back.
I received my tomato order from Burpee last week. Everything arrived ok ( except one of the plants was snapped, but I was able to reroot it and its doing fine). But it got me wondering when my peppers and eggplants were going to arrive. I checked the order status and it said they had shipped already ( but said the tomato order was still processing). I contacted burpee to ask what the deal was. They said that I should have received the eggplants and peppers same time I received the tomatoes. turns out, they are now out of stock of the pepper varieties I ordered ( A greek pepperoncinni and a long sweet red pepper ( Thunderbolt Hybrid). I ve grown the Thunderbolt for years so I was looking forward to growing them again. I do have saved seeds, but its pushing it timeframe wise, and I dont want to risk getting nothing, so Ill have to go to the local nurseries and find replacements / substitutions . This is the first time anything like this has happened . Ironically, I ordered very early ( like in January) cause I didnt want to risk them being out of stock, and sure enough .... Anyway, this should be the worst thing that happens to me this year. They are refunding the peppers ( and the snapped tomato), and resending the eggplants.

I did start aa few other pepper seeds that ive collected, but not this variety.

I know what Ill be doing Wednesday ( pepper shopping). Maybe ill find a variety I like even better.
 
Larry, Sorry to hear about that. Good luck finding some similar peppers somewhere out there!

Yesterday, I planted 3 of my large chinense peppers - they were just getting too large for hauling in and out every day. Unfortunately, the stalk on one snapped - the reason I always grow extras! I figured that with some night-time lows around 48-49° late this week, I might cover with Agribon, but already the the lows are going up some - I'll see if it's necessary. The rest of the peppers will be ready in mid-May, so it should be warm enough then.

I also planted - later than normal - some greens started indoors, because the ones I direct seeded did not cooperate; about the only things that germinated quickly were radishes. The brassicas simply took forever, and the same with lettuces, yet all of the seeds germinated quickly inside. I saw a few kohlrabi popping up, as I was planting the seedlings - I don't know why it took them so long.

I re-potted my last indoor plant - the 20 year old kaffir (a.k.a. makrut) lime tree, the largest of the plants, which is why I procrastinated with it for so long. I let it dry out considerably, then moved it to the deck, and did the re-potting there, as I didn't want to be moving it far, once re-potted! I filled it halfway, then put it in its final place, and finished filling.
 
Most of my tropical plants made it to the garage, and most of the stuff I started hardening already are outside.

I started okra, string beans, cucumbers and peanuts indoors. All sprouted, but I had some issues with about 1/2 the string bean seeds rotting. Probably too wet. I'll plant more tomorrow hopefully will get better results.
 
Larry sorry to hear about your pepper mix up. We're growing just the bell peppers and serranos this year. 5 types of tomatoes, redorta san marzano, san marzano, roma, amish paste, and a white tomato (free seeds).



Our onions are almost all planted, and 4 kinds or kale. Our strawberries are blossoming. Apple, pear, cherry, plum trees all are blossoming. All kinds of bees were loving the blooms. Lettuce is coming up, one kind of kale is from the cold frame, we can start eating it now. We harvested our first pound of asparagus yesterday.
 
Our onions are almost all planted, and 4 kinds or kale. Our strawberries are blossoming. Apple, pear, cherry, plum trees all are blossoming. All kinds of bees were loving the blooms. Lettuce is coming up, one kind of kale is from the cold frame, we can start eating it now. We harvested our first pound of asparagus yesterday.
Where are you located? I had a minor setback where some bunny or vole mowed down my brassica seedlings. Ugh. I'll have to remember to not leave a tray of seedlings outside overnight.

I also have blooming strawberries (Mara des Bois, All Star, and Seascape). Jewel has a few blossoms but it's still early. I got three new varieties: Albion, Gariguette, and Honeoye. Jewel is my favorite for vigor and productivity. I was going to toss out All Star but it's surprising me this year.

As for raspberry, I have two kinds of golden ones and a red one. I don't know their names. I bought some new plants: Royalty (purple), Double Gold (orange), and Himbo Top (red). My friend gave me some of his plants: Caroline (red), and JoanJ (red thornless). I'm running a small fruit farm!

My onions were planted a few weeks ago. Growing Blush, Copra, Highlander, Patterson, and Candy. I'm also growing Amish Bottle Onions which is new for me.

I see pollinators in my apple/crab apple trees but not among the strawberry plants. Is this also true for you?
 
Hi BBQ, We are in southern Wisconsin, zone 4b (though many say 5a). We also grow some all star strawberries, and two kinds of raspberries, but I don't have their names in front of me. We grow the mako and utah yellow long day onions. I tried the amish bottle onions one year but I wasn't fond of them for their small size, I like bigger onions for making meals/chopping/cleaning. (though the Candy onions are fabulous and sweet)


There were thousands of bees on all the blooms, just buzzing, big bees, honey bees, small bees, it's gonna be a good year for fruit. They also found the strawberries, the all star are flowering. (and of bugs, we saw our first may fly, garden variety flies, wasps are looking for homes to build) I hear the tick season is bad in Wisconsin this year but I haven't seen one on me yet.
 
I've seen quite a bit Bumble bees. they seem to be the primary bee this time of year in. my area. They have been concentrating on the fruit trees which have been blooming in succession ( now the apples are in bloom). Ive seen a bunch of smaller bees and insects getting to the flowers, and have already released about 60 Mason bees. Which aren't as noticeable as when I release he leafcutters in he warmer weather. When you think of the phrase " Busy Bee" , must have been named after these little guys. They sure mean business . Have not seen them get to the strawberries, but also haven't been looking to closely for that. Also, the Orioles love the apple blossoms.
 
Today the weather is cooler, 59 deg F, the bees are not out there busy, not on anything. They like the warmer 80's weather which we had the other day.
 
Photo of spinach, lettuce mix and peas. This is risky because average spring frost is still three weeks away.
 

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Our perrenial kale are flowering, so our bees are happy.

Got the garden in a couple days ago and the transplants are struggling a bit. But should do OK.

I also started weeding the grape plot. They were transplants from a friend last year. Did do much last year, but this year are already starting to go.

I'll be building a tin wall behind them to gather more heat. Should help.
 
Pepper, I saw a woman (online fb) she said she sped up pepper germination to 3 days in her instapot, on the yogurt setting. Now, I didn't try it. I do use a heat mat, and it takes me 7-11 days to get germination. I don't know if that would work. I just wanted to pass on that interesting tidbit of maybe.


I read that peppers need the soil to 55 deg F outside, or it stunts them. I plant those last, close to June 1 in Wisconsin.


Also, a new appetizer for us here. 1/2 inch slices of eggplant, dipped in warm or hot sauce (not so peppery or very peppery), fine bread crumbs, baked on parchment 400 deg F for 30 minutes. Served hot, spread with a tofu white sauce lemon garlic, some salt, sliced tomatoes. They were a big hit here.

Thanks, I haven't read about the soil temp but know they will drop blossoms at 50.
 
whole milk Were those you tried growing the ornamental curry plants (Helichrysum italicum), or the curry trees (Murraya koenigii), that are the source of the curry leaves in Indian cooking and related cuisines? The latter is the only one I could help with.

I planted 5 more tomatoes today - the ones that the stalks have gotten stronger on, since I planted them on 5-1; still 7 left, if I plant all the varieties. It will be a while longer for the eggplant and pepper transplants, due to these cool nights forecast!
 
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whole milk curry trees (Murraya koenigii), that are the source of the curry leaves in Indian cooking and related cuisines? The latter is the only one I could help with.


The curry trees. I started them last year and they tripled in size. I was being extra careful with them and took them indoors during the winter, put them on the veranda on sunny but cool days, then some kind of resin like substance was on the leaves, I'm thinking from the plant itself, and slowly the leaves started to droop and yellow and the growth that had started stopped. (sigh)

I love making Indian foods and was looking forward to using them this year.

If you have any advice, I'm all eyes, er, ears.
 
whole milk I had a feeling that it was the plant for the curry leaves! Sorry to hear about them dying.

How large did they get, and what size pots did you have them in? And what type of soil mix? If they got that much larger, were they in large enough pots, I'm wondering. Also, curry trees don't like temps below 50° - mine is still inside, as we have lows in the 40s for another week or so.

The first few years of mine I had it in a 3 gal pot, and it wasn't until the 4th year that it started getting somewhat rootbound, and needed re-potting. Something you mentioned, that mine started doing again, was that honeydew showing up, mostly on the undersides of the lower leaves. This seems to show up on my plants (this, the kaffir/makrut lime, and the bay laurel) when the plants are getting rootbound, and even shortly after watering, the soil dries out. Another thing, that can result in that honeydew, is scale insects (as well as aphids), on the undersides of the leaves - something I had happen before, so as soon as I saw that honeydew, I checked for the insects thoroughly. No sign of them, but the curry tree was also losing leaves, like you mentioned, so that was the first plant I re-potted, cutting a large amount of the rootball off, and a good amount of the branches, at least the ones that are growing on top of each other. Amazingly, after putting the re-potted plant back in front of the window, not a single leaf fell off since then! And I've only had to water it a few times - the soil tests very moist every time, whereas before re-potting, the pot would dry out in no time.

Every fall, when I bring this (and those other plants) inside, I trim them considerably, then pretty much "sterilize" the soil surface, with some diluted hydrogen peroxide, then spray some diluted orange oil on the leaves (2 tb/gal), and brush some more tanglefoot on the trunks (this helps keep those scale insects off). I also put some more powdered diatomaceous earth on the surface of the pots, again, to try to keep those insects at bay.

The soil mix I make up for these is approximately 3 parts peat, 1 part coir, 1 part perlite, 1/4 part vermiculite, 1/4 part granular diatomaceous earth, and 1/2 part worm castings. This makes a very porous mix, but it also absorbs a lot, soaking up well from the bottom. I used some granular organic Ecoscraps fertilizer this year - only because I got a deal on it at Ollie's, and the N was highest. Any fertilizer can be used that has a good amount of N in it.

Good luck with your next try, and let me know what happens, and if you have any more questions.
 
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