Garden 2024

[pepperhead212]

Nice day today, would have reduced the wind a little, for a perfect day. I got a lot done out there today, getting the tarps off those SIPs , and getting them in their spots for the season, though I didn't level them, or "refresh" them yet. A few of the plastic covers on them need replaced (hard to believe how many years some of that lasts!), and I save a lot of those heavy plastic bags from things like peat, to make them with. The ground was very muddy in areas still, due to all the rain lately, but there is none forecast until next Wednesday, so maybe the sun will dry it out some. I'll get more done tomorrow, though it is supposed to be much cooler for a few days.
Getting garden almost ready for those tomatoes (and a few other things). 4-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

I pass by Richters all the time. On my way to visit with my bro and SIL. Just looking at the on-line catalogue now. groan.... I want this and a couple of those, a few of these and yeah, throw in some of that while we're here.

My mom used to shop there all the time.

I was wondering if it was the same Richters as the one here. Canadian friends have recommended them, when I have asked about buying seeds online in Canada.

 

[dragnlaw]

That they are big would be an understatement. and highly recommended.

 

[rodentraiser]

Woohoo! I finally planted all 40 little iris bulbs today. Most of them had a green sprout on them, so I figured those were the leaves coming out. So I planted them with the sprout pointing up. Then I told a friend and she said those were probably the roots and I planted the irises all upside down. My response is unprintable.

Anyway, I gave a good watering to everything and so naturally, it rained this evening.

 

[Meryl]

Woohoo! I finally planted all 40 little iris bulbs today. Most of them had a green sprout on them, so I figured those were the leaves coming out. So I planted them with the sprout pointing up. Then I told a friend and she said those were probably the roots and I planted the irises all upside down. My response is unprintable.

Anyway, I gave a good watering to everything and so naturally, it rained this evening.

It's a shame you didn't take a photo.
By the sounds of it, I think they were probably sprouts, since they were green. Sorry .
I'm no expert though, perhaps other members with more garden experience, can help you.
I hope I'm wrong, so you will not have planted them upside down, in the end.

 

[dragnlaw]

No, I think your first instinct was correct. Just as Meryl says, pretty sure those green sprouts were exactly that, sprouts.
and I think your unprintable response will be good fertilizer for them.
Remind them next time you pass by... "I put you in there, I can take you out! So behave!!"

 

[GotGarlic]

The green parts are definitely leaves and should be planted facing up. Remember that the green color comes from chlorophyll, which is necessary for photosynthesis. The roots are white. Also, iris rhizomes should be shallow-planted. A little of the rhizome should be just visible under the soil.

 

[KatyCooks]

This is very interesting! Before my tulips bloomed, I had bulbs with green bits poking out of them too and I planted them with the green parts up. Seemed to work as they all came up beautifully!

 

[pepperhead212]

Today I got a bunch done, topping off the SIPs, and replacing the tops on I think 4 them. Just the dozen buckets left, plus the peppers and okra, which are later things. In fact, I soaked the okra overnight, and set it to sprout. And on checking those seeds I have sprouting, I couldn't believe that 3 of 6 of those bitter melon seeds have sprouted (and that was this morning, only about 1½ days, and those things are notoriously slow, and low % to germinate. The winter melon has one barely sprouting, and the others had at least one with a hint of a sprout, but not as good as the bitter melon.

Tomorrow I have something to do in the middle of the day tomorrow, so I won't be getting dirty early in the day. Maybe I'll find some seeds to plant inside, and hopefully, I'll finish early, and I can get back out there.

 

[caseydog]

Today I got a bunch done, topping off the SIPs, and replacing the tops on I think 4 them. Just the dozen buckets left, plus the peppers and okra, which are later things. In fact, I soaked the okra overnight, and set it to sprout. And on checking those seeds I have sprouting, I couldn't believe that 3 of 6 of those bitter melon seeds have sprouted (and that was this morning, only about 1½ days, and those things are notoriously slow, and low % to germinate. The winter melon has one barely sprouting, and the others had at least one with a hint of a sprout, but not as good as the bitter melon.

Tomorrow I have something to do in the middle of the day tomorrow, so I won't be getting dirty early in the day. Maybe I'll find some seeds to plant inside, and hopefully, I'll finish early, and I can get back out there.

Just curious, what do you do with your okra. I use okra in gumbo, and love it cut, breaded and deep fried. Both of those are Southern staples. That's about the only way I like it.

CD

 

[pepperhead212]

CD, I use some of the okra in gumbo, too, but more of it in Indian dishes, some curries, and some subzi, which is sort of a dry fry curry, and sometimes in dals, often with sambar masala. I have also used it in Mexican dishes - not traditional, but delicious, nonetheless, and I have often used them with a chipotle sauce, then cooked down, to thicken, and used it for tacos.

I just turned on my oscillating fan in my seedling room, to help strengthen them. The tomatoes are growing fast now, and the tomatillos are, too. And something I probably didn't mention, when discussing the small amount of fertilizer in these things is the silica fertilizer, from the hydroponics, which helps strengthen the stems - something that definitely worked when I first used it with the tomatillos, which I used to have trouble with, and had to stalk them, from early on. With the silica, I haven't had the problem since. Only about 1/2 tsp of the solution is needed per gallon of water, every time watering.
One of the 2 trays of tomato seedlings, after about 2 1/2 weeks from planting. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[larry_stewart]

I started my tomatoes a week later than usual, then dropped them and had to start again, and they're still growing like crazy. usually I have to get them into the cooler garage to slow them down, cause they wont go into the ground until mid may.

I put my ginger and lemon grass in my mushroom tent. It's amazing how quickly the lemon grass is growing. Almost as quick as bamboo,

 

[pepperhead212]

That's what I did this year - planted the tomatoes about a week later, because it seems that they were getting overgrown, by the time it was warm enough outside, even after hardening off. Same with the eggplants, but the peppers I just planted on 4-1, the usual date. A few of those might get some buds on them, but they don't get overgrown, like the others.

I got all the areas ready for the tomatoes, tomatillos, and eggplants today, plus a few other things, like cukes, bottle gourds, winter melons, and the bitter melon. I still can't believe those bitter melon seeds germinated so quickly, as they are usually the slowest.

 

[larry_stewart]

I usually dont start peppers from seeds, I thought they were too finicky. Last year , I ordered 3 plants, and either they made a mistake or I did, but I got 3 packets of seeds (of the variety I wanted) instead of the plants. Since I have so much extra seeds, I decided to plant them. Surprising to me, they all germinated and although growing slow, look very healthy. Looks like I'll have a lot of peppers this year! ( I ordered the plants too, so the seeds I planted are an additions)

 

[rodentraiser]

The green parts are definitely leaves and should be planted facing up. Remember that the green color comes from chlorophyll, which is necessary for photosynthesis. The roots are white. Also, iris rhizomes should be shallow-planted. A little of the rhizome should be just visible under the soil.

What's a rhizome?

Anyway, they're shallow planted. So shallow I could only spot a couple of them without walking all over the ground. I have a feeling some squirrels or raccoons had a bulb fest.

It's nice to know they went into the ground the right way up. I have to tell you all, if I had planted them upside down, that's how they were gonna grow.

Today it has rained and rained and rained and rained. I went to Ace and got giant sunflower seeds and 4 cherry tomato plants which are currently sitting in my sink because I don't know what to do with them. When - if - it ever stops raining, I'll go out and plant them all. It's supposed to rain for ten more days.

Now tomorrow, rain or not, I have to set up the new canopy. My neighbors are coming up for four days and they'll help me pop it up because I can't do it by myself. I'm putting in a cat door and they'll let me borrow their drill, too. The cat is driving me nuts wanting out and then in, soaking wet three minutes later. She meows at me to stop the rain and yes, I'm sorry my trailer is so small and so boring. A cat tree will be arriving next month. You'd think with acres and acres to play on...but some cats are just spoiled.

I buy one whole 50lb sack of play sand and dump it just for her to roll around on. This is going to be a problem later on this year if I try to grow watermelons. I had thought to lay a patch of sand down with cinder block walls around it and lay a piece of plastic over the top to get the ground hot enough. I just have to figure out how to keep the cat out of the sand because the little watermelons that develop will fall off the vine if you breathe on them.

 

[GotGarlic]

What's a rhizome?

The fat part of the root is actually a modified stem called a rhizome.

 

[rodentraiser]

OK, thanks! I know exactly what you're talking about now. The problem is, we had a windstorm again and some tree blossoms blew all over the bark. Like I said, without tramping all over the ground, I can't tell the difference right now between the blossoms and the little sprouts. Hopefully they'll all grow a couple of inches and then I can see what the damage is.

 

[dragnlaw]

Iris are pretty rugged. Unless a humongous trunk is laying directly on them I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[rodentraiser]

Let's wait and see if the deer eat them.

OK, garden season is officially started in the mouse family.

40 irises, 37 strawberry plants, 6 mammoth sunflowers, 4 tomato plants, 3 blue mist plants, 2 blueberry bushes, and 1 wintergreen plant ♪♫♪ later, I am through planting stuff. Except for the wildflowers that will go in my garden bed. But that will be later in the week. All the plants I ordered arrived today so the canopy gets done tomorrow and maybe, just maybe, I can get the wildflowers done this weekend. I have live (hopefully still) butterfly weeds that needed to go in the ground as of last week. They're the priority after the canopy.

I'm editing this to add, I actually have no idea how many strawberry plants I have. I got a tangle of roots and some leaves and just yanked things apart until I had approximately enough to go into two barrels. Some had roots, some had leaves and roots, and some just had roots on both ends. I buried those completely. The PCH strawberries seem to be doing OK, so these strawberries from an actual nursery should do great.

Tonight is a Taco Bell night.

 

[pepperhead212]

Today I transplanted my eggplant seedlings - some aren't very large, but they will grow fast, now that they are in the larger pots. All of the pellets had the roots coming out of them. And the tomatoes are doing great, though a few are sort of small, since they are shaded, by larger plants. They will be going out to harden off soon.
Tomato seedlings, 20 days after starting, 4-26 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Eggplant transplanted - some not very large, but all the pellets had roots running out of them. They will take off now. by pepperhead212, on Flickr