Garden 2020.

[Support Gunner]

All of the vegetables are easy to start from seed. I found out last year how easy it was to save seeds from vegetable plants as well. So we are really good on seeds for quite a few years.

The only seeds I wasnt able to save were the watermelon and pumpkin seeds. For some reason we got a very low germination rate for those. Could only get a 20% rate from them.

All the other seeds were in the 90% to 100% germination rate.

 

[Patchouli]

@goshengirl I was hell bent on gardening by moon cycles...then I forgot. lol
But I had started stuff around the new moon, which was suggested for starting a few things. That was a bad year for me. My biggest problemo being in TX and is it gets so hot here by June, but definitely July, that nothing will put forth fruit.
The naysayers don't care about the freaking moon cycles.

 

[Bacpacker]

My parents and grandparents always grew by the signs. As weather and time permits, so do I. But it's not always possible

 

[goshengirl]

@Patchouli, my husband comes from a long line of farmers. His dad planted by the signs. And he remembers hearing his dad talking with the 'old timers' about signs. So it's something he's been interested in, sort of a way back to his roots. And I'm always game for something like that, lol.

@Bacpacker, I hear what you're saying about it not always being possible. The Moon Gardener's Almanac is very structured, the Farmer's Almanac is more customizable. We'll do the best we can, and not sweat the rest.

 

[Bacpacker]

I like Blum's almanac myself. All you can do is all you can do.

 

[goshengirl]

@Bacpacker, thank you! I hadn't heard of Blum's - just checked it out and like it.

 

[joel]

Just bought 10 pounds of seed garlic for the Fall, most of it was Romcambole & purple Stripe garlic group, & elephant garlic, which is a leek not garlic.
I am thinking about potato onions, but I have never grown them, well someone gave me a bunch onion years ago.

 

[Bacpacker]

@Bacpacker, thank you! I hadn't heard of Blum's - just checked it out and like it.

My dad gets me a copy for Christmas every year. They also put out a calendar that has much of that info as well

 

[Tank-Girl]

Very disappointed with my zucchini germination.
Planted 60 seeds for 16 plants.
I am going to have to replant because I need 30.

 

[Meerkat]

My sweet potatoes getting roots on them now. Only thing we can grow here in this heat summers are so hot. I have them in water in a jar held up by toothpics.

 

[Peanut]

I mixed up about 30 gallons of potting mix for my porch plants today. I have some big pots for my lemon balm, plenty of room to grow. I have two serrano pepper for the porch and one oregano plant. The peppers will share a big pot with the oregano and one of the lemon balm plants. I didn't finish until after dark.

I still have 7 or 8 gallons left over for smaller pots, haven't decided on what I want in those.

 

[Tank-Girl]

I must be dealing with old seed because I've had a complete failure of Spanish cabbage, nappa cabbage, kale (trying to feel upset about that and failing. YUCK!!) Broccoli, swiss chard, and a new variety of bush slicer tomatoes.
I replanted 30 more zucchini seeds and set more green dwarf beans in flats because the mice get them otherwise. Plus skips in rows do my head in. OCD..who Me?
I replanted the failures and I'm going to have to replace the seed packets because the collection is looking pretty sparse.

I did want to get some superphosphate and potassium for the potato and onion beds but that will be put on hold because a manual flour mill has taken top billing while shipping is still allowed.

 

[Meerkat]

I need to transplant a bananaplant that has several little plants from mother coming out and its in a container so need to do so soon. Likw yesterday or at least today.

 

[Peanut]

I got 40 tomato plants set out this morning... I'd like to set out that many again in about a month if I can get late plants.

Didn't plant the squash seed. I don't have my watermelon and cantaloupe seed yet and want to plant those with the squash... Hoping to go to town later today or tomorrow and get more seed.

 

[Meerkat]

I got 40 tomato plants set out this morning... I'd like to set out that many again in about a month if I can get late plants.

Didn't plant the squash seed. I don't have my watermelon and cantaloupe seed yet and want to plant those with the squash... Hoping to go to town later today or tomorrow and get more seed.

View attachment 38746

Beautiful Peanut!

 

[WVDragonlady]

I'm starting some seeds so they'll be ready to plant in mid May.
Started:
acorn squash
cantaloupe
sweet peppers
spinach ( I'll set them out early, have a nice shady place for them to grow)
2 different micro tomatoes
oregano
cucumbers

Don't have any zucchini seeds or watermelon seeds
Have to wait to plants some sunflower seeds ( not warm enough out)
Have 2 containers I have to get ready for planting
Also some large planters

Anyone try to regrow veggies you got from the store or you grew yourself?
I'm using up 3 leeks and I plan on trying to grow the roots to see if they'll grow. Another test I'm trying. Can't hurt I figure

 

[Peanut]

I had to go to the big town this afternoon so I stopped by the co-op. Their sales have taken a hit, folks who might have grown a couple of veggies in pots or a small garden are keeping their money, probably out of work.

But! Almost everything the co-op had was marked down. I got a flat (36 plants) of Cayenne pepper plants and another one of green bell peppers for $20. $10 for 36 plants is about as cheap as I could start the seeds myself. Especially if I consider the time involved in starting seed/growing plants to this size.

I also bought an ounce of watermelon seed and an ounce of cantaloupe seed.

 

[Support Gunner]

Im ready to plant the garden now but Im afraid that the weather might go to **** one more time in april and we will loose it all.

The weather is extremely nice for this time of year right now.

 

[Patchouli]

Im ready to plant the garden now but Im afraid that the weather might go to **** one more time in april and we will loose it all.

The weather is extremely nice for this time of year right now.

yes, it was quite chilly here today for it being north central Tejas in early April. But next week we'll be in the 80s. woohoo.
@Peanut that's good you were able to buy actual plants. I'm a little concerned about that since my experience at Ace.

 

[Peanut]

Traditionally I get the last frost of the year on or about the 1st of April... There is always a chance of some freak frost even later but it's rare here. I have to get 90 day plants in the ground this week or risk them cooking in July heat. It's a chance I have to take.

My ace in the hole... If the weather man says I'm going to get some freak snow storm in the next couple of weeks I have one 900lb roll of hay left to cover anything I have growing.

 

[Bacpacker]

I planted cabbage, parsnips, and radishes this week. Planning to plants my okra, cucmber, and maybe squash seed tomorrow. Maybe my peppers too, if the spot is dry enough.
Peanut I've been thinking about going to Lowes for plants. Think I'll try coop instead. Much less people and if they are hurting for sales better prices too. They always have a better selcetion then Lowes too.

 

[WVDragonlady]

I don't have a long enough growing season so I have to use a lot of pre-started plants to get a garden in. Some things I can just plant seeds like radishes, carrots and some flower seeds, but the majority its better if they're started early and planted out

 

[Meerkat]

I don't have a long enough growing season so I have to use a lot of pre-started plants to get a garden in. Some things I can just plant seeds like radishes, carrots and some flower seeds, but the majority its better if they're started early and planted out

Because of heat most of our growing season ends in June but we can start planting or sowing seed again inside in July and august for Fall planting. Most here plant potatoes in January.


We just planted some banana trees yesterday but its hard to grow them here because it takes about 7 or 8 months to produce. Or thats what I heard.

 

[WVDragonlady]

We got the greenhouse moved!!!




We have the door facing the house now and I have a gate to get to it easy.


It was too heavy for the bobcat so hubby had to make a counter weight. He used 2 barrels full of water and strapped them on the back. It worked great!


Now I have to work on getting everything back into it. And we have to spread some dirt around 3 sides to cover the stones and drainage pipes under them. I plan to keep just stones at the front of the door.
And we have to move all the containers back where they were.

I'm so glad thats done now

 

[Tank-Girl]

We got the greenhouse moved!!!

View attachment 38852
View attachment 38853

We have the door facing the house now and I have a gate to get to it easy.
View attachment 38854

It was too heavy for the bobcat so hubby had to make a counter weight. He used 2 barrels full of water and strapped them on the back. It worked great!
View attachment 38855

Now I have to work on getting everything back into it. And we have to spread some dirt around 3 sides to cover the stones and drainage pipes under them. I plan to keep just stones at the front of the door.
And we have to move all the containers back where they were.

I'm so glad thats done now

Awesome job! You'll be planting like mad in no time flat!

 

[Tank-Girl]

Doing up a list of irrigation and fertilizer supplies I need for the coming season.
I want to put down black plastic on my rows and weedmat on the walk ways.
This way it saves on the amount of weedmat I'll use because I only have approx. half a roll left but I have almost a whole roll of black plastic.
I had a whole bucket filled with landscape fabric pins on a potting table in the far corner of my yard and they've walked.
Who the hell steals landscape fabric pins?
There's no money to replace them but I do have a roll of no.8 gauge plain fencing wire and bolt cutters so it looks like I'll be making them.

 

[Support Gunner]

We got the greenhouse moved!!!

View attachment 38852
View attachment 38853

We have the door facing the house now and I have a gate to get to it easy.
View attachment 38854

It was too heavy for the bobcat so hubby had to make a counter weight. He used 2 barrels full of water and strapped them on the back. It worked great!
View attachment 38855

Now I have to work on getting everything back into it. And we have to spread some dirt around 3 sides to cover the stones and drainage pipes under them. I plan to keep just stones at the front of the door.
And we have to move all the containers back where they were.

I'm so glad thats done now

Is that green house suitable for very cold winters?

We have been thinking about getting one or building one but it can get in the single digits and sometimes lower with the wind chill here during winter.

 

[Bacpacker]

Greenhouse looks great WV. Nice work moving it. I love the counter balance he used.

 

[Meerkat]

We got the greenhouse moved!!!

View attachment 38852
View attachment 38853

We have the door facing the house now and I have a gate to get to it easy.
View attachment 38854

It was too heavy for the bobcat so hubby had to make a counter weight. He used 2 barrels full of water and strapped them on the back. It worked great!
View attachment 38855

Now I have to work on getting everything back into it. And we have to spread some dirt around 3 sides to cover the stones and drainage pipes under them. I plan to keep just stones at the front of the door.
And we have to move all the containers back where they were.

I'm so glad thats done now

Good fro you VWDragonL! Happy for you.:lil guy:

 

[txcatlady]

My potatoes, pintos, zipper cream peas, lettuce, spinach onions and green beans are coming up nicely. Can'see carrots yet. A few pumpkin and squash are up too. I have plums on one tree. One does not have plums and dug up the dead one and drug it off. Pear tree does not show any pears but berry vines look okay. I did plant two more rows of pinto, green beans and zippers last week. Fertilized the potatoes 2 times. Ate some asparagus last night that I picked. Threw some lime out today to try to control flea population. Tomatoes doing well. Will plant okra in May. Need to decide if I have time to get sweet potatoes going quickly. Worried that I should have planted more. I have trouble taking care of it by myself