What will be in the '10 garden?

Mr. Green Jeans

New member
A friend just gifted me a 15# sack of Austrian Crescent heirloom potatoes. He said they needed to be eaten soon which isn't a problem. However, me thinkst a few will hold until mid March and hit the MGJ garden plot.

Anyone else been fighting back the winter weather by leafing through seed catalogs?
 

GotGarlic

New member
DH did more than that - we have finally had a couple of 50-degree days this weekend, so yesterday, he cleaned and turned one of the squares in our four-square garden and planted peas and onions. He also took a soil sample to be tested, because our tomatoes weren't as abundant as usual last year, so something needs amending.

We still have seeds from last year's tomatoes, hot and bell peppers, and tomatillos, as well as beans and peas, but it sure is nice having a couple of relatively warm, sunny days.

sun2.gif
 

Mr. Green Jeans

New member
We have been warm and sunny for several days which is our usual mid-winter break in the PNW. The lawn has been cut twice now which is unusual. While the rest of the country is getting hammered by ol' man winter we are starting to worry about lack of snow pack in the mountains.

I am looking forward to receiving the Seed Savers co-op listing. One can spend hours just perusing the tomato selections.

Glancing outside, it looks like mid-March although the calendar says NOT! I'll be turning under my rye cover crop shortly and soon peas, spuds and chard will be in the ground.
 

buzzard767

golfaknifeaholic
Gold Site Supporter
I just contracted to buy a house, actually, a duplex and it's a condo so even if a variety of veggies could be successfully grown in SW FL I wouldn't be able to do it. My "garden" will be twofold, a Meyer lemon tree and a Key lime tree in the yard, and some herbs and tomatoes in an area designed for planting alongside the pool.

This summer I hope to rent a small plot in WI and grow some veggies there.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
I've got my seeds on the simmer already [g]

started the leeks - leeks I love and they're so dang pricey in the store.
I save all our paper (dozen size) egg cartons, level off with a soil-less mix start 2 leeks per egg pocket - then just 'bury' the carton in the garden.

this is also the year of the greenhouse - fixin to plunk in a 9x12. I had a L&B 10x22 years back - heat, 'lectricity, hot/cold water. never shudda moved!
 

Blues Man

New member
I will be putting in my snow peas and spinich soon (I hope). We have a winter storm warning for tonight.
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I'm going to try growing some herbs in containers this year along with the usual container tomatoes.



this is also the year of the greenhouse - fixin to plunk in a 9x12. I had a L&B 10x22 years back - heat, 'lectricity, hot/cold water. never shudda moved!

Lucky you! I would dearly love to have a green house. I sure would like to see some pic's as your greenhouse goes up.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
I'm not getting too crazy with experimenting this year. Instead I plan on planting things that actually grow well on my plot. Beefsteaks, Early Girls, Japanese eggplants, some chiles and lettuce for starters. I give up on bell peppers. Might try fennel and maybe one or two others. The potatoes did pretty good but I might put those in planters.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Boy, this thread is a sight for sore eyes, Mr. Green Jeans!

In addition to the regular stuff (several kinds of tomatoes, Japanese eggplants, one jalapeno plant, many flowers and herbs) in my container garden, I'm going to try Daikon radishes for the third time. I seem to be slightly improving, but could use tips, if anyone has grown them, and/or the giant German beer radishes successfully. I have a giant, deep pot that I plant them in, but they just haven't taken off.

Also, this year, instead of Kentucky Wonder pole beans, I'm going to try Genovese zucchini, as much for their blossoms as for their fruit. The Livingston seed variety I bought says they are a BUSH variety, which is interesting. I'll have my bean poles handy, in case they decide to vine, though. :unsure:

Lee

 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Lee, daikons unlike most radishes are a summer crop. If you haven't previously, hold off planting until after Memorial Weekend.

Ohhhhhhhhh! No, I've planted them as soon as the ground is workable!

Thanks, Mr. GJ - I will plant them later this year!

Lee
 

vyapti

New member
I'm still working on infrastructure. I got my a 3-box compost bin built (we outgrew my plastic box) and I hope to have some good dirt by the time I'm ready to plant. I started building brick raised beads to encircle our brick patio. The winter cabbage/summer tomato bed was finished last year and I just finished the herb bed this weekend. Still got the strawberry bed to go ... and the clock's ticking.

The seeds we got in this weekend were beans, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, basil, zucchini, lavender and whatever else my wife picked out. We practice the plant a bunch of stuff and see what grows philosophy. Mostly, I want tons of tomatoes.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
QSis -

several tips I've picked up over the years for the "long root" world (stuff like carrots, parsnips, the carrot shaped radishes, etc.)

the first is the soil - has to be light and fluffy - they have a tough time putting down that long root in a heavy / clay soil.

constant even moisture - true for many crops - but repeated drying out really stunts these guys . . .

using pot(s) / small containers can aggrevate the drying out situation (happens faster due to small amount of soil) plus the soil tends to get too warm - root crops tend to like a cooler soil.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
QSis -

several tips I've picked up over the years for the "long root" world (stuff like carrots, parsnips, the carrot shaped radishes, etc.)

the first is the soil - has to be light and fluffy - they have a tough time putting down that long root in a heavy / clay soil.

constant even moisture - true for many crops - but repeated drying out really stunts these guys . . .

using pot(s) / small containers can aggrevate the drying out situation (happens faster due to small amount of soil) plus the soil tends to get too warm - root crops tend to like a cooler soil.

Good info, Chowder! All this stuff would explain why my daikons do not do well. But I'll try to improve this year's crop with the tips you guys have given me. Thank you!

Lee
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
Lee -

I had a plot I organically gardened for near 20 years - composted all my grass, and the neighbors grass, and the leaves - every spring and fall I would till in 4-6 inches of composted stuff. the soil got the point the tiller was useless - it was like tilling talc powder - I had to _push_ the (front tine) tiller through the soil . . .

anyway, I would direct seed carrot etc and they did exceptionally well - I'd mulch over the patch after a couple frosts and harvest fresh really sweet carrots until (a) the ground froze too hard or (b) the dang mice ate them !

moved, third year on (the majority) of the new plot. I cheat a bit by buying 40 lb bags of soil-less mix and tilling that into a small patch for carrots. frankly it's probably cheaper to buy a bag of carrots in the store - but they don't come close in taste to fresh out of the garden.

gardening is a "continuing education" process [g]
 

PanchoHambre

New member
Started a bunch of herbs we'll see what makes it I like to plant stuff but keeping it alive is a challenge for me. The SOB who is building new houses next door plowed down my bed on the vacant lot between but hopefully they will give me enough room to to my tomatoes in there. Still a few weeks till they go in though. Planning on adding a fig tree and maybe just maybe the grape vine will produce this year. Staying away from the big space hogs though because I just dont have room
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
As I live and breathe .... it's PANCHO!!!!

Where the heck have you been?

Welcome back!

Lee
 

buckytom

Grill Master
dw went out to my herb garden last week offering to help clean it up to get ready for this year. i was shocked when i went out to see all that remained was half of my my rosemary bush and a few tiny parsley and chive plants.
the rosemary took a beating in that last, heavy snow storm, snapping it in half.
i had beautiful sage and thyme plants that apparently bit the dust this past winter, too. it's depressing to see almost the whole herb box, about 3 feet by 10 feet, bare to the ground.
oh well, i'll amend the soil and start over.

i'm on vacation next week, so i hope to get the veggie garden tilled, and spinach, arrugula, radishes, turnips, mesculun mix, romaine, snap peas, and snow peas in the ground, leaving wide rows unplanted in between.

then, some time in may i'll fill the open rows with tomatoes, bell and various hot peppers, zukes, cukes, sunflowers, stringbeans, eggplants, and maybe pumpkins.

i found 2 kale plants actually survived the winter, so i'm not sure if i'll harvest them for soup soon, or let them bolt. it will depend on a taste test.

also, clumps of chervil have survived around the base of my solitary grape vine; i may just let them go and see what happens.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
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I have to re-plant all my herbs every season, BT. I do bring the potted rosemary inside each fall - my last plant lived about 7 years before it bit the dust this winter.

Lee
 

suziquzie

New member
Taking it easy here too. Didn't get to set up anything to start seeds on, so I'll just buy a few tomato, pepper, and basil plants.... I have plenty of other herbs that made it another year, and the rest will all be things I can start directly in the ground.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
well I had my first major disaster... I started all these seeds in one of those big trays... labeled everything etc... unfortunately the moisture ran up the little pieces of cardboard and obliterated the marker.. so once again it's mystery garden... I swear next year I am going to astro turf, plastic flowers and canned veggies.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
LOL! Panch, what kind of seeds did you plant? If you can't recognize the seedlings, post some pics and maybe we can help you identify them.

Orrrrrrrrrrrr, maybe it would be fun to have a mystery garden! LOL!

Lee
 

PanchoHambre

New member
Mostly herbs as I dont really have much room for veggies... thyme, anise, basil, sage, parsley, Dill, Lavender and some others. Guess it doesen't matter too much what they are If anything lives I'll be shocked anyway.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
I got my garden started on Saturday. I tilled in some veggie soil and defined the space. Seeds - I'm not a fan. So I went to Lowes and picked up some plants. They didn't have much of a selection yet so I got what I thought would grow the best: Early Girl tomatoes, serrano and one other chile plant (cant remember the name), romaine (9 plants), first time trying brussels sprouts (9 plants) and a new rosemary plant. We had a parsley plant survive the winter in a pot out in our un-heated sunroom. Couldn't believe that. Chives are coming back, have to see about my sage plant.
 
Parsley is actually very hardy. It's a biennial though, so this season in your garden it will be h*ll-bent on sending up seed stalks. Best to use as much of it as you can before that starts, as once it blooms, foliage production stops.

That's why it's always a good idea to plant new parsley every year.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
fist massacre of the year today... guess I was too tough on the little guys to "harden off" oops.. .less potting soil I have to buy I guess.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
What are you talking about, Panch? :huh:

LOL!

Lee

I had my seeds stated in those little trays they were happy.. put them outside to acclimate and figured they would like real sun.. major wilting brought em in and watered but quite a few look beyond the pale
 
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