What will be in the '10 garden?

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Awwwwwwwww, well, you live and learn.

Tell you what - I will grow your garden if you will bake my damned bread! I suck at it.

Lee
 
Awww Pancho - I'm so sorry!

What were you trying to harden off? Because except for brassicas & some cool-weather greens, it's way too early to be hardening anything off in your area.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
Awww Pancho - I'm so sorry!

What were you trying to harden off? Because except for brassicas & some cool-weather greens, it's way too early to be hardening anything off in your area.

Really BC? last frost date is next week and forecast looks good I was going to transplant this weekend I don't know what I am doing no more seed starting.
 
Really BC? last frost date is next week and forecast looks good I was going to transplant this weekend I don't know what I am doing no more seed starting.

Well, everyone knows their own climate "pocket" best, but where I am (quite a bit south of you), nighttime temps are still in the 30's, & I had frost this morning. Won't be planting out my warm-weather tenders (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra) until Mother's Day weekend. Thus I won't be hardening off for another couple of weeks yet.

Another thing - how did you "harden them off"? You can't just take them from inside & stick them out in the sun. That will kill them. "Hardening off" means you first put them out in a shady place for a couple of hours to half a day & then bring them back inside. You do this for a couple of days. Then you start leaving them where they can get just some partial direct sun - still bringing them in at night. Finally, you start leaving them in full direct sun, bringing them in only if nighttime temps are going to drop below the mid-forties. Depending on the weather & the size & sturdiness of the seedlings, this procedure can take anywhere from a week to 2 weeks. That's acclimation.
 
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SilverSage

Resident Crone
My tomatoes are coming up nicely......
 

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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Well, everyone knows their own climate "pocket" best, but where I am (quite a bit south of you), nighttime temps are still in the 30's, & I had frost this morning. Won't be planting out my warm-weather tenders (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra) until Mother's Day weekend. Thus I won't be hardening off for another couple of weeks yet.

Another thing - how did you "harden them off"? You can't just take them from inside & stick them out in the sun. That will kill them. "Hardening off" means you first put them out in a shady place for a couple of hours to half a day & then bring them back inside. You do this for a couple of days. Then you start leaving them where they can get just some partial direct sun - still bringing them in at night. Finally, you start leaving them in full direct sun, bringing them in only if nighttime temps are going to drop below the mid-forties. Depending on the weather & the size & sturdiness of the seedlings, this procedure can take anywhere from a week to 2 weeks. That's acclimation.

Excellent post, BC! Great explanation!

Lee
 

PanchoHambre

New member
You can't just take them from inside & stick them out in the sun. That will kill them.

yep... I did not expect it to be QUITE so sunny:shock:.. fried the buggers.

Honestly I don't think I have it in me to start seeds.. way too much patience and care.

Some are still alive.. about half.. let's see who makes it to mothers day.

Logistically I am not sure how I could harden off correctly because I work all day so it's all or nothing. It was warm so I knew they wouldn't freeze but I was not expecting the scorching.

Next year I am just going to wait and go to the nursery.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Panch, I plant almost all of my garden with store-bought plants nowadays ... all my flowers (except for sunflowers), all my herbs, and all my vegetables (except for radishes, squash and beans).

I used to start stuff from seeds inside, but it takes too long, too much room and you have a billion seeds leftover.

If you insist on a certain variety that your store doesn't have as plant, it's worth trying from seed. But otherwise ......... BUY PLANTS!! Most of them have already been outside for awhile by the time you buy them, so you don't have to worry about hardening them off.

Lee
 
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I used to start stuff from seeds inside, but it takes too long, too much room and you have a billion seeds leftover.
Lee

As a long-time gardener from a long-time gardening (& commercial farming) family, I both start things from seed (I'm particular about varieties) & buy plants when I come across ones that look good or at the end-of-season sales.

That said, do keep in mind that leftover seeds last a LONG LONG time when properly stored, which means seed packets taped shut & placed in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. No garages, basements, attics, etc. - more like a spare room closet or something. I keep gardening notes from year to year, including germination rates, & have gotten anywhere from 80%-100% germination from seeds 10 years old & older. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, greens, okra - pretty much everything - have all done VERY well from older seed. Thus I NEVER throw away old seed. What have I got to lose? Just a little time & dirt.:wink:
 

buckytom

Grill Master
so much for a spring garden at my house.

the retaining wall that encloses the back end of my garden collapsed, so i can't plant anything until i get it rebuilt. i'd better get it done soon, too, before a heavy rain or i'll watch all of my precious, organic soil will wash away.

anyone want to help move 2400 cubic feet of soil with me?
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I bought some herbs today at Lowes....chives, rosemary, and basil. They were marked $3.48 each, but when the guy rang them up, they were :bounce: $1.98 each:bounce:. Must have been on sale :whistling:
 

vyapti

New member
I've got 9 yards of dirt coming tomorrow, enough to fill 4 raised beds and top off my existing beds. Then I get to start filling them. I've got 10 raspberry plants and 25 strawberry plants aching to be transplanted and 4 shelves of starts needing a permanent home.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
Coming along. I have some room for a few more plants still, hopefully Lowes has a better selection this weekend. My tomato plants (closest to the bottom) have doubled in size already.

IMG_7716.jpg
 

Onionking

New member
A lot of herbs would be great since you can mix them in with a great variety of dishes. Also, vegetable are a must when you are grilling!
 
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