The Gardening Thread

#377
#377
walkenvol said:
How do you measure your soil temp, I’ve got a meat thermometer but not sure I was to use it in the dirt
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Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. I bought a really basic 6” soil thermometer from a garden supply company (trying to get up to free shipping, lol) for 10 bucks or so. You can probably find them at a local garden center or Big Box store.

Mine’s a Taylor, looks like this one. Stick it all the way in the soil for transplants for three-four mornings in a row, same time of day, and average the readings. Today after two readings, mine is averaging 60°, so I haven’t planted any heat-lovers yet.


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#378
#378
FWIW, it doesn’t necessarily damage a seedling to plant it before the soil warms up. Lots of people plant tomatoes early that are a foot or so tall. It doesn’t really hurt them; they just sit there without growing until their toes feel nice and warm. But younger seedlings that can’t yet grow might suffer a bit from wind etc because they’re just not strong enough to handle the stressors. Same for fighting off bugs, etc. These plants may never be as strong and productive as they would have been otherwise.

And planting seeds in soil that’s too cool is way worse. They can rot if the soil is colder and damper than they like; they’re vulnerable to birds and other critters and diseases for a longer period before they sprout, etc.

Planting times - successful planting times - vary a lot by your location. Garden centers with knowledgeable staff and your local county extension agency should have specific knowledge for your area.
 
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#383
#383
Across from Mom's, the neighbors are putting stuff out. I always thought broccoli was a cool weather crop, but she said: No, plant it now. Can't remember all of the seeds she has planted. Anyway, we have a big problem with white tail deer around here. She said that she just sprinkles some of the nitrogen fertilizer around. Plants love it, and the deer can't stand the smell.

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#384
#384
Juanita said:
Across from Mom's, the neighbors are putting stuff out. I always thought broccoli was a cool weather crop, but she said: No, plant it now. Can't remember all of the seeds she has planted. Anyway, we have a big problem with white tail deer around here. She said that she just sprinkles some of the nitrogen fertilizer around. Plants love it, and the deer can't stand the smell.

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Does she also poop in her garden?
Milorganite came from treated human sewage.
DEADLY COINCIDENCE
Linked to ALS, but not proven.
The bag says for lawns and vegetable gardens.
 
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#385
#385
Got about half the garden in yesterday. Then the rains never came. Got in Yukon Chief early dwarf corn. Damaun sweet corn. calima green beans. Our multi-generational community green bean (best ever), butter peas, Palerma white zuchinni, yellow squash, Bush Butternut, Pablano & Datil peppers, Mizuna, Lemon Cukes. I think that's it. Forgot to drop sunflower, so I guess i'll get it today. Gonna end up with some open space for weeds. Maybe i'll add some taters.

Still in the green house waiting is all my tomatoes, okra, and sweet peppers. Will put in basil and marigold with the tomatoes. Also seeded some basil at the house, dill, and cilantro. Gotta pick up some rosemary.

Azaela's and Iris' are in full swing. Put in some new lavender. Agastache and chamomile are coming up.

If I think of it at lunch, I'll add some pics.
 
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#387
#387
Tin Man said:
View attachment 451957
Another view of the glorious smokey pinks
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How beautiful and what a great Tennessee state flower. This is a beautiful Iris.
A quick tale. One fine spring day, me and my daddy in law went for a ride in my F-150. He said” boys get the shovels and let’s go” even tho it was me, my 4year old daughter and Harry, off we go. Fifteen minutes and I’m pulling into the homestead of J. Norton Arnie. We stop as the earth moving equipment is in full swing leveling and building what now is J. C.’s Wing Deer Park. We honestly thought the dozers were minutes away from laying waste to grounds and all the beautiful Iris’.
So we dug like ground hogs and later on with our “ saving the state flower from a sure death load” I drove with what was the heaviest load ever in my truck, irises falling all over 11-e.
But all the folks we knew had beautiful irises for years to come.
My bad
 
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#388
#388
I have been very busy this spring. I have carrots (Danvers), broccoli, cabbage, early corn (Fishers Earliest), Onions (Australian Brown), Lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson), Radishes, Pontiac Red Potatoes, Kenebec Potatoes and Peas (Sugar Daddy) for my early crops. I have started warm weather crops now. Cantaloupe (Ambrosia), Watermelon (Crimson Sweet), Okra (Clemson Spineless), Green Beans (Roma), tomatoes (Parks Whopper, roma, Piron), and Strawberries. Gonna be a busy bee the next few months! Thinking about doing my golden Queen/Silver Queen corn as the three sisters style garden with pole beans and squash on the outside here in a couple of weeks.
 
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#389
#389
norrislakevol said:
I have been very busy this spring. I have carrots (Danvers), broccoli, cabbage, early corn (Fishers Earliest), Onions (Australian Brown), Lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson), Radishes, Pontiac Red Potatoes, Kenebec Potatoes and Peas (Sugar Daddy) for my early crops. I have started warm weather crops now. Cantaloupe (Ambrosia), Watermelon (Crimson Sweet), Okra (Clemson Spineless), Green Beans (Roma), tomatoes (Parks Whopper, roma, Piron), and Strawberries. Gonna be a busy bee the next few months! Thinking about doing my golden Queen/Silver Queen corn as the three sisters style garden with pole beans and squash on the outside here in a couple of weeks.
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I did sisters and cousins on that end of my garden. Early Dwarf Sweet Corn, then butter peas, then green beans, with Damaun Sweet corn following up. Filling in to the end of corn and accross the ends are bush green beans, squash, as well as butternut, green peas, and cantelope, and peppers. running down the side of corn at garden edge is radish, golden beet, and sunflowers. Got 12 variety of heirloom tomato hardening off, and 3 types of okra, and watermelon.
 
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#390
#390
I always get confused as to which gardening thread i'm posting in, so I am going to put this in both. My step-son works for Sakata Seed. They have a new variety of Hybrid Indeterminate tomato out geared toward the home gardens. (They mostly do for commercial growers on all their developments). I would have started these this year if he had told me before today. I will try htem next year. But, if you are a late bloomer in hte garden here's some home garden indternminate hybrid tomatoes with the benefits of commercial needs from disease, etc.: there is a fourth not pictured...Rubee Prize.
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#392
#392
GVF said:
I always get confused as to which gardening thread i'm posting in, so I am going to put this in both. My step-son works for Sakata Seed. They have a new variety of Hybrid Indeterminate tomato out geared toward the home gardens. (They mostly do for commercial growers on all their developments). I would have started these this year if he had told me before today. I will try htem next year. But, if you are a late bloomer in hte garden here's some home garden indternminate hybrid tomatoes with the benefits of commercial needs from disease, etc.: there is a fourth not pictured...Rubee Prize.
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It's not to late to start tomatoes. I've not even got my seeds started yet.
 
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#393
#393
GVF said:
I did sisters and cousins on that end of my garden. Early Dwarf Sweet Corn, then butter peas, then green beans, with Damaun Sweet corn following up. Filling in to the end of corn and accross the ends are bush green beans, squash, as well as butternut, green peas, and cantelope, and peppers. running down the side of corn at garden edge is radish, golden beet, and sunflowers. Got 12 variety of heirloom tomato hardening off, and 3 types of okra, and watermelon.
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Let me know how that Damaun sweet corn is. I am curious as to how it will compare with Golden/Silver Queen and Peaches and Cream in flavor.
 
#394
#394
norrislakevol said:
Let me know how that Damaun sweet corn is. I am curious as to how it will compare with Golden/Silver Queen and Peaches and Cream in flavor.
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I'm quite curious about it as well. It gets really good write ups. Plus it's open pollinated, so if it's really good, I can leave a few ears on to dry for next year.
 
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#395
#395
GVF said:
I'm quite curious about it as well. It gets really good write ups. Plus it's open pollinated, so if it's really good, I can leave a few ears on to dry for next year.
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That's right. The only issue is that you will have to be careful that your early corn doesn't cross-pollinate with it, or your variety will no longer be true. Okra can cross pollinate too if you are planning on saving seeds. If you want to save true seeds then generally plant one variety of vegetable at a time for the ones that can cross pollinate.

Read this very carefully for seed saving advice.

How to Grow Your Own Vegetable Seeds | Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
 
#396
#396
Rasputin_Vol said:
Cabbage?? I thought it was a cold weather crop like broccoli and cauliflower.
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It is. I does better, and has a better flavor in fall. You can raise it is spring too if you get it out early enough though. The deal is that if you get it out late and the weather turns hot and dry it will get too spicy. The best time to plant cabbage is late and July and early August. It will mature by November and have a sweet, mild flavor.
 
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#398
#398
JustFunnN'Orange said:
:Hey Tin Man, are U in TN?? I'm in Cookeville area (when i'm not in SWFL) My Iris are budding but just a single bloom or two. Your look to be a couple weeks ahead of mine! And they are beautiful, Don't think i've ever seen the Smokey Pink before!!!
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I’m in North Georgia on the Southern Piedmont, ~900’ elevation, the foothills of the Appalachian mountains.
 
#399
#399
Go aeiou said:
Azalea, I bought this about 10 years ago at a nursery that was going out of business. I don't even know the name. It is now about W10' x H6'.View attachment 452085
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Clay soil, got lots of acid lovers in our yard. Finally found a place for some azaleas, literally scratched the surface and dropped them in there for planting.

Have not been able to replicate this success elsewhere. Neighbor has an orange azalea that gets plenty of sun. Not sure why theyre so persnikety.
 
#400
#400
Jackcrevol said:
Clay soil, got lots of acid lovers in our yard. Finally found a place for some azaleas, literally scratched the surface and dropped them in there for planting.

Have not been able to replicate this success elsewhere. Neighbor has an orange azalea that gets plenty of sun. Not sure why theyre so persnikety.
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Did you loosen up the soil with lots of peat? They’re fibrous rooted and generally don’t do well in dense soil. Always exceptions of course.
 
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