Gardening: (2016– )

[KennethT]

My final yu choi harvest... they're starting to go to flower...

 

The plants...

[heidih]

Often sold flowering here - stronger taste but I like it

[KennethT]

It's vegetative growth has been slowing for a couple weeks... time to move on and plant another!

[HungryChris]

This patch of basil has served me well all through the summer, but is getting a little scraggly. I have the winter batch coming along under the lights in the basement, by the woodstove.

HC

[kayb]

My son-in-law and I have been discussing the construction of some moveable coldframes, heavy clear plastic stretched on 1 x 2 frames, to put over my herb bed and to start some early stuff in the garden next spring.

 

Priority shortly after Christmas, though, is to get someone over here to till up, add a bunch of compost/manure and strew straw over the two garden spots to let me rest for next spring. 

[dcarch]

3 hours ago, kayb said:

My son-in-law and I have been discussing the construction of some moveable coldframes, heavy clear plastic stretched on 1 x 2 frames, to put over my herb bed and to start some early stuff in the garden next spring.

Priority shortly after Christmas, though, is to get someone over here to till up, add a bunch of compost/manure and strew straw over the two garden spots to let me rest for next spring. 

 

Here is my movable (store-able) system:

PVC pipes  greenhouse film. You can get greenhouse film very cheap from Farmtec remnants.

All parts are modular, removable. PVC pipes are 4' and 2' long. The finished cold frames are 4'w x 8'L x 2'h. Takes about 10 minutes each to assemble and 5 minutes to disassemble. The greenhouse film is what holds the cold frame together. 

The Greenhouse film is UV resistant to 4 years, but for cold frame use, it will last at least three times longer.

Storage after disassemble  takes very little space.

I use bungee cord to anchor the cold frames. We have had very high wind storms, no problems yet.

 

dcarch

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by dcarch (log)

[joiei]

Update on my winter gardening.  The cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, and brussel sprouts survived the freezing temps we have been having.  Nothing below 20F yet.  And we did not get any of that snow that happened last week.  This future meal is about 3 inches across right now.  

 

Dang it, one day I will figure out how easy it is to add photos to my posts.  

Edited December 12, 2017 by joiei
tried to add a photo unsuccessfully. (log)

[Toliver]

1 hour ago, joiei said:

Update on my winter gardening.  The cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, and brussel sprouts survived the freezing temps we have been having.  Nothing below 20F yet.  And we did not get any of that snow that happened last week.  This future meal is about 3 inches across right now.  

 

Dang it, one day I will figure out how easy it is to add photos to my posts.  

 

My brother in San Diego planted brussel sprouts but had the opposite problem...it was too warm. He said the plants weren't doing well at all. 

He may yank them and re-plant if colder weather ever makes its way down there.

[heidih]

I'm with your brother on the wrong weather. I started my radishes which I overplant and use for greens - but - way too hot and they are not happy

Edited December 13, 2017 by heidih (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Now that the sun is warm, days are getting longer, and the seed catalogs are here...the ground is like a brick.

 

[Martin Fisher]

Ordered any seeds lately? 

So far, this year, I've ordered strawberry spinach seeds as suggested by @chromedome.

I'll very likely order some seeds from Fedco seeds—and maybe High Mowing Seeds.

Bountiful Gardens, in California, closed up shop this year. 

[suzilightning]

Before all the cold hit us I harvested all the parsley I could but covered up the little bitty shoots.  Today went out and checked them and they survived!!!

Also got this year's yellow primrose on sale at our local Shoprite.  Will put it into the ground to join the other eight or so I have and it will bloom again later in the fall.

[SLB]

I live in a NYC apartment with windowboxes only, and in any event failed to get winter stuff planted this year.  [I think that's supposed to go in the Flower Gardening thread . . . .]

 

But anyway, I spied this on the train the other day, on the back of someone's very large instrument case.  I thought of y'all.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2018 by SLB (log)

[HungryChris]

I just tossed out my scraggly batch of fall basil, moved the winter batch up from under the lights and planted a spring batch near the woodstove in the basement.

The keen observer will note a bottle of Prosecco chilling outside for dinner.

HC

[Smokeydoke]

@HungryChris they look gorgeous! I can't wait to get mine in February.

[Toliver]

My brother's Brussels Sprouts were overrun by aphids (in his community garden).

He was able to rescue the plants after a strong watering followed by the application of some sort of oil on the leaves that aphids don't like (under the guidance of the community garden's Master Gardener).

[heidih]

I know someone in NYC ordered from her and she is just a couple miles from me - fabulous plants  https://www.heirloomtomatoplants.com/

[dcarch]

Punxsutawney Phil

 

Punxsutawney Phil, the official groundhog, has predicted that there will be many more weeks of freezing weather. Which means frozen ground and problem starting seeds for the garden.

I put together this quick and inexpensive precision seed starting chamber.

A digital temperature controller. ($15.00)
A 12V muffin fan to circulate air ($2.00)
An old light bulb for heat ($0.00)
Some old 1" foam board to make an insulated box. ($5.00?)

Time for construction - about two hours.

Essentially a big SV cooker using a PID controller to circulate hot air instead of hot water to keep temperature within one degree of accuracy.

I can't think of another reliable way to start seeds quickly.

This box can be used for bread proofing, yogurt making, egg incubating, hot food keeping for transportation for long distance------

The box is very strong, and can be taken apart for storage in one minute, and put together again in 5 minutes.

dcarch

Edited February 3, 2018 by dcarch (log)

[KennethT]

@dcarch That's a nice cheap seed starter you got there.  Commercially, what's used (for hydroponics, anyway) is sort of like a big bread proof box where you can control not only temp but also humidity, so you can start your seeds in rockwool, coco coir, starter plugs, or whatever, and not have to keep them covered.  Works great when you want all your seeds to come up at the same time, like if you grow microgreens.

[Martin Fisher]

I often us an egg incubator—it works well. 

[heidih]

I have officially moved from disgusted to frightened and am just giving up. Overnight lows in the 40's, daytime highs in the 80's and super low humidity -not working for the plants. Attachd are the bleeping radishes i posted Nov 20- pretty much no growth - they should be growing like noxious weeds. All I want is the greens, but NO!  Gonna stick to foraging after rainfall (if that ever happens) and playing with grain sprouting. At least I can control that environment as we enter another horrid drought....not water  piggy.

 

On a brighter note for those of you with better growing conditions I enjoyed this Q & A on unusual edibles  https://awaytogarden.com/oddball-vegetables-plus-8-heat-proof-spinach-substitutes-niki-jabbour/

[dcarch]

8 hours ago, KennethT said:

@dcarch That's a nice cheap seed starter you got there.  Commercially, what's used (for hydroponics, anyway) is sort of like a big bread proof box where you can control not only temp but also humidity, so you can start your seeds in rockwool, coco coir, starter plugs, or whatever, and not have to keep them covered.  Works great when you want all your seeds to come up at the same time, like if you grow microgreens.

 

I made this because I saw this chart that each different seed has a different ideal germinating temperature;

 

 

Also, 99.5F is considered to be ideal for egg incubation, 110°F to 115°F for yogurt, and 80F and 90F degrees for dough proofing.

I will also be growing micro greens.

 

dcarch
 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Long ago I learned to trust Burpee to ship my plants at more or less the right time.

 

[KennethT]

@dcarch Nice - less fancy, you can use a seedling mat... basically an electric blanket that won't turn off every 2 hours and that is adjustable.  Many seeds like bottom heat... just cover you flat with a humidity dome or something.

[HungryChris]

Mixed mesclun, which I hope to be able to put out in the cold frame mid March or earlier. The next wave of basil is on the bottom.

HC