Gardening: (2016– )

[TicTac]

Have fun!

 

Peppers I get, tomatoes seem a bit early though (I learned that lesson the hard way last year having to transplant 64 plants......TWICE!)...

[chromedome]

58 minutes ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

It's starting.

Planning the upcoming season, assessing what I'll need.....and so on.

Started tomato and hot pepper seeds today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recognize the catalogue and have the same one, but I wasn't previously familiar with Incredible Seed (I've ordered in the past from Hope Seeds, Annapolis Seeds and Revival Seeds, all up in the Valley, but Incredible would certainly be more local to you). For pepper seeds specifically, if you aren't already familiar with them, check out Atlantic Pepper Seeds here in New Brunswick. They've got 2400-ish varieties, all grown here in Atlantic Canada (with varying degrees of encouragement) and their site has lots of useful information on it.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

10 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Have fun!

 

Peppers I get, tomatoes seem a bit early though (I learned that lesson the hard way last year having to transplant 64 plants......TWICE!)...

 

For both tomatoes and peppers my timeline is 6-8 weeks pre last frost.

Starting seedlings the way I do gives a lot of wiggle room with regards to final transplanting and I've always been an 'err on the side of caution' type of gardener.

Good luck with your season.

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

27 minutes ago, chromedome said:

 

I recognize the catalogue and have the same one, but I wasn't previously familiar with Incredible Seed (I've ordered in the past from Hope Seeds, Annapolis Seeds and Revival Seeds, all up in the Valley, but Incredible would certainly be more local to you). For pepper seeds specifically, if you aren't already familiar with them, check out Atlantic Pepper Seeds here in New Brunswick. They've got 2400-ish varieties, all grown here in Atlantic Canada (with varying degrees of encouragement) and their site has lots of useful information on it.

 

I started buying from Incredible Seeds when I moved here last June. They fit well with my gardening philosophy/approach and provided a lot of information with respect to dealing with local challenges such as soil pH, pests...etc...

I will check out Atlantic Pepper Seeds.

Thanks for the tip.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Senior Sea Kayaker (log)

[DianaB]

I am struggling to persuade pepper (capsicum) seeds to germinate this year.  I sowed a packet of seeds to give yellow fruits (Gourmet) and a packet for plants with peppers that ripen red (Gypsy).  The Gourmet seeds did eventually germinate.  Those little plants have been potted on and they seem to be doing fine.  Not one of the Gypsy seeds germinated, with only 12 seeds in the packet I had sown the lot so the only option was to buy a second packet in order to start again.  I have grown these 2 varieties for years now, they complement each other, taste great and freeze well.  
 

When I had problems getting sweet pea seeds to germinate someone (perhaps here) suggested getting them started on damp kitchen towel.  I am trying this with my second packet of Gypsy seeds.  Just wondering if anyone else has had problems getting capsicum seeds to germinate?  Any other tips that might come in useful to prevent difficulties in the future?

 

Happy growing!  

[heidih]

@DianaB when I had troublee sprouting some seeds the Garden's botanist had me use plastic zip bags. Put some perlite or loose soil in botton , moisten, lightly sprinkle on seeds and zip closed. Basically a mini greenhouse. I kept them in a cooler part of greenhouse. Watch carefully and open a bit ito release condensation and not stifle growth. Worked well for stubborn seeds. Transfer to pots when they look like they can keep their heads up. 

 

Some here may be interested in this piece today that is more directed to growing in colder climates. I thought of @dcarch.  Edible tropicals.  https://awaytogarden.com/its-edimental-the-showiest-tropical-edibles-with-marianne-willburn/

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

@DianaB

I'm unsure under what conditions you're starting your peppers so my $0.02 for what it's worth.

For some varieties of peppers germination is very dependent on a higher temperature than say tomatoes.

@heidih 'mini greenhouse' suggestion is similar to my method where I overnight with a sheet of plastic to hold in the heat and moisture and remove it in the morning, check the moisture level and mist if necessary.

Hope this helps.

Good luck with your gardening season.

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

First signs of indoor tomato germination:

 

[chromedome]

First seeds planted in my little indoor greenhouse. This one's reserved for stuff that needs warmth, so currently it contains tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumelons (I first encountered those as "mouse melons," and I still prefer that name), basil and ground cherries. Melons and a few other things will follow as soon as I can get my hands on the seeds.

 

Heading to NS for my monthly visit with my mom and daughter, then when I get home I'll set up my 10' X 20' greenhouse and start my brassicas and other cold-tolerant seeds in that. Less than 2 months until the Victoria Day weekend (traditional planting-out time in my neck of the woods) so I have a lot of prep work to do.

 

On a side note my daughter will be starting the horticulture program at the NS Community College in September, which would have thrilled her grandfather. My dad was a masterful gardener, and his copies of Mother Earth News and Organic Gardening were literally some of my earliest reading.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

15 hours ago, chromedome said:

First seeds planted in my little indoor greenhouse.

 

Heading to NS for my monthly visit with my mom and daughter, then when I get home I'll set up my 10' X 20' greenhouse and start my brassicas and other cold-tolerant seeds in that.

 

I'm thinking of getting some sort of seasonal greenhouse and have been looking around. I'm interested in what you're using.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

I've decided to try something new this year.

Purchased two fiber planting 'pots' to try out.

Those Candy Cane peppers should be labelled what they are: Fish Peppers.

 

 

[chromedome]

20 minutes ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

 

I'm thinking of getting some sort of seasonal greenhouse and have been looking around. I'm interested in what you're using.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

 

I have this one:

https://www.aosom.ca/item/outsunny-20x10x7ft-heavy-duty-tunnel-walk-in-greenhouse-outdoor-backyard-seed-plant-vegetables-grow-warm-house-white~845-233WT.html?recv=eyJwYWdldHlwZSI6ImN0ZyIsInBhZ2VpZCI6Ik91dGRvb3IgPiBMYXduICYgR2FyZGVuID4gR3JlZW5ob3VzZXMgPiBUdW5uZWwgR3JlZW5ob3VzZXMifQ==&_ac=Category-Tunnel Greenhouses

 

It's still in the box, so I have no direct feedback on it yet, but the consensus online is that it's a fairly typical example of the genre. They need to be well-anchored against wind, so I plan to screw the bottom rail of mine to 2X8 or 2X10 boards and take advantage of my plentiful supply of stone to weigh down the perimeter. If you only plan seasonal use you don't need to worry about snow load, but if you want to leave it up into early winter it's good to reinforce the hoops in one way or another. If you look around YouTube you'll find lots of videos where people show what has and hasn't worked for them.

Some go to the extent of putting in a Sonotube full of concrete with rebar set into it, as an anchor point. I probably won't go that far, because the spot I've selected will be sheltered from the worst winds by woods on the north and northwest sides (the direction of my prevailing winds). I don't remember which part of Cape Breton you're in, but if it's a gusty spot you can't go wrong using more/better anchoring options.

 

I'm going to put in probably a meter-wide raised bed along the south side of the greenhouse for heat-loving plants (okra, peppers, maybe some melons. The north side will initially contain three tables' worth of seedlings and some water barrels for passive solar heat, but the tables will come out and be replaced by planters once May rolls around and I plant things out into my main garden.

 

I opted for this because it was cheap and gave me a relatively large enclosure, but it's not really built for long-term use. The poly's generally good for 3-5 years, apparently, before it needs replacing. If you have the budget for something that uses polycarbonate panels instead of a plastic skin, that will certainly last longer. I have the frame of a friend's old shed, and a number of old windows hoarded for the purpose by my stepdaughter and now-deceased son in law, and plan to build a sturdier greenhouse out of those as the summer progresses. We have a "retired" woodstove out in the barn that might conceivably end up in there if I get really ambitious. I also have a couple of smaller collapsible frames, one from a now-defunct tent and one that used to be my father in law's ice-fishing hut, which I'll cover with 6mm poly during the spring and fall for that little bit of extra protection for some plants (probably tomatoes).

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

@chromedome

Thanks. My main concern is the wind here. A lot of the products I've looked at I'd be taking it down at least once every two weeks or see it shredded or in one of my neighbors' yards.

Price is right.

 

[heidih]

I got this clear visual of an unanchoired greenhouse drifting through Canadian airspace.......

[gfweb]

On 3/13/2023 at 4:57 AM, FillPizza said:

With each passing year, I am increasingly convinced that it is easier to buy vegetables, flowers, etc. than to spend half the warm season dealing with a garden. There are much more interesting activities to do...

 But its nice to have greens and tomatoes in the back yard.

[TicTac]

@Senior Sea Kayaker - do you keep those plastic soil bags closed until germ?  I do something similar in a self watering sprouter with plastic wrap on top. 

 

Little late to the game, I still want to order some new orange cherry variety.  Will most likely start seeds of Toms/Peppers in the next 2 weeks.

 

Cloth pots are amazing.  I have 100gallon ones made out of recycled bpa free water bottles, they drain and breath really well.  I'm working on going full LSO in them.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

1 hour ago, TicTac said:

@Senior Sea Kayaker - do you keep those plastic soil bags closed until germ?  I do something similar in a self watering sprouter with plastic wrap on top. 

 

Little late to the game, I still want to order some new orange cherry variety.  Will most likely start seeds of Toms/Peppers in the next 2 weeks.

 

Cloth pots are amazing.  I have 100gallon ones made out of recycled bpa free water bottles, they drain and breath really well.  I'm working on going full LSO in them.

 

I just have a piece of plastic sheeting that I put over the bags overnight to hold in moisture. Since I'm usually home for most of the day I just mist until I've got viable seedlings.

I'm trying out a new variety this year of orange cherries, Golden Nugget, and although it's a determinate variety It's always fun to experiment. 

Looking forward to seeing how the cloth pots perform.

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Senior Sea Kayaker (log)

[chromedome]

1 hour ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

@chromedome

Thanks. My main concern is the wind here. A lot of the products I've looked at I'd be taking it down at least once every two weeks or see it shredded or in one of my neighbors' yards.

Price is right.

 

The sides of the shelter extend out a couple of feet, and the intent is that you bury them under a heavy load of soil or gravel to prevent the wind getting underneath and picking them up.

 

There are also auger-type stakes (the kind you see used for staking out dogs in the yard) at all four corners, with guy ropes. Consensus is that you'll want to have at least double that number, with a sturdy rope crossing your greenhouse's roof from the stake on one side to the stake on the other. This, plus physical/weight-based anchoring of the structure itself, seems to do the job pretty adequately by all accounts.

[haresfur]

I haven't been good about starting seeds except for things like parsley, coriander, and shiso that self seed. That and the patch of lawn that is quite nicely being taken over by warrigal greens (you might know it as New Zealand spinach - darn kiwis trying to claim everything!). I did start some basil that looked rather sickly but we managed to get enough to keep us in pesto for the summer. And I did start one pot of coriander late in the season. It was somewhat successful - got a fair bit of pretty small plants (maybe too many seeds for the pot) and they bolted when just a few cm high. But did make some nice peach salsa with it.

 

But I have some pole beans that got away so I have them drying, and I may try roma tomatoes. I wasn't planning on planting tomatoes this year but I bought a damaged punnet of med size round things for a dollar and I have two volunteer romas. The romas got far too leafy but didn't get any blight in spite of being abused and mostly laying on the ground so I think it might be worth starting some from the rotting ones I found underneath. 

[dcarch]

What is the weight of one cubic yard of :

 

Solid rock? up to 4,500 lbs

Compacted wet clay dirt? up to 2,500 lbs.

 

The pandemic taught me to expand my garden. After a lot of planning and preparation, solar panel system, electrical system, plumbing system, etc. I discovered a huge boulder, size about 1/2 cubic yard under where I planned to have the new growing area.

I learned from youtube how to crack boulders using hand tools.

So, I removed one yard of dirt to get to the boulder, 1 1/2 day to crack the boulder into manageable sizes, relocated all the cracked boulders, replaced 1 1/2 yard of dirt where the boulder was.

 

Gravity makes gardening a pain. Thanks Mr. Newton! 😒

 

dcarch

 

[KennethT]

51 minutes ago, dcarch said:

What is the weight of one cubic yard of :

 

Solid rock? up to 4,500 lbs

Compacted wet clay dirt? up to 2,500 lbs.

 

The pandemic taught me to expand my garden. After a lot of planning and preparation, solar panel system, electrical system, plumbing system, etc. I discovered a huge boulder, size about 1/2 cubic yard under where I planned to have the new growing area.

I learned from youtube how to crack boulders using hand tools.

So, I removed one yard of dirt to get to the boulder, 1 1/2 day to crack the boulder into manageable sizes, relocated all the cracked boulders, replaced 1 1/2 yard of dirt where the boulder was.

 

Gravity makes gardening a pain. Thanks Mr. Newton! 😒

 

dcarch

 

That is back breaking work... been there!!!  Hope you had a nice hot epsom salt bath afterwards.

[dcarch]

13 hours ago, KennethT said:

That is back breaking work... been there!!!  Hope you had a nice hot epsom salt bath afterwards.

 

Thanks, I did need a good soaking. I smelled terrible.

 

dcarch

Edited April 1, 2023 by dcarch (log)

[TicTac]

12 hours ago, dcarch said:

 

Thanks, I did need a good soaking. I smelled terrible.

 

dcarch

Then you might need to add some soap into the equation

 

 

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

I am trying a new philosophy this year. Normally in Colorado I'd have started my tomato seeds in early March to plant out in early/mid June, but because the summer here is very rainy I had to plant them in pots under the portal of my house to avoid the inevitable rot from too much water. This year I started my seeds in January and have planted out 4 plants in the garden--Yellow Pear, Mexico Midget, Cherokee Purple and Juliet. All but Juliet are open pollinated and all are indeterminate. The plants are growing lustily, blooming and starting to set fruit. I hope this schedule works because tomatoes grown under a roof (albeit with plenty of light) in pots have proved to be adequate at best and sometimes downright disappointing.

 

However I'm having the same problems as some of you in getting pepper seeds to germinate. I have one feeble little shishito with its first true leaves, but nothing more. I'll try again but I'm not sure what difference it will make. I haven't' had this problem before. 

[kayb]

My father always contended one should plant one’s garden on Good Friday. I will not make that this year.