Gardening: (2016– )

[Okanagancook]

On 2018-03-18 at 9:32 AM, Shelby said:

Planting Red Pontiac potatoes today.  

 

Question for 'tater planters:  Do you cut your seed potatoes? 

 

It's been a zillion years since I've planted potatoes.  I don't remember what I did last time, but I chose not to this time.  I read that there is no horticultural reason to do so....you do, of course, get more potatoes.  I also read that by cutting they are more susceptible to disease.  

 

Also going to plant the first round of onions.  

 

This is earlier than I usually plant. 

 

This will mean that we get 24' of snow in a few weeks.

What I do is put the potatoes in egg containers in the garage which is cool but has windows for light.  We leave them there until we have some good sprouts.  Then then the soil is warm and dried out a bit from the spring we cut them so each piece has a good sprout which is planted.  Hope that helps.  I LOVE home grown potatoes. They have so much more flavour.

[robirdstx]

On 3/12/2018 at 4:56 PM, robirdstx said:

I thought it was dead! However, it has survived!

 

 

My Mexican Lime Tree is now a Lime Bush!

 

 

My Lime Bush continues to branch out!

 

 

And my Pomegranate tree also survived the winter and is looking better than ever!

 

 

Edited March 24, 2018 by robirdstx (log)

[Smithy]

@robirdstx, you almost (almost!) make me wish I lived year-round in the southern part of the US again.

[paulraphael]

On 3/20/2018 at 3:22 PM, heidih said:

Well Melissa Clark - a Brooklyn person - always mentions snipping basil from her patio. Couldn't hurt to ask her   She loves big flavors so.....

 

I think the issue isn't so much Brooklyn as the particular lay of the land around your garden. My old BK patio got too much sun for a lot of plants. Now we're in the shadow of buildings all around.

[Martin Fisher]

On 3/18/2018 at 12:32 PM, Shelby said:

Do you cut your seed potatoes? 

 

Yes, and other tricks to get more plants.

 

From one of my old posts on Tomatoville:

 

Thread: "Pulling potato plants from sprouts"

 

"I've been working on the same subject, but can see now, according to Tom that it's a good idea to let leaves develop, although I have had some success otherwise.
I'm also experimenting with node cuttings.

Here's some interesting information I've found.

From the book "Potatoes: How to grow and show them." by James Pink. Printed in 1879.

"By this means an immense number of plants can be raised from one pound of tubers ready for planting out at the proper season, and at the least three to four thousand pounds of potatoes could easily be grown from one pound of seed, by this method, in one season."

Starting at page 48...

"I was able to get almost 200 lbs. of taters from a lb. of seed....nowhere near 2 tons! Not yet anyway! LOL

I'm also rooting node cuttings from the sprouts in sand....Here is a 5 oz. Cheiftan seed potato that I buried in pine bark fines.

Single-Node Cuttings: A Rapid Mutiplcation technique for potatoes.

I've snapped off 15 sprouts which I'll plant for the node cuttings.

I'll continue burying the seed potato and repeat the sprout harvest until the seed potato is spent."

Edited March 25, 2018 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

Yes, and other tricks to get more plants.

 

From one of my old posts on Tomatoville:

 

Thread: "Pulling potato plants from sprouts"

 

"I've been working on the same subject, but can see now, according to Tom that it's a good idea to let leaves develop, although I have had some success otherwise.
I'm also experimenting with node cuttings.

Here's some interesting information I've found.

From the book "Potatoes: How to grow and show them." by James Pink. Printed in 1879.

"By this means an immense number of plants can be raised from one pound of tubers ready for planting out at the proper season, and at the least three to four thousand pounds of potatoes could easily be grown from one pound of seed, by this method, in one season."

Starting at page 48...

"I was able to get almost 200 lbs. of taters from a lb. of seed....nowhere near 2 tons! Not yet anyway! LOL

I'm also rooting node cuttings from the sprouts in sand....Here is a 5 oz. Cheiftan seed potato that I buried in pine bark fines.

Single-Node Cuttings: A Rapid Mutiplcation technique for potatoes.

I've snapped off 15 sprouts which I'll plant for the node cuttings.

I'll continue burying the seed potato and repeat the sprout harvest until the seed potato is spent."

 

Wow!  

 

I don't know what I'd do with that many taters lol but this is awesome!

[HungryChris]

Welcome sights, indeed!

HC

[chromedome]

I'd post a picture of my last remaining snowbanks collapsing into sodden, gray, granular heaps, but as harbingers of spring go that's not nearly as attractive as your crocuses.  

[dcarch]

Making something for my garden. Would you like to guess what I am making?

 

dcarch

 

 

[rotuts]

@dcarch

 

Pooper Scooper ?

 

many very very very Large dogs in your areas ?

 

 No ?

 

a soil Fluffer ?

 

 

[Anna N]

A briefcase for carrying around your garden tools. 

[dcarch]

47 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@dcarch

 

Pooper Scooper ?

 

many very very very Large dogs in your areas ?

 

 No ?

 

a soil Fluffer ?

 

 

42 minutes ago, Anna N said:

A briefcase for carrying around your garden tools. 

 

No, no, and no.

Hint: It will be electrified.

 

dcarch

Edited March 30, 2018 by dcarch (log)

[Martin Fisher]

Hmmmm!? 

Seed starting heating 'mat?'

[HungryChris]

Does it involve moles?

HC

[dcarch]

51 minutes ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

Hmmmm!? 

Seed starting heating 'mat?'

Nope.

But you are getting warmer. 

 

dcarch

[dcarch]

Just now, HungryChris said:

Does it involve moles?

HC

 

No.

 

dcarch

[Kerry Beal]

Is it bigger than a breadbox?

[suzilightning]

5 hours ago, HungryChris said:

Welcome sights, indeed!

HC

OHHHHH my few crocuses that weren't traumatized by being shoveled over are looking like yours but I LOVE your Johnny-jump-up as I don't have any here!!

The garden centers are advertising pansies but when we moved up here we were told to NOT plant anything until mid May as we could have a freeze until that time.  Now they are predicting a "healthy coating of snow on the ground" for Monday morning.

[kayb]

Well, the cold frames didn't happen, and the garden isn't getting tilled until tomorrow. Then I'll spread umpty bags of compost on it, till that in with my new little tiller, and be ready to plant. 

 

Got the materials today to make four 4 x 4 beds; I think I'm going to take the plunge and start an asparagus bed. Other beds can go for onions, leeks and....something. Going to cut back on tomatoes this  year, add some additional peppers (all I planted last year were cubanelles, think I'll add pimientos and Thai hot peppers).  Will get herb garden ready to go this week as well; am off on the annual hunt for tarragon (WHY does no one in this town know wtf tarragon is?) My oregano, sage, thyme and savory overwintered and are coming back nicely. Must plant cilantro, basil and parsley, along with chives and dill. The damn mint is trying to take over; should never have planted it in the ground.

 

Also going to plant sunflowers this year, at the grandurchins' request. 

 

A little late getting started, but it's been a cool spring and the ground's still fairly cold. I think I'll be good to go next week.

 

[dcarch]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Is it bigger than a breadbox?

It will be not be much bigger than the 1/2 griddle.

I will be making 4 units. 

One griddle cut in 1/2 to make two.

I will be using two griddles.

 

dcarch

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

A blueberry bird evaporator?

 

[dcarch]

1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

A blueberry bird evaporator?

 

Nope.

But that may be my next project :-)

 

dcarch

[Martin Fisher]

When the movie 'Brokeback Mountain' became a sensation back in 2005—winning several awards.

I remember seeing that it was based on the short story 'Brokeback Mountain' by Annie Proulx.

I also remember thinking, Hmmmm, that name, Annie Proulx, rings a bell.

I didn't investigate until some time after, but, sure enough, her name certainly was known to me.

She wrote the under-appreciated book, The Gourmet Gardener: Growing Choice Fruits and Vegetables With Spectacular Results.

I'd bought the book back in 1987.

I think it's excellent.

It's well written and it contains information that wasn't available in a single tome, prior.

I wish she'd update it.

Maybe I'll send her an email.

 

[dcarch]

Depending on your location, it is important to start seeds early indoors for your garden. You can gain a few months advantage in harvesting, especially for late season varieties.

I had always used my MH electronic lights for my seed start setup. They work, but they are not ideal. They use a lot of electricity (400 watts x 3), take a lot of room  and expensive bulbs need to be replaced.

There have been great advances in LED light technologies recently. They are cheap and powerful. I decided to build a few myself for my seed starting setup.

LED lights do need to be properly designed. They are current and temperature sensitive or they can be fried in a fraction of a second.

The most difficult issue is heat dissipation. They need very good heatsinks. Heatsinks are expensive.

I found that it is cheaper to get an aluminum griddle ($16), cut it in half and make two heatsinks.

I use two 150 watt COB LED chips ($8 each) for one light and a couple of brushless computer fans I have from my old computers to cool the heatsink.

WOW! It’s bright!! I will not need to replace bulbs for many years.

I am pleased with the end result. I will have 4 lights for my seedling setup.

dcarch

 

 

side-by-side MH vs. LEDs. LED

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by dcarch (log)

[Martin Fisher]

@dcarch, when I see unique gardening or cooking videos on YouTube and the like, I ALWAYS think of you!

I still have pics and drawings of your clever tomato trellis from Tomatoville.