2024 Garden Seeds and Starts

[SwampDonkey]

Well, my seeds for 2024 from Vesey's should be here in 3 business days, got the tracking number today.

I need to expand the garden a little bit to give extra room to the tomatoes and peppers this year, as well as onions. Not more than 15 x 25 feet though. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cukes are my biggest crops. I want to space the tomatoes more, not really grow more of them. Try to give them more light from all sides. I'll start my onion seeds soon and some winter lettuce, dill and basil.  8)

Happy gardening

[21incher]

Getting ready to fire up the grow tent next week for the winter lettuce.   

[thecfarm]

I built my own tomatoe cages.
I used 1 inch cedar. Should of went with 1½ inches. But they work good. I think 16 inches across and 6 feet tall and 8 inch legs to go into the ground. Cross members every 6 or 8 inches. Them things do not fall over!!!!
I think I space them about 3 feet apart. Next year I'm going 4 feet.
Good luck with the seeds.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah I make my own stakes to. Where I cut wood there are lots of maple and ash tops to make them. They last a few years actually. A handy electric saw like Jeff's he videoed (different brand) makes stake cutting a breeze. I use cotton twine tied around the stakes as the tomatoes grow up. My stakes are usually 4-5' above ground. I don't get particular on the lengths as long as I have around 4 feet above ground at least.  But I have been planting them a bit close. I have one variety that I have quit this year. They used to grow maybe 24" tall, for some reason they are more like elderberry bushes. I don't think the seed is what it's suppose to be or else the ground is a lot richer here. The package says 24" in height. Even my squash is twice the size they advertise, so take it for what it is I guess. :D

[SwampDonkey]

A few greens coming along.

Radishes, lettuce, basil, beat greens.

[randy d]

We have one Bing tomato that is going on 1 year old and some lettuce that is just starting to come up and a jar of lentils that we are sprouting.

[SwampDonkey]

Have had some lettuce, radishes, and basil this week from the grow tent. I've got some spinach started and more lettuce as well. 

[21incher]

I just started some greens.

Whowee got lucky twice

[beenthere]

Bypassing the forum gallery?

[21incher]

Yes. I can upload to it but something goes wrong posting from it.

Directly from the pc no problem
[url="https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34694/DSC05131.JPG"]
 From the gallery no but the link is active if clicked

[SwampDonkey]

Hot peppers, some blooms appearing.



Second crop of radishes

[SwampDonkey]

Peppers are setting some fruit.



Talon Onions are starting.

[21incher]

I just started my Alyssa Craig onions. Last week we finished off the ones in the root cellar and they stayed real good for a big sweet onion.

[SwampDonkey]

I've still got about 5 lbs of garden onions from last season. The damp cold weather during the summer affected them greatly. Talons do best as transplants.

[SwampDonkey]

Not long now...hotter than jalapenos.



...and no I didn't loose the tip of my finger.  Just bent toward the camera.

[21incher]

Wow your green thumb is showing  .  My onions broke through and almost time to move to big cups.

[21incher]

Finally starting seeds today. Better late then never. Hopefully the weather breaks in the next 8 weeks.

[SwampDonkey]

Planted some more radish the first of the week. This is the third crop. They are all up now. Been eating hot peppers off the plants for a couple weeks. They are not all that hot yet, none are fire red yet.  I only grew two for now. I pick a few leaves of lettuce and dill for salad. And have some baby spinach leaves to mix in.

The onions are coming along. I planted a cuke for fun, I see some buds out now, the flowers will open soon and I'll Q-tip them and see what comes of it. 

I won't plant stuff for out doors until Mid April for the peppers and May for the tomatoes and nearly June for cuke and squash sets. This gives the vine crops a 2-3 week jump and they transplant well. Nothing can be planted here before 15th of June except onions. Put them in in mid May. By the look of the rain all this week, it will all be hydroponic gardening this year. 

[Brad_bb]

I've had terrible luck in the past with seeds.  They'll come up and be looking really good, then suddenly they all start dying.  Tried the plastic covered grow trays, then no trays in my kitchen.  Maybe the tent is necessary to keep a constant environment?  And the grow light.
I watched your vid 21incher.

[SwampDonkey]

Starting to ripen, so that means things are heating up.    Flaming Red.

[SwampDonkey]

Cukes on the vine soon. 

[Chuck White]

What "number" fertilizer do you add to the soil for good producing cucumbers?

The last couple of years I haven't had much for production, and last year we were dealing with some sort of blight!

[SwampDonkey]

I use triple 10 here, but I use lots of rotten manure mixed in. I lime to, I have enough lime in the barn in sealed bags for 15 years, maybe 20.  I only grow a 4 x 8' frame worth and maybe half that again. Way more than I can use. I usually have to pick up a buggy full to toss into the compost heap by fall.

[newoodguy78]

What "number" fertilizer do you add to the soil for good producing cucumbers?

The last couple of years I haven't had much for production, and last year we were dealing with some sort of blight!

Chuck it's almost impossible to pinpoint proper fertilizer without soil tests, that said a rule of thumb I go by is as follows. For vine crops the numbers of the fertilizer should increase as you read them. You don't want much nitrogen or all you'll get is leggy plants with not much fruit.
The first number feeds the plant, second feeds the flower and the third feeds the fruit. That's a very layman's description of what's going on.
In our soils I started using a 6-15-21 blend with phenomenal results. Paying attention to the plants and what stage they're at can pay big dividends in yield and plant health as well as saving money at the same time.
For instance if the plants are looking a little wimpy and setting flowers the need for nitrogen is very little, it's a better time to focus on phosphorus and potassium.
Good luck 

[SwampDonkey]

I believe I will start my garden peppers this weekend. 

So far, only one cucumber is fertile and growing. It's about 7 inches long now I think. I have just one plant.