Gardeners of AW, unite

Fenika · Jun 5, 2010

icerose said:
Yeah, the basil plant I picked out is really small and in no way has it filled out it's pot. I was very careful picking out the basil.

As for roots I was always taught limit air exposure as much as possible. Air = bad. Water them faithfully as they take hold, be careful not to damage or break the roots. Carefully loosen up rootbound plants so they'll start to grow. Am I missing something?

Sounds good to me. I always water well at first b/c as you say, air = bad and it gets the air bubbles out. I also learned to make sure no stray or main roots that are already growing down (as they should) get caught and turn upwards. If that happens, the root dies.

And now I'm really looking forward to pictures from you

Haggis said:
Want.

I totally need the goat cheese on that, and with it the sandwich sounds awesome. Of course you could always add bacon.

Tsk tsk, bacon is too overpowering. Maybe canadian bacon, which isn't as bad. Though all pork makes me nauseous so I've not had it in months. There are more refined meats anyways :tongue

But the cheese and avocado (and lemon) just blended beautifully, with the rest as a nice addition to the flavor.

JLCwrites · Jun 5, 2010

Didn't get any gardening done on this rare sunny day, however, I did buy a new compost bin. 80 gal. Woohoo!

jennontheisland · Jun 5, 2010

My arugula is sprouting!

Everything else is still under ground. But the houseplants are all still alive, so I'm not convinced they're dead yet.

Fenika · Jun 5, 2010

Congrats to both of you

blacbird · Jun 5, 2010

Among my garden adventures this year: A last-minute attempt at tomatoes. It's tough to grow tomatoes decently at 61 degrees north latitude without a dedicated greenhouse. Evening temperatures, on which tomatoes depend to set fruit, are often just too cool. Last year I got almost nothing, so this year I had decided not to even try them.

But, at the last reasonable instant, while looking for other things, I stumbled across a packet of seeds for a variety of "heirloom" tomatoes. For $1.50 I decided they'd provide worthwhile amusement. I planted about a dozen seeds.

They have all grown into quite admirable looking young plants. I repotted them today into large containers, and we'll now see if they produce anything.

caw

icerose · Jun 6, 2010

Put tires around your tomatoes. I know it sounds crazy. Empty tires absorb heat during the day and then reflect that heat in the evening and through the night protecting the plants. They will grow better and fruit better. We have to do that in utah for spring time or our tomato and pepper plants just don't do well as it gets too cool. The temperature difference is between 35-50 degrees night and day.

Trust me though, tires.

SPMiller · Jun 6, 2010

A small tire tube filled with water would be optimal, since water has such high specific heat.

jennontheisland · Jun 6, 2010

My beets have sprouted! I've now got two kinds of greens in the window boxes. The rest of the herbs should be coming up soon too. I hope.

Blacbird, I'm not as far north as you, but we do occasionally get really cold nights here. I tucked my tomatoes in with an old blanket or sheet at night when the temps dipped too low. Mine were up against a fence and had a hand-made trellis of apple tree cuttings on the other side so I just draped the old army blanket that usually lives in the trunk of the car over them.

JLCwrites · Jun 6, 2010

I like the tire idea! Our problem with tomatoes has to do with rain. The only time it is NOT raining is in July, August and the first half of Sept. So the tomatoes have many hours of sun, but they need to be finished in record time or the fruits will explode from all the rain. The first year I had heirlooms I couldn't put them in the ground until mid June and by the end of Sept the tomatoes were turning red. Then it started raining and those tomatoes busted apart from all the water. (Which is why I am trying a CSA this year.) I think, in the future, I just need to build a greenhouse and keep the tomatoes inside for the whole duration.

Fenika · Jun 6, 2010

Greenhouses are awesome

It isn't as hot here today. I am moving in 7 days and will have to decide what gets harvested and what lives on.

CatSlave · Jun 6, 2010

How to make your own Wall O' Water for tomato plants

Canotila · Jun 6, 2010

We tend to have cooler, damper summers so I threw a clear sheet of painter's plastic over my roma tomatoes. They did amazing, and lasted clear through to October until a particularly hard frost finally killed them.

We harvested 9 gallons of romas over the whole summer from the 3 plants. They were planted directly in the soil. And....I forgot to stake them so they turned into a giant roma jungle that began to take over the corn. The tomatoes were hiding under the leaves on the ground in "nests". Kind of like eggs. It was bizarre.

This year we're trying a Russian heirloom that is green, and has thick skin so it can be kept fresh in cold storage like potatoes or beets. We'll see how they produce and how the fruit tastes, it sounded intriguing.

JLCwrites · Jun 6, 2010

Canotila said:
We tend to have cooler, damper summers so I threw a clear sheet of painter's plastic over my roma tomatoes. They did amazing, and lasted clear through to October until a particularly hard frost finally killed them.

We harvested 9 gallons of romas over the whole summer from the 3 plants. They were planted directly in the soil. And....I forgot to stake them so they turned into a giant roma jungle that began to take over the corn. The tomatoes were hiding under the leaves on the ground in "nests". Kind of like eggs. It was bizarre.

This year we're trying a Russian heirloom that is green, and has thick skin so it can be kept fresh in cold storage like potatoes or beets. We'll see how they produce and how the fruit tastes, it sounded intriguing.

Great idea with the painter's plastic! I'll be looking forward to seeing your Russian heirlooms.

Fenika · Jun 6, 2010

I'm sure you are aware, but just to emphasize since we are on tomatoes: Beware green tomatoes, they'll make you sick or very sick.

Darn tasty nightshades

CatSlave · Jun 6, 2010

Fried Green Tomatoes

SPMiller · Jun 6, 2010

There isn't enough tomatine in green tomatoes to really be a problem.

icerose · Jun 8, 2010

I forgot to take my camera with me. *hangs head in shame*

But I got my new plants in. Some of my strawberries are coming back. Between the wind and the crumbly dirt their poor roots got exposed during the transplant. Poor things. But some did survive. The other plants I put in are doing well still, coming out of the droop of transplanting already. I have baby corn, zuccini, and peas sprouting!! They're so cute.

SPMiller · Jun 8, 2010

Corn, zucchini, peas? So you're trying the Three Sisters technique?

SPMiller · Jun 8, 2010

I hate hornworms so much. With only five tomato plants (two cherry, one Celebrity, one Roma, one Sweet 100), I find (and kill) hornworms at a rate of about one per day. They aren't always on the tomatoes, either. They seem to be happy with just about anything in family Solanaceae.

icerose · Jun 9, 2010

SPMiller said:
Corn, zucchini, peas? So you're trying the Three Sisters technique?

Yes I am. We'll see how they do.

Ambri · Jun 9, 2010

But, at the last reasonable instant, while looking for other things, I stumbled across a packet of seeds for a variety of "heirloom" tomatoes. For $1.50 I decided they'd provide worthwhile amusement. I planted about a dozen seeds.

That's interesting . . . in these parts (Colorado) my mom always swears that it's fruitless

to try tomatoes from seed, since our growing season isn't that long. I assumed you started them indoors, in pots/ flats? How early did you start them?

My sister, stubbornnest of a family known for our stubbornness, tried planting a packet, and we have one baby tomato seedling, in a pot in the window. The others, purchased as nice foot tall plants from the local Home Despot, seem to be doing well. One even has green fruits on it already.

CatSlave · Jun 9, 2010

SPMiller said:
I hate hornworms so much. With only five tomato plants (two cherry, one Celebrity, one Roma, one Sweet 100), I find (and kill) hornworms at a rate of about one per day. They aren't always on the tomatoes, either. They seem to be happy with just about anything in family Solanaceae.

Sounds like you need a couple of chickens for bug control.

JLCwrites · Jun 11, 2010

We may actually have our first entire week of sun in two months!! Time to get those raised beds built so I can get the fall harvest started in the next couple of months.

jennontheisland · Jun 11, 2010

It's been raining and cold for nearly 2 weeks now. My poor sprouts are so tall they're falling over as they try to reach for sunlight. They've all still only got their first baby leaves and I'm afraid I'm going to lose them completely if they don't get some direct light soon.

JLCwrites · Jun 11, 2010

jennontheisland said:
It's been raining and cold for nearly 2 weeks now. My poor sprouts are so tall they're falling over as they try to reach for sunlight. They've all still only got their first baby leaves and I'm afraid I'm going to lose them completely if they don't get some direct light soon.

Bummer, Jen. I am assuming you are on the west coast, I think we've been experiencing the same lousy spring. So ready for sun...

Gardeners of AW, unite

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Prodigiously Hanged

the world is at my command

Mah tale iz draggin.

Sever your leg please.

Mah tale iz draggin.

Prodigiously Hanged

Lost in School Work

Prodigiously Hanged

Prodigiously Hanged

Lost in School Work

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Mah tale iz draggin.

the world is at my command