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My peppers and tomatoes have sprouted but the peppers haven't grown beyond sprouts since then. It's been a few weeks now since they sprouted and they are on a heated mat and under grow lights but they are just sitting there. The sprouts look healthy enough so I am not worried yet but still weird. My eggplants, however, four varieties in total, have not sprouted at all after nearly two weeks. I left two eggplants in containers at the end of the season last year; one I tried covering and keeping warm and the other just out in the elements. The one I tried to keep covered showed some signs of new leafy growth last month then kind of browned again. The other, to my surprise, has started growing again recently. No new growth yet on the bird's eye chili I tried to overwinter though the stems are still green. guri fucked around with this message at 15:29 on Apr 2, 2019 |
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Apr 2, 2019 15:25
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I skipped 479 posts in this thread since I asked the garlic question way back in October please forgive me. Ok so I've started my tomatoes and they've germinated. I saved seeds last year - one Amish Paste heirloom variety, and one which I'll call "the Big Slicer" - it was my first time saving seeds, so this spring I planted 16 of each, worrying about poor germination due to seed saving incompetence, and figuring that I could give some away to people after I got my plants into the ground if I had more than I needed. About 10 Amish Paste are up, and about 8 Big Slicers, so success! Here's the problem: when I saved the Big Slicer seeds, I was told by my partner that it was a heirloom tomato - the one she gave me was about 2.5 inches and spherical - but this spring, after I got them into the dirt I asked her for more details about where she got them and she answered a bit differently. It turns out that we have no idea whether or not what I have growing is a hybrid. The parent tomato came from a Hutterite colony, and while they like to present this homey, old-style agricultural vibe, they're in actuality industrial as gently caress, so it could be anything from a 100-year heirloom variety to a super GMO ultra modern hybrid made by Monsanto or some poo poo. So any predictions about what I might be facing re: the Big Slicer? Should I avoid giving these away to unsuspecting friends? Is it worth even putting them into dirt?
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Apr 3, 2019 03:28
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Yeah, hell with it. Plant is a plant, and if you keep saving seed it'll adapt to your local growing conditions and crossbreed with other stuff pretty quick anyways. If it grows well and makes a good tomato keep it. If it doesn't, chop and drop.
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Apr 3, 2019 05:29
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People poo poo on hybrid tomatoes but I always grow at least one because they always grow well, resist disease, and produce reliably. The worst home-grown tomato is still miles ahead of anything you can buy in a store. I love a lumpy colorful tomato as much as the next guy but sometimes you just want a massive pile of red spheres to turn into sauce or put on a hamburger.
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Apr 3, 2019 12:49
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I usually start a bunch of heirlooms and then just buy a row of something like Better Boy to make sure we get maters.
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Apr 3, 2019 13:03
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Is there much risk of them producing inedible fruit?
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Apr 3, 2019 13:25
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CommonShore posted:Is there much risk of them producing inedible fruit? Engh? Probably not? Are you super space constrained or something? Otherwise plant it and see what happens. Kill it if it doesn't produce or struggles without pampering. Or if the tomatoes taste bland.
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Apr 3, 2019 14:47
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CommonShore posted:Is there much risk of them producing inedible fruit? From my attempts to save seeds from "Sweetelle" (seeds not available in Canada) and other store-bought varieties the results are still edible with enough mayo but not worth growing again given how many wonderful varieties there are out there. OTOH they were better than "Silver Fir", a supposed Russian heirloom straight out of the nursery. You won't know unless you try. There will probably be sand involved before you find gold.
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Apr 3, 2019 15:05
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I kept a volunteer from my Sungolds last year and it produced the most beautiful heart-shaped golden semi-cherries you ever did see. They were insipid, mealy, wet-fleshed, thick-skinned, and flavorless when ripe. I tore out the whole plant, but it wasn’t that much of a loss— a plant’s a plant.
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Apr 3, 2019 15:31
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Is it too late in the year to plant peach trees? I know a lot of sources say to plant them between December and early March, but I live in a relatively warm area and I’m wondering if I can get away with planting a couple now. I’ve seen at least one source that implies early Spring is fine for planting. I’m kinda leaning toward Red Haven and Elberta right now, both of which seem to grow well in my area. cheese posted:Stone fruit on the other hand is so nice to have at home. You can pick the handful of peaches that are perfectly ripe every day and never have to deal with bruising. Does this happen to apply to cherries, too? I was gonna plant an apple tree, but now I’m thinking about a couple of (possibly dwarf) cherry trees instead. I like me some cherries. I. M. Gei fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Apr 3, 2019 |
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Apr 3, 2019 15:49
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Trying to see if I can improve/restore my vegetable container mixes before the big boys go in. I've been using some high-quality potting mix, but I find that even with 12-14" depth above the drainage holes in my SIPs it *feels* like it's a little too damp too constantly. Wondering if I should try mixing in a healthy dose of coco coir or a bonus boost of perlite/vermiculite. Also can someone educate me on when I'd want to use perlite vs vermiculite? As far as I can tell they both seem to do the same thing, except Vermiculite tends to resist compaction better? Amazon reviews have been helpful as always: Amazon posted:Well, my wife says I have to leave a review for this bag of vermiculite. It's a big bag of vermiculite. When you open it you find it's full of vermiculite. There's nothing mixed in with it, no dirt, seeds, anything. I'm not sure what you would expect to be mixed in, but if you were hoping for something in particular you will be disappointed. Because, as I said, it's just vermiculite. If you are looking for a big bag of course vermiculite, this product is for you. If you want something other than a giant bag of course vermiculite I suggest you keep searching, but probably change the key words in your search. Cause I'm not sure how you got to this product, seeing as the description is "course vermiculite".
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Apr 4, 2019 14:25
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they both aerate the soil, but vermiculite actually increases water retention while perlite is all about drainage.
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Apr 4, 2019 14:35
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Hubis posted:Trying to see if I can improve/restore my vegetable container mixes before the big boys go in. I've been using some high-quality potting mix, but I find that even with 12-14" depth above the drainage holes in my SIPs it *feels* like it's a little too damp too constantly. Wondering if I should try mixing in a healthy dose of coco coir or a bonus boost of perlite/vermiculite. Vermiculite retains a bit more water than pearlite. Pearlite is expanded volcanic glass that hits water. Vermiculite is a compressed flaked silicate. Coco coir would definitely retain more moisture in the soil. If you want less water, I'd go for pearlite.
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Apr 4, 2019 14:40
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Fitzy Fitz posted:they both aerate the soil, but vermiculite actually increases water retention while perlite is all about drainage. Awesome, thanks. Sounds like both would serve my purpose, but maybe perlite moreso (although as I understand it perlite also has a problem with working its way to the surface over time?) I found a short article that seems to explain it pretty well: https://garden.org/ideas/view/drdawg/2187/Are-Vermiculite-and-Perlite-the-Same/ quote:Vermiculite retains more water and retains it for longer periods than perlite. Vermiculite affords slightly less aeration than perlite. For plants that thrive growing in a more-wet soil, vermiculite would do well as a potting soil additive. Many plants are more sensitive to alkaline conditions, so in that case, vermiculite would be a better choice than perlite. Since many foliage plants appreciate more water-retentive potting soil, they do well in a vermiculite-added potting soil. Also, simply because of its water retention/nutrient retention, vermiculite makes a good seed-starter medium.
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Apr 4, 2019 14:40
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Hubis posted:Amazon reviews have been helpful as always: Did Lowtax write this review?
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Apr 4, 2019 14:55
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I went ahead and started seeds for 36 tomato plants this year (6 varieties in total). They all look to be sprouting, which is awesome, but I have nowhere near enough room in my garden beds for these guys. I'll probably end up giving a bunch away, but any ideas on the most economical way to container grow these? Is 20 gallon fabric pots the way to go?
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Apr 4, 2019 20:00
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Mikey Purp posted:I went ahead and started seeds for 36 tomato plants this year (6 varieties in total). They all look to be sprouting, which is awesome, but I have nowhere near enough room in my garden beds for these guys. I'll probably end up giving a bunch away, but any ideas on the most economical way to container grow these? Is 20 gallon fabric pots the way to go? A 20 Gallon bag is a huge pot. You could probably fit two or three tomatoes in there and some basil for good measure. A 5 or 7 gallon bag will be enough for most tomatoes, but the big beefsteak types will be happier in 10 gallon bags.
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Apr 4, 2019 20:19
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One of my eggplant seedlings is misbehaving. Any idea what could cause that? I saw it on one other eggplant seedling, I already pulled it since two were in the same cell and the other looked healthier anyway. None of the other plants have anything wrong with them, including the other eggplant cultivar. The planter is indoors and I don't see any bugs or anything.
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Apr 5, 2019 00:08
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Ape Has Killed Ape posted:A 20 Gallon bag is a huge pot. You could probably fit two or three tomatoes in there and some basil for good measure. A 5 or 7 gallon bag will be enough for most tomatoes, but the big beefsteak types will be happier in 10 gallon bags. *Finger hovers over the "cancel order" button on the 5x30gal pots he ordered* To be fair I didn't figure I'd use many/all of them, and I got some 2- and 7- gal ones as well. I might go back and get the 15gal ones instead, though. The 30 gal pots were 16" deep and 24" around. Thinking about it more, I guess the bigger you go the less benefit you are really getting from the whole "fabric pot" thing huh?
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Apr 5, 2019 12:18
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I'd never thought of that way, but yeah the material of the sides is probably less important when you have that much soil (unless you've really loaded it down with stuff). I've seen enough tomatoes grown in 5-gallon buckets that I don't think you need to go much larger.
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Apr 5, 2019 12:33
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Hubis posted:The 30 gal pots were 16" deep and 24" around. Thinking about it more, I guess the bigger you go the less benefit you are really getting from the whole "fabric pot" thing huh? My wife went crazy when she stumbled on a closing nursery and everything was at liquidation prices. She got a few of the huge ones that are like 5’ diameter and maybe a foot or so deep. We use them as raised beds and they work fine. Less of a pain in the rear end than building more wooden beds and they’ll let us change our minds later as we figure out how we want to use our space better.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:56
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Honestly my problem is that I need more soil. I have a bunch of 5 gallon buckets I want to grow potatoes in and that would be a pretty big hole in the yard if I just used what's in my garden. Aha, Craigslist! I really need a trailer or a small truck. Crakkerjakk fucked around with this message at 17:07 on Apr 5, 2019 |
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Apr 5, 2019 17:03
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You can totally grow potatoes in straw in buckets. No need for so much soil that you'd need a small truck. Although I'm sure you'd find some other reason to use all that soil like I would. If you're buying soil by the yard though, see if there are any landscapers that would just deliver it for you. You'd have to pay delivery, but it might be similar to renting a truck and less work on your end. They probably also do mulch if you need any of that too.
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Apr 5, 2019 17:26
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Jhet posted:You can totally grow potatoes in straw in buckets. No need for so much soil that you'd need a small truck. Although I'm sure you'd find some other reason to use all that soil like I would. I found someone on CL just giving it away, and in this case I can just take all the buckets I'm going to stick the potatoes in my car and fill them up with a shovel. Besides, straw is kinda expensive for me to get ahold of. I use it for mulch, mostly. Gonna try to grow winter cover crops this year to make more of my own.
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Apr 5, 2019 17:52
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That’s worth the time then definitely. Straw is oddly expensive here too until I go out closer to where there are actually farms and then it gets cheap for the rectangular bales. I’m going to try to pick one up this year for help with weed control in my beds. It takes time so I probably won’t get to it until June.
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Apr 5, 2019 20:54
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Just an FYI, tractor supply sells compressed 50 lb straw bales. They aren't necessarily cheap, but they fit into the back seat of a car and wont leave a huge mess. Uncompressed bales are like half the price, so if you have something you can fit them in, that's the way to go.
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Apr 5, 2019 23:59
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Grand Fromage posted:One of my eggplant seedlings is misbehaving. And it was in the same raised bed with a couple Japanese eggplants that were each producing a couple pounds of eggplant a week for most of the season.
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Apr 6, 2019 00:17
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All my eggplants and peppers are sort of frozen at this two leaf seedling phase. I'm thinking maybe it's not warm enough? Anyway I have another that doesn't have this leaf thing on it, and my other eggplant type is fine (both Japanese varieties), but if I'm doing something wrong I gotta fix it before it gets worse.
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Apr 6, 2019 00:21
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ok thanks all - I think I'm going to keep all of the ?Slicers? and put them into containers for science, and put the amish paste into the ground.
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Apr 6, 2019 03:59
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SubG posted:
Japanese eggplant are the way to go, tbh. Bombproof little guys.
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Apr 6, 2019 12:46
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Suspect Bucket posted:Japanese eggplant are the way to go, tbh. Bombproof little guys. Yeah, they produce like mofos.
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Apr 6, 2019 21:26
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 First box done. Got a second identical one that's largely finished, needs lining and the top bits, then have to build a box for my root veggies. Then trellises but those can wait for a little bit.
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Apr 6, 2019 23:39
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Grand Fromage posted:
Whoo!! Looks awesome. Gonna do another 4 x 4 for the root veggies?
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Apr 7, 2019 03:19
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The root box will be smaller, 2x3 but two feet deep. I have a couple small varieties of things like turnips and short carrots for the normal boxes, the root box will be big carrots and daikon.
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Apr 7, 2019 03:33
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Got the first patch of seedlings cycled off the heat mat and into starter pots outside. Good batch of tomatoes, eggplant, bok choy starting to put out their new leaves. We had no luck with our first pepper seeds so fresh ones are in the next batch we have beginning on the heat mat. Also some dragon beans, turtle beans, collards and broccoli. Nothing but rain at the moment. Maybe no sun til second half of April. Ho hum
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Apr 8, 2019 01:00
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Jhet posted:That’s worth the time then definitely. I don't think Vancouver Island does straw the way the rest of the continent does. It's expensive as hell even from the farm-oriented feed stores and has a ton of seeds mixed in with the stalks. I found out about the seeds when I got desperate for mulch a couple of summers ago and bought a bale. Those beds were a green haze after the first rain.
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Apr 9, 2019 05:17
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Anybody have experience with seedsavers transplants? I've had good experiences with their seeds, but worried about buying young transplants by mail.
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Apr 11, 2019 14:23
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I've bought tomato starts from them a few times, they're good to go by me. The plants are very healthy and they have a pretty clever packaging set up that protects them from UPS/USPS.
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Apr 11, 2019 14:28
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This is going to be the first of many posts here, I'm sure - I just bought a house on half an acre with a lot of fruit trees. I'll post a full list later when I have my working list in front of me, but it is at least 6 (small, thank God) avocado trees, 5 or 6 cherimoya trees (may be annonas? No clue), 3 limon trees (unsure if some are limes, so I'll just lump them in) , 3 or 4 grapefruit trees ... It's a lot to list on mobile. So for now I have 2 questions: 1: any tips on trying to make some kumquat seedlings? I have a couple fruits (what's the singular fruit? One quat? Lol) from my tree soaking right now to separate the seeds. 2: any books you'd recommend I get? My preferred title is "Here's How To Not Kill Anything"
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Apr 15, 2019 21:32
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Got outside to do a little bit of gardening in the abandoned lot by the creek I let my dog run at. I made a joke a few months back about guerilla gardening and planting raspberry, but it looks like something beat me to the punch. Tons of black rasp canes, which is great for me. I planted mammoth sunflowers by the canes, hopefully that will protect them from the deer. Looks like quite a few wild edibles are sprouting, tons of wild onion and dock. Can't wait to see what nature has in store here, with a bit of input from me if it doesn't mind. I have no space or sun for a dedicated plot by the apartment, and didn't get the lottery for the local allotments, so I'm just going to squat on this and see what grows. Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 22:22 on Apr 15, 2019 |
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Apr 15, 2019 22:01
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