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I use Vivosun heat mats and an iPower GLT5XX4 light. Mine is flourescent and there are probably better light options currently. Main thing I've learned over the years is to either commit to starting stuff in bigger cells or stay on top of transplanting. I usually start seeds in 3"x3" peat pots while I've got them, transitioning to similar sized plastic pots as they accumulate. Use any generic sterile seed starting mix you can find affordably. I've been working on the same eight pound bag for several years now.
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Dec 26, 2020 19:34
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I'm planning on starting most of my own plants this year which I haven't done in a decade or so and I need to get started soon. What's everyone's favorite seed starting mat/light/growing media setup? I'm mostly going to be doing tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, squashes etc. Not sure about dedicated starting equipment (mat, etc) but I picked up a four-pack of Barrina LED lights based on a goon’s recommendation here and I really like them a lot so far (I got the white color temp ones, but there are also yellow and purple light versions, and the six-packs are much more bang/buck but were out of stock when I bought them). I put them on a spare IKEA IVAR shelving unit I had and I’m super happy with the result. I’ll probably add another side piece+set of shelves soon. I also have to figure out what I’m gonna put where the M. adansonii up top is right now. I’ll eventually repot it, place it low, and stake it up- it’s looking quite rootbound at the moment and it’s really starting to show “upside down Monstera syndrome” where the leaves get smaller the farther along the vine you go, instead of larger which is what the plant would do if it were growing up the side of a tree/etc instead of trailing down. 
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Dec 26, 2020 19:54
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I'm planning on starting most of my own plants this year which I haven't done in a decade or so and I need to get started soon. What's everyone's favorite seed starting mat/light/growing media setup? I'm mostly going to be doing tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, squashes etc. Is this not massively early? I can't remember, are you in a pretty high zone number? I've got at least two more months before I can even start thinking about starting seeds in zone 6.
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Dec 26, 2020 20:06
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In their defense I feel like I short changed myself last season. Our weather has always been unpredictable in NC but I could have started peppers probably two months before I did and cut them out another two months later than expected. We only just saw a decent freeze this month and I probably could have kept certain peppers happy with a little work. Starting stuff "early" in a good piece of dirt is a solid gamble if you've got room, light, and heat. Especially with slower plants like tomatoes.
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Dec 26, 2020 20:23
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I'm planning on starting most of my own plants this year which I haven't done in a decade or so and I need to get started soon. What's everyone's favorite seed starting mat/light/growing media setup? I'm mostly going to be doing tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, squashes etc. Generic starter mat and adjustable height daylight or close LED shop lights. I cover them until they’ve all sprouted and then just bottom water. I’ll raise the lights as they grow to keep them about 12” higher or so for the lights I have. I use regular plastic trays too, as I can control water better and reuse them for years. Use whatever size you want, veg plants only care that they have enough room, not too much room. Whatever seed starter mix is fine, I use nutrients from my hydro setup when I water and get great root growth usually. I never put peppers and tomatoes in the same tray anymore. Peppers grow slower and the tomatoes can usually start a couple weeks later and grow big with what I manage to give them. Even sweet bell peppers I make sure aren’t in the same 1020 tray if they go in at the same time.
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Dec 26, 2020 20:48
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It seems early, but I also feel as if I need to start planning my garden and ordering seeds soon. It'll be May before I know it.
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Dec 27, 2020 05:10
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Is anyone interested in curry tree berries?
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Jan 3, 2021 09:07
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Anyone have good ideas for cheap edging that looks decent? I've got ~500' in the front yard and 425' in the backyard I need to do. The beds in the front yard need to be deep-ish, backyard can be lower. The best I've come up with so far for looks and price is old bricks standing vertical in the front where I want deep beds and laying horizontal in the back. Vertical bricks comes out to ~$1.65/linear ft and horizontal is $.75/linear ft. Even with vertical bricks, that's cheaper than steel edging from lowes. Plain black plastic is like $.50/ft and isn't the look I want and doesn't have any height. I did the math and even at my hefty burn rate, it would be a decade's worth of wine bottles just to do the front! E: There's alot of curves so it needs to be flexible or small enough pieces to go around them. Kaiser Schnitzel fucked around with this message at 22:18 on Jan 3, 2021 |
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Jan 3, 2021 22:15
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Don’t put glass bottles in your garden. They will break and make a giant sharp mess. And you’ll never find all the pieces. I like standard bricks, but I also had a large stock pile of old bricks to use. I’d use red bricks and/or wood or a mix of them depending on particular needs. The only thing cheaper is being able to dig up field stones to use.
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Jan 3, 2021 22:33
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Anyone have good ideas for cheap edging that looks decent? I've got ~500' in the front yard and 425' in the backyard I need to do. The beds in the front yard need to be deep-ish, backyard can be lower. The best I've come up with so far for looks and price is old bricks standing vertical in the front where I want deep beds and laying horizontal in the back. Vertical bricks comes out to ~$1.65/linear ft and horizontal is $.75/linear ft. Even with vertical bricks, that's cheaper than steel edging from lowes. Plain black plastic is like $.50/ft and isn't the look I want and doesn't have any height. Having had some gardens in the past edged with bricks they don't stay in place all that well even put in vertically. If you're really into the brick look that's one thing, but otherwise I don't think it's really worth it. I didn't do anywhere near 900 feet, but I edged ~200' of garden this spring/summer. I didn't want to do wood because I don't want to have to replace it constantly, and plastic/metal stuff was either ugly as gently caress or expensive as gently caress or, more often, both. I went with these from Lowes because they were significantly cheaper than what Home Depot carries (at least around here—I also didn't want to buy an entire pallet), they interlock, the design makes it easy to put in smooth curves, and they can be put in approximately flush to the ground or installed upright for more height. IIRC the installation guide significantly overestimates how many are necessary and it ended up being ~$1.75 a linear foot or something like that. I think they look pretty alright though the color of them is, unsurprisingly, nowhere near as consistent as it is in the product shots. I don't have pictures that are really of the edging but here's what it actually looks like both upright and flush:  
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Jan 4, 2021 01:17
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Depending where you are and the resources available you can harvest local rock to make a very bourgeoisie barrier to mark where the peasants need to keep away from
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Jan 4, 2021 03:09
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Walmart put out the seeds where I'm at. Seems a little early to me, but it's building hope in me for spring to be coming.
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Jan 4, 2021 05:28
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rojay posted:Is anyone interested in curry tree berries? Like the seeds to grow one? Yes!
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Jan 4, 2021 05:53
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^ I've already gotten two of my regular seed catalogues in the mail and a few random bulb catalogues too. It's too early to plant, but I'd be planning out peppers to start in February in the past, so it's not really too early. Some onions like to be started very early too, so it makes sense to fill the space with seeds (instead of random holiday decor, but bah humbug). I get to turn out a brand new garden next year, and the soil in the existing raised beds is heavy and full of clay. I don't know why they put this stuff in them aside from it was probably already in the yard, but wtf. If you build 12" tall beds, put some actual soil in the thing. I think I'll probably need to dig it out at least halfway and back fill with something that's not going to turn hard and heavy every time it rains (which it does a lot). I also finally managed the time to sort all the seeds I'm sending and just need to go get stamps and send the things tomorrow. The quick germ test I was able to do on them did fine, and everything managed to dry out enough so that there won't be any rot. So for anyone that responded to the erjingtiao survey, they're all going out this week and while I wasn't able to do 10+ of everything, I got close on the two main ones. I had so many erjingtiao that I just took a small spoon to fill the packets. Bonus pic of basement Scotch Bonnets. 
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Jan 4, 2021 06:10
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I'm planning on starting most of my own plants this year which I haven't done in a decade or so and I need to get started soon. What's everyone's favorite seed starting mat/light/growing media setup? I'm mostly going to be doing tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, squashes etc. This may be a stretch for you, but I’ve had massive success with a hotbed. Mine is around 2’ tall with a heating cable buried in a sand at the bottom. I did a ton of tomatoes and peppers and it was really great to be able to trench bury 20”+ tomatoes in the ground right after frost. Also just ordered my veggies for the raised beds, just need to finalize my flower seeds and I’ll be ready for spring! 
Solkanar512 fucked around with this message at 13:07 on Jan 4, 2021 |
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Jan 4, 2021 13:04
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Wallet posted:Having had some gardens in the past edged with bricks they don't stay in place all that well even put in vertically. If you're really into the brick look that's one thing, but otherwise I don't think it's really worth it. Bi-la kaifa posted:Depending where you are and the resources available you can harvest local rock to make a very bourgeoisie barrier to mark where the peasants need to keep away from Solkanar512 posted:This may be a stretch for you, but I’ve had massive success with a hotbed. Mine is around 2’ tall with a heating cable buried in a sand at the bottom. I did a ton of tomatoes and peppers and it was really great to be able to trench bury 20”+ tomatoes in the ground right after frost. 
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Jan 4, 2021 15:29
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What are good places to get seeds from? I've used Gardener's Supply before and bought Burpee seeds from the hardware store and never really noticed changes in quality that couldn't be attributed to my other numerous gently caress-ups. I've tried a fair number of different types of tomatoes over the years, but I've learned little beyond that Cherokee Purples are cursed and Sun Golds are the best in every way.
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Jan 4, 2021 20:14
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Harry Potter on Ice posted:Like the seeds to grow one? Yes! DM me. I am pulling them from my tree as they ripen, as apparently birds enjoy them. I can't promise they'll all be viable, but I have two more trees in my yard that grew from berries I tossed in that general direction...
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Jan 4, 2021 20:27
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Chad Sexington posted:What are good places to get seeds from? I've used Gardener's Supply before and bought Burpee seeds from the hardware store and never really noticed changes in quality that couldn't be attributed to my other numerous gently caress-ups. I'm a big fan of Johnny's Selected Seeds. Be warned: they supply to greenhouses and nurseries, so pay attention to the sizes. Trust me, you do not need more than the smallest size. They were out of echinacea in the size I wanted, so I bought a quarter ounce of seeds, the next size up. I don't think I'll ever need any more echinacea seeds.
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Jan 4, 2021 20:38
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Solkanar512 posted:... I’ve had massive success with a hotbed. ... Do you also use a row cover or cold frame with it? That part of me that picked up on my dad always turning lights off makes me wonder where the heat escapes. “Are you trying to heat the outside, close the door,” sort of thing. This seems like a good idea for me to consider now instead of after I rebuild the beds.
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Jan 4, 2021 20:52
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I like Seed Savers Exchange and Territorial Seed Company personally. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is also a nice option but not everyone supports their politics. They're especially useful if you're looking for someone really esoteric, especially if it's an old seed or some weird flower you heard about.
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Jan 4, 2021 22:01
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I've been very happy with Terrior Seeds and they've got some really neat heirloom varieties. The worst seeds I have ever gotten, hands down, were coated seeds from Ferry Morse, which had a less than 2% germination rate indoors in multiple growth media. I have no idea if I just got ones from a shipment that were stored inhospitably or something, but I tried several different varieties and virtually nothing would sprout. 
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Jan 4, 2021 22:19
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Southern Exposure seed exchange has tons of cool old varieties for the Southeast and is like a literal old hippy commune. Sow True is good too.
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Jan 4, 2021 22:30
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mischief posted:I like Seed Savers Exchange and Territorial Seed Company personally. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is also a nice option but not everyone supports their politics. They're especially useful if you're looking for someone really esoteric, especially if it's an old seed or some weird flower you heard about. If there's an esoteric or odd flower/plant, look for esoteric growers. Most types of plants have followings these days and swap seeds online like no one's business. Baker Creek has less unusual plants than they try to suggest and from the seeds I've gotten from them, I've very much been less than happy with germ rates and even just getting the plants I was supposedly buying. Sure, they were peppers, but they were cross pollinated and not what I ordered. I'll go with Seed Savers and Territorial though. Never a problem. I'll be trying out West Coast Seeds this year, but they're more suited to my climate. Midwest climate I'd pick up seeds from Jung seed because that's what everyone got growing up and they were always good. Kitazawa Seeds is what I suggest time an again for plant varieties from Asia. I got their catalogue last week and have spent hours just staring at it and trying to juggle planting space for maybe just one other thing. re: Ferry Morse, I've not had issues, but I've only used them for two things and they were random herb packs from a random garden center. They seem to be on par with the other mass market seed places in terms of not that interesting but you can find it everywhere.
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Jan 5, 2021 00:18
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You guys love your crazy seed recommendations. Got a Walmart near you? A Lowes? A Target? No? Any hardware store with a garden section? Hell, I found discounted seeds at goodwill! Everywhere has them!
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Jan 5, 2021 00:34
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mischief posted:I like Seed Savers Exchange and Territorial Seed Company personally. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is also a nice option but not everyone supports their politics. They're especially useful if you're looking for someone really esoteric, especially if it's an old seed or some weird flower you heard about. What’s up with their politics? I did a cursory look but didn’t really feel like digging much. Earth posted:You guys love your crazy seed recommendations. Got a Walmart near you? A Lowes? A Target? No? Any hardware store with a garden section? Hell, I found discounted seeds at goodwill! Everywhere has them! The public library in Concord, MA has a century+ old seed swap box that is very well managed and stocked by its patrons top shelf seeds at the toppest shelf of prices (free)
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Jan 5, 2021 00:47
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Earth posted:You guys love your crazy seed recommendations. Got a Walmart near you? A Lowes? A Target? No? Any hardware store with a garden section? Hell, I found discounted seeds at goodwill! Everywhere has them!  Hmm, yes, tell the gardening megathread not to grow better or rarer seeds, and to settle for Walmart. That'll go over well.
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Jan 5, 2021 00:49
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Ok Comboomer posted:What’s up with their politics? I did a cursory look but didn’t really feel like digging much. Cliven Bundy was to speak at one of their meetins
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Jan 5, 2021 00:49
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Ooooooof (altho didn’t he come out as ACAB/pro-BLM? Edit: that was apparently Ammon) Well good thing I have no money and Concord’s Concord.
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Jan 5, 2021 00:52
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Jan posted:
I mean everybody knows the REAL way to get plants is to befriend your mom's friends in the garden club and set up an elaborate system of trades.
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Jan 5, 2021 01:34
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Man, gently caress shinies and rares Have you thought about filling your whole team with only ratattas?
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Jan 5, 2021 01:59
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Ok Comboomer posted:Man, gently caress shinies and rares I have a bad feeling my new house is infested with deerlings. Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Southern Exposure seed exchange has tons of cool old varieties for the Southeast and is like a literal old hippy commune. Sow True is good too. Thanks for that. I'm in the mid-Atlantic so Southern Exposure seemed like it'd be a good fit.
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Jan 5, 2021 02:05
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It's January and we got like 4 inches of snow last night, so of course I'm planning out my little balcony garden 4 months in advance. Last year I did three chili plants (peri-peri, habanero, lemon drop) and a flower planter. Going to scale back the chilis to two plants this year (peri-peris again and serranos), and use the extra space to do either tomatillos or tomatoes (or both???). Reading up on it though, it seems you need (at minimum) 2 tomatillo plants since they aren't self-pollinating. Does this apply if you're also growing tomatoes? Just thinking of space constraints on my little balcony. I could probably do 2 chilis + 2 tomatillos (how big do they even grow?), or 2 chilis + 1 tomatillo + 1 tomato, but then I'm unsure if they'll pollinate correctly. Literally the only fruits I've ever grown have been chilis, so I'm a little lost.
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Jan 12, 2021 13:05
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Drone posted:It's January and we got like 4 inches of snow last night, so of course I'm planning out my little balcony garden 4 months in advance. Apart from a similar-sounding common name, tomatillos and tomatoes aren't that closely related (same family, different genus), so you'd be fine to grow both tomatillos and tomatoes together, but would still need at least 2 tomatillo to ensure pollination. EDIT: Also worth knowing that, contrary to popular belief, tomato leaves are edible. So if you were to grow a tomato plant you'd be increasing your yield by introducing a leaf crop as well. crazyvanman fucked around with this message at 18:08 on Jan 12, 2021 |
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Jan 12, 2021 17:59
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Tomatoes are self pollinating, to make that explicit.
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Jan 12, 2021 18:51
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Tomatoes are great to do on a balcony assuming you have enough light and are on top of your watering. I kind of wish I still had a balcony to grow mine on, because squirrels eat 90% of the tomatoes I grow in my beds. >:[
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Jan 12, 2021 19:10
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kedo posted:Tomatoes are great to do on a balcony assuming you have enough light and are on top of your watering. I kind of wish I still had a balcony to grow mine on, because squirrels eat 90% of the tomatoes I grow in my beds. >:[ Self-watering planters are awesome for balconies/patios/etc. The self-watering planter buckets I left with my dad let him grow tomatoes until first frost and they sat on a deck that easy gets to over 100F each day for weeks at time. Also, assuming it's legal to do so when/where you are, remember that squirrels are edible. 
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Jan 12, 2021 20:10
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poeticoddity posted:Also, assuming it's legal to do so when/where you are, remember that squirrels are edible. Also remember to not kill animals just so you can grow your lovely tomato crop
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Jan 12, 2021 20:12
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Harry Potter on Ice posted:Also remember to not kill animals just so you can grow your lovely tomato crop That's why I emphasized that they're edible. 
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Jan 12, 2021 20:20
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Because we're running out of squirrels? I know I'm not. Maybe just don't torture and kill animals for no reason. Protecting your garden is a historical and sensible thing to do. Otherwise why are you disturbing the ecosystem? Find your balance. Just like you would with rats digging under your compost, mice in the walls, raccoons living in your attic, or that rabbit warren living in your wood pile. There's nothing wrong with sharing the world, but that's a two-way street that animals don't abide by. If you're overrun with squirrels, be my guest. On the other hand, I made hot sauce with fresh scotch bonnets and caribbean red peppers this morning from my basement grow space. It tastes like August in January and is wonderful.
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Jan 12, 2021 20:33
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