Gardening: the beets must go on

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > Gardening: the beets must go on

Drone: Aug 22, 2003; Incredible machine

Thanks for the tomatillo advice. I'm not 100% sure that I'll have space for two tomatillo plants on my balcony in addition to the other stuff I'm growing, but we'll see... I'll buy some seeds in about a month or so and give it a shot.

I get that they're different species and all, but will tomato fertilizer (liquid) be fine for tomatillos as well? That would keep things super simple for me, since that's what I use for the chilis.

# ? Jan 12, 2021 20:38

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 30, 2024 16:11

SubG: Aug 19, 2004; It's a hard world for little things.

Ok Comboomer posted:

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.

The Baker Creek thing wasn't just that they'd invited Bundy to speak at one of their events. They invited him. Called him a "land rights activist". When people objected, the initially claimed to be surprised to find out that he was controversial ("Although we had seen a few news clippings over the years, we were naively unaware of the controversies surrounding him"). Then it comes out that they have an extended piece on him in which the interviewer talks about visiting him in federal prison. And then they try to dig in and claim that having him speak is a ~*free speech*~ issue. And then, after a couple days of people telling them that they want nothing more to do with Baker Creek because of all this, they announce that they're cancelling his appearance...because they can't guarantee the safety of the event. If they ever made a statement distancing themselves from him because of, you know, the insurrectionism and white supremacy, I missed it. And while this was happening I was one of many now former customers to contact them for clarification on the subject.

Anyway, to echo what other people have said, I've had good luck with Southern Exposure and very good luck with Kitazawa. I've been propagating yellow potato onions that I first got as starts from Southern Exposure years ago, and I've been propagating long beans and bitter melons that I originally got as seed from Kitazawa. And after the pandemic hosed with my garden plans this past spring I impulse bought a seed variety from Kitazawa and got several varieties of leafy greens that I really liked (as documented in somewhat tedious detail in my other posts in this thread).

crazyvanman posted:

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.

Huh. This past year I had a single volunteer tomatillo that produced fruit. So either they don't need pollination to set fruit (which I guess wouldn't be too surprising) or there was another one nearby I don't know about (in a neighbor's yard or something).

# ? Jan 12, 2021 21:24

Dukket: Apr 28, 2007; So I says to her, I says “LADY, that ain't OIL, its DIRT!!”

Fruition seeds is another nice option

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'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.

# ? Jan 12, 2021 22:10

crazyvanman: Dec 31, 2010

SubG posted:

Huh. This past year I had a single volunteer tomatillo that produced fruit. So either they don't need pollination to set fruit (which I guess wouldn't be too surprising) or there was another one nearby I don't know about (in a neighbor's yard or something).

In plants that cross-pollinate easily and where the grower wants to save seed that is true to type, it's necessary to grow the plant literally miles from anyone else growing a similar thing. So yeah it's highly probable I guess that your tomatillo was helped by tomatillos unknown!

# ? Jan 13, 2021 00:17

awesmoe: Nov 30, 2005; Pillbug

my in-greenhouse fresh-soil carefully trimmed tomatoes keep getting blight and its loving ANNOYING

# ? Jan 13, 2021 00:26

poeticoddity: Jan 14, 2007; "How nice - to feel nothing and still get full credit for being alive." - Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five

awesmoe posted:

my in-greenhouse fresh-soil carefully trimmed tomatoes keep getting blight and its loving ANNOYING

Some people end up switching to hydroponic methods of producing tomatoes just to avoid soil-borne pathogens.
The Kratky method is probably the lowest up-front investment if you want to give it a try.
I had decent success the one time I tried it, but the only spot I've got to put them in is adjacent to windows/glass doors, and I had to cut them down in advance of a hurricane so I could get the containers inside before they'd become projectiles.

# ? Jan 13, 2021 00:37

Kaiser Schnitzel: Mar 29, 2006; Schnitzel mit uns

I just ordered some insane disease resistant tomato rootstock seeds, but it's a packet of 100 which is way too many. How long will tomato seeds keep?

# ? Jan 14, 2021 19:15

poeticoddity: Jan 14, 2007; "How nice - to feel nothing and still get full credit for being alive." - Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

I just ordered some insane disease resistant tomato rootstock seeds, but it's a packet of 100 which is way too many. How long will tomato seeds keep?

4-6 years based on a quick google search. Presumably that assumes cool, dry, dark storage without insect access.

# ? Jan 14, 2021 19:38

Flipperwaldt: Nov 11, 2011; Won't somebody think of the starving hamsters in China?

I grew tomatoes from seven year old seeds last year and way over 90% germinated.

# ? Jan 14, 2021 20:01

mischief: Jun 3, 2003

I've got some old Ferry Morse beans from my first garden that still come up. That's probably not the norm but keeping them dark, dry, and cool greatly helps extend their longevity.

You can always do a quick germination test with some paper towels before planting if you're curious.

# ? Jan 14, 2021 20:56

LLSix: Jan 20, 2010; The real power behind countless overlords

I'm planning to build garden beds this year and would love to hear suggestions for what to build them out of. I'm currently thinking of doing 2"x12" pressure treated boards (yellow southern pine) since that's the tallest boards I can find online at my local hardware stores. Something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-Common-2-in-x-12-in-x-12-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-11-25-in-x-12-ft-2-Prime-Treated-Lumber/50277349. Anyone know if that's okay for garden beds? I'd read that some forms of pressure treated wood are acceptable for food crops, but can't tell if these are. The perimeter for the new beds is about 68'. Zone 9a and we get small floods about half the time when it rains (standing water in the yard, none inside, yet).

LLSix fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Jan 16, 2021

# ? Jan 16, 2021 19:46

kedo: Nov 27, 2007

LLSix posted:

I'm planning to build garden beds this year and would love to hear suggestions for what to build them out of. I'm currently thinking of doing 2"x12" pressure treated boards (yellow southern pine) since that's the tallest boards I can find online at my local hardware stores. Something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-Common-2-in-x-12-in-x-12-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-11-25-in-x-12-ft-2-Prime-Treated-Lumber/50277349. Anyone know if that's okay for garden beds? I'd read that some forms of pressure treated wood are acceptable for food crops, but can't tell if these are. The perimeter for the new beds is about 68'. Zone 9a and we get small floods about half the time when it rains (standing water in the yard, none inside, yet).

In theory any pressure treated lumber shouldn't be used on beds because the treatment uses chemicals that you probably don't want leeching into your soil, but that being said I know a few folks who use pressure treated wood and so far they haven't died, so...? :shrug:

I used 2x12's of whatever untreated hardwood they had at the time, I think oak. Wasn't terribly cheap, but I'm on year four and it's still in fantastic shape. I've heard folks suggest using a food-safe sealant can extend its life a bit, but I didn't end up doing that because :effort:

L shaped framing brackets at the corners seem to hold up better than just plain screws into wood, and are definitely sturdier than the gardening-specific brackets you can find in the garden department.

# ? Jan 16, 2021 22:21

mischief: Jun 3, 2003

Treated wood hasn't had arsenic since about 2003. It's mostly copper now.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 00:41

Kaiser Schnitzel: Mar 29, 2006; Schnitzel mit uns

LLSix posted:

I'm planning to build garden beds this year and would love to hear suggestions for what to build them out of. I'm currently thinking of doing 2"x12" pressure treated boards (yellow southern pine) since that's the tallest boards I can find online at my local hardware stores. Something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-Common-2-in-x-12-in-x-12-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-11-25-in-x-12-ft-2-Prime-Treated-Lumber/50277349. Anyone know if that's okay for garden beds? I'd read that some forms of pressure treated wood are acceptable for food crops, but can't tell if these are. The perimeter for the new beds is about 68'. Zone 9a and we get small floods about half the time when it rains (standing water in the yard, none inside, yet).

It�s pretty much fine.
https://extension.psu.edu/environmental-soil-issues-garden-use-of-treated-lumber

Most of the concern was about wood treated with CCA which has nasty chromium and arsenic stuff in it, but it�s been fairly restricted since 2004. The stuff you get now is usually treated with ACQ and it�s much safer.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 00:51

Sockser: Jun 28, 2007; This world only remembers the results!

Staple some plastic sheeting inside your beds
Pro: keeps pressure treated wood away from your dirt
Pro: keeps dirt away from your wood
Con: I dunno I guess it�s more work

# ? Jan 17, 2021 01:36

Solkanar512: Dec 28, 2006; by the sex ghost

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

I will keep this in mind for next year. My aunt in the country used to have one that she'd overwinter tropical and stuff in since it gets colder up there. Seems simple enough to build. Hers just used a heat lamp, but I guess the bottom heat is probably better for germination? In the shade it could probably be useful as a mini-greenhouse with high humidity for rooting cuttings too

My germination rates are super, super high!

Jhet posted:

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.

Yeah, the way I was taught is that a hot bed is a cold frame with a heated bottom. Lots of plans call for the use of manure here, but I use a heating cable.

As far as seeds are concerned, Floret Farms has amazing varieties of flowers. Just stunning varieties you won�t find anywhere else.

Not to knock grocery/hardware store seeds (because I�m always going to pick up a few on a whim) but the variety out there is just nuts.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 02:37

rojay: Sep 2, 2000

Sockser posted:

Staple some plastic sheeting inside your beds
Pro: keeps pressure treated wood away from your dirt
Pro: keeps dirt away from your wood
Con: I dunno I guess it�s more work

Con: Drainage.

You can use landscape fabric, which will help keep dirt in the bed when you water and will keep weeds down.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 07:13

Wallet: Jun 19, 2006

rojay posted:

Con: Drainage.

You can use landscape fabric, which will help keep dirt in the bed when you water and will keep weeds down.

I built one last year so I don't know how long it's going to hold up, but you probably want to use a sealer on the inside of the bed before you put dirt in it. Unless you're doing something weird I'm not sure why you would need to add anything to keep the dirt inside, but you definitely don't want to gently caress up the drainage.

My understanding is that ground-contact PT lumber will last for decades in contact with soil theoretically, and it is extremely rot resistant, but it isn't inherently resistant to moisture so if you don't seal it it will still tear itself apart from expansion/contraction as it takes up moisture.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 16:38

wooger: Apr 16, 2005; YOU RESENT?

Sockser posted:

Staple some plastic sheeting inside your beds
Pro: keeps pressure treated wood away from your dirt
Pro: keeps dirt away from your wood
Con: I dunno I guess it�s more work

What prevents the water getting between the wood and plastic?

Seems like pointless busywork to me.

Untreated wood will last a decade, oak will last much longer.

rojay posted:

Con: Drainage.

You can use landscape fabric, which will help keep dirt in the bed when you water and will keep weeds down.

I think / hope Sockser was only talking about putting plastic on the sides. I don�t think landscape fabric is something you want anywhere near your beds, it�ll prevent worms and other beasts getting in and block roots.

A foot of fresh compost & soil on top of any preexisting weeds bed will do a lot of smothering - or what�s often recommended is putting a layer of brown cardboard over the base to help do that - it�ll be gone inside 6 months.

I have wooden raised beds, but FWIW in some damp climates like the UK they can apparently encourage slugs, so I might get rid of my wood sides when they perish.

You can just pile compost on the ground and get precisely the same growing performance, with slightly less neat sides.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 19:20

Kaiser Schnitzel: Mar 29, 2006; Schnitzel mit uns

wooger posted:

Untreated wood will last a decade, oak will last much longer.

This may be true in the UK, but lol not at all in warm, wet, subtropical climates. Untreated pine in ground contact will rot in 2 years tops here if the termites don't find it first. You miiiight get double that out of red oak. White oaks (like english/european oak) would last pretty well, but at like 6x the cost of treated pine.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 19:28

Entropy238: Oct 21, 2010; Fallen Rib

Hi thread. Got a house recently and have a garden for the first time. Don't really know where to begin. Are there any thread recommendations on resources for beginners (e.g. books)?

Our short term priority after we get our shed in will be to grow some screening to stop our neighbours from perving

# ? Jan 17, 2021 21:21

SubG: Aug 19, 2004; It's a hard world for little things.

Entropy238 posted:

Hi thread. Got a house recently and have a garden for the first time. Don't really know where to begin. Are there any thread recommendations on resources for beginners (e.g. books)?

If you live in the US, your state has a master gardener programme. The master gardener programme will have a handbook. These are generally a spectacular guide to growing poo poo in your local climate.

# ? Jan 17, 2021 21:30

Entropy238: Oct 21, 2010; Fallen Rib