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Planting depth isn't too important. It's more of a problem for the REALLY tiny seeds, like for radishes or even poppies. If the seeds are small, the closer they have to be to the surface. If they're planted too deep, the seedling will run out of energy stored in the seed before it makes it to the surface and can begin making its own energy. There are other factors too, like how dense the soil is, sunlight, etc. All mentions of the spacing between plants is based on ideally how big the adult plant will get. That number is there to give you an idea of how far apart to plant the seeds so that if they were never moved, each plant will never be crowded by its neighbors. Here's how to get seeds to germinate: Basically, you need to reproduce Spring in your little pots. That means 3 things: 1. water 2. heat 3. some light Heat and water are the big ones. Room temperature is pretty good for starting most seeds. "Springtime" also means Spring rains. That means soaked soil. Watering is usually the hardest one to maintain. Most seed starting kits will include some method for completely covering the pots so that humidity can't escape. Did your trays come with covers? If not, you could just use any non-opaque plastic bag to cover it, even a garbage bag. Use your breath to blow some air into it before sealing it, that will help keep the plastic up and off of the seedlings. Water it every few days. Once your seedlings start emerging, you can remove the cover. Keep in mind that once the cover is off, the whole tray will dry out faster. Once you see no more seedlings emerging, you can then move it to a sunnier location. After a week or so, move it outside for the seedlings to "harden" (basically, adapt to their new environment). After a few days, plant them.
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Apr 21, 2009 15:26
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I just bought a new gardening tool today. Inside of 3 hours it became my favorite garden tool of all time. It's called the "hori-hori". It was invented in Japan (the name means "dig-dig") as a 'do-it-all' for rockclimbers who recover bonsai from cliff faces. Imagine a cross between a garden trowel and a Bowie knife:  You could kill somebody with this thing.  Basically, it's a trowel that is 2 inches wide, 7 inches long and THICK. Both edges are ground down, one to a knife, the other is serrated for root-cutting saw action. Both blades come together at the point, and this thing just plunged effortlessly into the worst ground I have on my property (rocks, tree roots & heavy clay). As they're Japanese, they are graduated in millimeters in 25's, but if you remember your grade school math, 25mm is almost equal to 1". At $25 it's a little more expensive than a trowel, but it's worth it. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 01:35 on Apr 24, 2009 |
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Apr 24, 2009 01:31
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krushgroove posted:But that is very cool though. However, you forgot to provide a link. They actually are trowel shaped, it's just hard to see in the pictures. There is a definite dip in the blade. In my pictures, the first picture is concave-down, the second concave-up. In yours, the first picture is concave-up, your second picture the left is concave-down, the right is concave-up. I bought mine from a local landscaping supply wholesaler. I paid $22.20 for a stainless steel one with a (chinsy) leather sheathe. I'd give their link, but they have a $50 minimum for internet orders. You could try Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1240582452/ref=sr_nr_seeall_6?ie=UTF8&rs=&keywords=hori%20hori&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ahori%20hori%2Ci%3Atools. Just make sure that you're getting a stainless steel one, that should hold up to garden use better without getting rusty than the carbon steel ones I've seen.
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Apr 24, 2009 15:44
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landis posted:Anyone got tips on propagating tree clippings? That depends heavily on the tree species. Which one are your clippings?
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May 1, 2009 20:28
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mischief posted:Quick question... I put in my first garden this year and it took a ridiculous amount of effort and materials to make the clay into something worthwhile. Like 650 lbs of mushroom compost, 9 cubic yards of peat moss, and 3 truck loads of soil conditioner. The dirt is pretty awesome now except when it rains. It makes a "skin" almost of clay on top of the dirt and pretty much strangles any new growth I've got from seed. My tomatoes, cukes, peppers, and bean plants are chugging right along just healthy as they can be, but lettuce, herbs, and other leafy plants got covered up before ever getting tall enough. Did you even till that stuff in? It doesn't look like you tilled it enough...
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May 2, 2009 05:05
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landis posted:Maple is one of them. I don't know the other, but I don't have any clippings yet. I was going to take some. Google the hell out of the species you will be clipping. Most tree species will propagate from grafting cuttings onto new rootstocks. Keep in mind that some tree species are nearly impossible to propagate from cuttings.
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May 2, 2009 18:01
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Cuddlebottom posted:Anyone know how plants are miniaturized? Other than that, plants can sexually reproduce and make healthy dwarves, just like animals. It's very rare, but plants have an advantage that animals don't: asexual reproduction. That means that once a dwarf plant has been identified and is healthy, that plant can be "cloned" in a sense, and again and again until you have enough to sell to gardeners everywhere. mischief posted:Also, any suggestions for a cheap way to make the walkways less muddy and treacherous? I can get gravel cheap, I just worry that it will sink down into the dirt regardless. Eventually I'll use paving stones, I'm just waiting to find some in the local Re:Store for cheap. Dig down a few inches, put gravel down, then put big rocks or pavers on top. That's the proper way to do it... kid sinister fucked around with this message at 23:18 on May 2, 2009 |
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May 2, 2009 23:09
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I've seen some people use mulch for walkways in the past. You would need a fairly deep layer to make sure it stays put. You also wouldn't want to walk on it with bare feet.
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May 3, 2009 17:30
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ChuckHead posted:I just cut this bitch into my slopping yard today, I am spent. It is 8' by 4' by 20". I started my research some 11 hours ago. I may die soon, I'm over 40. Next will be figuring out how not to F-up the PH with 16 cubic feet of organic matter. Don't worry, it's pretty hard to "F-up the pH" enough that nothing would grow there. Veggies like a pH around 7, the only crop plant I know of that likes a non-neutral pH is blueberries. They like a pH between 4 and 6. If you're super-worried, get a pH meter. I got a little electronic one for $35, and it helped me to get my blueberries right at 5.0 this year at last. They do make cheaper testing kits with vials and chemicals and poo poo, but those are a pain in the rear end to use. edit: This is the meter I got. It also tests soil fertility, soil moisture, and light levels (a HUGE plus for house plants). kid sinister fucked around with this message at 01:09 on May 4, 2009 |
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May 4, 2009 00:47
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HeatherChandler posted:Do they do anything to plants or should I just ignore it? They are living in the sides mostly where there is a stone retaining wall. The only plants I know of that actually require ants are peonies, and those are flowers. They need ants to open their buds. If you have that many ants, they might be there to go after the aphids... Do your plants have aphids?
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May 4, 2009 05:34
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sithwitch13 posted:What kind of soil should I use? Try "gardening soil".
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May 5, 2009 04:16
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ChuckHead posted:I have it's grandmother, it is green with only two prongs. The light and moisture functions work fine, but there is no reaction on the PH setting when I stick it in the soil. I just put it in a glass of water and added vinegar, no reaction. The same thing happened with mine. Try polishing the probes with steel wool before you use it.
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May 11, 2009 05:52
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madlilnerd posted:The garlic is THRIVING though. Easiest thing to grow ever! What kind are you growing? I was looking for something that will survive the Zone 5/6 border but gave up.
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May 15, 2009 22:15
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Aero737 posted:Hi, This isn't really veggie or herb related, but there is no general landscaping/gardening thread so here it is. I would honestly just Google search for "native plants of [place]". Just so you know, it will be hard to pin down some plants to existing in certain locations only. Spreading to new locations is kind of what plants do, unintentionally or not. If those plants were separated from home long enough, then they probably evolved into a relative. If you really want plants that look distinct from other plants in your garden, look for plants that come from islands, like Japan or Australia.
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May 19, 2009 03:18
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Tequila Mockingbird posted:echinacea is frost-hardy. Coleus is not Coleus is an annual. Some coleus will reseed themselves, depending on your climate. Do you want to use a ground cover near your veggie garden? That's a bad idea, as it would spread in all directions, including into your garden. I'm not a huge fan of most ground covers, as they tend to be too "quick-growing", bordering on invasive. You could try something in the Dead Nettle family, they come in all kinds of flower and foliage colors. And it behaves itself too!
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May 22, 2009 18:26
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I bought some seeds of a different variety and scattered them where the dead coleus are but I don't have much hope
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LTBS posted:I've never really planted or grown anything before. Last Saturday I decided to change that. I'm growing beefsteak tomatoes, red and yellow bells, hot banana peppers, cayennes, and jalapenos from seedlings (I guess that's what they are called.) It's a little late to be starting from seeds, not everything will get full size. Still, it shouldn't be a shutout. Also, those hanging tomato planters look a little on the small side. You'll probably need to water those every day.
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May 28, 2009 23:45
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dwoloz posted:I also have another section I want to sow seeds in but it still has the original unamended soil which is some sort of sandy clay. Water likes to pool on the top of it and just create a muddy sludge. I want to plant lettuce and carrots, any recommendations? Water on top of the soil is usually bad for sowing seeds, as it will usually float the seeds away. The answer to this is to improve the drainage. First thing's first: which direction does the water shed? If it's a low spot, you may have to fill it in slightly to correct the grade. For a garden that close to the house, make sure the water sheds AWAY from the foundation. There are several methods to improve water penetration. This first is to simply till the soil better. Have you done that yet? Make sure the rubber washer inside the cap is in good condition. The old "quick fix" for those is to pull out that washer and flip it over. You could try some pipe tape too.
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May 31, 2009 20:16
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LTBS posted:Anyone know what these ants are doing and if they are harming my cayenne pepper plant? The ants shouldn't be (directly) harming your plants. However, the reason they are there could potentially be bad. Ants basically use aphids as livestock, "milking" honeydew from their butts. Aphids suck the juice out of new foliage on the undersides of leaves and along the stems. If there are too many aphids, it can stunt that plant's growth. Look again and see if you can see any other bugs besides ants. Look closely, as some aphids have great camouflage.
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Jun 7, 2009 04:36
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Regarding that loving huge caterpillar, I hate to pull an old SA meme out of retirement, but kill it with fire.
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Jun 29, 2009 02:59
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coyo7e posted:Do any green-thumbed goons own a Hori Hori, or have experience using one? I'd really like to get a couple (one for me, one or two for my parents who garden a poo poo-ton - or at least my dad) but haven't been able to actually find them in any of the H&G stores I've checked out lately. I posted my newfound love affair with hori horis back on page 9. They're very useful tools, I use mine all the time. I especially recommend them for digging and planting near trees; the serrated edge is well suited for sawing through tree roots. Their thickness also makes them good for digging in poor soils (like my rocks & clay) without bending. Be careful, brand new they are very sharp. If you're digging a hole and are used to using your opposite hand alongside a garden trowel, then substituting in a hori hori is an accident waiting to happen. Luckily, pain makes an effective teacher. I got mine from a local commercial gardening business. I'd give a link, but they have a $50 minimum for internet orders, and hori horis start at $25. I noticed some at Amazon.com too. Since then I have seen American-bastardized versions called "garden knives" without the sharp point. I'd skip those. I'd also spend the extra and get a stainless steel one. Nobody likes rusty garden tools! kid sinister fucked around with this message at 14:56 on Jul 10, 2009 |
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Jul 9, 2009 00:18
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NosmoKing posted:Bird eats blackberry. Bird shits out blackberry seeds--->Blackberry plant. Not to mention nearly all the commercial cultivars have the added benefit of being thornless. All 3 of those plants are natives to the US. You'll find them wild all over the place. edit: actually, that kind of looks like a black raspberry... kid sinister fucked around with this message at 04:53 on Jul 9, 2009 |
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Jul 9, 2009 04:48
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The Big One posted:This one looks nice and will be kept around: That's second plant is a violet. I dunno about the first one, but those seed pods sure look interesting! You're right about amending the soil. Short of scooping it all out and replacing it, amending soil takes some time. Any of the following are good additives: sand, mulch/wood chips, rice hulls, or humus/compost.
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Jul 10, 2009 16:12
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NosmoKing posted:I found the ONE stand of elderberries near my house, on the side of the road. They're still flowering, so it's easy to spot them now. I have the spot marked and plan to visit it in a month or so and make some jelly and pies. Feel free to move dig them up and move them to your yard, they smell absolutely incredible in bloom and are very pretty plants otherwise with their purple new growth in the spring, the color lasting in the petioles if they get enough sun. There even are ornamental cultivars of elderberry (Sambucus) with near-black or variegated foliage if you're so inclined. They are native, so they're very tough and can take transplanting. I should know: I did this very thing last year, digging up and moving to my yard. All 5 died down to the ground, probably because I did it in midsummer without watering much. Well, I went to pull them up in the winter, and it wouldn't budge! I very carefully pulled back the dirt from one and sure enough, it put out little feeder roots everywhere. All 5 came back in the spring. If you're growing for a crop, keep in mind they need full sun to flower well and they only flower on growth starting from old wood, not from the ground. They also spread by underground runners, so try and give them some room to expand into a nice clump. edit: if anyone wants advice for planting or caring for larger crop plants like fruit trees, bushes or vines, I'm your man. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 15:48 on Jul 13, 2009 |
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Jul 13, 2009 15:42
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ChaoticSeven posted:Blackberries. Blueberries. Raspberries. The trickiest of those to grow are blueberries simply because of their pH requirement. Blueberries grow best in soil with a pH of between 4.0 and 6.0. If you remember your high school chemistry, 7.0 is a neutral pH; most soils naturally have a pH of around there. You'll need to test your soil pH to determine just how much work you'll need to do to get that pH down to "blueberry paradise" range. If you live in a swamp or peat bog, score! For testing equipment, they make little testing kits with little bottles and chemicals and poo poo, or they also make electronic probes. I prefer the probes because of ease of use, just remember to polish up the rods with a piece of steel wool so you get a good reading. Now you know how much work you'll have to do to lower that pH! You'll be doing this with... acidifiers.  Basically you'll have 2 choices, both involve sulfur: sulfates and elemental sulfur. Sulfates are faster acting but shorter lasting, whereas elemental sulfur is slower acting but longer lasting. There are several forms of sulfates, mostly to supply deficiencies that other acid-loving plants need. Blueberries just need the acidity, so any sulfate should be fine. Pay attention and read the instructions on the label! Measure out your plot and do the math to figure out just how much you'll need to add. You don't want to go too far, raising pH is a bitch and uses even more dangerous chemicals.Right now, it would be best to prepare your bed now, then plant in the fall. Till everything in and water it, even though nothing is planted there. The water will help activate the chemicals so they can do their thing. Wait a month and test the pH again. One more thing: a good acidic soil often takes on a ugly shade of green on top. That's an indicator of perfectly fine acidic soil, so don't worry that your dirt looks "sick". I'll type the other two after a shower.
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Jul 13, 2009 23:05
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HeatherChandler posted:So...what am I supposed to do with a peach tree? I just realized I have one (I thought it was just a 'generic spring flowering tree' until it started fruiting) and have no idea how to care for it. It looks sickly--several branches have no leaves, and the leaves have sucking damage. I keep catching squirrels with green peaches in their little jaws, so right now its only job is distracting them from my tomatoes. It is out front and COMPLETELY surrounded by weeds. The soil is covered in rocks. Can I glyphosphate the weeds or will it get down into the roots? I wouldn't mind having a few peaches, not enough to go squirrel shooting, but enough to buy some fertilizer and new parts for the soaker hose that the previous residents hooked up around it. How often does it need watered? It is next to the house and doesn't get as much rain because there is a small overhang. I know absolutely nothing about fruit trees! Are you sure that it is a fruiting tree and not just an ornamental? How big is it?
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Jul 14, 2009 05:52
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NosmoKing posted:Our horse would eat apples that fell off a tree in his pasture. Drunk horses are not as funny as you'd think. At least he was mostly a happy drunk. No, but squirrels are! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ikH9ZRcF2Q
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Jul 15, 2009 18:39
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plasticbugs posted:Should I leave the crimp and hope for the best? Anything short of a complete break will not phase a tomato plant. They are ridiculously tough. For the record, my dad and I have had tomatoes top out our 6 foot cages before, lop over the sides and touch the ground again.
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Jul 17, 2009 00:11
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ChaoticSeven posted:Thanks for the blueberry info. I think I'll try to put some out this fall if I'm back from out of state by then. So how do they have time to become established before they freeze planting that late? They have a few weeks to put out roots into the surrounding soil, allowing them better protection than whatever they were potted in. Also, blueberries happen to be native to North America, so they're perfectly comfortable in their home climate.
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Jul 17, 2009 02:45
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Shazzner posted:Anybody have any links to good seed suppliers? http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net http://www.burpee.com Those are my two favorites.
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Jul 21, 2009 22:16
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Binya Binya posted:Does anybody know what these black streaks are on my peppers? Why yes, your peppers are starting to ripen, nothing to be worried about.
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Jul 26, 2009 20:56
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Banana Factory posted:I've never heard of any other methods that are effective at getting rid of possums other then the ones you listed right there. I have! It's called a .22 rifle.
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Aug 6, 2009 02:33
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Ridonkulous posted:I recently lost of my three watermellons They were only a little larger than a golf ball and recently split almost in half with a deep crack. Should I leave them on the vine or pull them? I wouldn't think they would still grow but that's why I'm here That crack happened because they didn't get water consistently. If a fruiting plant suffers a mini-drought then gets a big rain or watering at once, the fruit will take on water so fast that it cracks. It's just cosmetic; it won't harm the fruit's taste in any way, at least not for watermelons. That scar can sometimes be tough to bite through for fruits where you do eat the skin, but again not a problem for melons.
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Aug 8, 2009 21:52
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MarshallX posted:Does anyone have any advice when to harvest peppers? That was me that responded earlier... Here's a more detailed answer. When to harvest peppers depends on the type of pepper and your own preference. Chiles and other hot peppers are ripe when they are red/orange/dark purple all over, exact size and color depends on the species and cultivar. Keep in mind that dark purple can also be a transition color, especially when they first start to ripen. Jalapenos get grouped into hot peppers too. Traditionally they are presented while still green, but if left on the plant they will turn a bright red when fully ripe. Again this is your preference, but they're full sized and ready to eat at around 3 to 4 inches long, regardless of color. Banana peppers are a little different in that they'll take on a greenish yellow when ripening. Again according to your preference they can be picked at this stage, but they will take on a red color when fully ripe. Bell peppers are like jalapenos in that they can be eaten when green and not quite ripe yet. Depending on the cultivar, they can ripen into a yellow/orange/red/purple color. They're ready to pick while they're still green at about 3.5 to 4 inches in diameter, but they will be slightly less sweet. Bell peppers really develop their sweetness when they take on their final color.
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Aug 8, 2009 22:12
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plasticbugs posted:Based on what I've read, my plants should continue fruiting year-round. Does that mean that year-after-year the same plants will keep fruiting? Yes, to a point. Tomatoes and peppers both originated in South and Central America, where it remains hot enough in the winter to grow year-round. However like Marchegiana mentioned, determinate varieties will put out all their fruit at once then die, so perennials must be indeterminate ones. However, you will still run into problems if you garden tomatoes in one spot indefinitely. Tomatoes and peppers naturally are low growing plants that will layer themselves wherever they touch the dirt again. These new roots farther up the stem means that the plant has a shorter distance to carry nutrients from the roots to the fruits. If you're like most people and keep your tomatoes tied up in a cage off the ground, then as the plant grows distance from roots to fruit will only become longer and as a result the fruits will be smaller. One way around this is to chop off a few of the new tips, cut the main shoot at the ground, stick the shoots in the dirt and water them. They'll readily re-root themselves, and you'll have a clone of the parent just like nothing. Tomatoes and peppers will openly reseed themselves (cherry tomatoes are infamous for this), but depending on the variety, the fruits of any offspring probably won't remain true to the parents'. This is really a problem for hybrid cultivars, where all bets are off for what their offspring will turn out like.
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Aug 9, 2009 21:16
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coyo7e posted:This is my question: outside of garlic and artichokes, what is good to plant in August/September? I'd like to get a few things into the ground this fall, and I've got roughly 2 or 2 1/2 months before the cold and rain really picks up here. Onions, that's about it for veggies. You could put some bush or tree crops in the ground during the fall too.
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Aug 10, 2009 23:01
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plasticbugs posted:So I shouldn't uproot the main shoot and throw it on my compost heap? Instead I should cut it off at the base? Is there a reason for not uprooting the whole structure and just planting the tips? You could if you want to, I just said to cut it off at the ground for your own convenience.
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Aug 10, 2009 23:56
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coyo7e posted:
Sounds like a "Lord and Ladies". I've also seen them called a "Candle Flower" before. They're actually quite invasive since they seed and make bulblets so readily.  moana posted:Any idea why my cantaloupes are dropping off of the vine when they're still so little? They are half the size of regular cantaloupes, still very tasty, but little. How small are we talking? It's possible that they weren't fertilized and the plant aborted them. Cantaloupes also need LOTS of water to reach the size you see in the grocery store. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Aug 20, 2009 |
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Aug 20, 2009 23:24
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How much have you been watering your plants? Those peat pots work great... if you water the plants enough to make them soft.
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Aug 26, 2009 14:56
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Mr-Spain posted:Can someone ID my bush and the tons of berries I got off of it? For a little background, the house was prevously owned by an arabian dude and there is a loquat tree and mint everywhere. There's this bush about 8' tall with shiny leaves and fruit about 1-2 inches across. Here's some photos. That's weird, I've never seen anything like that before... Where do live? How many seeds are there per fruit? Is the fruit sectioned in any way?
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Aug 27, 2009 05:27
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Klarre posted:I have a 80watt CFL Where the hell do you have a 80w CFL for?!? I've heard that dwarf varieties of tomatoes work best for growing under growlights. Don't expect wonders for your tomato sizes... Fame Throwa posted:I want to start an herb garden in my apartment, but all the windows are west-facing and are shaded by some old trees. They get mostly direct sun for about 6 hours. Is it light enough to grow stuff, or will I have to purchase a lamp? I really hope I don't have to. You might not need grow lights after all. Does your apartment have fluorescent lights? For everyone thinking about getting growlights for plants, don't forget about that light that they put out lots of light, possibly enough to be annoying. You may want to set aside a closet for this if you have the space. Also, your neighbors may or may not think you're growing 
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Aug 30, 2009 21:06
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