Glendora Historic District Community Garden Log (PICS)

[Suburban Farmer]

Well, its been a bit since I checked in and updated on my progress. Here goes nothing:

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00185.jpg[/img]

This is a small tomato bed I have planted on the South side of the house on the corner. I stripped off the cotyledon leaves on these and built firm mounds of dirt up the stems in an effort to encourage further root growth.

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00186.jpg[/img]

I potted up a horde of tomato seedlings a few days ago, among them are Super 100's, Big Boys ( I think thats the name...), Romas, and Cherokee Purples.

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00180.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00182.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00181.jpg[/img]

In the same cluster of plants are some edamame seedlings and two pots of pole beans.

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00183.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00184.jpg[/img]

My curbside garden has been showing good signs, from my limited knowledge.

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00177.jpg[/img]

Bell Pepper seedlings
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00172.jpg[/img]

Spicy pepper seedlings
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00171.jpg[/img]

Early Yellow Straightneck
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00170.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00176.jpg[/img]

My beans
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00174.jpg[/img]

A row of carrots
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00175.jpg[/img]

And some corn.
[img]https://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb388/rd3236/IMG00178.jpg[/img]

Radishes in a container.
Well, I can't wait to start seeing blossoms on some of those plants in the curb garden. There is a massive tree just ten feet east of the bed that is in full bloom and the wide range of pollinators that dwell near this property give me a sense of promise. Thoughts, comments, observations? The soil in the curbside bed is untested and unamended. The mini tomato bed has been turned to two and a half feet deep and amended with a great deal of wet, decomposing, organic matter (No bodies!) Will I have to engage in more thinning based on the photos I've uploaded?

[gardenbean]

Hi there

Looks like you have a nice garden going there. May I suggest though, you add some organic mulch around your plants, espically your tomatoes. It cuts down on the weeds and keeps the moist in the soil. It also helps your soil once it is broken down.

As for your pole beans, be sure to get a pole or something that they can trellis on. Pole beans (from what I've read) don't like to be transplanted or have their roots distrubed.

But the most important thing is to enjoy yourself!

[Suburban Farmer]

I expressly invite advice and constructive criticism. I intend to mulch the planter, but may have to wait for next month due to my finances. I do fertilize the establishes plants by using diluted fish fertilizer at a rate of about 1 tbsp fish to 1 watering can of water and then disperse the mixture at the base of each plant after the heat of the day has passed. I tend to fertilize once a week. Is fertilizer recommended for seedlings before or after they have been transplanted?
Also, are five gallon pots fine for tomato, eggplant, etc?

[gardenbean]

I don't use fish fetiziler if I can help it. My dog(s) go crazy for the scent and would do anything in their power to dig into the garden. I know this from personal experience as I did attempt to use t his product on a crop only to come out the next morning and it had all been dug up. Lesson learned.
I tend to do all of my basic gardening chores, watering, weeding etc. in the early, early morning. My watering and feeding in the morning by the time the sun does come up the plants have had a plenty of time to suck up all of the goodies that I gave them and the diseases don't have a chance to to get stared because it's to soggy.

Sure I don't see a problem using a 5 gallons contianers or whatever to grow your tomatoes and eggplants. For my eggplants I have them growing in "black" containers cause black brings in the heat and eggplants sure do love their heat. And I also have the containers on "wheelie" in case I have to move them if cold weather or bad weather comes, I can move them into a safe area.

[garden5]

Your garden is looking great!

I'm growing some peppers in black pots this year and must say that they are doing better than the ones in the garden. I'd like to say that it is because of the heat, but I can't because the soil that they are in in the pots is much richer than in the garden. Still.....I'll bet the extra heat has something to do with it .

[gardenbean]

I expressly invite advice and constructive criticism. I intend to mulch the planter, but may have to wait for next month due to my finances. I do fertilize the establishes plants by using diluted fish fertilizer at a rate of about 1 tbsp fish to 1 watering can of water and then disperse the mixture at the base of each plant after the heat of the day has passed. I tend to fertilize once a week. Is fertilizer recommended for seedlings before or after they have been transplanted?
Also, are five gallon pots fine for tomato, eggplant, etc?

I re-read your post again and you said that you fertilize once a week. That's to much. What you probably will end up with is lots of green foilage and small amounts of produce. Instead cut back to fertilizing maybe every 3 to 4 weeks. If you started out with great soil (adding all that is needed for your particular garden) then every 3 week or so would be plenty. Just saying.