I'm Ready to Get to Work!

[lakngulf]

Tonight's low is predicted to be in the low 20s. That is cold for us. But I am ready to get busy with some "gardening" of all sorts. I have a couple of flats in my greenhouse under grow lights, but even the inside temps are too cold for much germination or growth. I have these young pear seedlings and tiny tomatoes in a South window in a side room so they can survive the last few cold nights.



But I want to get the little seedlings into some pots so that roots can thrive and the plants can take off.

These tomato plants were started to test germination of the older seed and some seed I saved this past year. They worked, and may be too early but I want to get them to larger pots as well.

I want to try and root five or six fig plants. I hope to soon cut some stems off my bush and get them in potting soil.

I have some thornless blackberry bushes on order that should be here next week.

The garden is mostly covered with mustard and turnip greens, so not much to do there just now. In the near future I will turn under the green matter.

So, what are you Ready to Do?

[Rairdog]

I am about the same as you with seedling progression. My tomatoes are purple and cold but they were a test also. I will start many more in a few weeks. I already have 3 fig stems that I cut in the fall showing some green. How do you start the pears?

[imafan26]

I have already started about six trays of herbs and vegetables. Russian kale, curly and Italian parsley, green onions, leeks, nasturtiums, lettuce, won bok, chioggia beets, low bearing papaya, Blue kale, cutting celery, basil, dill, sunflowers, peppers, tiger eggplant, and beefsteak tomatoes.
I potted up some of the bay leaf, Spanish Thyme, and rosemary cuttings. I made more bay leaf and lavender cuttings.
Potted up the pineapple sage, garden and broad leaf sages, green onions, and Provence Lavender.

Finally got around to cleaning out one of the tomato pots to make room for the beefsteak, and the Jicama pods are finally ready for picking. Harvested the ginger, and started to weed about a dozen pots. (100's) More left to do.

I still have to plant the gladiolus corms, strawberry and Jersey Knight asparagus roots I just bought.

It seems we have a front coming by every couple of days, so it has been very windy and I have to pick my orchids up off the ground and put the shade frame back together a couple of times a day. My roll up screen is in shreds.

[lakngulf]

I am about the same as you with seedling progression. My tomatoes are purple and cold but they were a test also. I will start many more in a few weeks. I already have 3 fig stems that I cut in the fall showing some green. How do you start the pears?

Do you put the fig stems in water or soil?

I extracted seed from some great tasting pears on an old home site. I stored the pear seed in a frig with topsoil in a zip lock bag. I checked on them about DEC 1 and found most with roots like this:



That is when I transplanted them to the Rootmaker Trays

[!potatoes!]

holding pattern, since we're trying to buy a property and move yet this spring. will probably be starting peppers and ground cherries soon anyway.

[Rairdog]

Lakngulf, I have some pear trees at the farm and was thinking about trying that. I think they are Bartlett. They taste great and seem to fend off the bugs.

I first tried the fig stems wrapped in paper towel, moistened and placed in a ziplock loosely sealed. I had one with roots but they were starting to mold. I put them in the DE (oil absorbent/kitty litter), solo cups, a ziplock tent over the top and on top of the water heater. A couple weeks later they are showing signs of life. It was like one was waving and me and said, "Hi...I'm here"

[catgrass]

All of my seedlings are up except for the peppers-but they have a longer germination period. I've got tomatoes, cukes, eggplant, daisys, coleus, dill & parsley up. It's going to be a warm, sunny weekend, so I'll have lots to do in the yard & GH!

[lakngulf]

Lakngulf, I have some pear trees at the farm and was thinking about trying that. I think they are Bartlett. They taste great and seem to fend off the bugs.

Thanks for info on the figs. I started four or five last year but only had one to make it all the way. Just planted it at the farm. Here it is with my grandson digging the hole



I had a guy from Georgia send me some pear seed spring of 2012. I planted them in pots in greenhouse, and nursed them along. Put them in the ground at the farm in January 2013, so they are just now starting three years in ground. Here are two of them, one caged and one not. If deer are around they must be caged.

[lakngulf]

All of my seedlings are up except for the peppers-but they have a longer germination period. I've got tomatoes, cukes, eggplant, daisys, coleus, dill & parsley up. It's going to be a warm, sunny weekend, so I'll have lots to do in the yard & GH!

You are so right about peppers taking so long to germinate. I have lots of lake bed chores for the nice weekend (before they let the lake water come back up). Along with that I hope to get some flats under the grow lights. It is time to get the greenhouse in full operation, and run propane heater when necessary.

[lakngulf]

Temps moderated nicely today and I got a few jobs done. One section of my "pier garden" was sagging quite a bit, enough that I was a little skeptical last time I stood on it with hoe and shovel in hand. No problem when the water is down. A few 6x6 blocks, a hydraulic jack, a little trial and error getting the jack to stay straight and not fall over, results in a new support for that section of the box



The sun was shining so during the middle of the day that I let the pear seedlings soak up some sunshine for a couple of hours.

[lakngulf]

Is my blood getting thinner, or is it just COLDER these days?

[applestar]

We are definitely having an unusual season... Colder this time rather than warmer. Between Valentines Day and first of March is when I normally start thinking about pruning my fruit trees, but this year, it's been positively frigid with temperatures falling down below 0°F -- which is normally end of December/January weather.

I guess your seedlings are still huddling in the greenhouse.

I didn't see that earlier post when you posted it -- glad you were able to get that repair work done. Now the pier can support your big harvest!

[lakngulf]

Well, some temps in the 70s have been a welcome change around our neck of the woods. Found some time to work in the garden. I have decided to greatly reduce the number of tomato plants in the garden this year, and let this year be the Year of Okra and Rattlesnake Beans.

The best early sun I get in my garden is out on the pier boxes that I built a few years back. BUT, it becomes too much sun in summertime. I am building a "lean to" to grow more beans, AND provide some later afternoon shade for other veggies on the pier.



Also, I brought in a load of "matured manure" from the farm and have been added it to the garden.

[lakngulf]

Spring is trying to show up. Lots of green and I am ready to put some plants in the ground. I always go too early

Rattlesnake beans looking good


A few tomatoes that got an early start


And even the fig bush is showing some nice leaves. It is usually the last to show up


I have several little pear seedlings that I transplanted to bigger pots. They will stay in or near the greenhouse this summer and be planted next winter, when dormant.

[lakngulf]

I really enjoy this part. Taking the little seedlings and moving to 4 inch peat pot. These are Bell Peppers (regular and mixed color) and Egg Plant. In previous years I have had problems getting these up and going, but have some healthy ones this year. I placed the flat on a heating pad under gro lights and got almost 100% germination