User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Applestar’s 2020 Garden

...To recap ... About here is where I left off the 2019 season with some fall/overwintering stuff in the garden...

Subject: Applestar’s 2019 Garden Oct. 9, 2019
applestar wrote:I bought the growers select organic sampler 1 lbs from Keene. They sent Korean Red, Majestic Porcelain, and Romanian Red Porcelain. All of them are new to me so it will be fun to find out what they are like.
[…]
Ended up with 7 largest cloves of each variety in these raised black plastic mulched rows in VGC (Vegetable Gardenbed C), with 6 holes and 4 holes left over for something else (actually I will be cutting 2nd row of holes later). The holes are 6 inches on the center apart. I sowed the smaller 4 Korean Red and 2 Majestic Porcelain cloves in the Kitchen Garden. (Romanian Red Porcelain cloves were huge and numbered less per bulb, so no extras to sow after saving 2 or 3 smallest cloves for tasting).

Image
Subject: Applestar’s 2019 Garden Oct. 20, 2019
applestar wrote: Image

- Harvested all of the Brussels Sprouts since we did have that first frost I was waiting for (cleaned up the KG.Patio SIP#2 and was going to refresh it and get it ready to plant some winter greens and make a protection hoop cover ... but all that seemed like a project in itself, so made myself put it aside and just cleaned up the patio area into a new configuration.... :roll: )

- Made holes between Korean Red and Majestic Porcelain in VGC (Vegetable Gardenbed C)
- Sowed
— spinach, merlo Nero 50d
— lettuce, joker 60d
— lettuce, red iceberg 60d

Image
...pretty sure those new seedlings in the left 6 holes are Tokyo Bekana, but I failed to make a note when I sowed the seeds.... :?


And for the new 2020 season, I started some seeds early in compots (community pots) to be separated and uppotted as they grow. All of these except tomatoes and Manoa lettuce will be moved out to the Garage V8 to grow as seedlings. I want to have some plants that will be ready to harden off and plant (in some kind of season extension structure outside) by early to mid March when the ground starts to thaw —
Image
1/10/20
Location: WP2
Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG.SIP-FR.WP2 << failed to save seeds started to germinate in fermentation :oops:

1/16/20
Location: WP2
Onion Giant Zittau
Onion Valencia
Scallion Flagpole

Lettuce Manoa (mini heading lettuce for Winter Indoor Garden)

Lettuce Blushed Butter Oaks
Lettuce Joker

Lettuce Red Iceberg
Lettuce Olga Romaine

Rutabaga Joan << read turnip seedlings can be transplanted, so giving this a try

Asian Bau Sin Kai Tsai
Asian Kyoto#3/Komatsuna/Tatsoi/RedRussianKale << mixed saved seeds)

Location: Garage V8
Spinach Merlo Nero << spinach always fails to sprout when warm but this may take longer

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

The greens have sprouted in WP2 (Winter Paradise Shelf#2) — waiting on the onions, but that was expected. The plan is to transplant them “individually” (actually in pairs or 3’s) into (probably cut up) cell trays in a week or so as part of a new seedling starting method experiment.
Image
— hopefully Bau Sin Kai Tsai is among the seedlings that have sprouted. I know all of those in the same cell will look different as they grow and I will be able to tell them apart, but this is a new to me green and seeds were a gift, so I have NO IDEA what to expect....

...and also the accidentally started Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG-SIP segregate. 2nd attempt to save seeds a couple of days ago ended up germinating too, so in desperation, I saved some today using a modified “Oxyclean” method (didn’t have Oxyclean, so used baking soda+citric acid mix)
Image

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

200-cell trays arrived, so I cut one up into 5 10-cell rows each (50 cells/section) and individually transplanted the lettuces and brassicas. Oh, I also gently pulled out the 11 Flagpole scallions seedlings which had just unfolded and planted them in one of the 200-cell sections along with the brassica mix. ...Aaaand I still had a row of 10 cells left so I sowed one Merlo Nero spinach seeds in each.

Joan rutabaga seedlings turned out to be way too big for the 1.5” deep cells — it might have worked if I had bought some of the deeper designs, but it’s probably best to uppot these to a standard 72-cell tray — for the time being I spread them out into the other 3 compot cells that the lettuce and brassicas had been growing in.

But I ended up with 2 50-cell sections of lettuce seedlings — that’s 100 lettuce plants right there. :lol: I had BETTER have a place to put them outside soon... (but right now I’m in hibernation mode and don’t have any ambition to go outside in the garden :roll: )



Well, fwiw, 26 of them are Manoa — mini heading lettuce developed in Hawaii that I’m trying out — it’s supposed to be heat resistant and grows well under low tunnels. I’m going to grow some of those to size in the Winter Indoor Garden, and have already planted two seedlings in a ... probably approx 1 pint volume 1-2 bottle (1 pint because that was readily available, 2 seedlings only because I found a 2nd one buried under loose potting mix AFTER everybody else had been planted in the cell tray — should have been just one). Planning to use upside down cut bottles like this as containers and squeeze them in wherever I can. Some will be 2L bottles.

Others are Olga Romaine, Red Iceberg, Joker (heading crispleaf) and Blushed Butter Oaks (oakleaf).

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Image

...Joker is striking even as seedlings :D
From RIGHT to left — Manoa, Joker, then Blushed Butter Oaks (this was older seeds and I think didn't germinate as well? There are Joker seedlings even in the last row.)

Image

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I grow manoa which is actually a cultivar of green mignonette. The first plant sale of the year is in three weeks and the lettuces that sells the best are manoa and Romaine. For myself, I prefer Buttercrunch, Oakleaf, and Grand Rapids. I actually have three heads of manoa lettuce in the garden bolting. They are really old. I don't eat a lot of lettuce, especially manoa lettuce in salads. I use it mostly for sandwiches and I don't eat a lot of bread either. I think I planted 8 lettuce starts and I only finished 5. I did get multiple harvests of leaves at this time of the year.

Your seedlings look good. I found that lettuce seeds last about 5 years in the refrigerator, but germination rates slowly start to drop after 3 years, so I need to start more seeds. I am still starting more than I can use.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

OK why is Manoa popular but you like the others better?


I thought it’s kind of interesting that Manoa seems to be growing best in the 70°F Winter Paradise. Joker and Blushed Butter Oaks are ahead but not by as much in comparison to the Red Iceberg and Olga Romaine growing in the mostly 40’s°F Garage V8....
Image
(sorry about the blurry shot — I was too lazy and took this from outside the vinyl shelf cover)
...or is it that Manoa is more dense/compact, which is making these seedlings look bigger?


Garage V8 Spinach Merlo Nero seeds that were started on 1/16 has started to sprout :-()

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Those Manoa (and Joker) seedlings were growing too fast in the WP2 (Winter Paradise 2nd shelf) conditions! :roll:

I uppotted most of them to a section of a 72-cell insert tray (6-cell inserts/12 per tray), leaving mostly the slowest-growing Blushed Butter Oak in the 200-cell section, then filled the empty cells to start more seeds in WP2 —
- Broccoli Green Goliath
- Cauliflower Snowball
- Celery Redventure
- Chinese Cabbage Red Dragon

The smaller Joan Rutabaga seedlings were also uppotted to a 72-cell insert tray section with some of the remaining Manoa and Joker and returned to WP2. (Largest Joan seedlings in the larger cell insert have been moved to the Garage V8.)

I also planted the biggest Manoa seedlings in more upside-down top half-bottles to grow inWPPH (Winter Paradise Penthouse)

Image

- One 72-cell section of Manoa and Joker was squeezed into the Garage V8 Nursery alongside the 200-cell section of Asian greens seedlings, flagpole scallion seedlings, and Merlo Nero spinach (not sprouted)

- The Red Iceberg and Olga Romane seedlings are still in a 200-cell section in the Garage V8, but I raised it closer to the lights in case that was contributing to the spindly growth (the light level does seem lower —- the T8 tubes probably should be changed to new ones)

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Manoa is a heat tolerant lettuce but here it does grow year round. It peaks around Mar-May when the temperatures are 70-80 degrees on most days and we get about 12 hours of daylight. Lettuce during these times of the year will mature in as little as 5 weeks and the heads will be larger. In June-August when the temperatures are 88-92 and we get almost 14 hours of daylight, the heads are small and almost look like small cabbages. They don't like to open up. They are attacked by thrips and aphids and get tip burn. The lettuce will bolt faster and be quite bitter. During the cooler months when the temperatures are less than 80 degrees and when we have 11 hour days and a weak sun, lettuce can last a couple of months.

Romaine must be planted in the cooler months, but I did have one variety with better heat tolerance.

I would rather plant Asian greens instead since they have a longer growing season and are more heat tolerant.

I prefer cooked over raw vegetables. It is probably one of the reasons why I usually have lettuce bolting in the garden.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I actually don’t like lettuce as raw salad that much, so I have been searching for ones that taste good. I heard about Wild Garden Seeds (from other gardeners as well as some of my favorite seed sources) and have been trying different varieties from them. Joker, for example, is one of the highly recommended varieties. They have a new variety they have developed from Manoa, but I’m going to try the original Manoa first this year.

Yesterday, I thought they couldn’t possibly stay in those tiny cells any more and Uppotted the remaining lettuce from the 200-cell to 72-cell. But it turned out that not all of them had completely filled the smaller cells... just as well I suppose, because it might have been more tedious to plant them in the still-kind-of-small 72-cell. They are sitting under the end of this light fixture for now, but will be moved to a better spot as soon as I shuffle them around a bit. (Musical “chairs” for prime lighting is a regular event during the seed starting season).

Image

All except 2 Red Dragon Chinese cabbages sprouted, and Green Goliath broccoli is showing good germination, too. I re-filled the newly emptied cells and sowed some older seeds that may or may not germinate — Golden Pascal celery in the same row as Redventure celery, a full row of mixed beets, and a few others.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Manoa is a good lettuce for sandwiches or wraps. I prefer Buttercrunch to manoa. It has better heat tolerance. Manoa bruises easily so it is not as good a chopped salad lettuce. Romaine is better as a chopped lettuce. I also like grand rapids and oak leaf. Mizuna is good for a mixed salad. When it is grown in cooler conditions it does not have as much bite. It also lasts a long time and can get quite large. It is firm enough for stir fries and soup.

I learned that it is better to tear lettuce rather than cut them for salads. It breaks fewer cell walls and there is less browning.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

My Manoa is ready to start harvesting as baby and sandwich lettuce. DH bought some bacon and no-soy mayo yesterday, so I might have BLT with Manoa and Shimofuri and Aztek. :wink:


I uppotted the Red Dragon Chinese cabbage and Green Goliath broccoli to 72-cell tray:
Image

...then started some Cuor di Bue and Brunswick cabbage, Piracicaba sprouting broccoli/raab, and Asian greens — KyotoNo.3 barrel cabbage, Osaka Shirona (Santousai x Tatsoi), Komatsuna in the freed up 200-cell. I should give them a chance, but I also overseeded the other as yet unsprouted cells with fennel and dill and marjoram. Not sure if you can see it but just ONE celery has sprouted.

The spinach decided to all come up at once in the V8 Nursery. The other lettuces are pictured as well —they need to be uppotted again or I need to prep to plant them outside somehow.
Image


Also started some more onions. I really want to succeed with them this year. Two of the varieties were purchased just last summer so they have no excuse for not sprouting.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Often, taking photos of progresses, making up collages to highlight the specifics, then making entries to describe my observations in the gardening journal inspires me with ideas for the next steps to take.

This morning, I uppotted the largest of the mixed Asian greens — Bau Sin Kai Tsai, Kyoto No.3, etc. in the 200-cell which had been growing slowly in the garage V8 due to the cold temperatures as well as having been under watered a couple of times and Nearly drying out. I also selected out the biggest of the Red Iceberg and Olga Romaine lettuce seedlings (but those lettuces really do need to be uppotted — many of them are trailing roots out of the bottom :roll: )

Then I consolidated the Asian greens to make an empty row by popping a few in the emptied lettuce cells, then thinned the spinach from the square pot and popped them in the 200-cell.

Image


…an advantage in growing them this way is that their growth rates are advanced or slowed according to the different conditions they are subjected to, so that even though they had been started at the same time, I will have seedlings at various stages of maturity for succession planting/harvesting later on. :wink:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

- These tomato seedlings in the experimental luffah sponges are not looking right — I think these are malnourished or are getting too dried out, and will try to set up a better method for supplying higher nutrient solution while still keeping them growing in the luffah.
- I sprinkled some seeds in the WP Penthouse experimental mini-hydro/aquaponics and something has sprouted. Image
- I’m trying to increase nutrient levels organically, so I made up vermicompost “tea bags” for the mini’s (you can sort of see the green organza bag), and stuck an extra tomato seedling in the bigger reservoir.
Image

...I don’t have a single large grow room or area to spread out in, and have to squeeze every bit of available small space I can from different rooms. I’ve mentioned before that one advantage in this is that I can make use of these different micro-climates since I am forced to balance different growing conditions in the various rooms.

Accordingly, these Winter Paradise (WP)shelves are undergoing progressive changes in function even during these few months. Now that most of the Shimofuri (霜降り) tomato fruits have been harvested, the area is being rearranged to support these cool weather seedlings, and soon will be used to start warm weather seeds like peppers and eggplants, tomatoes, etc.

SQWIB
Greener Thumb
Posts: 970
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:21 am
Location: Zone 7A - Philadelphia, PA

Applestar, I am humbled by your Mad Garden skills. It has inspired me to push my gardening a bit more.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Thanks! You are pretty inspiring yourself :clap: — looking forward to reading your progress reports. :wink:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

So, I had a very quick and limited looky-look through the warm-weather garden seeds that I might want to grow this year — only ones that were immediately accessible ... and was immediately overwhelmed.

I haven’t looked through all of the pepper seeds nor the rest of the tomato seeds in the three large 3 ring binders or the seeds buried in a large storage box. It might be for the best if I ignore them except for a very specific selection (if I can manage to get in and out without spreading them out and looking at them all....).

If I know what’s good for me, I will start with what I have pulled out so far, cull if I can, then just get them hitting the dirt so there is no turning back and disqualify the late starters as no shows.....

*Maybe* I will manage to actually get all the seeds organized this year. Too many are being kept in space-hogging inefficient storage non-systems and scattered in different locations around the house.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I tried mixing up a tiny batch (just under 1 pound) of home cultured bokashi fertilizer according to recipe that has been posted and described by Fukuberry.
I mentioned it a couple of times earlier e.g. Subject: Late Fall to Winter Gardening with protection
applestar wrote:[...]
FYI - Based on his temperature notations and location, at upload time of the video, Fukuberry’s gardens were in Zone 8b.

— He always preps the raised row beds by adding lots of organic matter/compost, home made bokashi fermented fertilizer made with rice bran, fermented green weed juice, brown/raw sugar, fish meal, fish bone/crustacean meal, and seedcake/meal. This is fortified with screened ash/char at time of application.
Since I haven’t assembled the exact ingredients for a large batch yet, I cobbled together and substituted with what I had on hand:
— I bought some stabilized Rice Bran on sale so I was able to make this tiny batch with 100% rice bran, but my full scale batch will probably consist of mostly oat bran which is easier to get.
— For crustacean meal, I appropriated some of the dried shrimp snacks from the kitties’ supply
— and for fish meal, I ended up using up the last if the expired whole dried sardines for making Japanese broth
— then supplemented/substituted sterilized eggshells I had been stocking up (since this bokashi fertilizer will typically be used around base of seedlings, hopefully these roughly crushed eggshells will also cut up some slugs :twisted: )
— I still didn’t have enough for this part of the proportion so I also added some food grade diatomaceous earth. Strictly speaking, not the same kind of ingredient, but it IS a good source of silica, calcium, and minerals
— for seedmeal, I used organic cottonseed meal which is pretty close in NPK to the typical rapeseed meal used for agricultural natural fertilizer in Japan.
— For the fermented weed green juice, I had started a tiny batch with chickweed and sweet potato vines from my Winter Indoor Garden which were the only two rapidly growing vegetation at the moment.
— For this tiny batch, I raided the pantry and used organic turbinado sugar

The DE is what had clumped up in the mix I think. But overall, it looks almost authentic ... it’s supposed to be ready to start using in two weeks
Image

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Gave a fair number of the lettuce seedlings to my BIL today. He’s new to gardening but wants to learn and try new things.

Since yesterday, started the process of starting the peppers, eggplants, dwarf and micro dwarf tomatoes and various developing crosses made by me and others. Trying some new techniques this year, but basic idea is still the same — soak, pre-germinate, then sow as soon as ready. This is the only way to overcome space limitation when trying to grow way too many. Hopefully I won’t fall behind this year once they start germinating and sprouting all st once. :roll: I should be able to move out some of the cool weather seedlings in the next couple of weeks.

I’ll post the preliminary list after they are alphabetized. I think I added/benched some at the last minute.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

These eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes have been or will be started. I guess we could call them my hopefuls for this season. Tomatoes will be planted out in early May, eggplants and peppers in late May — so there’s a long way to go yet.

Category Type Variety name

*crosses/devsegs Tomato 19-HBR Not Steelhead
*crosses/devsegs Tomato 19-VGC Canestrino della Garfagnana?
*crosses/devsegs Tomato 19-VGC Spiral volunteer
*crosses/devsegs Tomato 2016 or 2017 Allon-y, Dr.X
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Aztek x Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 HBR.FR-WP2 F1
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok F2
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Maggie Mater F6*
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Molten Sky F4
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Molten Sun F6
*crosses/devsegs Tomato MRxMW F2? pointed yellow epi swirl 2color cherry
*crosses/devsegs Tomato NOT Snow White
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Not Steelhead
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Penny Lane F5* !!!no trade !!!
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Rebel Starfighter Prime F5*
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Rebel Starfighter Prime F6*
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 HBR.FR-WP2 x Aztek F1
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG.SIP-FR.WP2
*crosses/devsegs Tomato Wild Rosa F4 or F5
cherry Tomato Chocolate Pear
cherry Tomato Lumos
cherry Tomato Rosy Cheeks
cherry Tomato Sunrise Bumblebee
det/semi-determinate Tomato Blush
det/semi-determinate Tomato Daifuku
det/semi-determinate Tomato Maglia Rosa
dwarf/micro dwarf Tomato Dwarf Blazing Beauty
dwarf/micro dwarf Tomato Dwarf Chocolate Lightning
dwarf/micro dwarf Tomato Dwarf Pink Passion
dwarf/micro dwarf Tomato Uluru Ochre
dwarf/micro dwarf Tomato Orange Hat
indeterminate Tomato Big Cheef
indeterminate Tomato Coeur de Surprise
indeterminate Tomato Cow’s Tit
indeterminate Tomato Dana’s Dusky Rose
indeterminate Tomato Earl’s Faux
indeterminate Tomato Faelan’s First Snow
indeterminate Tomato Homer Fike’s Yellow Oxheart
indeterminate Tomato Little Lucky
indeterminate Tomato Lucky Cross
indeterminate Tomato Michael’s Portuguese Monster
indeterminate Tomato Mystery Ruffle
indeterminate Tomato Neve’s Azorian Red
indeterminate Tomato Pineapple Pig
indeterminate Tomato Rebel Yell F9
indeterminate Tomato Royal Hillbillie
indeterminate Tomato Schimmeig Stoo (Striped Cavern)
indeterminate Tomato Soldacki
indeterminate Tomato Speckled Roman (Antique Roman x Banana Legs)
indeterminate Tomato Terhune
indeterminate Tomato Wes
indeterminate Tomato Yellow Mystery
indeterminate Tomato Zena’s Gift

Eggplant Diamond
Eggplant Hon Naga
Eggplant Kamo
Eggplant Listada di Gandia

’20 grow out Pepper Largo de Reus *
’20 grow out Pepper Prairie Spice F9*
*crosses/devsegs Pepper GoldfishX? 3" pod mild
*crosses/devsegs Pepper Pale Rider F6
*crosses/devsegs Pepper Sunset Aloha (wf) 9.15.18
Pepper Aji Dulce Amarillo
Pepper Aji Pineapple
Pepper Aleppo Syrian
Pepper Alma Édes or Santa Lucia Island 10.16.17
Pepper Ancho
Pepper Brazilian Starfish
Pepper D.K. Snacker
Pepper Donkey Ears
Pepper Doux Long d’Antibe’s
Pepper Giant Sweet Devil’s Horn
Pepper Krasnoyarsk Tolstjak “Red Fatties”
Pepper Little Tangerine Bell
Pepper Manganji
Pepper Numex Lemon Spice
Pepper Numex Sandia
Pepper Numex Sunset
Pepper Pepperone di Senise
Pepper Rocoto La Paz Rojo
Pepper Rocoto Manzano
Pepper Rokita

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

A couple of days ago, I found an open basket of cotton bolls that had never been processed in the garage — it was just hanging there, from the handlebar of a doll stroller, forgotten. So I grabbed a handful, pulled most of the cotton strands off of the seeds, moistened them and put them in a zip bag and left them with the started pepper, etc. seeds to see what would happen. I really wasn’t expecting much since I think I last grew cotton at least maybe 3 or 4 years ago ...maybe longer... and it gets super hot and super cold in the garage, not to mention any number of bugs might have been at them.

BUT late tonight, I noticed maybe 3 or 4 of them had (already) germinated. So I’ll sow them properly in the morning, and I guess I’m growing some cotton this year.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

15 out of 33 cotton seeds had germinated by yesterday morning, so I sowed them in 12 5oz drink cups, doubling up three of them. Also found that a bunch of Golden Sesame seeds had germinated, as well as a couple of surprise peppers (Alma Édes or St. Lucia Island -unID’d spoiled on counter <— might explain unexpected early germination).

Between yesterday’s 1 and today’s 5, I have 6 of the sprouted Shimofuri (霜降り) HBR-WP2 F7 x Aztek F1’s) to hit the dirt. Also sowed 3 sprouted Purple Tomatillos and one Zena’s Gift, although I must have accidentally broken off the tip of the seed root But tomato seedlings are resilient, so I think it will just grow branch roots.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Where do you find places to put all of the plants?

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Oh, here and there.... LOL — if I was more diligent about re-organizing the existing plants as they mature or as the weather changes, I would have more room. Currently eye-balling the cold weather lettuces and radishes/turnips that need to go outside to make room for the warm weather seedlings as they sprout.

Just moved the last orchid that finally sent out a flower stalk to the family room, so sprouted tomato seedlings that were threatening to touch the lights could take its place, and tomato, sesame and tomatillo, as well cotton seedlings could take over those older tomato spots. This shuffling also made room for trays with cells of sown pre-germinated seeds that had started to show nuckle-loops.


...just updated the seed starting log, and I have sown 168 pre-germinated tomatoes and 9 pre-germinated peppers, as well as 15 Golden sesame and 5 purple tomatillos. I’m still tallying the sprouted seedling count — but basically so far no peppers, tomatoes are earliest of my Shimofuri x Aztek cross, and 3 of the purple tomatillos and some sesame, plus all 15 of the cotton.

....Things are going to get busy from here on out.

Here’s the seed starting map as of today — still pretty boring stuff so I didn’t bother to create a clear image, but if you can tell that some of the cells are in bold type, those have sprouted:
Image

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I was going to post this list last night, but then decided to update it with this morning’s sprouted count... then realized I have about 30 more germinated seeds to sow for today ... but if I wait for that, then the list will never get posted because I will have to count the sprouted’s in the morning.... :lol:

Suffice it to say I do have some germinated eggplants and more peppers, as well as tomatoes that sprouted and are pushing out their cotyledons in the 2” square zip seed bag ...seemingly overnight! :roll:

...This includes another Green Doctors which is one of the varieties I’m growing in remembrance for Dr. Carolyn this year, so that makes me happy. :()

I discovered a new template for Numbers that organizes in subcategories and counts up subtotals. So I don’t have to do those manually any more. :wink:


Category Variety name Germinated Sprouted
Eggplant ____________0
Eggplant Diamond
Eggplant Hon Naga
Eggplant Kamo
Eggplant Listada di Gandia

Pepper ____________10
Pepper Largo de Reus *
Pepper Prairie Spice F9* 1
Pepper GoldfishX?
Pepper Pale Rider F6
Pepper Sunset Aloha (wf) 9.15.18 2
Pepper Aji Dulce Amarillo
Pepper Aji Pineapple
Pepper Aleppo Syrian
Pepper Alma Édes or Santa Lucia Island 10.16.17 3
Pepper Ancho
Pepper Brazilian Starfish
Pepper D.K. Snacker
Pepper Donkey Ears
Pepper Doux Long d’Antibe’s
Pepper Giant Sweet Devil’s Horn 1
Pepper Krasnoyarsk Tolstjak “Red Fatties”
Pepper Little Tangerine Bell 3
Pepper Manganji
Pepper Numex Lemon Spice
Pepper Numex Sandia
Pepper Numex Sunset
Pepper Pepperone di Senise
Pepper Rocoto La Paz Rojo
Pepper Rocoto Manzano
Pepper Rokita

Tomato ____________215 109
Tomato 19-HBR Not Steelhead
Tomato 19-VGC BR volunteer
Tomato 19-VGC Spiral volunteer 1
Tomato Allons-y,Dr.X 2016 or 2017, ‘19 2 1
Tomato Aztek x Shimofuri (霜降り) F7 HBR.FR-WP2 F1
Tomato Cherokee Tiger Striped Plum F6?
Tomato Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok F2 6 1
Tomato Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok F2 or Sophie’s Choice
Tomato Maggie Mater F6*
Tomato Molten Sky F4
Tomato Molten Sun F5?
Tomato MRxMW F2?
Tomato Mystery Ruffle (lindsay’19) red pleated 4
Tomato NOT Snow White pointed white cherry
Tomato NOT Steelhead
Tomato Penny Lane F5* !!!no trade !!! 1 1
Tomato Rebel Starfighter Prime F5* 2
Tomato Rebel Starfighter Prime F6* 2 2
Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F7 HBR.FR-WP2 x Aztek F1 41 25
Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG.SIP-FR.WP2 6
Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 HBR-FR.WP2 13 11
Tomato Wild Rosa F4 or F5
Tomato Yellow Mystery (lindsay’19)

Tomato Chocolate Pear 2 1
Tomato Green Doctors 1
Tomato Lumos 6 2
Tomato Rosy Cheeks 4 2
Tomato Sunrise Bumblebee 3 3

Tomato Blush
Tomato Daifuku 3 2
Tomato Maglia Rosa 1 1
Tomato Dwarf Blazing Beauty
Tomato Dwarf Chocolate Lightning 4 1
Tomato Dwarf Lemon Ice 2
Tomato Dwarf Pink Passion
Tomato Orange Hat 5 3
Tomato Uluru Ochre 1 1

Tomato Big Cheef 3
Tomato Chris’ Greek Mama 2 1
Tomato Coeur de Surprise 1
Tomato Cow’s Tit 4 2
Tomato Dana’s Dusky Rose 4 2
Tomato Earl’s Faux 13 1
Tomato Faelan’s First Snow 9 6
Tomato Homer Fike’s Yellow Oxheart 5 4
Tomato Kamatis Tagalog 5 4
Tomato Little Lucky
Tomato Lucky Cross
Tomato Michael’s Portuguese Monster 3 1
Tomato Neve’s Azorian Red 9 4
Tomato Pineapple Pig 8 3
Tomato Rebel Yell F9 tomike’17 5 5
Tomato Royal Hillbillie 5 2
Tomato Schimmeig Stoo (Striped Cavern) 2 1
Tomato Soldacki 2 1
Tomato Speckled Roman (Antique Roman x Banana Legs) 8 8
Tomato Terhune lindsay’19 2 2
Tomato Wes 10 2
Tomato Zena’s Gift 1 1

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

This year, my seed starting method for the main summer garden solanacea starts include —

1) pre-germinating seeds mixed with dampened screened vermiculite/perlite (1:400 water solution of raw sugar cultured rapidly growing greens juice “Ten-eh Ryoku-ju” — I believe this creates an extraction of beneficial enzymes and microbes) in small seed zip grouped into snack zip bags and kept in a tray on heatmat in an upstairs room.

- 1a) I did run into the heatmat getting too hot 90+ a couple of times, and had to fiddle with insulating the seed bags to avoid letting them get overheated. Since I try to refresh my seed stock by growing what most people might consider to be expired seeds, I can’t tell if the germination has been badly affected... especially when I’m seeing 2010 seeds sprouting ...

2) sowing the pre-germinated (sometimes sprouted) seeds in 200-cell sections filled with screened potting mix/vermiculite (1 heaping tsp of commercial bokashi starter inoculated bran (old) mixed with each pint of mix) and moistened with the same 1:400 solution

In the past I have tried mass sowing to be separated later, and using the re-purposed K-cups, soil blocker, etc. But trying this method to see if keeping the seedlings separate from the outset and space-saving from the 200-cell will be advantageous.

Here are the sprouted cells (except the sesame seedling+ cell section — I forgot about that one :oops:
Image

...Today’s 2 3x7 cell sections with 31cells planted are not shown — I surprised myself by guessing the number almost exactly ... but that just means I’ve been doing this too intensively lately. :roll:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I gave up on those mini-models of 5 gal jug aquaponics — I never did get them tied into the existing guppy and goldfish reservoirs for self-replenishing nutrients. I still have a lot to learn about growing in water/solution vs. soil/potting mix, including whether my temperament is suited to this method since I just am not one to be bothered by exactitude and doubt I will get on-board about regularly testing the solution unless there is a super easy way (IS there a simplified tester that you just dip in?)

- I used them as base and irrigation system to support a tray of seedlings. It’s not fully automated, but I set up the pipette siphon method that has been working well elsewhere so I can drain the tray back to the larger reservoir when I look in on the seedlings at least twice a day.

- The not-so-funny thing is that when I finished setting it up on the Winter Paradise Penthouse (top of the covered shelves) to my satisfaction over the weekend, I discovered one of the 30” T5 lights in the Winter Paradise shelf2 had burned out while I was working. I had to set up a temporary lighting for the newest sowed/sprouting seedlings — see the lamps with aluminum pan reflectors below :roll:

- Then when the replacement tube bulb arrived on Tuesday, I realized I had ordered T8 by mistake — send that back and get a replacement T5 ... but found 6500K T5 equivalent LED’s instead. So yesterday after arrival, replaced the burned out t5 with TWO of the 4pack LED’s. Looks REALLY bright now and ready to support the growing number of seedlings.

- You can see the broccoli and other starts that should have/be going outside to be planted in the background. Life is getting in the way, but I WILL get them planted ASAP..

Image

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

...According to my log, I am attempting to grow 63 different varieties of tomatoes, 291 seeds have germinated, and 205 of them have sprouted after being sown. There have been a few post-sprouting losses, and no doubt there will be other casualties, but this is the craziness that happens when using the “Seedzip method” and trying to save space. I’ll figure out where they can or can’t be planted in the garden, which of these will be given away, etc. later as they develop.

I was playing catch-up with these Seedzips standing along the edge holding already sprouted seedlings that HAD to be planted today. Map of the resulting planted cell-section is shown on the right (Bold=sprouted):
Image


...My onion seeds are definitely expired. I started a bunch in a rolled up paper towel in a zip bag and only 4 sprouted. In the mean time, I also started Flag Pole scallions in a separate rolled up paper towel, and ended up with 94 sprouted seeds to sow/plant in the 1/2 section of a 200-cell:
Image
...those planted 200-cell tray sections in the 1st collage were moved from the temporary light set-up to the new LED lights in Winter Paradise 2.

...BTW — see that extra-tall tomato seedling with true leaf that’s sticking out with the CFL utility light fixture behind it? I had to go see which variety that is — it’s a Michael’s Portuguese Monster. Is this a preview of what to expect?

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Subject: Applestar’s 2020 Garden
applestar wrote: 1/10/20
Location: WP2
Tomato Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG.SIP-FR.WP2 << failed to save seeds started to germinate in fermentation :oops:
...here are 3 of the Shimofuri (霜降り) F8 VG.SIP-FR.WP2 with floral trusses = Approximately 58-60 days in winter indoor conditions; as well as an overwintered Aji Dulce Amarillo that has been blooming and setting fruits.
Image
— this is the same pepper plant that had been severely infested by aphids ...rescued by the released Indoor Garden Patrol:
Subject: Applestar’s 2019-2020 Winter Indoor Garden
applestar wrote:Spotted 2 next generation Indoor Garden Patrol on particularly badly aphid-infested pepper plant:

Image
...eat them up, Babes! :twisted:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I harvested a gallon zip bag full of lettuces and greens yesterday from my Winter Indoor Garden ... ONLY because I’m falling behind in taking/planting them outside. I sampled a few while washing and drying them — they are so tender and flavorful/sweet! But they will rapidly wilt and bruise even in the inflated, paper towel-lined zip bag in the fridge ... so will need to be eaten quickly within the next couple of days.

In the mean time, this is the state of my tomato and pepper seedlings — waiting to be Uppotted, and getting critical, though still recoverable. I’m watering them with the siphoned out guppy/Behemouth&Co.reservoir dregs water but they really need to be fertilized ... but I can’t give them too much until they are uppotted. Catch-22.

I ran out of space to put them under the lights, and am running out of little cups to put them in (Amazon’s current prioritized shipping defers shipment for these deemed non-critical for a month! though I did find some rare exceptions to be delivered by next week, and picked only as much as I need rather than a package of 1500 which may be desperately needed elsewhere).
Image
- I’ve recruited DDs’ help in identifying the critical seedlings that need to be Uppotted most, and labeling the cups for them.
- I’m troubled by the “sense of doom” that is making me feel like I MUST save every single one of these seedlings — potential *food makers*..... I need to shake this off because it’s sapping the simple and pure JOY out of gardening.

...Normal planting out day for these would be around first week of May, so we have another 1 month+ to go... though we may be having warmer spring than usual? I think lack of deep freeze this winter will mean the ground will warm up earlier.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Subject: Applestar’s 2019 Garden
Oct. 14, 2019
applestar wrote:I was going to take a nap earlier, but I had a “brilliant” idea, and had to go try it out. I had to fiddle with the design a bit, but I got the simple loop siphon set up to drain. So I started the blueberry cuttings I decided to try rooting. Image

Image
...here are the surviving blueberry cuttings in the front, starting to break bud :D Also for some reason, the tiny blueberry plant has started to bloom, I wonder if I’m supposed to be culling those...
F45F2073-7C25-46DF-B3A1-90A56EF40FD6.gif
F45F2073-7C25-46DF-B3A1-90A56EF40FD6.gif (3.81 MiB) Viewed 10270 times
...and those are the red scallion bottoms I mentioned elsewhere...

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

it’s way past time to get the garden started but I have been distracted. and last few days have been rainy, windy, even thunder and lightning.

finally managed to get myself out there yesterday — just to take stock — and ended up weeding the patio planters and the VG beds.

decided to give myself a break and leave the tunnel-covered garlic beds and the major work needed in the side garden big three — hbr (haybale row), sfh (sunflower house) and sg (spiral garden) for another day ... hopefully some today.

last night I was so exhausted I fell into bed to “close my eyes” and slept for 7 hours :shock: it’s going to take some time to whip my winter hibernation/sloth/flabby body back into shape :roll:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

OK, let’s just accept that I’m way, way in the back of the pack this year ...but I think I’ve managed to pull these tomato seedlings back from the brink after lengthy neglect — they are still only in 5 oz cups.

Unfortunately, pepper seedlings took a big hit :( ...and many eggplants didn’t sprout :| (I’m working on growing a few more that only recently sprouted).

Image
I’m still watching some of these since they are trying to recover from mite infestation (I had to give up on getting a second shipment of mite predators in the late winter)...good many of them are ready to be uppotted again and hardened for planting outside — sooner the better since it’s getting warm enough for the native predatory mites to have become active already.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Yay, I was FINALLY able to bring myself to go outside in the garden. It’s been a truly rough spring — I don’t think I’ve ever lost my energy/desire to grow and that sense of being connected to the garden the way I did.

My neglected garden is looking very sad, and I have a lot of work ahead .... :roll:
A0428020-B508-4657-AD23-1D57F7737332.jpeg
I convinced myself to venture out by telling myself that all I had to do today was get 2 things done — (1) get one hose set up to water the summer vacationing container plant my wonderful DDs have started to move out for me ....
585E80DD-26C1-4AF5-8302-7308AB9686FD.jpeg
... and (2) harvest the strawberries that they had spotted Yesterday....

As it turned out though, Mother Nature had prepared a reward as a way to welcome me back, and to entice me to return to the garden :D
A9F0B838-28B2-4752-83BC-DA17365F4F7F.jpeg
!! cherries !! :clap:

User avatar
digitS'
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3925
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:10 pm
Location: ID/WA! border

Yay!

You were missing on HG for a couple of days after that storm, AppleStar. Good to have you out there in the garden and letting us know about that. Having help is good, too. The property owner at my big veggie garden waters both our gardens. I have been absent so many days this year. And ... I don't think that he is comfortable going on any summer vacations this year so I may not be able to make up for his attention to water needs.

Our weather has been good for greens and that's about it. The temperature was 43°f this morning and supposed to be even cooler, tomorrow. The Weather Service is suggesting that gardeners in the "mountain valleys" cover their plants and protect them from frost. Well, most of the people here live in a "mountain valley" but, I trust, they are talking about somewhat higher elevation than the airport where the WS stations are located. Sure hope so.

The days are becoming very long but with so much overcast and sprinkles and wind, it doesn't feel like we are approaching summer. The full moon has appeared on a few nights and the sunsets have been beautiful. Those sorts of things brighten my mood. Of course, a plate of stir-fry for lunch does too :wink: .

Steve

Vanisle_BC
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1354
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:02 pm
Location: Port Alberni, B.C. Canada, Zone 7 (+?)

Hi applestar;

- I've figured out how to pronounce Genovese in Italian. How would I say Minowase in Japan?
- If you can influence the forum design please get it fixed. 'As it was' would be a 100% improvement.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow it’s been a while since I came back to this thread.... :roll:


I strolled around the garden and watered — things are drying up in this heat — extra hot this weekend they say — heat index 110°F :shock:

There was this frog ... and another — a tiny tree frog — on the patio
5F84ADE3-3905-4D87-84CD-FF4364BE32C4.jpeg

...also first? monarch butterfly sighting :D
10711E77-30CC-4CE0-BA2F-59D5438AF33B.gif
10711E77-30CC-4CE0-BA2F-59D5438AF33B.gif (4.35 MiB) Viewed 7798 times
...picked about 3 cups of blackberries from where I could reach easily — maybe cobbler in the morning....

MsDDC
Cool Member
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:11 pm
Location: Washington, DC; 7A by the map but 7B by local urban temps

I saw a Monarch flitting around my back yard a few days ago! I should have plenty of flowers to attract them next summer!

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Love it! It makes me so happy to see them return every year. Hoping they will remember your garden, too.

MsDDC
Cool Member
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:11 pm
Location: Washington, DC; 7A by the map but 7B by local urban temps

It's a little barren, flowers-wise, this year, but I just placed my fall order (for one of two new beds in the back, site already cleared), and next year will be a feast for pollinators. That bed is going to have Russian sage, baby's breath, and flowering allium. Over the winter, my trees will go in ("sour" cherry in front (technically sour, but high sugar content fruit) and two crepe myrtles in back), and then next fall or the following spring, goat's beard, hellebores, and lionshearts/false dragon's heads. Yes, I actually have 2 "zones" in my back yard...the edge that gets brutal sunshine and stays dry due to topography, and the low spot which gets occasionally dunked in heavy rains, hence the two plant types (hot, dry site, and semi-shaded occasionally wet).

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

— get yourself one or more Swamp Milkweed — Asclepias incarnata — this is a larval host for Monarchs and they will return to lay eggs. Males will arrive earlier and fly territorial sweeps to attract females. I believe butterflies that hatch in your garden will be more likely to produce offspring that will return.

I have larger stands of Common Milkweed (pictured) and a couple of smaller clumps of Swamp Milkweed which are less aggressive to spread.

I’ve posted a lot about them (with photos) in the past — probably mostly in this forum
Wildlife - Gardening with Local Critters in Mind - HelpfulGardener.com
viewforum.php?f=18



Return to “Vegetable Garden Progress + Photos & Videos”