Tennessee 2023 Garden

[Gary350]

In one of your posts, you say Beans get 48-0-0. My understanding is that Beans don't need nitrogen. In fact they are nitrogen fixers.

I deliberately hold nitrogen from Beans and cut out the stalk, leaving the root nodules to provide nitrogen to the soil.
Which is right?

Beans are nitrogen fixing but the amount of nitrogen beans produce is extremely low less than 1-0-0. My beans grow best with 15-15-15 fertilizer. Nitrogen fixing helps bean plants produce nitrogen for other plants after bean plants die. After bean plants are dead nitrogen in roots are released into the soil for the next plant that is grown. There are several good YouTube videos that explain nitrogen fixing.

[imafan26]

Beans can fix nitrogen if the roots are associated with nitrogen fixing bacteria. Good soils will have a good amount of nitrogen fixers, or you can enhance that with an inoculant. Inoculants work best with specific legumes generally used as cover crops like cowpea or vetch. The nitrogen that is fixed is not released until the crop is tilled under and the nitrogen bacteria release their stored nitrogen for the successive crop.

Nitrogen is constantly changing in the soil with plants, microbes taking up nitrogen, while nitrogen on the other end of the cycle is broken down by other microbes back to its gaseous form and returns to the air.

That is why nitrogenous fertilizer should be covered or watered in and dissolved because more of the nitrogen will be lost if it is left on the surface.

However, the microbes don't share that much with the beans. They are not fixing nitrogen to benefit the plant, but to benefit themselves first. If the soil is nitrogen poor to start with, the beans won't grow well either and you actually have to give beans some nitrogen to start with. This is why compost is not really a fertilizer. The richest nitrogen sources for organic is animal based manures and blood or feather meal. But these forms are not readily available to plants and are not available all at once but over time up to a period of 2 years. Soil microbes must convert the organic nitrogen into a form the plants can use.

[Gary350]

Nitrogen fixing for beans does nothing for the beans it only adds nitrogen to the soil after bean plants die. N2 in the air can not be used by plants. Plants can use, NO3 = nitrates, NO2 = nitrites, NH4 = ammonia.

Urea 46-0-0 can not be used by plants until after it comes in contact with calcium and moisture in the soil. Urea is slow release nitrogen. If soil is low in calcium Urea may only produce a small amount of ammonia for plants. Too much rain can wash away calcium from the soil. 100°f temperatures will reduce nitrogen in the soil. You may need to add calcium to soil to get the full benefit of Urea. Many NPK fertilizers contain Urea read the label on the package.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8qTRBc8Bws

[Gary350]

TV claims 25° bad weather Wed, after putting off for a month to clean up the garden and put things away today I am busy in the garden before it becomes a swamp. I have been tempted many times to pull up 1 volunteer beam plant and today I picked the last of the beans. Maybe we eat beans for dinner this evening.

[Vanisle_BC]

The N-P-K of nitrogen is 100-0-0.

[imafan26]

I find it hard to use urea because it is 46-0-0, but I did not know that it needed calcium to activate. I tried to use it a couple of times, but it burns plants easily and I would have to use minute quantities. It is impossible to get now.

I have used sulfate of ammonia 21-0-0 for the nitrogen in the garden. My soil test showed a nitrogen of 24 which is within range. To keep it there I only need 2 tablespoons of sulfate of ammonia for every 100 sf. Depending on the crop, I usually apply the nitrogen after the true leaves appear. Crops less than 50 days to maturity get one side dressing, plants that live longer than 60 days get a side dressing about every 3 months or so, depending on when the plants are in active growth. I have used blood meal, but it is hard to work with, and it is nasty if it gets inhaled (been there, done that). It is very expensive so I got some when it went on clearance. It does not work well in containers, like most organic fertilizers. It is too slow to release to optimize the plants in containers. In the ground, it probably works o.k. I don't really know, because I have never depended on it as the only source of nitrogen. I cannot use organic fertilizers in the garden because for the most part they have too much phosphorus. The last soil report recommended less than an inch of greenwaste compost and no composts that have been bulked up with fertilizers and no animal manures.

It is getting harder to find potassium. Amazon won't send it anymore. Gary uses wood ashes. Does it matter what kind of wood? Open burning is not allowed here, so I would basically have to burn the wood on my charcoal grill. I can get firewood from one hardware store that stocks it. But for the most part most people do not have fireplaces or woods to get firewood. I can probably get mesquite because that is a weed in many places.

[Gary350]

[quote=imafan26 post_id=449862 time=1698429648 user_id=33705

It is getting harder to find potassium. Amazon won't send it anymore. Gary uses wood ashes. Does it matter what kind of wood? .[/quote]

Google search might tell you which wood has the most potassium. Wood is 20% to 30% calcium. Potassium exposed to the air evaporates away in a few days unless it is kept in a bucket with a lid. Mix wood ash with water you get a lot of heavy material in the bottom of the bucket, that might be calcium? I use to burn a lot of wooden pallets to get wood ash. Ask questions on the chemistry forum you will probably get good answers from them.

[imafan26]

Thanks I need to check that out. otherwise, I may have to bury a lot of banana peels.

[Gary350]

This morning I was in the garden as the sun was coming up. I raked in nitrogen fertilizer then planted about 1000 cilantro seeds on the left bed. About 60 white stem Pak Choi in the center bed. About 60 Napa cabbage in the right bed. Wait and see what grows center bed should hole about 25 Pak Choi plants and right bed might have room for 12 Napa cabbage. Cilantro has grown good like this in the past if seeds will germinate now. Cilantro never grows tall in cold weather.

[Gary350]

Pepper plants are growing more ripe pepper not slowing down. I have another 24 Anaheim peppers to hurry up and get them inside the solar dehydrators. It is sunny and 81°.

[Gary350]

I sprinkled about 50 carrot seeds in each 3 gallon pots full of potting soil. Carrot are never 65 day crop like they claim, more like 4 month crop. These are 1/2 long carrots I wonder if full length carrots are an 8 month crop. Garlic plants are doing good.

[Gary350]

Me be stupid, why didn't I pick peppers yesterday it was not raining & no mud either, I knew it was going to freeze Tues morning. 2" of slow rain forecast for today I picked peppers in the rain. 297, Anaheim peppers, Sweet Carman peppers, Jalapeno peppers.

[abhaykale]

I am glad I asked about nitrogen fixing. In Colorado, it will only be next season when I get to use the advise. Thanks for the thorough replies.

I grow veggies for my family consumption only. I have 2 tubs 2x7x3 ft. How much of nitrogen fertilizer can I use and how often? I have been using blood meal, fish emulsion and some left over Mircle grow blue powder. Whatever is handy on that day. Should I change?

Thanks

[Gary350]

I am glad I asked about nitrogen fixing. In Colorado, it will only be next season when I get to use the advise. Thanks for the thorough replies.

I grow veggies for my family consumption only. I have 2 tubs 2x7x3 ft. How much of nitrogen fertilizer can I use and how often? I have been using blood meal, fish emulsion and some left over Mircle grow blue powder. Whatever is handy on that day. Should I change?

Thanks

Each plant needs its own specific fertilizer. You don't feed cats dog food. You don't feed dogs bird food. Plants are no different than animals and people, feed them what they need.

The tiny bags and boxes of plant food for $20 each will bankrupt you. Buy plant food at farm supply 50 lb bags $20.

What plants are you growing?

[imafan26]

Since you are planting in tubs instead of in the ground, the tubs will leach fertilizer with each watering and you should be feeding plants according to their needs. Seeds don't need nitrogen. Too much available nitrogen in the mix can cause germination issues. Nitrogen is needed for young and growing plants, but less is needed as plants mature. The total nitrogen requirement should be divided for plants that live longer.

Your potting soil probably came with some plant food. However, be aware it is much harder to grow organically in containers than to use conventional fertilizers. There is not a large number of soil organisms in pots to break down organic fertilizers efficiently and they won't necessarily make nutrients available when the plants need them. It can work in larger containers but you will still have that lag and you would still need to supplement with compost, manure tea, or fish emulsion. During the later fruiting stages they need more micros, phosphorus and potassium. Depending on the ultimate size of the peppers pots should be around 12-24 inches in diameter depending on the size or number or peppers you plant in a single pot and it should be 12-14 inches deep at a minimum. Larger peppers need larger pots. I start with 4 inch pots and pot peppers up as they grow, my largest peppers end up in 18 gallon pots. The minimum pot for a medium sized pepper is 5 gallons. Annual peppers and smaller peppers can be in smaller pots. You can adjust the fertilizer for different stages of growth. I like to have a maintenance slow release fertilizer as a base. I do not do organic so I use osmocote or nutricote as a base for my potting soil mix. I have some peppers:Thai, Alconcaqua, Jalapeno,cascabella, and Hawaiian chilies in pots. I pot them up as they go. I gave them more nitrogen in the beginning because I wanted them to grow and not produce peppers too early. The ones that have started to flower, I have increased feedings of calcium nitrate and k-mag. The base fertilizer in my pot is 6-4-6 with slow release nitrogen.

Ultimately, the Thai and Hawaiian chilies will live for multiple years and end up in the largest pots. Jalapenos don't live that long and this is the first time I have successfully grown Alconcagua and cascabella chilies so I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do well. I had 2 cascabella peppers but one lost all of its leaves and died, so I only have one left. I have hadd problems with broad mites and white flies so the peppers have been treated. I have grown the Jalapeno, Thai, and Hawaiian chilies before so I know how big they will get. Some of these other peppers, I am not sure about their size or longevity. so it is still an experiment. I have learned that this particular potting soil holds a lot of water so these containers need water about every 3 days or so.

[Gary350]

Since you are planting in tubs instead of in the ground, the tubs will leach fertilizer with each watering and you should be feeding plants according to their needs. Seeds don't need nitrogen. Too much available nitrogen in the mix can cause germination issues. Nitrogen is needed for young and growing plants, but less is needed as plants mature. The total nitrogen requirement should be divided for plants that live longer.

Your potting soil probably came with some plant food. However, be aware it is much harder to grow organically in containers than to use conventional fertilizers. There is not a large number of soil organisms in pots to break down organic fertilizers efficiently and they won't necessarily make nutrients available when the plants need them. It can work in larger containers but you will still have that lag and you would still need to supplement with compost, manure tea, or fish emulsion. During the later fruiting stages they need more micros, phosphorus and potassium. Depending on the ultimate size of the peppers pots should be around 12-24 inches in diameter depending on the size or number or peppers you plant in a single pot and it should be 12-14 inches deep at a minimum. Larger peppers need larger pots. I start with 4 inch pots and pot peppers up as they grow, my largest peppers end up in 18 gallon pots. The minimum pot for a medium sized pepper is 5 gallons. Annual peppers and smaller peppers can be in smaller pots. You can adjust the fertilizer for different stages of growth. I like to have a maintenance slow release fertilizer as a base. I do not do organic so I use osmocote or nutricote as a base for my potting soil mix. I have some peppers:Thai, Alconcaqua, Jalapeno,cascabella, and Hawaiian chilies in pots. I pot them up as they go. I gave them more nitrogen in the beginning because I wanted them to grow and not produce peppers too early. The ones that have started to flower, I have increased feedings of calcium nitrate and k-mag. The base fertilizer in my pot is 6-4-6 with slow release nitrogen.

Ultimately, the Thai and Hawaiian chilies will live for multiple years and end up in the largest pots. Jalapenos don't live that long and this is the first time I have successfully grown Alconcagua and cascabella chilies so I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do well. I had 2 cascabella peppers but one lost all of its leaves and died, so I only have one left. I have hadd problems with broad mites and white flies so the peppers have been treated. I have grown the Jalapeno, Thai, and Hawaiian chilies before so I know how big they will get. Some of these other peppers, I am not sure about their size or longevity. so it is still an experiment. I have learned that this particular potting soil holds a lot of water so these containers need water about every 3 days or so.

The only thing I am growing in pots are carrots. I made my own potting soil, I started it 1 year ago. I got 5 pickup truck loads of ground up tree leaves at the recycle center free Nov 1 year ago. I tilled 6" of leaves into the soil in a certain location 3 different times April. I also added 15-15-15 fertilizer & calcium each time I tilled in leaves. A few days ago I see soil looks like black gold and very soft. I filled carrot pots with my home made potting soil.

[Gary350]

Today I learn why sugar snap peas are called, sugar snap peas. Ripe pods pull from the plant very easy and make a snap sound. I ate several pods in the garden they are sweet as honey. Pods chew up so easy. I am glad I planted these, I never grew snap peas before. I tried Alaska snow peas several times and another type pea once. We have been waiting for peas to be ripe so we can make chicken stir fry for dinner. I ate too much, it was too good. Wife put almost as much peas in the dish as chicken.

[Gary350]

This morning 7:30 am both outside thermometers say 22°f. 5 cauliflower plants & 1 broccoli plant are white with frost and look ok. Strawberry plants both beds are frosted. Last year -2° was no problem for strawberry plants. I forget to pick peppers on 5 plants in row 21 that were never staked they have a lot of Anaheim peppers. Peppers will probably be mush when they thaw out.

[Gary350]

51 frozen peppers from 5 forgotten frozen plants. 4 Anaheim plants, 1 Jalapeno plant. 51+297= 348 peppers total end of the year harvest.

[Gary350]

12 hours later frozen pepper are soft as wet paper. I'm not sure if they can be saved.

[applestar]

Make pepper sauce with them?

[Gary350]

It took all day to get wet peppers mostly dry. Water keeps running out of several peppers. When I cut peppers open a teaspoon of water runs out. Old wine makers trick is to freeze fruit ice expands 10% this breaks all the juices cells, when fruit thaws all the juice runs out on its own. I think that must be what happened to the peppers that is why there is so much water. I sliced all the peppers they are very soft but solid inside. I have a lot of water peppers are draining in a pan. I will freeze pepper slices in a zip lock bag to cook with. I wonder how much flavor is lost it that green pepper juice. I ate several pepper slices they have a good flavor, they seem to be ok. Oh no date is wrong by 1 day in the bag.

[Gary350]

I am still trying to learn the correct way to grow potatoes. I have been watching YouTube videos and talking to people that grow amazing good crops of new potatoes and learned something I am doing wrong. Potatoes are like tomatoes, plants have the ability to grow roots every place soil touched the plant. When you hill soil up on the stems the whole stem becomes roots and all those roots grow more new potatoes. Potatoes are heavy feeders they need lots of 6-12-12 fertilizer. Potato cuttings should be 8" apart. Plant cuttings too soon or too late it will stunt the growth of new potatoes. Soil needs to be 50° to 55°f when planting cuttings. Plants need full sun all day. Plants need to be hilled up often you want 6" or more of the stem covered up with soil. Tall soil hills keep new potatoes insulated from hot sun, tall hills hold in moisture, tall stems grow more potatoes. Plant more eyes than 1 eye cuttings, crowd a lot of eyes into a smaller area to grow lots of new potatoes into a smaller area. 5 to 6 eye seed potatoes will grow a lot of new potatoes in a very small area.

I am about ready to give up on growing a huge crop of potatoes. 1 more time with Kennebec seed potatoes. Watch this video. I watched the video 3 times and see something new each time. Years past I accidently grew a large crop of potatoes a few times but never knew why? Grocery store potatoes are $6 for 10 lbs. and seed potatoes are $4 per lb. its not worth it to keep growing only 1 lb of new potatoes from each plant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp2SRPS-syQ&t=3s

[Gary350]

Cold weather has made peas stop growing pods, I had this problem in the post, seeds should have been planted a month sooner. I never took notes in the post. 7' tall pea plants fell over, several stems are broken and plant tops seem to be dyeing. We have a week of 70° day temperatures coming maybe pods will grow again. We would love to have a bushel basket of pea pods but I don't see than happening. I have not watered anything for a week I have been waiting for rain but no rain, we still have burn ban and drought warnings. I drained all the water from the hose and put it away for the winter. Peas are a waste of time if we only get to eat 1 meal from 40 plants. Strawberry plants never stop growing they are taking over like weeds.

[applestar]

Well, if those pea vines don’t make it, they will turn into nutrient rich green manure, along with their root rhizobia microbes for next crop.

If you let them die off naturally or just weed whack them, they’ll settle in place as mulch for now.

I’m finding it difficult to grow fall peas too.

If you can protect them from extreme freeze through the winter, some varieties of snap peas are supposed to be good candidates for growing to just past seedling stage.

Then they have early start and produce well BEFORE it gets too hot.

This growth habit is apparently handled in similar manner as overwintering broad/fava beans.

It gets just a little too cold around here with severe ground freeze… but you might be able to where you are.

[Gary350]

I was up at 5:30 am old time we have not changed the clocks, it is actually 4:30 am new time. I worked on a project in the workshop until 10:00 am then watched the preacher on TV. Wife is fixing lunch I sliced potatoes into French fries for the hot air fryer. I notice a lot of red Anaheim peppers in the 2 baskets on the kitchen country top and pulled up 24 ripe red peppers. It is sunny and 140° in both solar cookers so I cut up peppers while wife fixed lunch. Chili powder seems to be the best way to save peppers I already have 1/2 gallon of chili powder. I put an AD on market place, FREE 1 gallon basket of Jalapeno peppers and someone came to get them.

[Gary350]

25 years ago I did this experiment after seeing it on TV garden show. I planted 25 seed potatoes in Nov and dug up 28 lbs. of new potatoes in May. Wife does not want any more red potatoes and I have 2 boxes full that need to be throw out or planted. I raked soil smooth so it is 2" above TN swamp, laid seed potatoes on the surface 6" apart then add 6-12-12 fertilizer and covered them up. Soil temperature is 65° and 12" of soil is enough insulation to keep potatoes warm enough to grow all winter. Our soil never freezes more that 1" deep. There were no above ground plants last time, I don't expect plants this time. This is a zero maintenance crop, leave it all winter then May 1st see if anything grew. If potatoes grow I will give them all away. I still have 1 more box of about 75 seed potatoes I don't want, if they are still good March 30 I will give them away.

[Gary350]

Celery is doing better in these cooler weather. I fed plants nitrogen stalks and leaves grew bigger. Celery is one of the best things to have in our garden. We started with 4 plants, now we have 2 plants, next year we want 8 plants. Wife is making vegetable stem. I picks 11 celery stalks and sliced them for the stew.

Pea pods were not growing larger so I fed plants nitrogen then pods filled up with a lot of large peas. Once peas get large enough pods split open then peas are very easy to remove.

I planted 100 Leak seeds. I never grew leaks before they are suppose to be a good winter crop. Plants are suppose to do good cold winter weather.

[Gary350]

I need to stop hording so much stuff, I save anything that could possible be used later. Yesterday I looked for 2 hours an can't find my box of saves onion seeds. Today I remember tossing out a card board box of fuzzy looking stuff I think that was onion tops that bolted. I did not remember what onion tops look like until today. I wanted to plant a big area of onion seeds to see if seeds grow. Oh well I found a box with 13 Kennebec potatoes with big sprouts that need to be planted so I planted them, these potatoes won't save until April 1st. I hilled soil up 12" high. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Another zero maintenance crop wait until April 1st then see if there are any new potatoes.

Moles have made 100s of tunnels through both strawberry beds plant leaves are the only shade in the garden with shade, moles don't like full sun warm or hot soil. I need to plant more caster beans to keep moles under control. Moles have spread to places where soil is land locked, moles much cross the cement and asphalt after dark.

5 cauliflower 1 broccoli look good 22° temperatures did not hurt the plants and NO bugs either. There are suppose to be 65 day crop they are always 4 months for me???

2 days of rain in the forecast they predict .3" of rain. A tiny rain in this drought won't even be noticed.

[Gary350]

Today I picked all the Thai basil from the frozen dead Thai basil plant. I almost filled a 34 oz container with Thai basil. I put Thai basil on my 1/2 of dinner pizza.

This morning I needed more soft soil to hill up a potato row. Soil is so hard from a month of no rain I had to till 5 times. TV claims tomorrow rain will be .3" soil so dry we won't even notice .3".

Green peppers I picked early to keep them from freezing are turning red in the kitchen and dehydrating very fast in the kitchen, our humidity is very low from a month of no rain. I have 2 quarts of chili powder in a 5 quart container. I need a 2 quart container.

[abhaykale]

Thanks for the specs on fertilizers.

I don't have leaching problem as I bottom feed. Basic design is a perforated sheet (metal) at the bottom with felt strips going up. There is a pipe that goes through.

Works wonderfully except when the plants are too small. Then I water from the top.

Either way, no runoff.

[abhaykale]

I grow Indian veggies, tomatoes and peppers. Last year I could grow eggplants. None came up this year.

My spectacular failures are all tubers. My carrot tops are lush and carrots are hair thin. I read that they need sandy soil. So I will try preparing pots with less of my rotted leaves compost.

This year I tried store rotting potatoes as starters. I planted it at the bottom or a 5 gallon bucket and added soil as the plant grew (cover stems to get lots of roots). Yesterday I took everything out. One very nice looing potato. Will try seed potatoes next year. Or, bury them deep over winter

[Gary350]

YouTube video says.... Moles, Voles, Mice keep eating my potatoes. Video shows 1/2 eaten potatoes.

I have often wondered if moles eat my potatoes there are tunnels every where in the potato bed. I have never found a 1/2 eaten potato. Some potato plants have no new potatoes, some plants have a few potatoes, some plants have a lot of potatoes. ??? I always though moles are doing me a favor keeping soil soft with tunnels everywhere.

[applestar]

If the moles you have are the little Eastern moles, they aren’t eating the potatoes …BUT VOLES will use mole tunnels and probably mice, too.

Chipmunks might also be suspects? But voles have been the WORST.

[Gary350]

I am tired of waiting 2 weeks for pea pods to grow larger in this cold weather so I picked several of the largest pods. I ate several pods raw. They are not sweet anymore? They taste like green plants. Now what? I should have planted peas a month sooner.

I found some of these lady bugs with about 20 black spots they are suppose to be the bad bugs, why are the bad bugs bad what do they do? Good lady bugs have about 8 black spots why are they good?

[Gary350]

After garden peas sat in the kitchen 3 days they developed a much better flavor. I made 3 Enchiladas for lunch but we have no lettuce so I used peas for lettuce substitute. It works best to eat 1 pea pod with each bite of Enchilada. Homemade Enchilada sauce from garden peppers is very good too. We need to find several pea pod recipes.

Yesterday it was 74° we have full sun all day temperature in the solar cookers is 142°. I put green color peppers in the solar cookers 7 hrs later dehydrated peppers are red color. It was a surprise to go check green peppers at 4:30 pm and find all red peppers.

[applestar]

That would surprise me, too. I guess all those peppers were close enough to full ripe?

[Gary350]

I hilled up my 5 broccoli plants and 1 cauliflower plant like the video said, I have no cow manures so I gave the plants nitrogen fertilizer instead. Next time I buy seeds I will remember to buy seeds for large broccoli heads with no side shoots. Gardening is common sense stuff but until I hear about this from someone that knows I don't think about this on my own. I want to grow 12" broccoli heads too.

[Gary350]

It is 50° outside sun is low about 38° temperature in the solar cooker was 120°f then after adding a mirror to collect more sunlight temperature is up to 152°f. I have been trying to dehydrate the last 35 chili peppers for a week or so. With the mirror at this low angle it only uses about 15% of the mirror. If I had 1 more mirror a zig zag reflection will use 100% of the mirror & temperature will probably be near 190°f and that might melt the Styrofoam insulation. Maybe today peppers will finally dehydrate.

[applestar]

With your broccoli and cauliflower, if you expect temperatures in mid-20’s and lower, teens even, it’s vital that you cover them with something.

Floating covers are best suited for the garden because they are lightweight, but you can use light nylon or other synthetic fabric as well (like sheer curtains for example).

It’s better to lift the fabric away from the plants with supports because moisture will freeze where the leaves touch. Laundry clothespins and tool shop spring clamps work well, and lash the fabric down cross-cross with string or rope to keep from blowing away, like a truck bed covered with tarp.

If you can cover with lightweight plastic sheeting like painters tarp OVER the fabric, that could make the difference if temp dips into the teens …BUT you need to remove or lift/vent the plastic if daytime temp is going to be above 60°F because it’ll get too hot in the sun, and disturb the winter-antifreeze state the plants are in to survive the cold (increased sugars, shorter/tougher leaf surfaces, cell structure etc.). You can easily snip a few ventilation holes if you can’t get out there every single time.