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applestar
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Applestar's 2017 Garden

Lazy, lazy. Haven't done much outside yet, and really need to get started. Late starting seeds this year too -- hoping to cut back a little and give myself a little break while dedicating a bit more attention to individuals.... :wink:


From Feb. 10

Subject: Started first 2017 seeds today
applestar wrote:Yay! I started some seeds, too -- Image

Image

>Adzuki ice cream tub V BBR
Onion, Walla Walla Sweet Spanish 2016Fedco
Onion, Whitewing 2016Fedco

>Lg. Clamshell BBR
Broccoli, Green Goliath 2016SESE
CABBAGE, TRONCHUDA (85 days) 2016Superseeds
Mustard, Tokyo Bekana 2016Fedco
Mustard, Senposai F1 2016Fedco

>Pt. Deli WP1
Lettuce, Wild Garden Mix 2016 SESE
Lettuce, North Pole OG Butterhead 2016Fedco
Arugula saved
Lettuce, Flame
Lettuce, Iceberg A
Celeriac, Large Smooth Prague

The onions will stay in the tub until transplanting so I put vermicompost, UCG, and at least a dozen small worms in the bottom. The community starts will be pricked out into individual containers of richer mix later.
Feb. 14 - Lettuce and Brassica (much fuller as of today, but I won't bore you with new pics :> )

Image

Feb. 17 - Walla Walla and White Wing onions (in sunny window now but will move under lights now that they have started to sprout)

Image

...

I need to take inventory of all of the overwintered peppers. Just looking over at the Winter Wonderland and Cool Gang areas, I think there are over a dozen varieties. Technically I don't really need to start any new seeds, but I want to -- some sweet bell types, numex types, someone sent me yellow jalapeño-type, my oldest SuperVar Fish died so I want to start extra and find another one worthy of "SuperVar" designation.... :roll:

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applestar
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So, I just took a rough inventory of surviving overwintered peppers.... according to this, I have 40+ pepper plants, some started in 2015 and 2014 = in their 3rd and 4th year .... :shock:

Some are in rough shape and we still might have 2.5 months before they can go outside, meaning they still might not make it -- so I will have to think carefully what new varieties/replacement plants I should start now.... :-()

If you see glaring omissions or have must grow recommendations please LMK. Image

---

2016-17 overwintered peppers
Multiple listing indicate multiple plants. Number like (2) means doubled up in a container.

Pepper, Aji Pineapple
Pepper, Aji Pineapple
Pepper, Alma Édes Paprika 2015
Pepper, Bhut Jolokia (Naga) 2014
Pepper, Bhut Jolokia Peach
Pepper, Bolivian Rainbow 2015 (3)
Pepper, Bolivian Rainbow 2015
Pepper, Bonda ma Jacques 2014
Pepper, Brazillian Starfish
Pepper, Brazillian Starfish
Pepper, BST Lady Bug Ellie's last 2 vendor seeds
Pepper, Bulgarian Carrot (hot)
Pepper, Chocolate Cake? 2015
Pepper, Chocoloco Sweet
Pepper, Czechoslovakian Black 2015
Pepper, Damalik Bieber (counselor)
Pepper, de Arbol (2)
Pepper, Donkey Ears 2014?
Pepper, Doux Long d'Antibes 2015
Pepper, Fehérözön or Roumanian Rainbow 2015
Pepper, Fish LeastVar 2014
Pepper, Gochu Garu Yong Gochu 고추 가루 용 고추 (Pepper for chili powder)
Pepper, Gochu Garu Yong Gochu 고추 가루 용 고추 (Pepper for chili powder)
Pepper, Golden Habanero
Pepper, Jalamundo?
Pepper, Jalapeño
Pepper, Jaloro
Pepper, Lip Nokgwang 녹광고추(Medium Hot pepper)
Pepper, Lip Nokgwang 녹광고추(Medium Hot pepper)
Pepper, Madame Jeanette (2)
Pepper, Maui Purple (Pepperhead) 2015
Pepper, Mini Paprika Orange 2015
Pepper, Pascilla Bajio 2015
Pepper, Peppadew
Pepper, Ros de Mallorca (Counselor) (2)
Pepper, Scotch Bonnet 2014
Pepper, Shishito
Pepper, Sun Thai 2015
Pepper, Szentesi Feher 2015
Pepper, Takanotsume 2015
Pepper, Tolli's Sweet Italian OR Sweet Ingrid
Pepper, Trinidad Perfum (p) 2015
Pepper, Yatsufusa 2015

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applestar
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Image

...walla walla is germinating much better than white wing, and broccoli and trontuda are not co-operating very much either. :? ...I should try again, but really need to get the peppers and eggplants started. :|

Taiji
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I looked up the white wing onion on Fedco's site (I ordered a few things from them this year too). They look like they'll be a really great onion. I think I'm a bit too far south to have them here though. Some more may still pop up; maybe they're just a little slower to germinate.

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You call that a break! I like to see you in high gear.

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applestar
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Image ... :>

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applestar
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@Taiji -- yeah I think I'm seeing a few more coming up. Maybe I buried them deeper somehow?

I hope I can grow them right. Keep us updated with your progress -- you did great last year. Image

BU54
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Very nice!!
Speaking of lazy I just buy seeds and plants and put them in the ground when the weather permits.
We used to start seeds when my father did volunteer work at the Morton arboretum and had access to the green house there.

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First set of started tomato varieties.... Image

Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Delicious (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Brandy Fred PL (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
Tomato, Dwf Orange Cream (itali 2016)
Tomato, Elser's Brown Derby (itali 2016)
Tomato, Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
Tomato, Isolde (clara 2016)
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, Maskotka (Clara 2016)
Tomato, Mikhalych (tb 2016)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)
Tomato, Uluru Ochre 2016

wisconsindead
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Applestar,

When do you plan to get your tomatoes outside?

Also, how to take your onions from being planted altogether like that to being planted outside?

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applestar
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My last average frost date is last week of April, so tomatoes will likely be planted out starting first week of May.

Onions have thick roots that are surprisingly strong, and their tangled roots can be pulled apart with care if you soak the growing medium well first. A little loss is OK, too. They will recover. If they look like they will be too crowded before planting, I'll probably divide the clumps, but I suspect I will be able to plant at least some of them in a couple of weeks. They are already about as thick as toothpicks and I need to start hardening them off.

wisconsindead
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Groovy thanks.

I also stated my onions like this but wasn't totally sure on how well it would work. About how long does it take you to go from seed to outside with your onions? I planted mine on February 12. Planning on getting them out ~ April 8 Ish

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I think you should be Ok. When I buy onion plants, they can be as big as pencils to as thin as bamboo skewers. Bigger ones can take handling better and are more resilient if you miss watering, etc. as well as less prone to being mowed down by slugs and such. It's a question of how well you harden them off before planting, and then take care of the planted seedlings in the first couple of weeks, because after they are established, they do fine.

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Updated list of started seeds:

Eggplant, Hari (g2'15)
Eggplant, Kamo (kitazawa '15-'16)
Eggplant, Listada di Gandia (VGSIP'16)
Eggplant, Orient Express (F2 2.1.15)

Pepper, Big Jim Heritage (itali'2016)
Pepper, Giant Marconi - mottled (SIP'15)
Pepper, Jalapeño (winter Feb'15)/9.5.16
Pepper, Jaloro Jalapeño (paprika garden 8.5.16, Ellie's last)
Pepper, NuMex Jalmundo (vendor Ellie'15)
Pepper, NuMex Lemon Spice (patihum 8.16.16)
Pepper, Pepperone di Senise (10.6.15 not bagged)
Pepper, Santa Lucia Island (paprika'16)
Pepper, Shishito (DrBTX'15)
Pepper, SuperVar Fish (Jan'15)
Pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Chocolate (geoffrey44)

Tomato, (was) Alonzo's Medals F3 (HBR 9.11.16) bi-color good antho shoulders
Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Delicious (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Brandy Fred PL (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
Tomato, Dwf Orange Cream (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Pink Passion (9.13.16)
Tomato, Elser's Brown Derby (itali 2016)
Tomato, Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
Tomato, Isolde (clara 2016)
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, Maskotka (Clara 2016)
Tomato, Mikhalych (tb 2016)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)
Tomato, Uluru Ochre (2016)
Tomato, Vernissage Yellow Clear Flesh (VGC'14 OR '15)

TPS, Amarosa {sp?} (meb'15)

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Sprouted Image

5 days
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)

6 days
Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)

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applestar
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Meyer lemon seedlings grown from one of these store bought lemons
https://www.dudafresh.com/products/meyerLemons.php

Image

I have a few P. trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' seedlings growing now. At some point, I'll try to graft the Meyer Lemon onto the Flying Dragon rootstock, which should confer dwarfing and increased cold tolerance effects. :bouncey:

Taiji
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applestar wrote:I think you should be Ok. When I buy onion plants, they can be as big as pencils to as thin as bamboo skewers. Bigger ones can take handling better and are more resilient if you miss watering, etc. as well as less prone to being mowed down by slugs and such. It's a question of how well you harden them off before planting, and then take care of the planted seedlings in the first couple of weeks, because after they are established, they do fine.
I got to thinking the other day, I'm keeping my onion seedlings under the lights with all my other seedlings. The lights are on say, 14 or 15 hours a day. Do you think that might cause the onions to start bulbing prematurely? Maybe just a south facing window would be better at this stage. I can't remember what I did last year. But, maybe the lights don't put out enough to make that happen. :?:

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@Taiji, you need to post more progress reports, successful or unsuccessful, so we can refer back to them. We are all ..or at least I am :> .. waiting to hear how YOU did it last year. :o As far as I can remember, your last year's Candy onions from seeds were the best results anyone has ever posted.


:hehe: ~~~~~~~ REMEMBER ~~~~~~~ :hehe:



....(some geezer's voice echoing in my head.... I think it's from a movie?)

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Sprouted as of this morning--

Pepper, SuperVar Fish Jan'15
Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Brandy Fred PL (itali 2016) / Isolde (clara 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
Tomato, Dwf Orange Cream (itali 2016)
Tomato, Elser's Brown Derby (itali 2016)
Tomato, Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, Maskotka (Clara 2016)
Tomato, Mikhalych (tb 2016)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)
Tomato, Uluru Ochre (2016)
Tomato, Vernissage Yellow Clear Flesh (VGC'14 OR '15)
(So excited to find these Vernissage Y "Clear" seeds because I thought I'd lost them :-() )

Image
Image

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From 2015 Subject: TOMATOES IN ALL COLORS OF THE RAINBOW
applestar wrote:I think Vernissage Yellow is misnamed -- When ripe, it has yellow striped clear epi, and look at this one on the left with clear flesh :-() ...the one on the right had white flesh... 8)

Image

wisconsindead
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Taiji wrote:
applestar wrote:I think you should be Ok. When I buy onion plants, they can be as big as pencils to as thin as bamboo skewers. Bigger ones can take handling better and are more resilient if you miss watering, etc. as well as less prone to being mowed down by slugs and such. It's a question of how well you harden them off before planting, and then take care of the planted seedlings in the first couple of weeks, because after they are established, they do fine.
I got to thinking the other day, I'm keeping my onion seedlings under the lights with all my other seedlings. The lights are on say, 14 or 15 hours a day. Do you think that might cause the onions to start bulbing prematurely? Maybe just a south facing window would be better at this stage. I can't remember what I did last year. But, maybe the lights don't put out enough to make that happen. :?:
I have my onions growing under florescent T5's right now at 15 hours of light per day (just hit a month since planted). Perhaps that is too much. I have no idea what I'm doing. But they look quite happy. FWIW.

SQWIB
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Looking Good

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applestar
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@Taiji, @wisconsindead...and anyone else growing onions from seeds -- somebody should start a thread in the veg forum so we can compare results from this year. I will if no one has started it by the time I come back later. Good luck to everyone's onions!! :-()

@SQWIB -- thanks!

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I found someone who will taste these for me to determine if this plant is worth keeping. I'm sending her completely ripe fruits in a couple of weeks. What me? NO WAY :lol: :>

Not Peach Bhut Jolokia
applestar wrote:Well, it seems my Peach Bhut is not fruiting true to type. I thought the fruits look like a small 1 inch habanero type -- like the way Peru White Hab and White Bullet look. At first I thought/hoped it was because of the mite infestation and threw out the first pod that looked like it had fully ripened.... :?

Image

So I searched for "Peach Bhut x habanero"and came across a very interesting similarity with these, especially the smallest smoother blunt/snub nosed pods... mine might not be as wrinkled. My Winter Indoor Garden Not Peach Bhut is on the Cool Gang floor, which means it is in the low 60's except when the space heater is being used in the room by someone.

I think mine still looks kind of peach colored. I wonder if the fruits will also change color or grow more elongated or wrinkled in the summer?
https://thehotpepper.com/topic/54076-the ... ?p=1149316

Posted 17 April 2015 - 04:09 AM
TKP Bhut Jolokia Snub Nose - Peach Gen 1

This was initialy a plant that was an uknown quanitity, it was grown from a batch of Peach Bhut seed

Image
https://thehotpepper.com/topic/54076-the ... try1173421

TKP BHUT JOLOKIA SNUB NOSE - Officially not calling this a Peach anymore.. I'm going with Orange..

Here's some more of the TKP Bhut Jolokia Snub Nose (BJSN) - 2 of the pods got to the standard size and the others where obviously under as we head into winter.. The plant is still maintaining that size so I am confident its a true genetic trait ..
Image
BST Ladybug first fruit:

Image

wisconsindead
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Applestar,

I just went looking through your 2016 Garden thread. Really awesome stuff! I am super jealous of your variety. Impressive. What kind of fig are you growing? I really would love to grow figs but it is too cold in Milwaukee :(

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Thank you!


Figs --I'm growing Chicago Hardy outside in the ground next to the SW wall of the house, and Petite Nigra and White Marseilles in containers to be brought in the garage for the winter.

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Started --

Eggplant, Hari (g2'15)
Eggplant, Kamo (kitazawa '15-'16)
Eggplant, Listada di Gandia (VGSIP'16)
Eggplant, Orient Express (F2 2.1.15)

Pepper, Bhut Jolokia Peach (itali'15)
Pepper, Big Jim Heritage (itali'2016)
Pepper, Giant Marconi - mottled (SIP'15)
Pepper, Jalapeño (winter Feb'15)/9.5.16
Pepper, Jaloro Jalapeño (paprika garden 8.5.16, Ellie's last)
Pepper, Liebesapfel (paprika'15)
Pepper, NuMex Jalmundo (vendor Ellie'15)
Pepper, NuMex Lemon Spice (patihum 8.16.16)
Pepper, Pepperone di Senise (10.6.15 not bagged)
Pepper, Santa Lucia Island (paprika deck 8.21.16)
Pepper, Shishito (DrBTX'15)
Pepper, Shishito (DrBTX'15)
Pepper, SuperVar Fish (Jan'15)
Pepper, Sweet Chocoloco (Ellie'15)
Pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Chocolate (geoffrey44)

Tomato, (was) Alonzo's Medals F3 (HBR 9.11.16) bi-color good antho shoulders
Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Delicious (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Brandy Fred PL (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
Tomato, Dwf Orange Cream (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Pink Passion (9.13.16)
Tomato, Elser's Brown Derby (itali 2016)
Tomato, Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
Tomato, Isolde (clara 2016)
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, Maskotka (Clara 2016)
Tomato, Mikhalych (tb 2016)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)
Tomato, Uluru Ochre (2016)
Tomato, Vernissage Yellow Clear Flesh (VGC'14 OR '15)

TPS, Amarosa {sp?} (meb'15)

--- Sprouted ---

Pepper, Jalapeño (winter Feb'15/9.5.16)
Pepper, Jalapeño (winter Feb'15/9.5.16)
Pepper, Jaloro Jalapeño (paprika garden 8.5.16, Ellie's last)
Pepper, NuMex Jalmundo (vendor Ellie'15)
Pepper, NuMex Lemon Spice (patihum 8.16.16)
Pepper, Shishito (DrBTX'15)
Pepper, SuperVar Fish Jan'15

Tomato, (was) Alonzo's Medals F3 (HBR 9.11.16) bi-color good antho shoulders
Tomato, Amy Sue (digit'S 2015)
Tomato, Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Brandy Fred PL (itali 2016)
Tomato, Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
Tomato, Dwf Orange Cream (itali 2016)
Tomato, Elser's Brown Derby (itali 2016)
Tomato, Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
Tomato, Isolde (clara 2016)
Tomato, Marz Pulcent (clara 2016)
Tomato, Maskotka (Clara 2016)
Tomato, Mikhalych (tb 2016)
Tomato, Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
Tomato, The Witz (digit'S 9.11.16)
Tomato, Uluru Ochre (2016)
Tomato, Vernissage Yellow Clear Flesh (VGC'14 OR '15)

Image

...discovered fungus gnat (?) maggots crawling inside and eating the germ of 4 out of 6 Shishito seeds. One seems to have managed to sprout. Decided to spoonzip additional 5 seeds and soaked them last night in mosquitobits and distilled water -- hopefully this will help, though I intend to pre-germinate in sandDE/spoonhead first... possibly pre-sprout them as well.

I do have a stunted Shishito from last year that has mostly recovered from mite infestation and is now going nuts with flowerbuds -- I should remove all or most of them for now....
Image

This morning, also started soaking Liebesapfel, Sweet Chocoloco, and Peach Bhut seeds from a different source.

...this year's solanacea starting set ups in the Yellow Room and Winter Paradise 2 and 1...

Image

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So far, I had been playing with loosely "dis"organized seeds sorted in pt, qt, gal, zip bags, but today opened the master seed binder to look for Wes tomato seeds
Image Image Image Image Image

...managed to get away after succumbing to only 4 peppers and 5 tomatoes. Had to force the binder zipper closed :roll:

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Yay I found some seeds I had been looking for :-() It's not too late to start another round -- probably tomorrow, but no more solanacea after these. I need to get working on starting the peas and spring greens. Image

Image

As for the comparatively modest started peppers grand total, you do remember the list of OVERWINTERED peppers :lol:

Kamo eggplant seeds started sprouting today.... :()

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Repotted the tomatoes with true leaves into mostly individual K-cups (still need to conserve space). I had a tray for TJ's Mocha Mochi icecream that looked worth using, so I uppotted the biggest of the dwarfs in the tray. I'm also trying a DIY soilblocker made from pill bottles. I made the mix a little too sandy, and I need a better tray system -- and I'm fumbling from not using this method last year ...I bottom watered the new blocks a they started to melt :shock: I'm holding them up with bottomless K-cups :roll: ... I borrowed somebody's coded toothpick marker system which I was impressed with last year :wink: ...

Image

... the seed starting log is already getting complicated. I've started to color-code these by fruit color :wink:

Image

Java
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Just curious. How much land area do your plant cover/need?
I am in a apartment complex and I start just 2 or 3 plants. Neighbors look at me like I am starting a forest.

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I do live in a single family house ...but in a development, so limited. If you really want to know, scroll down the page to the "similar topics" list and check out my previous years' garden threads. :wink: -- I have 7 or 8 sub-sectioned beds•areas that I plant in, but due to surrounding trees and house shadows, they are categorized into "full"-sun, part-sun and limited-sun areas and, thereby, what I can grow where.

I have never tried to calculate the actual total square footage, although if you are clever, you might be able to figure it out from all the (ad nauseum) details and photos I have the tendency to post. :lol:

...I know these all look like a lot, but I like experimenting with different ways of starting seeds and growing plants. I like to learn how to grow different vegetables and fruits, and I'm always in pursuit of BEST tasting variety so I have to grow as many different varieties as I can each season. I'm also comparing their performance under different growing conditions.

As I identify favorite returning varieties, each year, there is a bit of an overselection going on to grow the favorites while also trying out new varieties and comparing to the faves.

I like to harvest enough for fresh eating, freezing, and preserving. :()

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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Started bunch more tomatoes and 3 more peppers. I intended to start Doe Hill but forgot..... also started some broccoli, cabbage, and a trial sowing of Land Seaweed/Okahijiki (it might still be a bit early).


This is not a very good photo, but the cut off jug (yes with chickweed growing in it) and the black pot contain Pea eggplant cuttings. They were hit pretty hard by the mites, but they seem to be coming back. If they recover, I'm going to proceed with the New Project! -- grafting eggplants onto the pea eggplant rootstock to make them more likely to be perennial for overwintering. Currently, Kamo and Hari eggplant seeds have sprouted. Hoping for saved seeds of Listada di Gandia and Orient Express to germinate as well (hopefully the fungus gnats didn't get to them... I increased the heatmat thermostat temp in case they want to be warmer.... ) so I can have a selection to choose from, but right now Kamo definitely (Hari has been easier to grow than any other eggplant variety so Grafting doesn't seem necessary :| )

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

1 qt. ricemilk box is still the best for seed starting. :D The blocks had dried enough that I was able to move them without incident. For the one that melted, I gathered up most of the collapsed mix and pressed a base (about 1/2 inch) in the rice milk box for the upper part to sit on, then used a cut off piece of paper towel roll to give it some support. I'm also using a flattened tube to separate them along the middle of the two rows. I'm not sure if these will work -- I guess I will find out.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I managed to get three more blocks in the ricemilk box. The mix is a better ratio this time. It would be great to get even 10 blocks in there, but the blocks might fracture if I push on them too much.... another thing is I need a thicker rod for making the central hole because I can't get these seedlings in deep enough to bury to the cotyldons, though I might be able to if I transplant slightly less developed ones. -- By the time they grow true leaves, the seedlings have branched roots that are difficult to tuck into the narrow hole made by the bolt I'm using. I wish I had a bigger nut-snd-bolt. Until I can find or get one, I guess I will see if there is a way to put something around this bolt

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Although last year was a disaster in growing tomato plants to maturity, I managed to do a lot of experimenting with the younger seedlings, and from last year's experiments, I know I can get them growing to a pretty good size even in the K-cups if they are individually planted deep. This will save space, and I only have to uppot once more before putting them outside to harden off.

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wisconsindead
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About how long to you go from germination to planting outdoors for your tomatoes?

I am doing a shorter length of time this year. I will probably start germination of my tomatoes in about a week and then plant outdoors the end of May. So roughly 2 months is what I'm going to try. Last year I did probably ~3 months and it was hard to deal with how big they got and also keep them happy in the pots I had.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

My average last frost is last week of April. I can generally, absolutely safely plant tomatoes by 2nd week of May. I usually plant sometime in between. I've tried starting seeds as early as mid-February which is still basically dead cold of winter. I found it difficult due to having to adjust for cold room temperatures to get the seeds to germinate, and once the seedlings outgrew the baby seedling shelves, it was still too cold in the garage V8 nursery -- as low as 30's even below freezing.

So back to beginning of March to mid-March as ideal starting time.

You also have to consider where you will be growing the seedlings. If you have warm area to grow them, they grow taller faster. If don't have adequate lights, they grow taller and lankier. Since my seedlings spend some time in the garage once temp out there gets to be 40's low and 50's to 60's high, they grow slower and generally stockier. If you have a greenhouse or coldframe where daytime high might get to be 70's, 80's even if nighttime low is 40's, 50's, they will grow faster.

I'm thinking of rigging something up again, but days like today when March winds are roaring, I'm not sure I'm equal to the task of building something sturdy enough....

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Seedzip started these yesterday, and separated some more into individual K-cups yesterday. A lone Giant Marconi sprouted....

Tomato, Bear Creek (tbug EGT'15)
Tomato, Big Cheef Stripes (kygreg'12?)
Tomato, Faelan's First Snow (DDsack.september'15)
Tomato, Grandma Oliver's Chocolate (gixx'13)
Tomato, Raymondo's Australian Mist 2016
Tomato, Rebel Yell (asmx'13)
Tomato, Steelhead (itali'15.Plant#2)
Tomato, Terhune x ? F3? HBR'16

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I misplaced a couple of varieties of peppers and tomatoes. I remember pulling the seed packets to start, but can't find them now. :roll: If they don't turn up by this weekend, they will have to wait until next opportunity -- maybe in the summer for starting the Winter Indoor Garden. :?

SQWIB
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I am humbled by your gardening variety! :D

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applestar
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:-() Image :wink:



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