Applestar’s 2018 Garden

[SQWIB]

Apple, looking good, it's a lot of work isn't it? lol.

Rainbow, thanks, I will harden off the broccoli, Bok Choy and Artichokes this weekend. This Week (NOAH) still show that DAM 29° LOW, and YAY more snow Saturday, it is starting to get on my DAM nerves.
Oh well I'll be on the river canoeing the following weekend.
I may just kill everything and buy starts at HD.

[applestar]

Everybody mentioning their spring gardening in their posts has prompted me to start hardening off some of my starts as well, though mine are looking pretty sad — it’s been cold in the unheated garage and only seedlings that have been happily growing are the lettuce.

I put a black rubber boot tray on top of 7 inches of snow on the patio table, then placed these trays of lettuce and artichoke seedlings, some kale and cabbage, as well as cauliflower. They got about 2 hours of weak sunlight today and spent the rest of the afternoon in the house shadow before being brought back inside. I’ll put them out again during the daylight hours.

[imafan26]

It all looks so great. I can't believe you have all this growing and it is still frosty outside.

A while back you said you used coir. How do you use your coir? Are you using the fine or the coarse and what do you mix in it. I am thinking of using the coarse one for orchids but I did not like it much when we used in in the aquaponic beds. It was better for roots crops than cinder, but it was very heavy. Weeds are harder to get out of it than with cinder. Do you have to use more nitrogen and phosphorus when you use it because when it is wet it is really wet, but when it is dry it is very dry.

[applestar]

@imafan, I sift the reconstituted/dampened block shredded coir with 1/2” screen and use the fines for seedlings and uppotting mix, and chunks for large pots and containers. I usually blend with commercial organic potting mix and (garden or vermi) compost plus sand/DE sand, calcined clay, gravel/pumice gravel, and/or XL perlite, fine chip bark mulch.

I was using commercial organic fertilizer last year — Espoma Tomato-tone or Dr Earth all purpose (4-4-4) for seedlings ... most of the larger container plants got Citrus-tone. They also always got baby or adult wormyworms (red wigglers) in the pot. (Works well except when baby worm gets too big in pepper seedling starter — need to wait to put a baby worm in until uppot stage)

I like the way coir doesn’t turn hydrophobic when dried out — peat moss is a pain in that respect.

[applestar]

I found seeds for Afternoon Rosé! Along with Lady Fingers, this is an unstriped sibling to the striped Wild Rosa and Molten Sky, and they are all large elongated cherries. For the small cherry size segregates, I’m growing Buttermints and Coyote Rosa Bébé from the same Maglia Rosa x Coyote/Faelan’s First Snow cross. Oh yes, I’m also growing the short plant white pointed cherry segregate.

Of course I also found a few more varieties and experimental crosses to add to this year’s growlist, as well as seeds from an unlabeled delicious fruit (I know it had to be Bear Creek or Faelan’s First Snow, so it should be easy enough to ID even in seedling stage), and I also found winter grown unseeded fruits from my Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok F1 growout. When I tried to collect seeds from the wrinkled but intact fruits, they had all already sprouted inside in one fruit and many had germinated in the other, so I had to sow them to get them to grow to next generation THIS year....

Afternoon Rosé F4
FFS or Bear Creek(tbug)
NRAM VGB.PSRB F3
Wes SFH-9.9.17 14 oz
WSxFFSlv VGB largest fruit F5
The Witz SFH’17
Ernie’s Plump SFH-9.6.17

Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok (W’17-18) F2



=44 ...you didn’t REALLY think I would stop at 36 varieties, didja? LOL


...and my babies are enjoying the sun for the 2nd day — grow strong my litt’l ones!

[applestar]

I found use for disposable contact lenses cups

[applestar]

...the tomatillos (which were first to sprout) are in the middle — I sowed purples on one side and greens on the other, so if the purplish hue in the hypocotyl is any indication, I have 2 of each at this point

...for some reason, Bill’s Striped were stalled at knuckle stage while Oxhorn of C and Giant DH have stood up and spread their seed leaves. Maybe Bill’s like it warmer? I left the lights on last night in case they are feeling the chill during the night.

[applestar]

Larger pill bottles have been recruited for seedling starters as well (3/8” hole drilled in the bottom). From here on, zip bag method and Kcup method require pretty constant monitoring to succeed since germinated/sprouted seeds need to be sown and growing seedlings separated and uppotted as they outgrow the limited tiny containers in a constant stream of “Just In Time” production. However, doing this does save space and total number supplies since containers can be washed and re-used as seedlings outgrow them, and every square inch of space on the heat mat and under the lights will be used by GROWING seedlings, not empties that are waiting to sprout and show some kind of life. I have such limited amount of space for the number of plants I want to grow that I can’t afford squatters.

[applestar]

I was unwilling to accept failure to sprout from these pepper and eggplant varieties, and started some more, this time using Seedzip method.

I was worried that some of these seeds wouldn’t sink at first after adding the chamomile tea, but after 4-6 hour soak, they had all sank to the bottom.

Hopefully I will be able to keep up with all this, but at least I can be satisfied that I made the attempt.



Hab Chocolate
Numex Jalmundo
Numex Sandia
Anaheim Chili Seeds
Barker’s Hot (green chili)
AstraKem eggplant
Hon Naga Nasu (Japanese)
Chocolate Cake - swordy’17
Sweet Orange Doux cross - patihum’17

...also, if these germinate well, I think I will acknowledge that my current seed starting conditions make it too cold to start peppers in mid-late February (in other words, don’t get caught up in other gardener’s Spring Fever! LOL), and I’m actually better off waiting to start them until overall ambient temperatures are higher in mid-March and even later. The sun also sets a little closer to the west and beyond as the Spring Equinox approaches and pass, and the setting sun begins to shine in on the NW window where my Winter Paradise set up is located, which is where I keep the warm weather seedlings. This increases the warmth in the room even more — better conditions all around.

[applestar]

My lettuces and brassicas, and artichokes, are spending their first all night outside. Is it funny that I woke up and am worrying about them like they were my children at their first sleepover? It’s 38°F outside... it shouldn’t be too cold for them. Go back to sleep, me!


... 3:14am...

...OK did NOT go outside to check on them, but took some pictures of newest tomato babies
— in the back of top photo — Ladyfingers F4, Buttermints F4, Napa Rosé, Pinocchio Orange (micro)
— bottom photo — dwarfs ... Lemon Ice, King Aramis, Dwarf Blazing Beauty, ...etc.

[SQWIB]

Interesting about the seedzip idea, never heard of it.
Were on the same page for hardening off, our weather seems very similar, mine went out yesterday after work around 4pm.

The only problem is the dogs think it is a salad buffet.

[applestar]

Haha. I have to keep the lettuce tray away from one of our CATS who LOVES lettuce. In fact, last several days when I was taking the trays in and out, I had to ask a DD to “keep an eye on the lettuce” while it was waiting it’s turn sitting on the kitchen floor. LOLOL

The .. tatsoi?.. look great! I would be tempted to take a few of the outer big leaves to use in a stir fry or (noodle) soup!

...and in comparison, my artichokes appear to be stalled because I’ve kept them too cold. I’m concerned that at this rate, they will think/KNOW they are still in the first year and not be fooled into thinking they went through a period of chill AFTER the first year.... Hmmm

...I took this photo yesterday... artichokes are in the back.

[digitS']

I only leave annuals out by "accident." Of course, the perennials were out there all winter and the divisions and even the seedlings form an outdoor community. Some annuals will reseed themselves ... because I accidentally didn't collect the fruit or seed last year.

I'm nowhere near a hardening-off moment. Yesterday morning was the first in March '18 when it didn't freeze here at home. I will get more seedlings in the greenhouse potted up and on a good day, bring them out to enjoy the fresh air. If they look like they are doing okay, I might accidentally wander off and leave them a few hours.

After awhile, and if they still look comfortable through their time outdoors, I may leave them right through the day. This becomes a pattern of behavior for a week or two, altho they may be kept in during bad weather instead of having outdoor recess. In time, and if I know the forecast and have lots of busyness to attend to late, I may accidentally leave them overnight.

Often I don't because if they are really where they should be to be out 24 hours, and outdoor conditions are right, they are ready for Garden Camp! I will drive out with a whole bunch of nearly rootbound seedlings in the back of the pickup; show the entire group where they can play in the dirt finding water and nutrients; and then I accidentally drive off and leave them there. Rushing back on later and scheduled dates so that I can relieve Mother Nature of some of her responsibilities, usually I find them fine, even if a little cranky at first.

Helicopter digitS'

[applestar]

[applestar]

Seedzip method could look like this — these seeds were started on March 21 and they are almost the last ones to germinate/sprout in the same group. Many germinated day or two earlier, others germinated at the same time but then outpaced these to sprout earlier. Out of all those tomato seed varieties started on 3/21 and 3/23, I have two Seedzip bags (varieties) that have not germinated at all. Everybody else are in various stages of germination or have already germinated and/or sprouted and are sown/planted/growing.

By the time seedleaves unfold, the seedroot can be 1 inch long or longer, and some will start to grow secondary/side roots.



In the right side close-ups, one is definitely an antho variety — Helsing Junction Blues, which explains the intensely purple hypocotyl. The other one, Maiden Voyage F4 as far as I know is not an antho variety, so I’m not sure what to think about that... I’m going to have to find out.

[lakngulf]

I decided the time and effort for starting peppers and eggplant was not worth the trouble. So I plan to just purchase Bonnie Plants from Home Depot or Walmart.

[applestar]

Ah... but then there are those REALLY interesting varieties that you would miss out on....

...in your case, it might be worth growing special varieties just once, then digging the plants up (prune severely if too big) and overwintering them since you don’t have as severe winters — if your greenhouse doesn’t freeze, you could even keep them in there. I keep looking st my seed-started peppers list and tally — it seems way inadequate since I ran into some problems... but then I remember all the mature peppers that were overwintered in the house. I suspect I will have trouble finding places to plant them.

I AM disappointed that the eggplant seeds are yet again giving me trouble — I Think I only have 1 SEEDLING of Diamond to show for my efforts, although I did re-start some more seeds. I only have ONE winter survivor this year — eggplants are susceptible to same pests and diseases as tomatoes and seem to be just as fussy. On the other hand, I had all those eggplant seedlings and overwintered plants last spring, but lost most of them and ones that survived didn’t produce very well either.

Peppers — especially pointy fruited hots and sweets — are easy to overwinter.

[applestar]

...I say that, but I do have some pepper seedlings growing as you can see... here are a few more —



just not as MANY as tomato seedlings....

[digitS']

....I AM disappointed that the eggplant seeds are yet again giving me trouble — ...

Peppers — especially pointy fruited hots and sweets — are easy to overwinter.

It isn't so easy for peppers and eggplant to grow in the conditions I provide for them before they are set out. Once in the garden, conditions are even worse but the plants have developed some strength.

I seem to have learned that peppers producing fruit with multiple lobes must have to try harder. Pointed fruit varieties do better for me and I'm just keeping them through the growing season.

I have human company in the South Room so all plant starts are out of the house. Even a last few containers with with no seed emerging are in the greenhouse. Conditions there are generally cooler than in the house except for sunny days and we have not had many of those. The greenhouse has somewhat better light than the South Window but the peppers and eggplant really want the warmth.

I have a container of eggplant seedlings started just about earlier than anything else. They are just sitting there on the bench now, for about 10 days. It looks like they have made zero growth!

Steve

[applestar]

Can you put something black under them? Maybe a black tote/storage box with black lid filled with water? Black stock tank with a cover ... if you are doing that, maybe even connect to a solar water heater (DIY or otherwise).

[applestar]

Some tomato seedlings: The Witz is back from last year. So productive and yummy and pretty yellow/orange — my DD2 declared this one better than Dwarf Blazing Beauty, which we had been favoring until The Witz started ripening. (Growing both again this year ).




Zena’s Gift is supposed to grow into an XL vigorous plant/vine with 1 Lb+ pink blunt oxheart fruits (maybe a contender for 2018 Largest Tomato Contest); King Aramis is a dwarfed version of Grandma Oliver’s Chocolate — hoping this one will join Dwarf Blazing Beauty, Dwarf Choclate Lightning, and (Dwarf) Uluru Ochre) line up as one of our faves. (BTW - You can see how the genetic dwarfs are much more compact with reduced internodes.)




Featuring Napa Rosé cherry in this photo, but note Pinocchio to the right which is a micro variety — growth comparison is interesting — and please note my Ladyfingers F4 (I have to fix that label!) behind and Molten Sky F4 in the paper cup

[digitS']

Can you put something black under them? Maybe a black tote/storage box with black lid filled with water? Black stock tank with a cover ... if you are doing that, maybe even connect to a solar water heater (DIY or otherwise).

Well, that's an idea: try to separate the heat lovers from the cool season plants in the greenhouse.

It's good to know about your family members' preferences in your tomato tasting trials .

Part of my problems is probably being a tightwad, AppleStar. I have a pretty good idea how fast that 200 sqft of greenhouse space loses (& gains) heat during weather like today: a day that starts off at 27°f, has wind gusts above 20mph, broken clouds, by afternoon it's 42° outdoors, the greenhouse is open on east & west ends with an automatic fan at ceiling height, it's 80° ... But later, I turn the heat down to 60° for overnight. Well shoot! They may have nearly as cool of nights with July days above 90°, just like in 2017 with 14 such days & nights!

I was up-potting more peppers today along with zinnias, marigolds and broccoli. Should get to the cabbage and tomatoes ... what a mixed lot in there!

Steve

[applestar]

...Haha I am officially in denial... according to my spreadsheet tally, I now have over 50 tomato seedlings containers, each looking something like this with average 4-5 seedlings in each.

These are mostly my cherry and cocktail sized named segregates from the (Maglia Rosa x Coyote) cross breeding project. Oh, Shimofuri is a highly variegated segregate from the (Whippersnapper x Faelan’s First Snow) cross.


Shimofuri #1 F5 (light blue container)
Afternoon Rosé F4 (white)
Buttermints F4 (white)
Wild Rosa F4 (white)
Ladyfingers F4 (paper cup)
Molten Sky F4 (paper cup)
Wild Rosa F4 (paper cup)
Dwarf Chocolate (paper cup)

...there was a container of Shimofuri #2 F5 (less variegated but better tasting fruits) in the middle but they got too tall and had to be moved out. This will let me uppot another variety to put in the middle.

[applestar]

- The chitted russets (sprouting eyes cut from huge baking potatoes) are ready to plant — this week, I hope ...since the local yellow forsythias are in full bloom!
- the box on the bottom contains cut pieces of Yukon Gold potatoes. They don’t look as ready as the Russets even though they were “started” a week earlier....

The sweet potato — two Methods —
- a Whole small potato in water is starting to grow white roots... and
- I tried cutting off sprouting ends and eyes from REALLY BIG sweet potatoes and planting the pieces in this little container with a loose cover on and sitting on the heat mat with the Seedzip-germinating pepper seeds and sprouted seedlings (thermostat set to 82°F). I checked under the lid today and found these two sprouts

[applestar]

I’m so relentless in posting progress that the tomatoes and peppers end up needing their own thread

I’ve started the solanacea progress thread for this year. Now that they are developing true leaves and graduating from neonatal to pediatrics nursery, I will continue with their progress in the new thread:

Subject: Applestar’s 2018 Tomatoes (and peppers ...maybe eggplants)

I estimate 4 more weeks until tomato planting weather, 5-6 more weeks until pepper planting weather....

The seedlings are chugging along This should mean 3-4 more sets of true leaves on the tomatoes by then. Peppers are generally slower-growing.


...Tomatillo seedlings in the top-left photo — First time growing these ... I started them with first round of peppers and they are growing fast (one of them was touching the light bulb in the morning and got scorched before I noticed it). I probably could have waited to start them with tomatoes.

...I’ve started moving seedlings with true leaves out to the cooler Garage V8 Nursery. These will be Uppotted to individual and divided community containers soon.

[applestar]

To make room for the tomato seedlings being moved out to the Garage V8 to toughen up, I finally got around to dealing with 2 community containers of stunted seedlings that I had been almost ready to give up on, I discovered that for some reason I had filled this and only these two 1 quart berry container with mostly sterile organic seed starter (which I never use) and vermiculite. no wonder they were stunted — they were starving! I think only thing that may (or may not — we have to see) have saved them was that had been moved out to the V8 way early while it was still chilly (40’s°F) and they were only growing slowly.


- Celery and Red Chdori — brilliant purple color! Solstice broccoli in the background
- I’m a bit scared of those tomato seedlings and the amount of work they represent....
- Swiss Chard sprouted in the garage temperatures

...not pictured are some nice lettuce seedlings, Brunswick cabbage seedlings, White sage and Broadleaf sage seedlings, and a couple of spinach seedlings that may still make it (6-8 other tiny seedlings with two sets of true leaves had given up and we’re trying to bolt — I Put them in the vermicomposter )

The cool-weather seedlings can be moved outside in a couple of days after they settle in and be hardened off.

... oh, here are some more stuff — I think they’ve been demoted to B-team in my mind... but ...

- in the foreground are some overwintered celery.
- Then my little seedling Japanese maple bonsai wannabe — I have red and green laceleaf shrub-type and a neighbor has red tree-type. These seedlings show traits that look like crosses. The brownish leaves to the left are actually the red-leafed ones but crossed with the green or maybe faded due to current insufficient light.
- in the back to the right — dark green leaves are store-bought watercress that I planted last summer to see if they would grow.
- in the back to the left under the tulle netting are some stunted broccoli and kale seedlings actually from last fall. Not sure if they are worth planting/saving at this point... but who knows, they might grow without bolting?

[kayjay]

Wow, amazing. I'm intrigued by the cross-breeding project.

I wish I had more time and space to play like that.

[applestar]

...thanks KayJay! I will report their progress — I’m Super excited about them.

Copying this here because some of the colored tape tags are gone — I Think they were whipped around in the wind while super cold and sheared off:

posted Nov 6, 2017

Finally, FINALLY got the chance to plant the garlic —

[applestar]

Subject: Applestar’s 2018 Tomatoes (and peppers ...maybe eggplants)

TOMATOES in Garage V8 Nursery — I’m running out of room but the community pots are burgeoning... however, with overnight forecast in the 30’s with windchill of 33°F, 33°F, the 31°F for the next three nights, I’m forced to wait.




PEPPERS (and eggplant...odd tomatoes here and there) in the house on Winter Paradise (inside the covered shelves) and Winter Paradise Penthouse (outside the cover above the shelves):

Just had to copy the above here. The progress in these seedlings compared to photos earlier in on this page is just amazing!

...also making note of these two Barker’s Hot pepper seedlings:


I must have significantly damaged their roots when separating them from their sibs in the initial community Kcup to uppot them to individual Kcups — these two had gone completely flaccid and were drooping over the edge. ICU STAT!

So I had to use the black plastic spoonheads I use for SpoonSeedzip to support them, then I put these cutoff bottle humidity domes over them and put them over the heatmat...

...Some 6 hours later, when I took this photo, they are looking much better and don’t really look like they are leaning on the spoons for support, but I left their domes on for overnight. I’ll look in on them later to see if the spoonheads can be removed.

The other 2, smaller, seedlings with less developed roots were fine — so If these pull through, I will have 4 plants.

—- 8AM update —

All better now. They are standing up on their own — I took off the domes as well as the spoons.

[MoonShadows]

I enjoy reading your posts about your 2018 garden. Your enthusiasm shines out in your posts. You sound like you are having a great time and are truly addicted!

[applestar]

Thank-you MoonShadows You have such a lovely, well-organized set up to die for!

...My cobbled together hobby space IS fun, though

[applestar]

Oldest of the tomato and pepper babies went out to play in the sun today:



...they were in the bare branches dappled sun until the sun came around... I covered the top with the shoes shelves to create additional latticed shadows, and later on in the mid-afternoon when the sun was full on, I put the white lids on top of the shelves, held down with bricks and pulled forward to fully shade the seedlings in the front.

I will bring them inside for the night.


So far, my lettuces are doing really well on the patio table. Later, this area will get too hot, but right now with the sun still angled lower, they get bare branches dappled morning sun and then the house completely shades the table by early afternoon. I’m tempted to plant a bunch of them in big pots like I did with the black nursery pot in the green bucket. I’m liking how clean they are, and how nothing has bothered them so far — no slugs, no aphids, no worries about spring bunnies getting in among them — I just step out from the kitchen with a pair of scissors and snip off as much as I need.

[applestar]

what’s the temperature range for the tomatillos? Are they like tomatoes or peppers? ...or can they take even cooler temps? They are already HUGE!!

[pepperhead212]

I would think they'd like warmer, given where they are grown and cooked with. However, I have noticed volunteers popping up with the ground still cool - like right after tomatoes go in. I usually plant them with the eggplants, a week after tomatoes, and a week before peppers.

[applestar]

First batches of pre-germinated and started corn are starting to sprout and grow. These are Pink and Purple Mexican giant corn and Japanese Striped Maize (variegated foliage):

[applestar]

I sorted the kernels from Applestar’s Medley #sweet# cobs pictured in the copied post below, and selected the seed corn I want to grow this year — mostly with the shriveled and shrunken indicators of sweet corn genetics, but a few domed popcorn-flintcorn types which I’m hoping are the ones that took from hand pollinating with Japanese Striped Maize.



Subject: Applestar's 2017 Garden
Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:46 am

It's really bumming me out that the question of how-to hand pollinate those Pink and Purple Mexican corn is becoming moot. I have been looking and looking, but see no sign of silks emerging, while the tassels have been maturing and dropping pollen.

HOWEVER, I did harvest some more fun corn for sorting and saving as seeds. The best part is that one of these Applestar's Medley #popcorn# and at least another one that's still green and will be harvested when ready have a small chance of having caught some of the Pink and Purple Mexican corn pollen.

[rainbowgardener]

So beautiful! Can you eat them or is it just popcorn?

I'm very boring and just grow Silver Queen, because it has done well for me and it is what we love to eat....

[applestar]

I was trying to remember if I had tried to explain all this before — and found a thread What does Silver Queen seed corn kernels look like?

Subject: Isolate Corn? Avoid Cross-pollination? Hah! LOL
Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:42 pm

Here are some fun corn you can grow if you INTENTIONALLY cross/hand-pollinate your corn

I don't know what I'm doing, though. All I know is that the shrunken kernels are likely due to the the (sh) genes that make the sweet corn hybrid varieties sweet. I'd love it if you could comment on what you see. Any thoughts? Tips? Advice for what to do next?


Harvested today -- Kandy Korn x Glass Gem F2, self pollinated and/intentionally crossed with available pollen from Mirai350BC, Ashworth, Double Red Sweet, volunteer that might be Bloody Butcher.




I'm definitely going to save the seeds from that top one with ALL the different colors separately. That one is a beauty. DD jokingly asked if she could EAT that one – I told her she can eat what grows from them next year




Harvested a few days ago

MIrai350BC cobs -- .Lots of shrunken kernels? Some are shrunken but GG like?


In the next group, same top and bottom as above but the middle one is Ashworth for comparison


Here are more Ashworth



Mirai350BC x Double Red Sweet F1

[imafan26]

Corn tassels appear and actually have more pollen than they need. Apparently lots of plants do this. Just like the male cucurbit and papaya putting out male flowers first, to attract the pollinators. Corn is wind pollinated, but bees also love corn and may assist wild corn to cross pollinate. The first ears of corn are ready to pick 10 days after the tassels appear. I don't have a large stand of corn so I bag my tassels and hand pollinate. You could do the same and bag the tassels and save the pollen a few days to give the ears a chance to emerge and to do some cross pollination of your own. Pollen has a limited life span. It is why you can isolate corn pollination if you plant different or the same varieties (that mature) at least two weeks apart.

[applestar]

Ooh sounds good, imafan. I hand cross-pollinate by collecting pollen from tassels, but don’t protect the silks. I also plant these in a mixed patch and shake the pollen onto each other’s silks.

How do you “save” the pollen? Or do you mean just bag the tassels and use the pollen collected in the bags? I generally distribute the pollen as soon as I collect them — usually just what falls on a folded Manila folder since I get impatient trying to get a tassel inside a too small bag or bags that refuse to stay open. haha.

Varieties that I’ve grown before, I have a better idea, but I rely on maturity days and stagger planting times, too. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.