Cause its been a while
Gardening
I did something wrong…..
*sigh*
Started various seedlings on schedule (using the end of April for the date of last frost, since everything I can find says thats last frost for my area). Everything SPROUTED, and GREW way quickly this year. Guess using proper lighting instead of a sunny window helps…..
Had to pot up almost everything a couple weeks ago as the roots were getting rediculous……and now everything, except the baby pumpkin plants, are looking really sad. They’re still under the grow lights, I don’t have a green house to put them in yet. I had some watering issues the first week or so, trying to figure out the proper watering needs now that they weren’t in the self watering tray, but they still look really sad…..lost a bunch of the pepper plants too. I’ve restarted more seeds for those though its possibly late enough now I don’t know how much good that’ll do…..
Growing mustard
Specifically for the seeds rather than the greens. Anyone in the northern part of the country tried it? It looks like its a late summer crop, cause the plants actually need the cold to produce large quantities of seeds…..anyone have any ideas, tips, variety suggestions? I don’t know that I’m going to try it this year, but its come up in discussion between hubby and I several times now so I decided its time to start researching….
Gardening bleg: rhubarb, corn, sweet peppers….
Ok! I don’t remember who it was who posted the list of heirloom seed companies who send out free catalogs, but I’m not sure I should be thanking you. On the other hand I’m having fun browsing seeds.
Rhubarb: I tried to do rhubarb before, planted it in a bad spot, it didn’t do well, then hubby mowed it. Ooops. So I’m regrouping. Anyone have any suggestions as to types of rhubarb? Theres bunches and I feel like I’m picking one at random….
Corn: I’m not sure I really want to do corn, I anticipate having to fight the wildlife for every ear. But at the same time I want to try my hand at growing popping corn. Anyone have any experience with growing popping corn who can offer suggestions, advice…..
Sweet peppers: I want to try the Sweet Chocolate variety, anyone tried these?
Bleg: shooting starlings and seed starting
Starlings: Alright, the general concensus is that the best way to get rid of starlings is to shoot them. I have no objection to doing so, however I don’t have a good place to put the feeder that will allow me a shot without a house or street behind it. Admittedly both houses and road are 50 to 100 feet (or more depending on which way and angle) from where I’d be shooting, but still. Best compromise I can come up with is to move the feeder to a place that’ll put the shot away from the houses, and it would have to go through a couple bushes and trees to get to the road. The pellet gun we have would go through all that and still go through a car window if I timed the shot badly. What is the lowest speed/size/etc air rifle (BB or pellet) that will do enough damage to the starlings to make it worthwhile? (Ok, I’ll admit I could move the feeder to the back of the house and shoot off into no-mans land, but then I can’t SEE the feeder from in the house. We tried that last year, took all the fun out of it, there’s no good way to watch the feeders in the back from inside the house (yes, thats a failing of the house, one we’d like to eventually fix…..))
Seed starting: Last year I had surprisingly good luck with my attempt at seed starting. I didn’t get much off the plants, but I think that was a weather issue and my inexperience more than anything else. So, this year I’d like to do a bit more. I’m looking at setting up a proper seed starting tray, with lights, so I can start more seeds and hopefully have them a bit more mature when its time to put them out. Question: do I NEED a heating mat? What about anything else equipment wise? What do you consider essential to seed starting?
Covering plants for the winter: bleg
So, I’ve been, slowly, covering the various containers and beds with straw for the winter. The weather was warm enough that various things were trying to sprout. Picked up what should be my last needed bale of straw yesterday to finish up. Of course it was raining by the time I got home, so I didn’t put it out. It was (I THOUGHT) supposed to be dry all weekend, I’d just finish up then.
So I get up this morning and this is what I found:
With no obvious sign of it stopping and melting any time today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today. Sigh.
Do I put down the straw over the snow layer, knowing that it’ll likely melt in the next couple days, or do I wait till it melts (which I do expect it to do) and put it down then? All the plants do have a base layer on them, I just wanted it deeper and around the sides of some of the deeper container/beds.
Planning next years garden
So, garlic has been ordered and will be planted in one or two tubs depending on how I feel about it, so thats all set.
Herbs will maintain in their containers, hopefully anyway.
I plan to add several more containers for other stuff, how many will depend on what I end up wanting to plant.
Jalapenos for sure. Hubby loved the jelly, so I may go ahead and up the quantity of plants.
Sweet peppers again, hopefully with better success….
Pumpkins again, mine didn’t produce any seeds, but I found a place that I can order seeds of the same variety from so I’m thinking I’m going to start those inside early and try for a head start this time.
What else? I’m thinking carrots, but the rest of it….we aren’t big tomato people, though I suppose I could try my hand at sauce or ketchup. I’d kinda like to try melons again….things to think on over the winter!
Pumpkin
I gave up and picked the jalapenos, the horehound, and the pumpkin. I debated Bogie’s ideas on possibly trying to leave it out, but decided not to. Its not a small pumpkin. Unfortunetly there are a couple divots in the skin, so I guess I’ll be cooking pumpkin this weekend!
Baby pumpkin
And here’s my giant baby pumpkin so far:
The yellow side was down till I decided I wanted to know how big it was. I’m determined that it’ll get as big as possible. Course, we might freeze this weekend. *sigh*
Stupid Question: so, do I give up and bring it in cause they’re predicting a possible freeze, or do I hope they’re wrong (like they’ve already been 3 times with the date of first frost) and bring it in the morning after the freeze?
Garden update, and bleg
Theres still a good sized baby pumpkin coming along. Still quite green though, hopefully the freeze will continue to hold off….
Jalapeno’s are still going strong……
Honeydews produced two melons the size of my fist and then died back. Oh well, I did plant them late!
Herbs are all going strong…
Bleg:though three containers will hopefully still have herbs in them come spring, three won’t. I was kinda thinking to put garlic in one or two of them. Growing garlic in containers appears to be quite possible, even in my cold climate….anyone with any experience growing garlic? Suggestions as to varieties? General suggestions?