Gardening

Papa is Back! Fall and Winter Growing in the Hoop House!

~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Howdy folks! I am glad to be back. The hoop house is in production for late fall and winter gardening.

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Cabbage, Collards, Broccoli, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Oriental Greens, Radishes and Beets have been started and are on the grow. Higher than average temperatures are making the plants grow faster than I expected. Every season is an adventure.

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Under the row cover, the environment is like an incubator. Germination is slow but sure. Tasty veggies will soon be on the menu!

Leeks for late winter/early spring harvest. Yum!!

Soon, Sweet peas will be grown on trellises on the northern most bed in the hoop house. Hopefully we will have flowers in late winter/early spring.

Using Christmas lights will supplement the heat needed to speed up production in the hoop house. The lights will be strung from the low tunnel hoops just above the soil and ground cover.

Stay tuned for continued updates.

Papa

The Garden Grew So Fast!!

~ illbtru ~ 3 Comments

I made three garden raised beds on August 18 and now they are starting to bear fruit! I planted zucchini, green beans and zinnias.

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Here are the beds two weeks later.

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Finally, the same three beds on September 23!

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Truly amazing!! Here are the first fruits!

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37 days from seed to fruit from a 45 day variety of zucchini. Again this proves that warm season vegetables grow faster when the soil is warm and there are proper nutrients. The green beans are beginning to flower and the zinnias have large flower buds!

Planting early is not always the best policy. Plus, now there are less chewing and probing insects. Stay tuned!!

Papa

Decisions, Decisions Buying Packs of Seed!

~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

You’re poring over your seed catalog, looking at seed online or better yet choosing your seed in the seed store. Hopefully, you’ve narrowed your choices. Making a list is a wise way to finally make your decision.

Let’s see what the seed packet says. The description should entice you to consider your options.

  • Title of pack – the variety and color
  • Catalog number, Lot number, amount of seed, cost, sell by date
  • Days to maturity –
    • Direct sowing of  seeds- days from the time you sow the seeds to the time of harvest. i.e. – beets, carrots, beans, peas, kale, lettuce, borage, dill, zinnia, sunflower
    • Transplants from germinated seed – days from time of transplanting into garden to the time of harvest. i.e. – cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, tomato, pepper, eggplant, basil, thyme, petunia, snapdragon
  • A more detailed description of variety – color, height/length, weight, health benefit and overall appeal.
  • Detailed planting instructions – seasons for sowing, planting depth, seedling care, possible succession planting (timed, multiple sowing), soil requirements, temperature requirements, moisture requirements.
  • Seed company – pertinent company information

Happy Planting!!!!!

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Salad Made Easy!!

~ illbtru ~ 3 Comments

Spring time is for salads! An easy way to grow your own salads, use bowls and other decorative containers. Fill the containers with good potting soil and some compost, sow your lettuce or salad mix seeds, water the seed in and watch it grow! Grow in full sun or partial shade, with temperatures between 45 degrees to 70 degrees (F).  Cut the greens one (1) inch above the soil and the greens will grow again. We call this “cut and come again”. Sometimes you can do this twice!! You can even raise your own radishes.

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Question: Help! What do I do for peach tree borers?

~ illbtru ~ 2 Comments
Hi, my name is Kristina . I have a question concerning my peach tree. Last summer it got infected with borers (I was told these are a type of moth??). Anyway, the tree company I was with at the time couldn’t do anything about the borers since it wasn’t until late July early August that we saw the sap coming out of my tree. So I poured nematodes on the soil around my tree and in to the holes that were sapping. I did this 3 different times 3 weeks apart while I hung moth balls in a sock on the tree too. I am being told now by a new tree company that they don’t do pesticides for borers until June, since the borers aren’t active until then. My question is, what would you do for this peach tree? Should I just wait until June or can I be doing something more to help my tree that I don’t want to lose. Thanks
Here’s what you do! Spray the trunk of the peach tree with a strong solution of Neem Oil and water (3 tablespoons to the gallon of water and a little dish soap) Spray to the point of puddling around the trunk. The Neem Oil will either out right kill the worm or interrupt the worms life cycle, which will also kill the worm. You need to spray at 14 day intervals (twice) to be effective.
You will build up the immunity of the peach tree by spraying  and drenching the tree with seaweed emulsion (i.e. Maxicrop®), at one (1) tablespoon per gallon.
-Art

Seed Growouts in Germination Chamber

~ illbtru ~ 1 Comment

I am doing a seed growout for Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. These tomato varieties have never been offered for sale to the public. The seeds have passed from generation to generation. These two German heirloom tomatoes will be grown for seed and sold in the coming years. Hannah, a delicious oxheart shaped pink variety, is meaty, with few seeds.  The other variety is named Coyne, a huge Roma type tomato for salsa and canning.

My homemade germination chamber is being used to start the seed. The chamber consists of four shelves with florescent lights and electric heat mats with thermostatic controls. By supplying the correct rooting temperature, a few of the seeds have started to germinate in just three days!!

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Onions, Peas and Potatoes – The Perfect Combo

~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

The trees are budding and leafing out here in the Missouri Ozarks. This  is the perfect time to plant onion plants and sets. The Amish in our area plant their onions shallow to produce bigger bulbs. I will be using this method this year. If they can do it, so can I!! Plant the onions no deeper than 3/8″ – 1/2″ deep. Make sure you keep the soil moist, for much milder tasting bulbs.

This the time to plant garden, snap and snow peas. Cascadia and Sugar Anne are the two varieties I will be growing this year. The cooler weather makes for crisp,  sweet peas and a light frost will not bother them.

It is not too late to plant your potatoes! Cut your seed potatoes now and allow the cuttings to harden off for a few days. Either plant directly in the ground or plant in cages or stacked tires.