Garden reports where you at and whats next?

[jeromehdmc]

I've got several types of tomatoes starting to come up in trays. I planted Mountain Fresh Plus and Better Boy hybrids and Rutgers, Arkansas Traveler and one other heirloom. Also planted jalapeno and peperoncini peppers they haven't came up yet. I'll probably start some other stuff soon, just have to figure out what I want.

 

[Jags]

If I am in the tropic I will never head north! lol

Woke up to 15F with a windchill of -5F. Going back down to 11F tonight. Not even thinking about a garden yet.

 

[smokinj]

Jay, I hope you spread that stuff thin. Chicken manure is really hot stuff!

4000 sq ft I probally got 255 cu ft in an area that is 4000 sq ft. I am dont great at math by know means but that still sounds very low to me. Only the top couple inchs in the coop was not yet turn to a heavy black much. Iam kinda think its short.

 

[smokinj]

Woke up to 15F with a windchill of -5F. Going back down to 11F tonight. Not even thinking about a garden yet.

My its darn cold here to the winds are full blast......I really think once it turns it will be here to stay. This is perfect weather for the apples.

 

[PapaDave]

I think my new plan is to get as many raised beds made as possible while the ground is frozen and there's snow on the ground, then move to the garden later.
Haven't done tomatoes in so long, I've forgotten how big they can get in 2 months.
Anybody wanna' give me a heads up on that?

 

[smokinj]

I think my new plan is to get as many raised beds made as possible while the ground is frozen and there's snow on the ground, then move to the garden later.
Haven't done tomatoes in so long, I've forgotten how big they can get in 2 months.
Anybody wanna' give me a heads up on that?

Yea plant less...... Mine turn out to be monster plants last year. We waisted alot even giving them to the chix's.

 

[PapaDave]

I planted 8 one year many moons ago, and got so many I had to give 'em away. That was AFTER canning a bunch.
I was actually looking for info on how big they'll be after a couple months if I start 'em inside.

 

[save$]

depends, determinent plants usually have less space. interterninent are vines and need support untill frost or desease ends their growing season. at least 3ft. better with 4 between plants. most do better with support. feed them until you don't care to get more fruit. you can grow them on twine if you prune them to only one leader. you get fewer tomatoes, but the ones you do get are often huge. water them from the bottom.

 

[PapaDave]

Thanks save$. I just looked at the pack I have (yellow pear, indeterminate) and it tells me approx. when to plant....DOH!
Never started tomatoes from seed, but I should have known.
Last plants I had crapped out because I couldn't keep them watered well enough. The garden has a ton of sand (as does every other part of N. Mich.), so I'm doing raised beds.
Plan to amend with compost and feed as needed.

 

[save$]

I do recommend starting them inside. Start at least 6 to 8 wks from your normal last frost free date. For us, that is Memorial and has been that way for as long as I can remember. If you can build cold frame out of an old window sash, or make a hoop house, you can start even earlier. You can use plastic PVC made for wire conduit, to make hoops for your raised beds. Just bend them over and secure to the sides of your raised beds. , cover with cheap plastic. Just don’t forget to open an end as it gets very hot in them even on cold days. Fill some containers with water and keep them inside the hoop area. That will give back heat at night. Tomatoes need to be kept warm and have a lot of light. Those raised on a window sill are often weak and spindly. If yours get tall, just lay them in a trench with the root ball facing south and cover the stem up to the last two rows of leaves. That whole stem will grow root and feed you plant. Facing south is for the warmth. Don't mulch your tomatoes until you are sure your ground has warmed up. I have used black ground cover to warm the soil and to prevent splash up on your plants, (splash is often the source of disease on tomatoes) You can grow tomatoes in containers, move them in and out until the nights run at least 50 F. Last year, I had several in pots, I had to keep transplanting them. Some ended up in 5 gallon buckets in the hoop house. I had tomatoes in early June! My main crop was planted in the unheated solar space on the 26th of April. By the end of May, they were a foot high with thick stems and lush green growth.

Those yellow pear tomatoes are very small, you will get hundreds from one plant. They are too small for slicing. You might want to call the local extension service. They will tell you some of the most dependable tomato varieties for your area. Determinant plants are mostly used by those in short season areas, or for commercial picking where they do once over picking and trash the plants. If you end up buying plants, please avoid any that were not seeded by the place your are buying them. Imported tomatoes= imported disease that can spread to all your other plants.

 

[PapaDave]

Wow save$, tons of great info. Thank you.
The yellow pear seed are a bit old, so I may be lucky to get a couple plants. They sound good.
I have a couple of old patio doors that I've been saving to make cold frames. This may be the year, but they're real heavy, so I may rethink that.
County extension office is also a good idea.

 

[lukem]

I planted 8 one year many moons ago, and got so many I had to give 'em away. That was AFTER canning a bunch.
I was actually looking for info on how big they'll be after a couple months if I start 'em inside.

Bah....I planted thirty something plants last year. Go big.

 

[save$]

Wow save$, tons of great info. Thank you.
The yellow pear seed are a bit old, so I may be lucky to get a couple plants. They sound good.
I have a couple of old patio doors that I've been saving to make cold frames. This may be the year, but they're real heavy, so I may rethink that.
County extension office is also a good idea.

If you have access to the old fashioned bailed hay, you can get that cheap as mulch hay (spoiled). Lay the bails out in the shape of those patio doors. Lay them on top of the hay. Instant cold frame. Wet the hay and it will help heat the cold frame. Later on you put the doors away and use the hay for mulch. If the doors are too heavy, take the glass out and just use that. Door glass is usually tempered glass. A little heavier and doesn't brake so easy. Besides, your cold frame doesn't need double pane insulated glass.

 

[smokinj]

Bah....I planted thirty something plants last year. Go big.

I had 4 rows of 40ft per row. We canned well over 100qts and dehydrated another 10quts of powder. I have to scale back on them. Corn will be 500 ft or so this year.
Now we got 6-8 inchs of snow coming Sun.-Mon Better grab the snow tiller.

 

[basod]

Dropped in a couple rows of potatoes last week more of test to see if they'll grow on the ridge.

I'll start my squash and pumpkin seeds this week.
Nothing going in the ground until the second week of April, had too many years of spring fever foiled by Easter frost

 

[lukem]

Hit a bit of a dry/windy spell this week. Hoping I can get a lettuce patch tilled Saturday before the snow flies!

Watched the local weather yesterday. One year ago we had a record high of 82...yesterday was 34. What a difference a year makes.

 

[lukem]

Got all the rabbit food planted this morning.

 

[jrendfrey]

Still got 2+ ft of snow on the ground

 

[smokinj]

First till at 3/4 full depth. 40 bales of straw and 230 cubic foot of chix compost on 4000 sq ft.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My silver maple out front just popped it's flowers and the tulips are starting to come up. I think I'm going to try to get the cold weather stuff in this week.

Matt

 

[billb3]

Planted peas, carrots, beets and string beans today.
Might be a bit early for string beans but I've got some of that white row cloth that might help if it cools off again.

 

[smokinj]

Planted peas, carrots, beets and string beans today.
Might be a bit early for string beans but I've got some of that white row cloth that might help if it cools off again.

I going to plant a 3 rows of cool crops Tuesday. If it gets bad I have enough straw to put down. It may be a gamble but an educated one.

 

[lukem]

You're gonna have wheat sprouting soon...be ready to till it again before you get too much planted.

Taters and onions going in the ground this week.

 

[smokinj]

You're gonna have wheat sprouting soon...be ready to till it again before you get too much planted.

Taters and onions going in the ground this week.

It will get till full depth but just in the rows I plant. I am ok with wheat but there it will be much less than you might think. The guy I get my straw from has a 2012 john deer mack daddy combine and its not leaving money behind.

 

[billb3]

If it's straw and not hay there should not be much seed in it if at all.
Straw is like 8 bucks for half a bale here. I don't use straw.