TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › The Cat Lounge › Hey Veggie Gardeners!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Hey Veggie Gardeners!

post #1 of 41
1/12/11 at 2:34pm
Thread Starter 
I'm so excited!! I got my tomato and pepper seeds last week and today my potatoes arrived (on the coldest day of the year!)!! We start planting February 14th with the potatoes and onions. My onions should be here late January/early February! I can't wait!

Who's ordered seeds? Who's started seeds already? Who's just waiting for the snow to melt?!?
Reply
post #2 of 41
1/12/11 at 2:41pm
I plan to start a garden once we move, but I have NO idea when to start my seeds or when to start planting! LOL I'm clueless when it comes to that stuff. I have a feeling I won't be very successful the first year or two...maybe even longer. I kind of have an idea that you plant different fruits/veggies at different times, but I have no idea when that is. haha! I hope to start canning the fruits of our labor.
Reply
post #3 of 41
1/12/11 at 2:55pm
BF got me a bunch of veggie seed packets (and catnip for Genever) for xmas and a few little booklets about seeds and gerdening. Yesterday I went to the local nursery and bought one of those seed starter greenhouse kit thingys and some seed planting mix and sowed my seeds!



I'm kind of just going off my little Burpee booklets, or the seed packets, or Burpee's website. I'm no expert at all and am just hoping at least something will grow. I'm really excited about having a garden finally, as we lived on the 10th floor until we bought the house in August, and by then it was kind of too late to start, though we did buy a tomato, pepper and onion plants, which are still going in the garden, but not really growing. I am hoping my seeds will do better! I also bought some new potting soil/mulch mix and compost to mix in the garden, as I'm sure our dirt is old. haha. We also have to decide where to plant. The part with the best sun has lots of established plants in it already that we don't want to get rid of or move. One option is to dig up some grass to make a plot, or make do in another area of the yard.

Any resources you can recommend to help me in my adventures? Or personal advice?
Reply
post #4 of 41
1/12/11 at 3:08pm
DarkMavis, it's not a good idea to leave the seed box in full sun with a cover on it. Think about how warm a car can get even on a cold day if you park it in the sun. Seedlings need all the sun they can get once they are growing but that's after they sprout and you remove the cover or prop it up to let the extra heat get out.
Reply
post #5 of 41
1/12/11 at 3:44pm
Oh! OK then, I will move it right away. Thanks very much for letting me know! (i did say I am a beginner, right? )

edit- yes, I just read the directions that came with the greenhouse kit again, and it does say put it where it will get max sunlight AFTER they sprout. DUH. Thank you again! Feel free to set me straight anytime on this gardening stuff!
Reply
post #6 of 41
1/12/11 at 3:56pm
I'm really looking forward to growing some veg this summer. Last one was a total washout as I felt so lousy.

Stephanie, I have a list of veggies/dates to plant/varieties that are suited to this area. My neighbor is a horticulture professor at the uni here and gave it to me 15 years ago. It has never "done me wrong." Let me know if you'd like a copy.

I was having a look out back this week and noted that the winter weed crop is very sparse this year--a good thing. Maybe it will be a good year for veggies this year.

C
Reply
post #7 of 41
1/12/11 at 5:41pm
I'll probably raise some tomatoes from seed again this year. And I am investigating the prospect of growing a pineapple indoors.
Reply
post #8 of 41
1/12/11 at 8:18pm
Thread Starter 
My winter weed crop is quite prolific this year! LOL

Carla, I use the Tarrant County Extension Agency planting dates, but I'm always looking for other good resources. If you're up to it, maybe you can join the Dave's Garden's group of North Central Texas gardeners at their spring swap this year. It's usually in April or May in Arlington. People mainly offer flowers and such, but sometimes there are veggies. Mark got some really, really, really HOT peppers from a guy this past fall. There's food, plants, lots of garden talk, and it's all FREE!

Kara, google your county and state and planting dates. You should get some kind of planting guide for your area. There's also lots of places online to gather planting info.

I need to get my maters and peppers started this weekend!
Reply
post #9 of 41
1/12/11 at 8:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanietx View Post
Kara, google your county and state and planting dates. You should get some kind of planting guide for your area. There's also lots of places online to gather planting info.
Thanks! Btw - You stink for planting goodies already. We have about a foot of snow on the ground, so no plants even in the near distance for us.
Reply
post #10 of 41
1/12/11 at 8:56pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, well...we're starting the seeds inside under lights! That way, when it's time to plant out the maters and peppers, the plants will be big and strong. Taters and onions are planted early-mid February. All the other veggies we'll plant from seed directly outside. Last year was the first year we grew everything from seed. It was a learning experience!

Reply
post #11 of 41
1/12/11 at 9:17pm
That's still A LOT earlier than us! lol Our last frost date is May 17th.

What are those long skinny purple things??? They look like alien fingers. I assume the skinny green things are okra. Never had it before nor seen it in real life.
Reply
post #12 of 41
1/13/11 at 5:32am
I have been looking through the seed catalogs. Have to see what seeds I have left from last year so I don't buy too much. There is a type type of sweet corn that I will probably try this year. I'll have all seeds purchased by mid Feb as I start tomatoes and peppers mid march. I usually plant veg garden all at once during memorial day weekend.

Fir more veg types google your states univeristy and the would extension. In Wisconsin for instance its UW extension. One should be able to find a horticulture site for your state which provides a wealth of info and publications.
Reply
post #13 of 41
1/13/11 at 5:48am
This year my SIL plowed up about 6 gardens for my daughter. So I asked her if we could have one of them because we have so much shade around our house, all I can grow are impatiens.

So, I am looking to plant something I can take to a farmers market in the next town over. Ordered my seed catalogs. We can't plant outside until the end of May, but I can start stuff around April 1st inside.

I was thinking about everlastings? Or small indian corn or gourds.

It's fun to plan it out, even though I am looking at 8 inches of snow that fell yesterday.
Reply
post #14 of 41
1/13/11 at 8:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kara_leigh View Post
That's still A LOT earlier than us! lol Our last frost date is May 17th.

What are those long skinny purple things??? They look like alien fingers. I assume the skinny green things are okra. Never had it before nor seen it in real life.
The long skinny purple things are purple hull black-eyed peas, still in the pod. Grew them for the first time last year.
Reply
post #15 of 41
1/13/11 at 10:37am
I rarely plant veggies, but am pouring over the seed catalogs for flower seeds. I always start some heliotrope indoors; other than that, I really prefer to buy plants.
Reply
post #16 of 41
1/13/11 at 11:16am
I have a pea sprout already, 2 days after sowing!! That means we should really get working on getting our soil ready soon, mixing all the compost and whatnot into it. I might work on that today and tomorrow, as it's going to be in the 70s again! Woo-hoo!
Reply
post #17 of 41
1/13/11 at 5:10pm
Thread Starter 
Peas don't like to be transplanted, so transplant them early. I direct sow mine. I've grown both "Alaska" and "Wando". The Wandos are more heat and cold resistant, which is good in my area.

Here are the quality control officers checking out my taters that arrived yesterday.

Reply
post #18 of 41
1/13/11 at 6:02pm
Aaaack! Then I better get tilling SOON and get those peas planted!

I also saw my broccoli is sprouting!
Reply
post #19 of 41
1/13/11 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanietx View Post
Yes, well...we're starting the seeds inside under lights! That way, when it's time to plant out the maters and peppers, the plants will be big and strong. Taters and onions are planted early-mid February. All the other veggies we'll plant from seed directly outside. Last year was the first year we grew everything from seed. It was a learning experience!
I see salsa! All you need is some cilantro and a little garlic!
Reply
post #20 of 41
1/13/11 at 6:54pm
Thread Starter 
Unfortunately, I can't make salsa as the cilantro and garlic don't ripen at the same time the tomatoes do! Arg!!
Reply
post #21 of 41
1/14/11 at 5:51am
Steph,

We have an Heirloom Plant Festival every year here around the first part of April. Plants, food, speakers (like the Dirt Doctor, etc) are all here for a day at our museum grounds. I can give you more info if you'd like. We'd be glad to meet up with you if you all decide to come. You could meet our kitties, see our gardens, etc!

I would like more info on the plant swap you were talking about as well. That sounds like fun.
Reply
post #22 of 41
1/14/11 at 6:07am
Lovely veggies! And I just love your basket, too. I'm so jealous.....we have a snow covering and such cold temps that we can't even think about a garden yet.
Reply
post #23 of 41
1/14/11 at 6:27pm
I attempted to grow some vegetables last year, but sadly I had very little success! I'm currently living in a second-floor condo with no yard, just a balcony with an overhang. I think the combination of trying to grow veggies in pots and them not getting enough sunlight caused the project to fail.

It's a shame because I really love gardening, and love having fresh veggies! I keep trying to figure out some way to do it now, as opposed to waiting 2-3 years when I'll theoretically move to a place with an actual yard.
Reply
post #24 of 41
1/14/11 at 7:31pm
I have been told that I need to take some of my peppers to a farmer's market....but I just give them away.

By seasons end, I had well over 1000 habanero peppers. I gave them to co-workers and customers alike.

If there are any handymen/women who can help me build this:



Its a tomato arch and I think it looks lovely.
Reply
post #25 of 41
1/14/11 at 7:35pm
Thread Starter 
It looks like some 4" x 4"s or fence posts in the ground with cattle panels over the top.. You'd have to plant some heirloom indeterminate tomatoes to get them to cover it.
Reply
post #26 of 41
1/15/11 at 8:34am
OMG I wish it were warm enough at our house to grow okra and tomatoes!

We can't put the garden in until April, and then only cool-weather crops for the summer. It's always 10°C cooler here by the water than downtown only 8 blocks away.

What a beautiful basket of veggies, I would eat it all raw straight out of the basket!

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkMavis View Post
...Or personal advice?
I love your seedlings, wow what a great setup! My advice is to fertilize with fish and seaweed - everything grows like crazy when you do. And eating the delicious veggies gives you all the trace minerals from the ocean (I believe there are close to 100 that have been identified while vitamin supplements usually only have about 8).


Put coffee grounds for acidic-soil-loving plants such rhubarb and strawberries - it's amazing how much it perks them up! I'd never liked strawberries until I had them from the garden. This year they went crazy with the coffee grounds (from local coffee shop) and we got these big strawberries with amazing flavor!

Reply
post #27 of 41
1/15/11 at 7:29pm
I grow most of our fruit and vegetables each year (for the growing season only--I don't have enough space to grow the amount needed for preserving a year-round supply).

It's WAY too early here to grow anything outdoors--and we have about 8" of snow on the ground. I have, however, planned my garden and perused seed catalogues.

I start seedlings indoors in late March, usually leaf lettuce.

I did find a basket of forgotten home-grown red potatoes today, which are sprouting. Guess they'll be seed potatoes in the Spring!

I bought tons of 75% off seeds in the Fall, so I don't need to buy any more for this year. If you keep seeds in a cool, dry place, they'll last a year or 2.

I plan to try the upside-down tomato things. MIL did last year, and she harvested 200 tomatoes from them!
Reply
post #28 of 41
1/16/11 at 8:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanietx View Post
Peas don't like to be transplanted, so transplant them early. I direct sow mine. I've grown both "Alaska" and "Wando". The Wandos are more heat and cold resistant, which is good in my area.

Here are the quality control officers checking out my taters that arrived yesterday.
Aww, that is so cute! This thread has inspired me to start shopping for my tomato seeds online. I like to plant something that's pretty certain to do well (Better Boy) along with heirlooms or something I've never tried. I almost forgot that I'm planting strawberries from seed. I picked up a little strawberry pot at the end of the season last year for almost nothing and it came with its own seeds.
Reply
post #29 of 41
1/16/11 at 8:45am
Thread Starter 
Here's my list of what I'm planting:

Tomatoes (most have short date to maturity due to our climate)
Determinate=one flush of fruit and then it's pretty much done
Indeterminate=more than one flush of fruit
Wayahead (75 days, indet.)
Homestead (80 days, det.)
Earliana (65 days, indet.)
Sioux (78 days, semi-determinate, whatever that means!)
Chadwick Cherry (80 days, indet.)
Pantono Romanesco (75 days, indet.)

Bell Peppers
Red Bullnose (from seeds saved from last year's crop)
Sweet Chocolate (new for me this year)
Orange Bell
Golden California Wonder

Radish-Early Scarlet Globe
Carrots-Danvers Half long & something else that I can't remember right now
Peas-Wando
Beans-Blue Lake pole & Contender bush
Okra-Emerald Green Velvet
Onions
Potatoes--Rio Grande russet, Purple Viking, and Red something or other
Watermelon--Crimson Sweet
Cantaloupe--Honey Rock (AKA Sugar Sweet)

I currently have lettuces and garlic that I started late fall. I don't think I'm going to plant any black-eyed peas this year. I also have some dill growing that reseeded from last year's plants. I grow this for the butterflies.
Reply
post #30 of 41
1/17/11 at 12:53pm
SwampWitch- how do I know what plants would benefit from coffee grounds? I have plenty of them, I always forget that I can mix them into the dirt instead of throwing them out. Duh.

Stephanie- that's quite an assortment! Yum!

I am wondering where I'm going to put all my veggies, the more I look, the more I see less space. Stuff is going to have to go between existing plants I think. I am going to plant my peas today after mixing in some compost, I know I should've mixed the compost before, but.. I didn't. Maybe I can plant the peas in a few days? I don't know. Here they are now:



From the right are winter squash, peas, tall things are broccoli, then tomatoes and a few rows over are catnip. More peas on the far left. Green beans, spinach, eggplant, chives and asters have yet to sprout.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: The Cat Lounge
TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › The Cat Lounge › Hey Veggie Gardeners!