Garden 2023

[CalebConn16]

Already looking ahead. Couldn’t find a garden thread for this year yet. (Apologies if there is) anyway. Looking into starting seeds this year to get some heirloom stuff and so on. (Cheaper as well) Bonnie plants are usually my go to but we’re insanely expensive last year and I figure they will continue to rise. So aside from the basics such as flats, soil, and seeds. Do you all use grow lights and heat mats? I have watched a ton of YouTube videos and feel like I have a grasp but every one is different on recommendations. So I figure people from home with success would be the best place to start. Happy gardening everyone! Be here before we know it.

 

[Little FR]

My brother just does beds in 4x4 Timbers then covers them with clear plastic sheeting or old window panes. I start seeds in ice trays inside then harden them on the porch and transplant to garden.

I’m not even close to messing with it yet. I don’t mind a late garden. Keeps me from being out there in the dark after coming in from turkey hunting.

I did preen my whole garden last year after it was started good. Made my life so much better.

 

[barney]

Already looking ahead. Couldn’t find a garden thread for this year yet. (Apologies if there is) anyway. Looking into starting seeds this year to get some heirloom stuff and so on. (Cheaper as well) Bonnie plants are usually my go to but we’re insanely expensive last year and I figure they will continue to rise. So aside from the basics such as flats, soil, and seeds. Do you all use grow lights and heat mats? I have watched a ton of YouTube videos and feel like I have a grasp but every one is different on recommendations. So I figure people from home with success would be the best place to start. Happy gardening everyone! Be here before we know it.

I suggest a good potting soil to start with it'll prevent a lot of problems from germination on. I've been using Promix BX for years and years for everything without a problem.

Over watering seeds planted in crappy potting soil is one of the biggest mistakes I've seen people make.

Some sort of light will be a must for growing indoors. For years I used fluorescent shop lights with cool white bulbs for early plants, and they worked great for the purpose. I've not tried LEDs, but a buddy of mine has used em with good results for several years.

 

[slobear]

Good advice from Barney. I used to use those little plastic greenhouses and they kept them to moist. Had a lot of issues with damping off.

Now I start most seeds in Dixie cups with holes drilled in the sides near their bottom. After the plants get cotyledons, I dump entire cup out and transfer to individual containers.

 

[barney]

Good advice from Barney. I used to use those little plastic greenhouses and they kept them to moist. Had a lot of issues with damping off.

Now I start most seeds in Dixie cups with holes drilled in the sides near their bottom. After the plants get cotyledons, I dump entire cup out and transfer to individual containers.

Haha! I get nervous when the top of the soil is damp! I insure the soil is constantly evaporating moisture with some light airflow from a fan at all times during germination.

 

[cityslicker]

I use led lights and heat mats for seed starting. I can't wait to get started.

 

[CalebConn16]

Haha! I get nervous when the top of the soil is damp! I insure the soil is constantly evaporating moisture with some light airflow from a fan at all times during germination.

When is optimal time to start, tomatoes ?

 

[slobear]

Haha! I get nervous when the top of the soil is damp! I insure the soil is constantly evaporating moisture with some light airflow from a fan at all times during germination.

Yep. A little airflow is good for the plants once they get first set of true leaves also. Makes ‘em stout.

 

[barney]

When is optimal time to start, tomatoes ?

Anytime in March would probably be optimal if you're set up to hold plants and deal with a late spring. A March sown seed takes 6-8 weeks from seeding to transplant, April sown seed only about 5 weeks.

I try to get my main crop seeds started by April. Sometimes earlier, but most times in mid April.

 

[slobear]

Anytime in March would probably be optimal if you're set up to hold plants and deal with a late spring. A March sown seed takes 6-8 weeks from seeding to transplant, April sown seed only about 5 weeks.

I try to get my main crop seeds started by April. Sometimes earlier, but most times in mid April.

Do you start high tunnel seeds earlier?

 

[barney]

Do you start high tunnel seeds earlier?

I did when I sold produce. The high tunnel crop was always started Feb. 1st, then planted in the tunnels last week of March to 1st week of April.

Main outdoor crop was started 1st week of March and planted around 1st week in May. On average, there was a 2 week difference in ripening between the two. Some years 3 weeks other years only a week.

It's always fun to get the first ripe mater in the neighborhood, and first fruit always sold good but June fruit don't taste nearly as good as July and August fruit.

 

[slobear]

Pole beans? Outdoor crop, we have our staple and I was raised on it but my mom loves beans. I could get by on tomatoes, corn, cayenne, and cucumbers. Left out cabbage.

 

[Little FR]

Heirloom tomatoes, plenty of volunteer cherries around to fill in gaps where my starts fail. Spaghetti squash, sweet corn, bell peppers, cayenne, jalapeños, sweet taters, Brussel sprouts, red cabbage, egg plant, cucumber and onions. That’s about all I need. As long as I have half a dozen of each, we won’t have to buy groceries most of summer and fall.

Last year got a little excessive on maters, squash and peppers…. I was feeding them to the hogs daily. Family, church, coworkers and friends were sick of them after we ran out of canning jars.

 

[bigpuddin43]

we will add on a bit this year to add a quarter acre of melons: water, cantaloupe, and honeydew. other than that will keep the rest the same 100-125 tomatoes, 300ish peppers, okra, eggplant, herbs, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

 

[Lady Hunter]

Don't have anywhere near as big a garden as a lot of you but ordered my seeds a few days ago:

Okra (clemson, burgundy, and heavy hitter - yes, we LOVE okra and I'm already setting jars aside for gumbo base and anything else cajun I can figure out how to put in jars, succotash, and corn & okra & tomatoes),

Peaches & cream corn (we've never had any luck growing corn but gonna try a different location this year),

Roma & mortgage lifter & yellow pear tomatoes (respectively for canning, slicing & grabbing a handful as you walk by),

A mix of sweet peppers (can't ever have enough sweet peppers),

Poblano peppers (mmmm..... stuff those suckers with venison & cheese!!!),

Jalapenos (poppers, duh!!!!!),

Zucchini (just doing a few plants this year, mainly for eating fresh, still have a lot in jars from last year for breads, fake pineapple, etc.),

Yellow squash (only 1 hill this year - I still have a ton that I canned last year), and

Cucumbers (only 1 hill this time around too - last year's pickles tried to take over my store room).

Plan is to start the tomatoes & peppers around the 1st of March.

The walking onions are looking good although something (I'm guessing deer) has been munching on the greens. The garlic I planted last fall is looking good - it's been munched a little too but whatever-the-critter-is doesn't seem to like garlic as much as onions. lol! I'm hoping to expand both of those plantings in the fall.

Last fall, we set up two tanks to catch over 500 gallons of rainwater for the lower garden & have one we need to get set up for the top garden. That'll help a lot so we aren't trying to balance watering needs with jacking up the water bill..... May try to get a 2nd tank for the top garden after we get the 1st one in place.