2017 Gardening

We got the seeds started!

3 Jiffy seed starters coming together. Tomatoes and peppers mostly. We plan on doing beans, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupe, squash, umm.....some other stuff I can't think of right now. Maybe some corn depending on space.

We are overwhelmed with seeds though! My aunt visited a farmers market and they were giving seeds away. Literal bag fulls! She gave us a bunch. The catch is they are past their sell by date but I'm quite confident they will sprout. In fact, you can see from one of the photos 3 cups already have.

 

its 15f today i think i can hold off on starting seeds. might start planning out the garden and look into ordering seeds and plants (burpee sends the live ones when they project them to be ok in the weather

 

It's 25f today. But high 50's low 60's for the next 15 days. Late Feb. early March I'll be tilling the ground I'm thinking. Once we get in to Feb we can pretty much rule out freezing temperatures.

 

That is awesome T. You are encouraging me to get started. I am thinking about starting some heirloom tomatoes maybe this week.
I have to try some beans this year too. Anasazi beans I think, and some green beans.
I have a bunch more raised beds to build, but looking forward to it.

 

Here's the plots we have tilled up. 7 about this size and some longer rows for corn. Overall I think we have about 12 small plots.

 

Plants are literally all over the house.




You name it we got it. Peppers, corn, watermelon, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cabbage, green beans, peas, ummm I can't even remember what all we got going on. Oh yeah, have some grape vines that we are going to start for jelly.

 

Nice plot of land you have there Jason, very nice! It looks like you have the room to become an urban farmer if you had a mind to.
Your plants are looking good! How soon before you can get them into the ground?

I had some 5 year old heirloom tomato seeds, and amazingly all of them sprouted. They just took their time.
We have frost for a couple of months yet, but I am just about ready to put in a small greenhouse structure on a 4x8 raised bed so I can get something going outside. Tomatoes most likely for this one.
My entire yard will give me perhaps 2 of your plots worth of garden space. :\
It should be enough to do some good growing though.

I look forward to seeing how your plots develop over the season.

 

We put the cabbage in and most the pepper plants are ready. But we'll let them grow for another week or so before we put them in. We should probably wait till April before planting but we are taking the chance. We've got so much! It frosted a few days ago and the temps overnight are in the mid 30's still so there is a chance for another frost or two.

Also, we don't know what kind of wildlife we will have to prevent from getting in there. We've seen rabbit and deer so far. Those two alone will destroy a garden

 

We walked the community garden here in town two weeks ago. I was amazed that anything was growing, as we still had traces of snow here an there, but folks had mature cabbage, kale, and other similar greens seemingly doing fine.
Our Home depot got in their winter veggies this week, so I might go pick some up and see how it goes.

Sounds like you will have some serious critter issues to deal with. We are lucky to be fenced off from deer, elk, and javalina, but we have tree squirrels and they did some damage to some fall stuff I put in. I'm thinking chicken wire.
Best of luck on your early plantings, and post some pictures as things grow.

 

I need to start some 'mater seeds. I have some old heirloom seeds to find and see if they're still viable.

The weather isn't quite right for tomatoes, tho, so I probably have time.

 

Have you tried Tomato Fest Lucretia? They have a pretty good selection and a decent website too.
I have tried quite of few of their heirloom varieties over the years.

 

It snowed last night! about half inch. Might have to replant some things. Never would have believed it would snow in March down here.

 

Hey Jason, check this out. http://theselfsufficientliving.com/12-hoop-house-plans-to-enjoy-gardening-throughout-winter/
I am planning to build something like this one, with beefier end frames to extend the season. We have frost in Nov thru Apr, so I am hoping this will help out.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/garden-yard/hoop-house-zm0z11zmat

 

im getting ready for 12-20 inch. i knwo my PA springs all too well to even think to start seeds yet

 

I haven't tried them. I still have some old seeds (I think from Diane's Flower Seeds, or something like that.) There were some cherry brandywines that were pretty good. They were more salad tomato size than cherry size. We don't always have enough hot days for the bigger tomatoes to mature well.

Will have to take a look at Tomato Fest, tho.

 

Re-tilled and things look much better. The seeds we planted a couple weeks ago never sprouted so we are going to replant.





These narrow back rows will be for corn.




A shot from the other side.

 

had 4 straight days of no rain so the raised beds got tilled and onioned (yes there is still a bit of snow in places on the ground) but that should all be fixed tomorrow
looks liek we are going to have a real mess in the back yard tho this year as plans call for new back porch (both levels) and a walkway so the part of the garden that buts up to the concrete is going to have to be dug out

 

Sounds like you have some work cut out for you Butch. What kind of onions did you put in?
I am trying some of those home depot bulbs from their garden center. I put them in about a month ago. It's been in the high 70s during the day since, so they seem to be doing ok.
But I have no idea what to expect.

I've still got my heirloom tomato plants in pots. Hopefully in the next month the frost won't be an issue.

 

onions were a set from burpee sweet white i think and i forget it they are long or short day (they grow great here in south PA) stil hahve some of last years diced and frozen

 

Anyone want to come to some weed eating?




Found some wild cactus too.