The Sprout-2016

In this clime i need a couple more months. I've seen it recommended planting another month earlier then i .do but my beds are usually producing into November and i'll milk it for all i can.

I plant well into November, it's been snowing as i planted, harvest is pretty consistent being the third week of July. I start pulling a few here and there earlier in the month and harvest before the paper splits open. Usually has happened to a few but this year no spits, maybe because it's been so dry.

dave

Well, out of all those pepper seeds I only got one or two to germinate. That's about 20 days sitting in the wet paper towel method. So I took the better of the three different varieties and planted them in some seed starter dirt. Maybe they will like that medium better. I also bought four different varieties of heirloom tomatoes seeds. I'm going to attempt a fall/winter tomato crop. My chances are good for our warm to hot fall temperatures and mild winters.

This past weekend I watched "Central Texas Gardner" which is on PBS and they had an episode on growing tomatoes. Many gardeners in the Central Texas gave up growing them in the summer and are now growing during the fall, winter and spring finishing their crops up by mid May. Makes sense to me. I'll give it a go.

That's no good with the pepper seeds.
If you can grow tomatoes most of the year except the hottest part of summer then that sounds great.

Maybe try the tea soaking method prior to planting.

I start peppers and tomatoes in little cell packs using a seed starting mix, which is mostly finely milled peat moss with fine vermculite, marcro & micro nutrients, dolomitic & calcific limestone plus a wetting agent. Goal of two seeds per cell and get close to 100% germination. I keep seeds for years and do sometimes get total failure in a cell (or i missed it), i then just take one of the extra seedlings from another cell to cover any shortfall. Pinch off the extra seedlings.

From the cell pack they go to 3" square pots then into their final destination.

Peppers, bottom two cell packs.
Had one commercial pepper plant and when i planted it and mine out the commercial was maybe twice the size of mine, mine passed it in no time at all.


Tomatoes from the above starts.
dave

Dave, that's what I bought. Some seed starter soil and some cell packs. The cell packs are 4" maybe, so I put 5 seeds per cell. I'm hoping by this time next week I'll see some seedlings. I just hope the tomatoes do well.

They will, they will.

DoctorShavegood said:

Dave, that's what I bought. Some seed starter soil and some cell packs. The cell packs are 4" maybe, so I put 5 seeds per cell. I'm hoping by this time next week I'll see some seedlings. I just hope the tomatoes do well.

They will, they will.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a good start, Aaron. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out, my germination tray has a clear plastic dome and usually the initial soaking of the planted seeds is enough to see them well into first leaf growth.

Also i never top water the cell packs or pots. I set them into plastic dishpans with maybe an inch of water and let them soak up the water, capillary action will carry the water to the surface of the soil and when you see the soil is wet you can be sure the pot/cell has taken in all the water the soil will hold. Will release some once removed from the pan but it's not a great deal. It does take some time depending on how many pots you need to soak and how big a soaking tub/pan you have.

dave

davent said:

Sounds like a good start, Aaron. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out, my germination tray has a clear plastic dome and usually the initial soaking of the planted seeds is enough to see them well into first leaf growth.

Also i never top water the cell packs or pots. I set them into plastic dishpans with maybe an inch of water and let them soak up the water, capillary action will carry the water to the surface of the soil and when you see the soil is wet you can be sure the pot/cell has taken in all the water the soil will hold. Will release some once removed from the pan but it's not a great deal. It does take some time depending on how many pots you need to soak and how big a soaking tub/pan you have.

dave

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on watering. I'll give it a try.


.....folks we have signs of life this morning.

Well guys I have pulled everything out of my garden. I need to move it away from my shop. When it rains the water runs over the garden and into my shop so..... I'm going to push it back about 2'. The plan is to finish moving it this upcoming week and be ready to plant late summer tomatoes, collards, turnips, radish and more carrots.

Got my tomatoes started for a fall/winter crop.

Looks like you got some "Sprouts" there Aaron. Lookin' good.

Since the rain has slacked off, I may till up the regular garden and see what I can do for a late crop of...something.

simon1 said:

Looks like you got some "Sprouts" there Aaron. Lookin' good.

Since the rain has slacked off, I may till up the regular garden and see what I can do for a late crop of...something.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. This fall/winter thing for veggies idea may prove to be pretty good....Texas of course.

I have really good luck with turnips, greens, radish and carrots. My brussels, cauliflower and broccoli didn't do so well the past 3 years.

Getting ready to plant some seedling. I tried planting chilli seeds a couple of years ago but it was not warm enough and they did not take off.
So I going to get a heat pad but they come with no temp control and were expensive.
Enter base heat of water heated with a fish tank heater. Cut a hole in some wood for the propagator to sit/rest in.
Just waiting for bottom trays without holes and I'm good to go.

Ingenious Chris, great hack with what's available.

This years garlic dried/cured and ready for storage, now hanging in mesh onion bags down in the basement. Was looking for a coin for scale but had no change on hand, did find a golf ball.

One pair for the compost pile and one pair bagged for storage. Had eleven bulbs left from last summers harvest, still flavourful but getting soft.dave

Very nice Dave. Garlic is the the most important foundation for the layerings of flavor. 2nd behind salt...IMHO.

...and great photos too.

Nice crop of garlic Dave.

Finally got the garden moved!!! Had to get it away from the shop wall. Its 36'x5'......

I'm getting close to building my raised beds for my fall tomatoes. I'm going to start with a 4'x8'x18" cedar plank design. I've been reading about pressure treating lumber for raised gardens. The chemicals used today are far less of a concern, but I still would like to go straight organic so I'm using the untreated cedar boards.

It's typical August here. 98-101 during the day and 75-80 at night. Much to hot for starting small seedlings. I'm hoping by the middle to end of September to plant my seedlings which are coming along nicely. For the last 60 years the average first frost date in Austin is December 2nd.

DoctorShavegood said:

I'm getting close to building my raised beds for my fall tomatoes. I'm going to start with a 4'x8'x18" cedar plank design. I've been reading about pressure treating lumber for raised gardens. The chemicals used today are far less of a concern, but I still would like to go straight organic so I'm using the untreated cedar boards.

It's typical August here. 98-101 during the day and 75-80 at night. Much to hot for starting small seedlings. I'm hoping by the middle to end of September to plant my seedlings which are coming along nicely. For the last 60 years the average first frost date in Austin is December 2nd.

Click to expand...

I see people use black plastic to cover the treated timber where it comes in contact with the soil.

There you are waiting for it to cool down and I'm waiting for it to warm up.
I'm going to plant my chilli seeds this weekend. With a bit of luck my propagator will keep them nice and toasty.

cleanshaved said:

I see people use black plastic to cover the treated timber where it comes in contact with the soil.

There you are waiting for it to cool down and I'm waiting for it to warm up.
I'm going to plant my chilli seeds this weekend. With a bit of luck my propagator will keep them nice and toasty.

Click to expand...

Plus, you've got your winterized pepper plants. How are they fairing? After seeing Dave's garlic I'm going to have to plant some of those too. I think they will fit in nicely between the rows of tomatoes.