| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 14 2010 : 07:43:41 AM
Last night I bought one of those "greenhouses" from Walmart- you know the ones where they have the peat pellets and a clear top to start your seeds in?
Nora and I started some eggplant, radishes (might be a crop that grows 100% indoors! LOL) and carrots. As soon as these have gotten past the initial seedling stage I am going to bring in some window planters that I have outside and transition plant them in those so that we can reuse the seedling starter again. I am excited and I can tell Nora is too!
We have some BIG plans for this summer! I am going to expand my garden and do it RIGHT this time! Hmm- now that I live so much closer to my family- maybe I can coax some of my family to come over and help....
I also remember something from Mother Earth news about incorporating charcoal in the soil and how that can drastically increase productivity. Anyway I am going to try to do a bit of everything.
Here is the plan:
As soon as I can, I am going to dig over the whole garden to a depth of about 12-18 inches. I am going to see if I can get the city to allow me to burn some branch clippings that have been hanging out in my yard from previous tenants. I also am going to incorporate horse manure. For the top layer I am going to layer newspapers and on top of THAT I am going to lay down black weed paper.
During planting time I am going to use some nails and string to try and get my lines as straight as possible when I am planting- It makes it easier for weed control.
After the plants have been planted and are established I am going to get some sort of mulch to cover the black fabric. I am going to invest in a timer so that my garden will get watered regularly and for just the right amount of time.
I am going to try to plant as much as I can that can be stored long term- like carrots and those things that can well- like tomatoes. I really am hoping that this garden will help convince my husband that a garden can make a huge difference towards feeding this family- and every dollar that we can use to pay off debt is HUGE!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 05:35:13 AM
Alee, isn't it so neat to see them popping up? I love that. You have given me some good ideas. I need to get black plastic now and cover some of the soil to kill weeds. I think I will use that this year. And lots of old hay for mulch. It's a lot of work but really helps and goes back in the ground later. Have you ever read anything of Ruth Stout's gardening methods? She never had weeds. I need to get her book.
The last of our snow from a week ago is finally gone!! We had a big patch under some cedar trees in the yard that just did finally melt yesterday. And on the mountains, too. I am so glad to see it gone. I just hope we don't get more this week.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Alee |
Posted - Mar 07 2010 : 9:16:24 PM
Yay! I have tomato seedlings popping up all over the place! I am so excited!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
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| Alee |
Posted - Mar 04 2010 : 4:31:57 PM
YAY!!
My first tomato seedlings are starting to come out of their seed coats! I will have seedings soon!
Ooo...I better get my light over them now or I might not be able to keep them.
And just as exciting- today I dug a couple of shovel fulls of dirt in my garden! There is still snow on the ground over most of it but a large section of it has been exposed to the sun and is warming up nicely. The ground is still much too wet to work with much, but by next week all the snow might be gone and I can start digging out the garden. I am going to dig out the dirt and then work in more organic matter. I am hoping to get a jump on the weeds. Some Common Mallow is already sprouting!! Perhaps with the drier organic matter that I will be adding in I will be able to get the soil into condition and covered with black weed fabric early enough to thwart the weeds and warm the soil up faster. Maybe I can get a jump on the season too!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
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| LisaLu |
Posted - Mar 01 2010 : 07:26:50 AM
Hi everyone!
I purchased a 4 shelf plastic enclosed greenhouse last year at Lowes for about $40.00. It's great, it has wheels so I can move it around to different windows. I planted all of my favorites 2 weeks ago, and did more last night. I plan to start every 2 weeks so I can have a continueous supply of food. This year will be different in that I will be doing crop rotations. We are waiting for Uncle Sam to send that refund check so we can go buy a larger rototiller! My hubby is in on it this year! "Ima so happy!" There is nothing better that a warm, clear, sunny day to get you in the mood!
Happiness is homemade... |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 7:58:23 PM
Congrats Shari! I love that feeling!! I am breathing down the tomato flats waiting for the first signs of sprouts.
So I know this sounds totally insane- but I am thinking of taking the seedlings into the car with me to work this coming week... I could park so it would get full southern sun all day and the interior color is a dark blue so the car stays nice and warm. It will be about 50 degrees outside so the car will be about 80. What do you think? Would you do it?
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
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| Ms. Hannigan |
Posted - Feb 27 2010 : 8:12:14 PM
I found spinach sprouts in my greenhouse today! I was so happy the frost hadn't killed them all that I did a happy dance, right there on the spot! Happy Gardening, everybody!
...some women are drippin' with diamonds... some women are drippin' with pearls... look at me, lucky me, the only thing I'm drippin' with is... little girls...
Farmgirl #1158
blog: http://www.lifegetsmessy.com
website: http://www.eatlocaltn.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 27 2010 : 5:58:23 PM
I figure I can get the little carrots a good start in the lighter potting soil and then just transplant them in blocks into the garden. Maybe take a garden trowel and scoop them gently out and then put them into a new hole in the garden? If there is any sinking around them I can always back fill. I know carrots need a bit of a looser soil to grow big and straight and they are gratifying to watch since they sprout pretty quick- though I think the radishes were the best! They sprouted in about 3 days!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
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| craftbug |
Posted - Feb 27 2010 : 3:43:56 PM
DH planted 2 flats of sugarsnap peas and another flat with red,yellow n green peppers, italian tomatoes and yellow varigated tomatoes 2 days ago. He's getting antsy to get in the garden too. We just love to go through the seedbox to see what we need to start now, plan on what's going in the garden and make a list of what plants we'll need to buy. Never thought of trying to start carrot or lettuce inside...hmmmmmm
Make my words soft and tender, for I may have to eat them. :) |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 27 2010 : 3:10:01 PM
I have Spring fever BAD! I want to get my house cleaned up, aired out and ready for when I abandon it for garden work. I already am dying with the need to be gardening! I want to be out in warm sunshine so bad! I put some tomato seeds in some peat pellets to sprout today and I know I am going to be such a mother hen over them until they sprout. I don't know what it is, but the smell of tomato plants means summer is coming!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
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| Ms. Treadle |
Posted - Feb 26 2010 : 8:05:44 PM
I love this time of year with all the chatter about starting seeds. I'm hoping to get into my greenhouse tomorrow and start some myself!!
Blessings,
Leigh-Ann
The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary. ~Mary Kurtz
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| nubidane |
Posted - Feb 25 2010 : 12:22:05 PM
Kimberly, I think the only way to salvage those is to repot & make sure to bury the in soil with just the tops sticking out. Then make sure to get a grow light, & even a fan on them to distribute any heat evenly. You will probably want to thin out that many plants as well. They are still viable, but the stems are weakening daily. |
| CherryPie |
Posted - Feb 25 2010 : 11:23:03 AM
What do you think? These are eight day old spinach. Too leggy to grow real leaves?
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher, Eager Podcaster
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Podcasts at http://thefannyfarm.blogspot.com/ |
| alterationsbyemily |
Posted - Feb 25 2010 : 11:18:09 AM
I got a few more seeds today, and I can't wait to start them! Is the average time to prestart 6 weeks?
See my custom costumes, download free patterns, and hear some spook EVPs from Gettysburg, PA on my site, www.alterationsbyemily.com |
| nubidane |
Posted - Feb 24 2010 : 11:29:06 AM
In some instances, I have built up the soil around the leggy stem so that it has more support, & that seems to help. |
| CherryPie |
Posted - Feb 24 2010 : 07:30:56 AM
My spinach seedlings are already about 2 inches long. I wonder if they are too leggy already. I'm picking up the florescent bulb and clamp lamp today but I'd hate to have to start over with new seeds.
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher, Eager Podcaster
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/
Podcasts at http://thefannyfarm.blogspot.com/ |
| Ms.Lilly |
Posted - Feb 24 2010 : 06:54:33 AM
Kimberly Ann- a regullar lamp should do just fine just make sure you use a flourescent bulb. I just use 4 foot shop lights in my greenhouse and my tomatos are over 2 feet tall and have buds on them each year when I transplant them.
Lillian |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Feb 24 2010 : 05:48:17 AM
Alee, I went to Lowe's yesterday and got 4 of the little greenhouse seed trays and found some heirloom tomatoe seeds. I am going to get them all going today. And I found some organic spinach and lettuce, too. I have a cold frame outside that needs cleaning up. I got some organic peat moss and I will plant the spinach and lettuce in there in a few days. We may get some snow flurries the next few days. So I might need to wait on the outside stuff.
Sounds like everyone's busy. I love this time of year when we can start little seeds for our future groceries!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| KathyC |
Posted - Feb 23 2010 : 10:21:35 AM
Annika,
My cat his own plants and he loved them. He had 2 different kinds of cat nip and some kitty greens, wheat and rye grass I think. He would trim his plants regularly and he didn't really bother the other plants much, occasionally he would get in the aloe vera, but I figured he needed it for some reason.
Kathy |
| Annika |
Posted - Feb 23 2010 : 08:38:21 AM
I'm going to have to buy my pepper, tomato and eggplant starts at the farmers market come spring...my cats won't stay out of my seedling and try to eat everything ...maybe I'll get some hot pepper spray  But I'm planning a fair sized garden even though water is gonna be tight. We DO have all year spring in our pasture so I can fill up buckets =)
Can you tell I'm ready to garden...and it's still February!
Can't wait to go out and get muddy  
I am so happy that you and Nora are having so much fun!
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci
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| Alee |
Posted - Feb 23 2010 : 08:26:30 AM
Kimberly- my Turnip seedlings really sprouted up fast and grew too tall because I didn't have enough light. I went and got a plant light and it seems to have helped- the other turnip seedlings aren't getting as leggy. I would keep a light on them if they can't be in a bright window. I am going to have to replant some of my turnips because of this. But I think my carrots should be fine since they didn't sprout until after I got the light on them.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| CherryPie |
Posted - Feb 23 2010 : 08:04:06 AM
Hi Alee,
I have those greenhouse trays too. I just posted about my spinach - I have sprouts but I want to make sure I get them to the seedling stage without a grow light. I wonder if a regular clamp-on desk lamp, aimed at the tray, would get enough light to them....Hmmmmmm
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher, Eager Podcaster
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/
Podcasts at http://thefannyfarm.blogspot.com/ |
| Ms.Lilly |
Posted - Feb 19 2010 : 08:27:18 AM
Isn't it exciting when we start seeing those little green seedlings. In the greenhouse I have spinach, lettuce, kohlrabi, radishes, peas, cabbage, kale, green onions and turnips all coming up. I go out there 3 times a day just to see if anything else has popped up! Yesterday I filled the cell trays and put them on the hot bed to start warming and today the tomatos and peppers will be started- woo hoo!!!!!! I would love to have more plants in the house but the cat eats them all, so the only thing I have growing in the house now is peas and that is because she hasn't found them yet!
Lillian |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 19 2010 : 08:12:32 AM
The carrots are finally sprouting- yesterday I saw the first baby rootlings coming out of the seed coat- in the next couple days we will have seedlings.
The turnips are about ready to be planted in soil- I need to get some set up on Sunday for them! I am so excited for this first bit of spring gardening! We have such a short growing time here in Montana that any head start is good! :D I can't hardly believe that February is almost over!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| sherrye |
Posted - Feb 19 2010 : 07:07:24 AM
how fun for you and Nora, i too have the garden bug. i put my smaller garden together a couple days ago. ready to plant. got the heater up and running in the greenhouse. with help from a friend. i hear geese overhead as i type. they are knowing it is spring. i am so ready. kris glad you are drying out a bit. all the wet snow and rain and mud you had. i am going to plant my cool crops. lettuce cabbage etc. what fun on the farm sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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| Alee |
Posted - Feb 17 2010 : 07:34:28 AM
I officially have seedlings! The radishes went from nothing but a fuzzy initial root last night to two inch seedlings this morning! The leaves and Nora is THRILLED! She is so excited! Looks like I am re-arranging the living room on Wednesday! Now we need some sunlight! I am so excited! I guess I better bring in my window box things and my pot that has garden dirt in it. Luckily we are experiencing a huge thaw as well so I might be able to get some more garden dirt- that would be great- I don't want to have to buy to much potting mix! Soon the eggplant and the carrots will be sprouting up! YAY! Looks like this will be a great spring!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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