Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the middle of a Wisconsin winter

[21hens-incharge]

gizzyntaz,
What do you plan on growing? Are you as snow buried as I am? I still have a foot of snow covering the entire yard.
Deer proofing..... I bet that means you live in a pretty area.

I am planning on growing a lot of things I have never tried to grow before and things I failed miserably at growing.

Here are a couple things I have never tried to grow before....
Okra, winter squash, watermelon, and pickling cucumbers.

Things I have tried and failed at but want to try again.....
Potatoes, onion from seed, and musk melon.

There are of course things that do well for me like tomatoes, radish, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, and of course summer squash.

If you have any tips on growing some of the items I listed PLEASE share them. I need all the help I can get.

 

[politicalcenter]

gizzyntaz,
What do you plan on growing? Are you as snow buried as I am? I still have a foot of snow covering the entire yard.
Deer proofing..... I bet that means you live in a pretty area.

I am planning on growing a lot of things I have never tried to grow before and things I failed miserably at growing.

Here are a couple things I have never tried to grow before....
Okra, winter squash, watermelon, and pickling cucumbers.

Things I have tried and failed at but want to try again.....
Potatoes, onion from seed, and musk melon.

There are of course things that do well for me like tomatoes, radish, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, and of course summer squash.

If you have any tips on growing some of the items I listed PLEASE share them. I need all the help I can get.

We grow okra every year. We also grow watermelon every year. Okra and all the melons like it warm. watermelon needs a lot of water but not so much okra. We mulch under the melons to keep the rot off the bottom and it is usually pine straw but regular straw can work. Melons also need a lot of organic mater but not so much okra.

I would start my watermelon and okra early in peat pots in your climate and keep them warm.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I got sugar baby watermelon seeds and hope to grow a few for us and for the hens.
Does watermelon transplant ok or should I do a low tunnel in the garden for them to start in?
I have space now to start them inside if they transplant ok I am willing to give them a go inside then harden them off in a cold frame.

I am very excited about getting a real garden going finally.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

21hen, I've had the best luck planting the seeds in the ground and walking away. Politicalcenter is correct about planting at the correct times, depending on whether the plants like cool or hot and how much water they require.

Potatoes I plant with my cool crops, I even had them get a good frost one year, they bounced right back. Winter squash plant when you plant cucumbers, after all risk of frost has past. Watermelon I can't grow well enough to try most years, our season is too short.

Mulch is your friend, water enough but don't over water or roots will rot. On really wet years my onions will start to rot.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The feed store has some really nice straw right now. I may go get a few more bales just for the garden mulching. I got 2 for the chicken yard and it is some of the nicest straw I have ever handled.

Our season is really short too. We are in a very dry area so most of the time there is a huge lack of rain. Mulching will help a lot I am certain. I have the parts to do a drip system for the garden so plan to drip line to avoid the powdery mildew.

I was really happy to find the lights at half price! The bulbs alone cost nearly 12 dollars each and I got fixtures with 2 bulbs in them for only 15.
I really hope this gives me a head start on the seedlings. I love the yellow tomatoes and most of the time cannot find any locally. I got seeds for last year but never used them. I think they should still be good. Having the grow lights means I can grow things I cannot normally find.

 

[gizzyntaz]

gizzyntaz,
What do you plan on growing? Are you as snow buried as I am? I still have a foot of snow covering the entire yard.
Deer proofing..... I bet that means you live in a pretty area.

I am planning on growing a lot of things I have never tried to grow before and things I failed miserably at growing.

Here are a couple things I have never tried to grow before....
Okra, winter squash, watermelon, and pickling cucumbers.

Things I have tried and failed at but want to try again.....
Potatoes, onion from seed, and musk melon.

There are of course things that do well for me like tomatoes, radish, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, and of course summer squash.

If you have any tips on growing some of the items I listed PLEASE share them. I need all the help I can get.

I live in the Mid-Atlantic, so we got hit by the blizzard. That snow has melted, but now they are talking about some more storms heading our way. My neighbor had 8 deer breakfasting in her backyard a few days ago - so they are definitely my enemy

As for your list:
Okra - never tried
Winter Squash - very easy, almost as easy as summer squash but not as prolific
Watermelon - I've failed
Pickling cukes - moderate success, but I was foiled by cucumber beetles last year
Potatoes - trying for the first time this year
onion from seed - never tried
musk melon - never tried

I've had good luck with garlic, bush beans, tomatoes, summer squash, pie pumpkins, lettuce and peppers. I try to grow what we will use, though we moved to a big yard a year ago and I'm looking forward to more homesteading as time goes on!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have grown most of my own stuff from seeds for years, it does allow a lot of different varieties, I just sent out my tomato seed order to Totally Tomatoes, ordered some black, yellow and an orange one that says it has a hint of peach flavor. Should be interesting and delicious.

Great buy on the lights 21hens, I got my second set ready to go, might be starting some Echinacea in the next week or so, than petunias next.

 

[21hens-incharge]

This guy is great but at the 2 minute mark I am screaming NOOOOOOOO!

I can get some composted cow manure and really good aged plant compost free or nearly free so filling the garden boxes wont cost as much. So much needing done before spring hits and looking at snow makes me spend a lot of time planning and replanning.
I am really probably overthinking the garden again lol. Cabin fever I am afraid.

Really cannot put much out until May 10. At least that is the recommended time here.
We usually get a couple heavy snows in March so I need to make sure I don't get overconfident and start seeds to early.

I have to laugh a bit at some of my canned tomatoes from last year. I cooked them down some and added a bunch of hot peppers. WELL they got really HOT and when I made chili it turned out so hot hubby could not eat it. I have been the only one in the house that can handle the heat. I may have to do it differently nest time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice on the hot pepper, I can't handle any heat. Is May 10 your last frost date, ours is June 1. I usually get my cold crops planted sometime in April, depending on the year.

I didn't make it two minutes in the video, that's a lot of okra.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I forgot about the annoying ad at the beginning. I just skip the ad sorry for not warning you all.
The guy in the video has amazing okra plants and at the 2 minute mark he starts plowing an entire row under!
My hubby is from the south so I am used to the accent and the ways of the southern folk.

I am now thinking about starting some of the cute little crinkled pansies inside too. They cost a fortune to buy if you can even find them here. I can order seeds for them.
So many options now that I can start some things inside. Maybe my plant budget wont be so strained this year.

Oh and yes May 10 is our last frost date. BUT I have seen snow in late May too.