Green thumb is itching, anyone else?

[Carols Clucks]

Today is January 3rd, far too early to plant in the ground.

But it was almost 70 yet again today, the convertible was a blast to drive and the garden is calling me.

No rain in the forecast for the next 10 days either.

Maybe I will just transplant some more spring wild flower seedlings that have popped up all over

Did I mention is it JANUARY...ugh!

 

[Kassaundra]

I was going to try winter sowing this year, but if it doesn't quit being 70's in the day time I can't do that.

But I am NOT complaining I love the nice warm days we are getting!!!!!!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I highly recommend Seeds of Change. We used them last Spring for my ag class and they were excellent.

Someone said that they sell hybrids, but most all the seeds from seeds of change are able to produce viable offspring. They are also organic. You just want to stay away from F1 hybrids, which I really didn't see too many. Just do your research on the plants before ordering them. A quick google of their scientific names should give you all the information you should need.

Also, remember that things like beets and carrots are bi-annuals and typically don't produce seeds until the second year.

 

[flgardengirl]

Setting up my light shelves for seedlings this week. Gonna start lots of peppers, tomatoes, tons of my own hybrid brugmansia seedlings and of course, tropicals. I think the freezes make me want to plant seeds LOL. I just started several of pots and 5 gallon buckets full of cuttings to get rooting as well since we finally froze good the last two nights. Gotta love winter!!!

 

[Raiquee]

You are right about the wind pollination! Corn is a whole nother ball game. I just was trying to show people that hybrids doesn't mean gmo. If we didn't have hybrids, we wouldn't have a lot of the cool strains of...well anything...that we have. Like I said, I tend to grow heirlooms, but I don't pass down a hybrid that a fellow tomato breeder has been working on. I have seen and tasted some killer varieties that a home grower has selectly bred. And I think thats just way too cool!

As to the one who said for me to container plant, my husband would kill me

I have a couple of those big totes that you put ice in (walmart-4 bucks) and one I plant with herbs, one I planted with 8 (yes, 8!) cucumber plants and let them grow over the sides. I had these on my front stairs and they ran everywhere, and did very well! I also did one with melons, but we had such a cold wet spring that they didn't have enough time to mature :\\ BUMMER.
I do plan on doing a heavy spring garden, probably not a summer tho. I don't know. I can do arugula, lettuce, spinach, mesculin mix, radishes, chard, carrots, bok choi, peas, beans.

I just can't wait to get to our new farm so we can get fruit trees, asparagus, berry bushes, grape hedge planned and going :\\ SIGH. So close but yet so far!!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There's a red seedless grape called Reliance that is really delicious. You might want to check those out, when the time comes to get grapes. They're my favorite.

I sprout more this time of the year.

 

[Cowgirl75446]

I am also ready to start my garden. I raise tomatoes, okra, corn, squash, and watermelons. I am going to start cleaning up my garden in a couple of weeks, I have been cleaning out chickens pens and using that to put in my garden. I usually plant in April.

 

[ChicksterJo]

It has been feeling like May instead of January here in the high desert. But since we do live in the desert the nights are still really cold (it frosted last night but it was probably around 70 during the day), so I will wait until early March to germinate my peppers. Maybe late February, since I'm growing some very hot ones. But yes, the gardening bug has bitten me and I can't wait til spring! We ordered lots of seeds from Southern Exposure, so we're waiting on those too. I also got a free seedling tray from the garden supply store here...I purchased a heating pad for my future peppers but the person working there also decided to give me a germination tray that he said they got as a sample from the supplier. Can't wait to use that!

 

[Glenmar]

I just went through my seeds today. The good news is I have all seeds needed for the garden except eggplant.
I plan on starting most of it from seeds in the greenhouse. I have saved seeds from last year.

 

[Linn Bee]

Quote:
As Hhandbasket in #45 mentioned, you look for heirlooms or open pollinated (OP) varieties.

1. Fave tomato for canning is RUTGERS. Actually a hybrid that has been around long enough to be considered an heirloom. It is determinate so most of the fruits ripen at the same time for canning. The fruit is uniform in size with no green on the shoulders. Very much old time tomato flavor. For sauces and paste I like ROMA. For eating/slicing I L-o-v-e Black Sea Man! Yum!
2. Favorite winter squash is ACORN. I grow a semi-bush variety I think is "Table Queen". The fruit lasts well into the winter and one squash will feed two hungry squash lovers.
3. Three things for storing? I have lots of room so squash, spuds, and onions top my list. I have stored carrots, but prefer to dehydrate or can most of my harvest. Actually, spuds are so cheap that only having room makes them my choice.
4. I don't have a preferred yellow. I do like Yellow Pear and Blondkopchen for snacks.
5. All my plants are either OP or heirlooms so I save seeds from as many of them as I can.

For #47 post: An old, well-liked heirloom variety of sweet corn is 'COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'. To prevent cross pollination with GMO corn, however, means that you can't grow it within about 20 miles and be sure of having pure seed. What I try to do is time my corn's pollination time either very early or after the corn in this area has been pollinated. This year I'm growing a few plants inside the garden shed and hoping to hand pollinate them.

If chickens are my new hobby, gardening is my avocation. Does it show? Unless I see something I can't live without (a good possibility) I already have all my seeds for the coming year.