impatiently waiting for spring

[kelzey]

82 days until the equinox
138 until May1, which is when I seriously get into the garden. Too early to put out the 'maters, but spinach and greens and peas go in.

I will be taking lots of notes on how these tomatoes do. That's one thing that helps me A LOT: a garden journal. I think I'll remember next year what happened this year... but I don't.

i was thinking about starting a gardening journal as well! i’ve never been into journaling or anything but i think i’d love to write about all the varieties i’m going to grow and all that, and then in the summer write about everything i did in the garden every day and such. another thing that i’m interested in doing that i don’t think i’ve mentioned, is growing extra seedlings (of things like flowers and maybe tomatoes and such) and selling them locally to make back money for other garden related things, but i’m not 100% sure how any of that would work. it’s something to think about over the winter months though, which is nice

 

[Sally PB]

I don't think of my garden journal as a journal (though it is sometimes), but more as a way to record what works or didn't, or what I think I should do differently next time. I also use it to record how many eggs I get. Or used to get. The girls are on hiatus right now.

Selling seedlings... never thought about doing that. Spring craft fairs or farmers markets might be a possibility. If I were looking at seedlings to buy, this is what I would look for:

Healthy! Above all, healthy!

Be sure they are clearly marked as to the breed they are. When I have to buy tomato plants, I want to know EXACTLY what kind of tomato plant they are, not just cherry tomato, but Cherry Sweetie, for example. I'm big into heirlooms too, so if you grow those, mark them as such.

I think this could be a great idea! Think of what you can use for pots. Plastic margarine containers with a hole drilled in for drainage? Plastic peanut butter jars, with the top part cut off? Yogurt or cottage cheese containers? If you have to buy all the pots, you will be spending too much money to make it worth doing, or make the seedling too expensive for people to want to buy.

For tomatoes and peppers, you will want to start them inside, under lights, about 6-8 weeks before they will be big enough to sell.

Good luck if you do this!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

i’ve only heard of one of those! that’s such a neat arrange of varieties. i also ordered some matt’s wild cherry tomatoes- i love the size of them. i’m a sucker for pretty looking veggies so the other variety of cherry tomatoes that i ordered are pink bumblebee i think.

i’d love to get into a variety of different coloured carrots, i think they are just so pretty and different- along with other colors of other veggies in general. but that’s all for another year, i already have too much on my plate!

thank you for sharing your list- i’m most likely going to go look up all of those, so i can admire from a distance

Some of these are really common/popular, many not so much. Almost everyone I know has seen ky wonder pole beans, but for example the celine bush bean are brand new to our seed supplier. Almost all are open pollinated or heirlooms. Most are old favorites that do very well in our clay soil. A few are very new cultivars, only going on the market in the last 5 years. None of them have seed patents which is the most important thing.

Re: garden journals, I keep notes on which varieties preformed in what way each year so I can know what to plant, what not to plant, what problems to look out for and how to fix them, etc. I actually compile them at this time of year before picking seed varieties. For example, cucurbits ALWAYS get powdery mildew so resistance to that matters. Some varieties of tomato (san marzano especially) get blossom end rot very badly and need calcium supplements to thrive. Our pea plants require protection from groundhogs in the early spring but by midsummer our husky has usually dealt with that for me. etcetc.

 

[kelzey]

I don't think of my garden journal as a journal (though it is sometimes), but more as a way to record what works or didn't, or what I think I should do differently next time. I also use it to record how many eggs I get. Or used to get. The girls are on hiatus right now.

Selling seedlings... never thought about doing that. Spring craft fairs or farmers markets might be a possibility. If I were looking at seedlings to buy, this is what I would look for:

Healthy! Above all, healthy!

Be sure they are clearly marked as to the breed they are. When I have to buy tomato plants, I want to know EXACTLY what kind of tomato plant they are, not just cherry tomato, but Cherry Sweetie, for example. I'm big into heirlooms too, so if you grow those, mark them as such.

I think this could be a great idea! Think of what you can use for pots. Plastic margarine containers with a hole drilled in for drainage? Plastic peanut butter jars, with the top part cut off? Yogurt or cottage cheese containers? If you have to buy all the pots, you will be spending too much money to make it worth doing, or make the seedling too expensive for people to want to buy.

For tomatoes and peppers, you will want to start them inside, under lights, about 6-8 weeks before they will be big enough to sell.

Good luck if you do this!

i was browsing on amazon & came across this and thought of our conversation! i’m obsessed and might have to order one..