Raising and Growing Our Organic and Not- So-Organic Foods

[chickadoodles]

Tule, you mean the netting material used for dress making??? Ingenious!

Yes that tule. It will keep the Asian psyillid off my citrus. I hope! It worked last year.

My effort to start herbs so far has been a joke!! Will try again though!

My mint is happy and took over a 4 x 12 bed. Im ok with that as It was too close to extinction in the original bed where the chickens worked it over. The few remaining scraps were transplanted in a number of locations to ensure its survival. My mother has had this variety since the 1960's.

Will make sure some of this mint makes it into the orchards!! THey do send up a love spike of purple flowers the bumble bees love.

Dh tore my mint out of the garden. He thought it was a weed. I will look for some this spring.
Here in Alabama we often get last freeze in April and sometimes even in May. Last year I could not start my garden till June!

 

[Arielle2]

Dang, you are one of many victimized by helpful husbands!! Hopefully a few roots were missed.

You know Im happy to share my mothers variety!!

 

[Arielle2]

Onion starts. Onions are one of the first seeds to start as they require a very long time to grow. Fortunately only uses a small piece of real estate in the house to get a good pot of starts.
Use a deep pot, like 4 inches to eliminate repotting. Im trying a flat this year to keep everything square on the shelving, but two 2 cup cottage cheese containers worked VERY well last year. Just keep them adequately watered when the roots fill the tub. Might need to water everyday in the weeks before planting out.

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/Articles-for-Reprinting/Start-Onions-From-Seed-in-February-March

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/The-Maine-Organic-Farmer-Gardener/Winter-2010-2011/Onions

I never have time to fall prep beds.

Bought bunching onions at favorite store today. A big Burpee display that is always on sale at 40% off was very... tempting. Bought the bunching onions yesterday, went back today ..... bought 20 packets.

I also made out wish list from the Territorial Seed catalog. A wish list to last this year AND next as bulk seed is far cheaper, and most seed lasts 2-3 years. LOVE Territorial Seed as it provides that info for every vegie variety. ONION lasts only one year-- explains my bare starting pots. Always something to learn!!

Purchases to day covered a few of my wish list items.

 

[Arielle2]

For those that would rather buy already grown starts, they have that too at Territorial Seed, and other seed companies too.

http://www.territorialseed.com/category/onion_leek_plants

 

[Molpet]

I get my onion plants from https://www.dixondalefarms.com/category/long_day_onions

 

[Arielle2]

Love that website!!!

They have the hugest onions!! Clearly they are very knowledgeable on how to grow onions---I can only dream about growing onions that huge!

As with all vegies, they need the right stuff to thrive. Have a look. It makes me realize all vegies need some level of TLC to be the most productive. The right fertilizers, ammonium sulfates and weed control.

https://www.dixondalefarms.com/category/growing_aids

 

[Arielle2]

With a little care, like picking the better variety and prepping the planting are, most of us even in the cooler regions can grow sweet potatos. After several years of reading " how- to's" Im ready to jump in and give these hot weathered tubers a chance. If all else fails, the vines are edible for livestock, and maybe people too.

Sandhill preservation has much about these sweet tubers AND careful details like length of season and vining or bush.
Note-- this is a new website format and is not phone friendly, at least not on mine.
https://www.sandhillpreservation.com/sweet-potato-varieties
Also-- look for their VERY detailed guide to calculate the amount of HEAT needed to grow these; I thought I was too cold until I made the calulation. Early varieties could work here with a normal summer.

Here is a bit more about growing sweet potatoes.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-sweet-potatoes-in-the-home-garden-1403479

 

[Arielle2]

For those that love tomatoes and like to try new varieties, here are a huge number of dwarf tomato plants that are great for those who dont want to stake and manage the typical indeterminate types. Developed over some 10 years by volunteers and managed by Craig H and Patrina, the varieties require little or no staking depending on the specific variety.

THe goal was to create DWARF indeterminate plants. Meaning a longer growing season than the deteriminant types which typically set flowers, stop growing and provide one harvest-- instead these tend to grow all season but are kept smaller via dwarfing genes.

These took several years of breeding and sending seed back and forth from US to Australia and back and forth with a volunteer growing out and selecting plants that are tasty, pretty and meet the dwarf indeterminate requirement.

Just give them a typical tomato cage for a bit of support. Im not clear on the effects of suckering yet. Im still learning and plan to grow a couple varieties this year.

Here is the main list.
https://www.dwarftomatoproject.net/

Actually sellers are many including Victory Seed, Sample Seed Shop and Casey's Heirlooms (CA) as well as others. One variety is in the Tomato Growers catalog.

 

[Arielle2]

There are a number of reasons to pursue our own food sources. One of mine is prevention of chronic illnesses. Here is Dr Bergman, CO, who is VERY cutting of the medical profession because it has become a victim of politics. THis is a basic video that covers illness in a nutshell, and many of the conflicts of interest I have heard before via other sources. His presentation is based on PUBLISHED papers.

How to recover from a cancer diagnosis

He is a strong advocate of colorful vegies and fruits....

Sooo.. I am building my gardening plans around the cold tolerant vegies that can handle the cold winters here. Lowest so far this winter is 5 degrees for a day or two.

Here is a great jumping off point!!
Top ten veggies to over winter.
http://www.motherofahubbard.com/10-vegetables-more-cold-hardy-than-kale/

 

[Arielle2]

In the house I have started the spinach. Very slow. Very small. Maybe the bathroom is too warm????????