What did you do in the garden today?

[wyoDreamer]

Does anyone have a “greenhouse”? I dont know if I should sprout the seeds indoors and move them into it or if they’d sprout outdoors. I don't really have any room to start seeds indoors.

If you can get your greenhouse up to temp and hold it there, you can sprout outside.

Seeds need the soil to be above a certain temp to germinate. Every plant has its own magic temperature need. In our area, there is no way to get a greenhouse to hold temp this early in spring to get a good germination rate. Well, without breaking the bank with heaters. That is why most of us "northern" gardeners start seeds inside.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Does anyone have a “greenhouse”? I dont know if I should sprout the seeds indoors and move them into it or if they’d sprout outdoors. I don't really have any room to start seeds indoors.

I have a small plastic green house. How warm does yours stay? Mine can drop into the 50s at night so I keep my trays in the house until they begin to sprout. If it’s something like tomatoes or peppers they can even be in storage closet or something as long as you remember to check them for sprouting and move them to the greenhouse as soon as they begin to sprout. My peppers are currently sitting on the shelves above the toilet in the bathroom because Im running out of cat proof spaces.

 

[pennyJo1960]

These chicks hatched while I was in the hospital 2-14 . I was expecting blue laced but no blue in any of them . Odd .View attachment 2541971View attachment 2541972

Give it time
Morning Gardeners

 

[Acre4Me]

Anybody grow figs?

I am thinking about getting a Chicago Fig. They have them for sale locally right now as saplings about a foot tall. I'm wondering how many years until I might get fruit? Also, if you have experience with the Chicaho Fig variant, I would love to hear about your experience and if it truly is hardy in zone 5.

We are 6A. We bought a Chicago Hardy Fig from Burpee (pretty sure) as a 1" tall sprout. Yes, 1 inch, and just a few leaves. We planted it next to a south facing brick wall, with a large bush just to the west of it, to help block bad winter winds.




Just a few months later, This is what it looked like. It did develop some figs, but they did not mature that first year.

So it died back to the ground over the winter. Roots were viable and it sprang back to life.
Here is a pic from Sept 1, 2020 after the first winter. The figs showed up earlier and several ripened. I didn't get a pic though.

This is planted in an area we don't walk by much, so we forget about it. I'm a bit worried it is planted too close to the wall - not sure how troublesome the roots are on a fig. Anyone know?

 

[Acre4Me]

It has more to do with the shape of the spot than the total area of white. The males spots are supposed to wrap around or almost be a grouping of spots while the female spots are supposed to more solid. These are male View attachment 2541856
And these are female.View attachment 2541857
There are few strains of the breed that can’t be sexed this way but I can’t remember what they are.

Here are pics from today of their heads: We have 6 BR chicks, but put them in 2 groups to increase the likelihood of getting all heads in one shot. So, none have separate spots - that is good. But, in each pic of mine the "bottom" chick is suspect...so we will see if those two are female or not. .

 

[NewBoots]

No heater in my greenhouse but since our winters are pretty mild (maybe 14 days of freezing temperatures at night a year) I seem to have good luck with mine. I wintered over a few peppers and my snap peas are just about all sprouting now. This time of year I'll just be starting the cold hardy stuff and leave the tomatoes and pepper seeds for another month or so.

I haven't posted pics in a while so here's a few:

This the the pepper I trimmed back like you're supposed to do.

Dottie and Amelia "sharing" a nest.

And an example of what happens if you leave your beets in the ground over the winter. The chickens love these and eat them leaves first then the beets.

 

[Fishychix]

All seeds have a temperature that is ideal for sprouting and a range at which they will sprout given more time as well as a minimum sprouting temperature.
There are other charts like this available online but hope this helps.
https://harvesttotable.com/vegetable-seed-germination-temperatures/
If you can attain those temps in the outdoors, go for it.
I've been sprouting barley for a few weeks. Keeping them on the back porch for sunlight but it has been between 35 and 45 on the porch and bringing the trays in twice a day and spraying them with water that is about 90F for a few minutes and allowing them to drain in a 65F kitchen.

If you can get your greenhouse up to temp and hold it there, you can sprout outside.

Seeds need the soil to be above a certain temp to germinate. Every plant has its own magic temperature need. In our area, there is no way to get a greenhouse to hold temp this early in spring to get a good germination rate. Well, without breaking the bank with heaters. That is why most of us "northern" gardeners start seeds inside.

I have a small plastic green house. How warm does yours stay? Mine can drop into the 50s at night so I keep my trays in the house until they begin to sprout. If it’s something like tomatoes or peppers they can even be in storage closet or something as long as you remember to check them for sprouting and move them to the greenhouse as soon as they begin to sprout. My peppers are currently sitting on the shelves above the toilet in the bathroom because Im running out of cat proof spaces.

Thank you all! I dont know the temp of the greenhouse yet. Im expecting to get it this week and hope enough snow melts so I can set it up. I also need cat proof spaces, which is the main reason Im out of room.
I guess I can sprout a couple of 6pks at a time and take them out as they sprout?

 

[Ascholten]

Like the photos. Im getting ready to start my main planting. Problem in north florida is, it's a crap shoot at the end of Feb, do they grow like crazy or do we get nailed with one more hard freeze that kills off the new stuff you just put in. I think im going to chance it, im geting itchy to get stuff in

aaron

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Working on the fence today. The weather is absolutely beautiful. It’s not helping me get much done though. It makes me feel like laying in middle of yard in the sun and taking a nap.

 

[Sally PB]

This year I am growing San Marzano, Rutgers, Ponderosa and Brandywine.

I have grown Brandywine twice. Both times, it was a total disappointment. These were purchased plants, mostly as a afterthought. I had heard such wonderful things about them!

Another tomato I was so eager to try that was disappointing was German Pink. But onward and upward. I will always plant tomatoes in my garden. There are so many varieties to try, I probably will be putting in "first timers" every year for the rest of my life.