What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

I don't think I'll go out into the garden until Friday, if not Saturday...

 

[Sueby]

@WthrLady - that's so weird with the Texas mud.

 

[MrLeeHo]

No garden work this weekend. Have some early season plants ready to go in this week (spinach, lettuce, carrots). But I did spend the weekend rebuilding the run for the girls. Made some good progress and getting excited about it.

 

[BullChick]

I was told that weeping willows were monsters coming to get me. I do not care that I am old, they still scare me!

 

[WthrLady]

@WthrLady - that's so weird with the Texas mud.

dust was pulled up with this massive storm and rained out in our dense fog. It's EVERYWHERE. I'm rooting for a heavy rain tomorrow to wash the majority off everything before I have to wash windows.

Marigolds have been thinned and moved.
The onion sets planted as well as the horse radish.

Didn't get to the kentucky coffee pods.

 

[WthrLady]

Have decided not to plant the coffee bean pods. Everything about the tree is toxic to livestock and pets. So...nope.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Ok, newbie question: when do you transfer seedlings to larger containers/plant outside? The weather shouldn't be an issue...but do the roots need a certain amount of time in their little pot to get established before I try to move them?

Went to plant one yesterday and got scared when the whole thing of dirt didn't want to come out in a chunk. Only ever planted seeds directly into the garden or bought seedlings before. The seedlings from the store usually have roots enough to hold the dirt together, if that made sense. Should mine be like that?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Once the frost is gone in mornings. Depend on when you buy them the younger the start longer to keep it in.. general rule of thumb

 

[WthrLady]

Ok, newbie question: when do you transfer seedlings to larger containers/plant outside? The weather shouldn't be an issue...but do the roots need a certain amount of time in their little pot to get established before I try to move them?

Went to plant one yesterday and got scared when the whole thing of dirt didn't want to come out in a chunk. Only ever planted seeds directly into the garden or bought seedlings before. The seedlings from the store usually have roots enough to hold the dirt together, if that made sense. Should mine be like that?

Your roots may or may not be like that. Usually the stuff at the garden centers is fed once or twice a week with root stimulant and usually bottom watered which helps draw the roots downward. Lights kept low allow for root development over greenery for a while.

So yes, after danger of frost is gone, which is Georgia is pretty much anytime now. Just try to avoid placing delicate roots in tough soil, they'll get root bound and not thrive. So again, Georgia, if you have the lovely sandy loam or the clay makes a difference.

I usually like my plants to be at the stage where they have plenty of roots and don't want to easily pull out of the cell dirt, but before they become one massive white root ball in the cell. A gentle tug will tell you.

 

[Sally PB]

@AmeliaBedelia, if the little plants' roots don't reach to the side/bottom of the pot, there isn't any need to repot it. It still has room to grow, so to speak. If your soil is ready, you can plant them outside, but harden them off if they haven't been.

Usually, the less you disturb the roots, the better. Some plants, like melons, hate to have their roots disturbed. One year, I bought a bunch of melon plants and it was hard to get them out of the plastic 6-cell thingie you often get plants in. They just sat in the ground, not doing a darn thing for a month. (This is "transplant shock.") By then it was July and they should have had flowers, but they were only about 4" tall. I think I got one or two melons that summer.

@WthrLady, very interesting about the root stimulant. Thanks for the info.