What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

@BReeder! It's not too late to start winter edibles, they'll be spring edibles instead, lol.

Only problem is I may not have the room for my tomatoes and peppers in late February if I start other things now. There's also the matter of my den being a but if a mess at the moment and the need to move the grow rack from the 3 season room back into the den for warmth before I put plants on it.

 

[WthrLady]

53 today, a high of 11 tomorrow with windchills of -25 to -30. No wonder everyone is sniffling.

 

[MandaRae]

I'm so jealous! I currently only dreaming of my garden and seed shopping.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Why the unbroken egg?

I don't know. Something to do with vitamins to prevent blossom end rot. I have tons of eggs, so I figured why not.
The year I didn't do it I had a poor harvest and blossom end rot. So I believe it's worth doing for me.

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't know. Something to do with vitamins to prevent blossom end rot. I have tons of eggs, so I figured why not.
The year I didn't do it I had a poor harvest and blossom end rot. So I believe it's worth doing for me.

I’ll have to give it a try!

 

[littledog]

He is friendly and quiet and apparently likes to sleep late. He will be a fine addition to the Wee Farm.

He is super cute, Sarah! He'll realize he's in the best place soon.

 

[littledog]

It's got me thinking about my tomato choices this year. I want one variety for sauce, one for slicing and one grape/cherry variety. Anybody have favorites they would like to share?

I grew San Marzanos for the first time this year, and got much better results than the Romas I usually grow. They took a long time to mature, but once they did, they were prolific, big and healthy into October, and never got blight that the Romas would usually get late in the season. It was an excellent gardening year in general though, maybe Romas would have done well too, but I'm definitely going with San Marzanos this year.

Consider San Marzanos for sauce...if you can grow them. I tried them last year and they were both prolific and delicious.

Yes! I thought they tasted better than Romas, too.

For cherries, I usually go with Sungolds. This year I tried Black Cherries too, and they were prolific and healthy, but I thought their taste was just meh. I'll probably stick with Sungolds again this year.

I want to try Mortgage Lifter tomatoes this year. Has anyone grown them?

I tried them this year for the first time and liked them a lot. They tended to grow in weird shapes with bad parts to cut out, but the lovely, rich flavor was worth it. I'll definitely grow them again.

 

[Acre4Me]

Anyone order from John Scheepers Kitchen garden seeds (CT) before? I've gotten their catalog for 2-3 years, but haven't ordered anything. a few things look interesting, so I might place an order

Regarding Burpee website issues: According to the CS response to my inquiry as to why I could not log on, or reset my password, and why my "account was locked temporarily" is that they launched a new website last May. Interestingly, you cannot access your past history, as according to their response, I would have to call CS to access that. So, for a large company I find it odd that they launched a new website, but unlike other companies that have done this, there was nothing to indicate I needed to make a new account or it was a new site, etc. Also, weird that they removed the ability to see past history...yes, of course can see history starting now...until the website is changed again. I've had issues with Burpee before and their CS response has always left me scratching my head. The main positive with Burpee is that everything I have ever sprouted from them has matched or exceeded their germination rates. All seed types have been viable and in good condition. I've bought some live plants - raspberry starts - only 1 died, fig: great, fall brussel sprout plants : lovely and healthy, but shipped too late to really get any kind of harvest. But reaching out to CS has always been a headache and lengthy investment in time. I only have a few things I want to order from them, including strawberry bare root plants....So I do it or do I look elsewhere?

 

[WthrLady]

I've been ordering elsewhere simply for the fact that I think the big companies are killing off the heritage varieties of thing-like Dole and the bananas.

930am and it's only 5 degrees outside and the winds are howling. Besides pouring over seed catalogs the only thing I'm harvesting today is a new vacuum. The old girl is 20 and just doesn't pull like she used to. She needs a new set of filters and a new beater bar, and new gaskets none of which they make anymore. Sad to see her go. She's worked hard, moved a lot, sucked a lot, and cost a fortune 20 years ago. Farewell DC17.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. Nothing happening in the garden today. We're getting a little bit of an ice storm. Hopefully it won't last and the temps get above freezing this afternoon. I grew San Marzano tomatoes last year and they did pretty well. It was a difficult gardening season here but those SM's did not get blight or blossom end rot. I add oyster shell to the garden beds that will be used for tomatoes in the fall and let it work over the winter and it worked well the first year. I did the same a few months ago and hope that will work again. I would never use raw eggs in the garden. I'm sure that would be like posting a "free meal" sign for all the woodland critters around here. That and the smell might annoy me and the neighbors. I'm getting more seed catalogs in the mail. The one I got yesterday is Johnny's Seed out of Maine. Ferry-Morse did not send a catalog but I did get an email that they were available online. I'll look at them when I get a chance. I like Burpee but have not had good luck with their seeds and live plants. As for their CS, sadly that seems to be more the norm these days for many businesses. I'm going to try leeks again this year. I plan on starting them early and see how that goes. I'm also considering buying some cold caps and direct sowing most of the other vegetables. I do have the hoops and plastic to cover one of the beds. That may likely be used for the kale and lettuce bed. I could also invest in some more hoops for one or two more covered beds. We'll see.