What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

@Hensintexas sorry ;( I'm in your same boat.

Wandered around lost today really. Trying to keep busy. I spent 4 hours on a commission this morning after only sleeping 4 hours, laundry, wandering, seed shed, wandering, more laundry, wandered about picking up and not wanting to pick up too much too fast. Sigh.
Cancelled auto ships etc. Wanted to escape the house for a while, but didn't feel up to it.

I arranged the patio furniture, and worked on the hoop house vent system. I primed a door for the hen house. I sorted my seeds into my little plastic containers and into the little metal tin from TSC. Stood in the seed shed shaking my head at the lack of starts.

Has ANYONE else had a serious problem getting things to germinate this year?! I'm not doing anything different, not even the time of year. My tomato germination is only at 10 %. All seeds are from seed saver except for ones I harvested and ones from rareseeds. All of those have germinated. NONE of the seed saver ones have.

Anyone????

I had trouble with a few tomato varieties last year and this year . I watched a couple of videos on sprouting old seeds . It involved peroxide and then a little sugar water . I tried it and got 1 seed to sprout from 2 varieties I tried it on . I will find the video tomorrow .

 

[1Slayer]

My husband helped me today get all of the seeds started. He's never helped before, but I started a lot more than I usually do.
54 plugs and 27 mini greenhouse pots.
View attachment 3030249

Your going to love and be so proud of what you put into the earth and grow!!!

 

[1Slayer]

Okay, trying to do everything..
I have, peas both sugar and early, green beans, Basil, Arugula, 4 types tomatoes, zucchini, and holding watermelon . I figured half of my plants either stager and die, or make it into the broiling hot summer in NC. The nights are still in the 40-50 range, so alot of moving inside and out.

 

[Acre4Me]

@Hensintexas sorry ;( I'm in your same boat.

Wandered around lost today really. Trying to keep busy. I spent 4 hours on a commission this morning after only sleeping 4 hours, laundry, wandering, seed shed, wandering, more laundry, wandered about picking up and not wanting to pick up too much too fast. Sigh.
Cancelled auto ships etc. Wanted to escape the house for a while, but didn't feel up to it.

I arranged the patio furniture, and worked on the hoop house vent system. I primed a door for the hen house. I sorted my seeds into my little plastic containers and into the little metal tin from TSC. Stood in the seed shed shaking my head at the lack of starts.

Has ANYONE else had a serious problem getting things to germinate this year?! I'm not doing anything different, not even the time of year. My tomato germination is only at 10 %. All seeds are from seed saver except for ones I harvested and ones from rareseeds. All of those have germinated. NONE of the seed saver ones have.

Anyone????

I didn’t end up using any SS seeds yet this year, and I didn’t buy any this year. Last year I had moderate success with the seeds I purchased from them. I’m still miffed that my garlic order was cancelled by them in the fall due to “crop failure”…really, ALL of them (I ordered 3 varieties)? Really, you didn’t know this until after ALL other vendors were sold out?? Anyway, they weren’t on my radar this year.

I’ve had some trouble with a few varieties, but one is a 4 or 5 year old packet of pepper seeds. The other two were packed for this year..so not sure the problem. And another that hadn’t germinated is a pelleted celery seed, so I think it’s taking its time due to the clay of the pellet.

I’m using a heat mat for the first time, and it has helped overall.

 

[WthrLady]

I've not had more than one tomato and no beans/peas germinate yet. But I am the "chuck them in the ground and see what happens" type. All my seeds are purchased.

Michaels is having their "biggest sale of the season" event and photo boxes are only $12.99. Also saw smaller ones for sale at Tuesday Morning for $14.99.

Regular price is 14.99 for them at Hobby Lobby.
Also you can just buy the wallet portion if you don't need so many.

 

[WthrLady]

all of my things are on mats.
I just find it odd that it's just the seed savers that are bad. I wonder if they froze in the mail.

 

[1Slayer]

I had trouble with a few tomato varieties last year and this year . I watched a couple of videos on sprouting old seeds . It involved peroxide and then a little sugar water . I tried it and got 1 seed to sprout from 2 varieties I tried it on . I will find the video tomorrow .

Have all my seedlings, in the warmest spot in the house.., gave up on all the " do this- do that" advice. I mixed in about 100 pounds of Golden poop...LOL.into my beds. With nice dark top soil. This year has been very good so far...but I know better than to spit in the wind..... It stays good.

 

[Wolfie2]

Planted a row of Mrs. Lobo's long beans today. And the cattle panels they grow on put up. Blue lakes I planted about 3 days ago already about 2" tall.
Got a delivery of some Sh2 corn today from Gurneys. The reason I bought them instead of the stuff we normally get fron the feed store was because they said the husk of that variety stays tight to the corn, lessening the corn borer issue that I always have. Will report in a few months how that works out. Wife doesn't care for the taste of the super sweets and also she is diabetic so she wants a regular sweet corn variety. Yes Ma'am, will do!
Need a row of okra and the main crops will be done.
Hope to have the onions done in less than a month. Already have had a couple @ about 3-3.5 ' that Mama has pulled and is using in the kitchen as we speak. So gonna start some winter squash soon to be ready when the time comes for that part of the garden. Hope that's not too late for squash for zone 9-A. I have very seldon tried squash because the vine borers. This is the problem with planting in the veggie garden year round. Somthing still producing is interfering with something needing to be planted.
Got a layer of leaves for mulch done on the parts that are ready for it.
On the disappointing side: The mustard seed I planted hopin to make up for all them that died over winter, have not sprouted yet. Me and Mrs. Lobo will both be disappointed if they don't work out.
On the scrounging side: Went to a union sponsored crawfish boil this afternoon. Good times were had by all, good food, good conversation, Good ole "my generation" live R&R. As I was leaving I passed by the facility where the bugs were still being boiled. There was a pile of "crawfish bags" laying on the ground. Asked what they were going to do with them and they told me I could have them. Ended up with 23 heavy duty loose weave bags capable of holding about 40 lbs. Perfect for storing taters, onions etc., etc.
Have a nice day Folks!

 

[Iluveggers]

all of my things are on mats.
I just find it odd that it's just the seed savers that are bad. I wonder if they froze in the mail.

I don’t think freezing would ruin them. I have volunteer tomato plants every year & they are definitely exposed to freezing temps during the winter!

I have very seldon tried squash because the vine borers.

Last year I covered w fabric row cover until I saw female flowers & then uncovered. SVB damage only killed 1 plant after that. Worth a shot!

 

[chickengr]

Glad you have a backup plan @Acre4Me - a lot of states have shut down any selling or trading or fairs & auctions. Etc.

I went to pick up the cow today & the farm owner told me the 155 culled birds were her neighbors! I was telling her I was a little late because I wanted to change for the sake of biosecurity as she has chickens. She thanked me profusely & then told me her neighbor called her a while back & said they came in & culled all her birds because they had HPAI. It was a mixed flock, geese included. She said she got a pre-recorded message from the Dept of Ag but already had her flock locked up. I wish I had had more time to talk to her & find out how it all happened.

Aaaanyway, got the cow all in the freezer & have broth bones roasting already - I don't have room for them. Smells delish in here tho!

They gave me someones box of heart, liver, kidneys & tongue by accident. Ick. I don't know what to do with it, trying to give it away to someone but no one wants it. LOL

don't you make liver pate? or just fry it. my uncle taught me to cook cow tongue. first boil it and cut the outside disgusting "skin". then chop the inside meat into small-ish squares and fry with onions and carrots. at the end add tomato paste and some fresh parsley - chopped. I was a kid when he fooled me, he said it had been a beef goulash. once I tasted it I don't mind eating it as it was very tasty. but they don't sell cow tongues any more. as for heart and kidneys - I still keep a long distance, lol.