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Post by Goldbrick on Mar 19, 2022 20:03:05 GMT -5
 But in the garage instead. Today I potted a 72 cell tray of 30 bell peppers, 24 tomato, an 18 cells of yellow squash. then a second tray of 24 zucchinis, 18 cucumber , and I finished of tray two with more yellow squash. If all the seeds come up, I'll be over-run with bedding plants, but lots of folks are growing gardens this summer, so they won't be hard to get rid of. I set up some stans in front of the garage windows, and put the trays on heated, growing pads, but I sure miss the old greenhouse at my first house, back in the late seventies.
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Post by turbocat on Mar 19, 2022 23:21:32 GMT -5
Reading your post brought me back to my childhood. I spent a few years on a small farm and working with the seeds and the baby plants was my favorite part. I remember rushing to check the seedlings when I got home from school to see how much they had grown. The animals were fun too, the goats we had were hilarious and a lot of fun but the geese we raised always attacked me. Every spring I think about planting even a few vegetable plants, but I never seem to get to it in time. I hope your plants do well!
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Post by terrapinflyer on Mar 20, 2022 14:06:11 GMT -5
Good for you. There's nothing like starting seeds to get ready for the season. Lately I just buy tomato plants and i sow seeds right in the garden for cukes and sqashes and green beans. I can't keep up with a big garden any more. I'll be getting my hands dirty soon, too. Happy growing.
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Post by Gandalf on Mar 20, 2022 14:06:55 GMT -5
My parents used to have big gardens, but I've never done anything but put a few things like tomatoes and cucumbers in big pots on the deck or patio.
I did think about putting out some herbs in a small raised bed this year.
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Post by Goldbrick on Mar 20, 2022 15:23:02 GMT -5
In my family, growing a garden meant you'd have something to eat throughout the year. I know this goes back at least as far as the eighteen-sixties, cause I have family letters from that time that speak of planting and rains and such. One of my garden tools belonged to my Great Grand-mother.
Emily: this is the first year I've planted my own seed flats, since I dismantled my old greenhouse, back in 79. I too, like to watch the seeds become live plants, and grow to produce something that'll end up on my table; plus I seem to have more friends in the summer, than in the winter.
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Post by Silver on Mar 20, 2022 15:38:28 GMT -5
But in the garage instead. Today I potted a 72 cell tray of 30 bell peppers, 24 tomato, an 18 cells of yellow squash. then a second tray of 24 zucchinis, 18 cucumber , and I finished of tray two with more yellow squash. If all the seeds come up, I'll be over-run with bedding plants, but lots of folks are growing gardens this summer, so they won't be hard to get rid of. I set up some stans in front of the garage windows, and put the trays on heated, growing pads, but I sure miss the old greenhouse at my first house, back in the late seventies. Not bad, considering you were talking about retiring from the garden! I have a few weeks before lettuce, radishes, beets and such can be planted here. With nicer weather, starting to feel the itch. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 20, 2022 15:42:09 GMT -5
I worked on a farm as a child. As long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it. It's a thankless job.
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Post by toshtego on Mar 20, 2022 16:55:45 GMT -5
I wanted to plant a container garden in a 100 gallon, stock tank. It is galvanized and leaks too much for water.
Not sure how much time I will have and I hate to start plants and then they die from neglect.
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 20, 2022 18:04:57 GMT -5
I wanted to plant a container garden in a 100 gallon, stock tank. It is galvanized and leaks too much for water. Not sure how much time I will have and I hate to start plants and then they die from neglect. Since it's still snowing there, I would guess that you have plenty of time. Can't use galvanized containers in Texas unless you want Roasted Roots. |
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Post by Goldbrick on Mar 20, 2022 20:32:27 GMT -5
I worked on a farm as a child. As long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it. It's a thankless job. As a life long supermarket worker, I understand that outlook, and last year I told myself I'd never do it again, but then things went a bit crazy in our world, and I figured, I have the land, the roto-tiller, a wife with the knowhow , and willingness to can, a shed full of canning jars, and the knowledge my dad passed down to me. Plus every time I harvest a meal from the garden, it a few less trips to the store, and a few less gallons of gas spent heading to the store. I thank myself each time I look in the pantry and see quart jars of beans , tomatoes, cabbage and squash, but at the same time reeling from back and leg pain. My pal, Ben, always says that my dad is smiling down on me when I'm out there with that tiller , and I remind him that my dad worked himself to death, and was gone at age 56...I tell him if my dad is looking down on me ,he's most likely wondering how I do it at 68.  These days, I find myself on youtube, looking for ways to grow more with less work...I'll let you know how that goes at the end of the season. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 20, 2022 20:36:59 GMT -5
I worked on a farm as a child. As long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it. It's a thankless job. As a life long supermarket worker, I understand that outlook, and last year I told myself I'd never do it again, but then things went a bit crazy in our world, and I figured, I have the land, the roto-tiller, a wife with the knowhow , and willingness to can, a shed full of canning jars, and the knowledge my dad passed down to me. Plus every time I harvest a meal from the garden, it a few less trips to the store, and a few less gallons of gas spent heading to the store. I thank myself each time I look in the pantry and see quart jars of beans , tomatoes, cabbage and squash, but at the same time reeling from back and leg pain. My pal, Ben, always says that my dad is smiling down on me when I'm out there with that tiller , and I remind him that my dad worked himself to death, and was gone at age 56...I tell him if my dad is looking down on me ,he's most likely wondering how I do it at 68. These days, I find myself on youtube, looking for ways to grow more with less work...I'll let you know how that goes at the end of the season. Yep, my dad's dad was a share cropper and that's what my dad grew up doing. Plus more hard labor after that,and he was gone at 59. I hope that he would approve. |
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Post by Legend Lover on Mar 21, 2022 7:47:04 GMT -5
I worked on a farm as a child. As long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it. It's a thankless job.I wanted to plant a container garden in a 100 gallon, stock tank. It is galvanized and leaks too much for water. Not sure how much time I will have and I hate to start plants and then they die from neglect. I tried growing carrots and a few other things, but, as per Ron, it was a thankless job considering the amount I got back for my work (when I remembered to, like Tosh mentioned). I'd often forget that I had something growing and so I'd forget about them. Plus, I don't know what to do with the stuff when I harvest. For example, there are apple trees in my garden...the apples pretty much ripen at the same time and I've got 50-60 apples. I'm not going to eat that many before they go off. For me, like Ron, as long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it...buying as I need works best. |
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Post by toshtego on Mar 21, 2022 8:04:05 GMT -5
I wanted to plant a container garden in a 100 gallon, stock tank. It is galvanized and leaks too much for water. Not sure how much time I will have and I hate to start plants and then they die from neglect. Since it's still snowing there, I would guess that you have plenty of time. Can't use galvanized containers in Texas unless you want Roasted Roots. Hopefully, warmer roots mean faster growth in our cool Springs. Come Summer, it might be a problem. |
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Zach
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Post by Zach on Mar 21, 2022 8:39:00 GMT -5
I've got 4x of the 72-cell hex trays full of heirloom tomatoes by this point.
I'll be selling seedlings, hardy 6-8 week starter plants, tomatoes, and seeds this year.
Vintage Wine, Brandywine, Black Krim, Bush Champion II, Early Girl, Burpee Big Boy's, Boy oh Boys, Marianna's Peace, Marglobes, Big Rainbow, German Johnson, Hillbilly reg leaf, San Marzano, Giant Paste F1 hybrids, Dr. Wyche's Yellow, Arkansas Traveler, Chef's Choice Black F1, Big Beef, Better Boy, Lemon Boy, Mr. Stripey, Green Zebra, Homestead, Striped German, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Abe Lincoln, Best Boy, Kellogg's Breakfast, Mortgage Lifters.
I still have to place yet another seed order for some old heirlooms today that were out of stock. Some of Livingston's Seed Co. catalogue tomatoes from the late 1800's to 1916 including Livingston's Globe, Golden Queen and Livingston's Magnus.
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Post by Plainsman on Mar 21, 2022 8:40:24 GMT -5
If you put plants in the ground here before June you risk being frosted out. No tomatoes ‘til mid August. Hardly worth it, tho I did it for ten years.
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Zach
Pro Member
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 4,359
First Name: Zach
Favorite Pipe: Too many currently, bound to change
Favorite Tobacco: Haunted Bookshop, Big 'N' Burley, Pegasus, Habana Daydream, OJK, Rum Twist, FVF, Escudo, Orlik Golden Sliced, Kendal Flake, Ennerdale
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Post by Zach on Mar 21, 2022 9:06:53 GMT -5
Forgot any mention of the rest, but I don't start my cucumbers inside I just put them in the ground 3 seeds in a triangle around the 2nd week of may and those will be Burpless Beauties, and my favorite Wisconsin SMR 58 (Wisconsin Summer of 1958's). I started a few tray rows of some bell pepper and hot pepper plants and then gave them to my wife for her plant room but they didn't even germinate without a seedling mat because the room stays about 68 degrees. Will need to start more of those. Still have to start some yellow onions in trays, I'll have a bunch of yearly volunteer golden and purple fingerling potatoes, and I need to get out there today or tomorrow and throw down a few radishes. Usually grow more but only focusing on tomato cash cropping this season.
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Post by Ronv69 on Mar 21, 2022 10:58:53 GMT -5
I worked on a farm as a child. As long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it. It's a thankless job.I wanted to plant a container garden in a 100 gallon, stock tank. It is galvanized and leaks too much for water. Not sure how much time I will have and I hate to start plants and then they die from neglect. I tried growing carrots and a few other things, but, as per Ron, it was a thankless job considering the amount I got back for my work (when I remembered to, like Tosh mentioned). I'd often forget that I had something growing and so I'd forget about them. Plus, I don't know what to do with the stuff when I harvest. For example, there are apple trees in my garden...the apples pretty much ripen at the same time and I've got 50-60 apples. I'm not going to eat that many before they go off. For me, like Ron, as long as I can buy food, I won't try to grow it...buying as I need works best. At our last house we had an orange tree that was a top producer. It was there when we moved in. We usually got about 60 oranges off it. The neighbors benifited greatly. |
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Zach
Pro Member
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 4,359
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Favorite Tobacco: Haunted Bookshop, Big 'N' Burley, Pegasus, Habana Daydream, OJK, Rum Twist, FVF, Escudo, Orlik Golden Sliced, Kendal Flake, Ennerdale
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Post by Zach on Mar 21, 2022 17:18:33 GMT -5
Placed my final order today. Just a few of these here were extra stock I was low on, many are brand new varieties I've not grown yet. I was unable to get Livingston's I mentioned in my above post through Seed Savers but they did have Livingston's first famous tomato from the mid 1800's, the Paragon.
David Davidson's Tomato Cream Sausage Tomato Tomato, Dester Cherokee Purple Tomato Brandywine (Sudduth's Strain) Black from Tula Tomato Mamie Brown's Pink Tomato Livingston's Paragon Tomato Kellogg's Breakfast Tomato Japanese Trifele Black Tomato Gold Medal Tomato German Pink Tomato Eva Purple Ball Tomato Opalka Tomato Speckled Roman Tomato Silvery Fir Tree Tomato Redfield Beauty Tomato Peach Blow Sutton Tomato Paul Robeson Tomato Oma's Orange Tomato Nyagous Tomato Nebraska Wedding Tomato Mortgage Lifter (Halladay's) Tomato Moonglow Tomato Missouri Pink Love Apple Tomato Tomato, Mexico Midget Stupice Tomato Tasty Evergreen Tomato Trophy Tomato Ukrainian Purple Tomato Velvet Red Tomato Whittemore Heirloom Tomato Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato White Tomesol Tomato |
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Post by Silver on Mar 21, 2022 17:38:44 GMT -5
Zach - just how big is your tomato patch?
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Zach
Pro Member
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 4,359
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Favorite Pipe: Too many currently, bound to change
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Post by Zach on Mar 21, 2022 17:49:08 GMT -5
I'm leveraging multiple properties, but I typically grow a few hundred pounds of tomatoes per season with 40-60 plants each previous year. This time, I'm wiping out all else I would usually grow. Not growing lettuces, not growing the peas and beans this year, not growing melons and not growing squash. At a minimum, probably just a few cucumber plants and a few more spacesaver varieties of things in containers. Square footage wise? Not exactly sure but I'll be selling many of the starts and growing 150+ plants of my own.
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Post by Silver on Mar 21, 2022 19:06:26 GMT -5
I'm leveraging multiple properties, but I typically grow a few hundred pounds of tomatoes per season with 40-60 plants each previous year. This time, I'm wiping out all else I would usually grow. Not growing lettuces, not growing the peas and beans this year, not growing melons and not growing squash. At a minimum, probably just a few cucumber plants and a few more spacesaver varieties of things in containers. Square footage wise? Not exactly sure but I'll be selling many of the starts and growing 150+ plants of my own. Thats a lot of marinara! |
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Post by Goldbrick on Mar 21, 2022 19:30:33 GMT -5
Zach, of all the tomatoes on your list I've only grown Morgage Lifters. Mostly I've grown Better Boys, beefsteak, early girl, and marglobe. Last year the local retail greenhouse closest to me shut their door for the last time. Now it's drive all over town, or grow my own, but compared to you, I've led a sheltered life!
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Post by Silver on Mar 21, 2022 21:43:02 GMT -5
Early in the season I'll be planting lettuces, beets and radishes. Once warm weather is here to stay, I'll probably have 16 tomato plants, half of which will be Roma for sauce. The rest will be a combination of heirlooms - Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Mortgage Lifter, or whatever other interesting varieties I run into. There'll be a few eggplants. I'll have pepper plants - Hungarian, Romanian (gypsy), banana. I'll also have chile plants - jalapeno, thai, cayenne,chile de arbol, habanero and other varieties that bring some heat for drying.
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Post by turbocat on Mar 21, 2022 23:11:01 GMT -5
Early in the season I'll be planting lettuces, beets and radishes. Once warm weather is here to stay, I'll probably have 16 tomato plants, half of which will be Roma for sauce. The rest will be a combination of heirlooms - Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Mortgage Lifter, or whatever other interesting varieties I run into. There'll be a few eggplants. I'll have pepper plants - Hungarian, Romanian (gypsy), banana. I'll also have chile plants - jalapeno, thai, cayenne,chile de arbol, habanero and other varieties that bring some heat for drying. Since we are both in Metro Detroit, if you find you have a surplus during harvest and want to share... |
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Post by Silver on Mar 21, 2022 23:22:37 GMT -5
Early in the season I'll be planting lettuces, beets and radishes. Once warm weather is here to stay, I'll probably have 16 tomato plants, half of which will be Roma for sauce. The rest will be a combination of heirlooms - Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Mortgage Lifter, or whatever other interesting varieties I run into. There'll be a few eggplants. I'll have pepper plants - Hungarian, Romanian (gypsy), banana. I'll also have chile plants - jalapeno, thai, cayenne,chile de arbol, habanero and other varieties that bring some heat for drying. Since we are both in Metro Detroit, if you find you have a surplus during harvest and want to share... Something could be arranged. |
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Post by Legend Lover on Mar 22, 2022 5:45:46 GMT -5
I'm leveraging multiple properties, but I typically grow a few hundred pounds of tomatoes per season with 40-60 plants each previous year. This time, I'm wiping out all else I would usually grow. Not growing lettuces, not growing the peas and beans this year, not growing melons and not growing squash. At a minimum, probably just a few cucumber plants and a few more spacesaver varieties of things in containers. Square footage wise? Not exactly sure but I'll be selling many of the starts and growing 150+ plants of my own. I can't take that in. That must be a LOT of work. |
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Zach
Pro Member
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 4,359
First Name: Zach
Favorite Pipe: Too many currently, bound to change
Favorite Tobacco: Haunted Bookshop, Big 'N' Burley, Pegasus, Habana Daydream, OJK, Rum Twist, FVF, Escudo, Orlik Golden Sliced, Kendal Flake, Ennerdale
Location:
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Post by Zach on Mar 22, 2022 6:37:35 GMT -5
It really doesn't feel like a lot of work, but it is constant. I suppose it's the old adage that if you love what you're doing, it's not work. When I was growing up, my grandfather always grew a large garden along with working full-time for General Motors. My love for cultivating, especially tomatoes, comes directly from him. He gardened up until age 80 last year and he's still trying to get his seeds started this week at age 81 but cancer is giving him a really hard time getting around and energy wise. Pete mentioned sauces and marinara. I don't often grow paste tomatoes so I don't often make sauces but will be growing a couple of them this year and trying some canning. Typically we eat all the tomatoes on sandwiches straight from the garden, freeze some, make some fruit leather, and dehydrate.
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Post by Legend Lover on Mar 22, 2022 8:39:31 GMT -5
It really doesn't feel like a lot of work, but it is constant. I suppose it's the old adage that if you love what you're doing, it's not work. When I was growing up, my grandfather always grew a large garden along with working full-time for General Motors. My love for cultivating, especially tomatoes, comes directly from him. He gardened up until age 80 last year and he's still trying to get his seeds started this week at age 81 but cancer is giving him a really hard time getting around and energy wise. Pete mentioned sauces and marinara. I don't often grow paste tomatoes so I don't often make sauces but will be growing a couple of them this year and trying some canning. Typically we eat all the tomatoes on sandwiches straight from the garden, freeze some, make some fruit leather, and dehydrate. Funny, I was going to add the phrase at the end of my last post, 'or maybe it's not work for you'. |
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Post by dervis on Mar 24, 2022 8:22:57 GMT -5
Started my first round of seeds a few weekends ago. Growing up used to be pretty safe planting in April here but now a last frost seems to sneak up. So I keep my seeds in the greenhouse and get in the ground first weekend of May. Lucky where I am there is a large growing season so first round of things start in greenhouse but the rest can just start in ground. It is rewarding being in the dirt. Planting anything also shows that you think and hope there will be a tomorrow. Plus the food actually tastes like something instead of chemicals and regret. For anyone worried about growing excess, give it away , or get something like chickens to turn the short shelf life veg into long lived shelf life meat / eggs.
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Post by Goldbrick on Mar 24, 2022 11:28:32 GMT -5
Started my first round of seeds a few weekends ago. Growing up used to be pretty safe planting in April here but now a last frost seems to sneak up. So I keep my seeds in the greenhouse and get in the ground first weekend of May. Lucky where I am there is a large growing season so first round of things start in greenhouse but the rest can just start in ground. It is rewarding being in the dirt. Planting anything also shows that you think and hope there will be a tomorrow. Plus the food actually tastes like something instead of chemicals and regret. For anyone worried about growing excess, give it away , or get something like chickens to turn the short shelf life veg into long lived shelf life meat / eggs. Great to hear from you Travis, none of my seeds have pushed their way through the soil yet, but I have three heads of garlic sprouting over water glasses, in my front window. It's my first time growing garlic, but it seem simple enough  . I have friends and family aplenty to deal with any excess. |
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But in the garage instead. Today I potted a 72 cell tray of 30 bell peppers, 24 tomato, an 18 cells of yellow squash. then a second tray of 24 zucchinis, 18 cucumber , and I finished of tray two with more yellow squash.
These days, I find myself on youtube, looking for ways to grow more with less work...I'll let you know how that goes at the end of the season.
