Search
Latest topics
» New to SFG and in Virginaby sanderson Today at 1:38 am
» Bokashi
by sanderson Today at 1:08 am
» Onions. Walk on?
by sanderson Today at 12:46 am
» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 10:38 am
» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/26/2024, 5:56 pm
» 6 metal trellis frames
by docachna 3/25/2024, 4:31 pm
» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm
» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 3/24/2024, 1:28 pm
» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener 3/23/2024, 6:02 pm
» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by neefer 3/23/2024, 12:33 am
» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by CantersVary 3/22/2024, 7:50 pm
» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/22/2024, 5:07 pm
» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by OhioGardener 3/22/2024, 2:09 pm
» Victory Garden Reboot
by Scorpio Rising 3/22/2024, 11:53 am
» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/22/2024, 11:43 am
» Commercial (bagged or bulk) compost question
by Mikesgardn 3/21/2024, 7:09 pm
» Think Spring 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/20/2024, 10:34 am
» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by sanderson 3/19/2024, 4:51 pm
» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener 3/18/2024, 10:34 am
» Happy St. Patrick's Day
by Scorpio Rising 3/17/2024, 5:54 pm
» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 3/11/2024, 10:28 am
» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 3/10/2024, 8:38 pm
» Why I love Oregano in the garden.
by OhioGardener 3/10/2024, 8:16 am
» Comfrey
by OhioGardener 3/9/2024, 6:07 pm
» Sealing Barrels Flowers Struggling-Need Ideas
by Turan 3/9/2024, 3:09 pm
» Hello again from a slightly different part of Central PA!
by sanderson 3/9/2024, 1:46 pm
» Chicken manure compost
by Oopsiedaisy 3/8/2024, 7:56 pm
» Chinese Broccoli
by sanderson 3/7/2024, 10:28 pm
» Heat Mat Lifespan
by Scorpio Rising 3/7/2024, 9:33 am
» Now is The Time To Take Seed Inventory
by OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 4:36 pm
Google
Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
+13
68carguy
R&R 1011
MelF77
plantoid
herblover
jimmy cee
Kelejan
AtlantaMarie
littlesapphire
CitizenKate
sanderson
trolleydriver
Scorpio Rising
17 posters
Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
OK, very helpful! So, I have a shelving unit, cheapo, $50 and (2) 48" shop light fixtures on chains.
As far as what to start indoors, that was good advice. So, I guess I was thinking the early stuff can go right in the ground, but in fact, an earlier start indoors then transplant out is better! As far as the heat lovers, that is the typical indoor starter crop.
So I can start the kales, lettuces, and other "leaves" indoors then move them out as soon as packet says, and likewise the heat lovers.
And direct sow the roots! Coming together....
As far as what to start indoors, that was good advice. So, I guess I was thinking the early stuff can go right in the ground, but in fact, an earlier start indoors then transplant out is better! As far as the heat lovers, that is the typical indoor starter crop.
So I can start the kales, lettuces, and other "leaves" indoors then move them out as soon as packet says, and likewise the heat lovers.
And direct sow the roots! Coming together....
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Heard rain overnight, but woke up to a winter wonderland! Turned to snow sometime and is now coating everything inwhite! And windy! Went out and threw the squirrels some peanuts and put some sunflowers on the ground for the ground dwellers, the Mourning doves don't seem to ever fly to the feeder, choosing to scrape around on the ground for some reason. And Juncoes tend to be on the ground, but as I type this one brave little gray fella is on the perch!
I picked up a book at my library yesterday called "Sugar Snaps and Strawberries; Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Garden" by Andrea Bellamy. The pictures are beautiful, and it is full of practical tips and ideas for sontainer growing. Really, I just looked at the pictures and read the captions! LOL
What's going on where you are today? I am going to try another bread recipe!
I picked up a book at my library yesterday called "Sugar Snaps and Strawberries; Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Garden" by Andrea Bellamy. The pictures are beautiful, and it is full of practical tips and ideas for sontainer growing. Really, I just looked at the pictures and read the captions! LOL
What's going on where you are today? I am going to try another bread recipe!
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
When starting my seeds I've found keeping lights as close to the starting plants that I was able to gave me great results, even as they grow I adjust lights to stay just at the tip of the longest plant.
These are just regular daylight lamps, however I have a few of them along side each other.
These are just regular daylight lamps, however I have a few of them along side each other.
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
[quote="jimmy cee"]When starting my seeds I've found keeping lights as close to the starting plants that I was able to gave me great results, even as they grow I adjust lights to stay just at the tip of the longest plant.
These are just regular daylight lamps, however I have a few of them along side each other.
I have heard that as well, Jimmy! Thanks for the advice. I need to get additional chain length so I can do that when time comes!
These are just regular daylight lamps, however I have a few of them along side each other.
I have heard that as well, Jimmy! Thanks for the advice. I need to get additional chain length so I can do that when time comes!
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Jimmy cee wrote:When starting my seeds I've found keeping lights as close to the starting plants that I was able to gave me great results, even as they grow I adjust lights to stay just at the tip of the longest plant.
These are just regular daylight lamps, however I have a few of them along side each other.
Same here. I don't usually keep the lamps as high above the plants as I have shown in the photo. I just wanted the plants to be visible for the photo.
I also tried the broad-spectrum tubes, but I think most of the plants I've raised seem to like the regular daylight tubes best. And they're cheaper.
Last edited by CitizenKate on 1/10/2016, 10:59 am; edited 1 time in total
CitizenKate- Posts : 844
Join date : 2015-03-20
Location : Northeast KS, USA; Zone 6a
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Sounds like you got the weather we had the night before last. Brrrr! It was +4 and partly cloudy when I got up this morning, but it's supposed to warm up a bit today.Scorpio Rising wrote:Heard rain overnight, but woke up to a winter wonderland! Turned to snow sometime and is now coating everything inwhite! And windy!
Today, getting more done on my new grow light stand. I maxed out my old one (the one in the photo), so I'm building a new super-duper model that can hold 2 light fixtures on one level.
CitizenKate- Posts : 844
Join date : 2015-03-20
Location : Northeast KS, USA; Zone 6a
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Yep, Kate, I am about a day behind you exactly! Good for you on the light stand! Good day for it!
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
SR, I am in central OH and our rain changed to snow about 9 am. The ground is almost covered and this is our first accumulating snow of the year. It would be nice to start seeds indoors, but my 2 challenges are lack of time and cats, so I don't. Regarding timing, a few years ago I sat down with my All New SFG book, looked up my last/first frost dates ( I actually used the 50% chance dates) and made our a schedule for succession planting the veggies I most commonly grow; particularly salad greens, kale, chard, carrots, radishes. The warm weather crops I plant after my traditional May 15 last frost date. It has worked really well for me.
herblover- Posts : 577
Join date : 2010-03-27
Age : 61
Location : Central OH
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Herblover! hey! Yeah, I talked to my sister in Lewis Center this morning, and you guys got snow later than we did in the northwest. The wind was directly out of the north! As I type, it has started snowing again in earnest here. Still very blustery as well.
Honestly, I did seeds twice in my life indoors, both times not the best. But I had an under powered old fluorescent in the basement, it was too far away from the plants, too cold to get good germination, etc. Some made it out alive, LOL, but I couldn't justify the hassle and worry for the results!
This year, I hope it will be different! And if it doesn't work, New Leaf Garden Center, here I come! I am there all the time anyways...they see me coming...
Honestly, I did seeds twice in my life indoors, both times not the best. But I had an under powered old fluorescent in the basement, it was too far away from the plants, too cold to get good germination, etc. Some made it out alive, LOL, but I couldn't justify the hassle and worry for the results!
This year, I hope it will be different! And if it doesn't work, New Leaf Garden Center, here I come! I am there all the time anyways...they see me coming...
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
I'm finalizing the production of my seed list on A3 sheets for 2016 , as I have binned Microsoft and moved over to using Ubuntu for my operating system. ( No more silly annual updates & weekly patches that kill all my work & equipment drivers hopefully ).
I have 57 more lines of 14 columns of input to do ..it's taking me la lot longer than I allowed for , as I ended up having to make a line reader device because I realized I was making zillions of typo's and entering the wrong line half way through . It's made with a mask that covers everything save for the line I'm typing out .
For those who used them think of a big A3 typewriter . It's not unlike the roller bar of one with my hand written list taped to it . As I rotate the roller it pulls the seed ilst across the reading window mask .
The god thing is that I've made ot out of aluminium and plastic made as an engineering exercise .Not only will it out last me by many years , I can see it's going to be invaluable as I get older and have cataracts etc .
So far the 72 seeds tubes I've got done are now listed in the crop type order ie Brassica , allium, legumes flowers ,salads , herbs , roots , & others in alphabetical order withing each group .
Once everything is done , I'll sit down and hand write the master sowing charts ..I should just about be ready for starting sowing by the end of Jan 16 .
Now I can see at a glance that I have exactly what I was hoping to have .....five different sowing time carrots e.g. Very early ( Under a cloche ), early , main , winter & over wintering .
It's the same for several other species of plants .
I have 57 more lines of 14 columns of input to do ..it's taking me la lot longer than I allowed for , as I ended up having to make a line reader device because I realized I was making zillions of typo's and entering the wrong line half way through . It's made with a mask that covers everything save for the line I'm typing out .
For those who used them think of a big A3 typewriter . It's not unlike the roller bar of one with my hand written list taped to it . As I rotate the roller it pulls the seed ilst across the reading window mask .
The god thing is that I've made ot out of aluminium and plastic made as an engineering exercise .Not only will it out last me by many years , I can see it's going to be invaluable as I get older and have cataracts etc .
So far the 72 seeds tubes I've got done are now listed in the crop type order ie Brassica , allium, legumes flowers ,salads , herbs , roots , & others in alphabetical order withing each group .
Once everything is done , I'll sit down and hand write the master sowing charts ..I should just about be ready for starting sowing by the end of Jan 16 .
Now I can see at a glance that I have exactly what I was hoping to have .....five different sowing time carrots e.g. Very early ( Under a cloche ), early , main , winter & over wintering .
It's the same for several other species of plants .
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Impressive! I am happy that I bought 2 plastic index card boxes to put my seeds in....more or less chronologically, however, not chronological in relation to indoor seed starting.
Plantoid, you are über organized! I hope to be better at the whole timing thing this year.
Plantoid, you are über organized! I hope to be better at the whole timing thing this year.
Last edited by Scorpio Rising on 1/10/2016, 9:56 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : This thing made relation into real latin)
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Wait till I get an HDMI male plug to VGA male plug connection lead so I can hook up my laptop to a 24 inch TV that's going to be used as my dedicated laptop monitor then I will be uber organised indeed .
I might just finally be able to read the letters ,numbers & words that I type .
Meanwhile I hope to start off a few leek & onion seeds on the heated LED lit seed raising bed lthis afternoon if it stops raining & I manage to remember how to programme the digital controller unit needed for it .
I might just finally be able to read the letters ,numbers & words that I type .
Meanwhile I hope to start off a few leek & onion seeds on the heated LED lit seed raising bed lthis afternoon if it stops raining & I manage to remember how to programme the digital controller unit needed for it .
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Plantoid, what is your climate like?
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Might I suggest wintersowing some of those?Scorpio Rising wrote:PLAN: Direct Sow: radish, lettuces, kale, spinach, potatoes, squash, carrots, swiss chard, pole beans, peas, turnips
Start under lights: Tomatoes, peppers, melons, sunflowers, basil? I didn't use much last year...what am I missing?
Greens do really well wintersowing and than you have more room for frost tender stuff under the lights. Sunflowers respond really well with wintersowing also. Root veggies, I think are best directly in the bed.
MelF77- Posts : 29
Join date : 2016-01-13
Age : 47
Location : Central NY, zone 5
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
MelF77 wrote:Might I suggest wintersowing some of those?Scorpio Rising wrote:PLAN: Direct Sow: radish, lettuces, kale, spinach, potatoes, squash, carrots, swiss chard, pole beans, peas, turnips
Start under lights: Tomatoes, peppers, melons, sunflowers, basil? I didn't use much last year...what am I missing?
Greens do really well wintersowing and than you have more room for frost tender stuff under the lights. Sunflowers respond really well with wintersowing also. Root veggies, I think are best directly in the bed.
Absolutely! I know nothing about the timing of this stuff, what to put where, honestly! Last year, I moved existing old flower window boxes that were rotting to a square around a tree root hole. That was my SFG, and honestly it was super great.
But I have not started seeds other than the garden since probably the mid to late 90s. I need all the help I can get! And I am limited on S F at least until
I get myself in gear!
Winter sowing....
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Hey guys, haven't been on in awhile. Just pulled my seeds and garden binder out to start planning and figured I'd stop in on the forums.
I failed last year. I had a bad start. The creek behind my beds flooded from all the rain, flooded my beds, and knocked out a lot of my Mel's mix. This year my plan is to add on another foot in height on my beds and replace the lost soil.
We did get my garden completely fenced in. It's helped keep critters out, but I have a couple gaps to fill in. Also, I put my chicken run around my compost bins. They break down the compost unbelievably fast.
Excited to start a new year. ☺ hope everyone is well.
I failed last year. I had a bad start. The creek behind my beds flooded from all the rain, flooded my beds, and knocked out a lot of my Mel's mix. This year my plan is to add on another foot in height on my beds and replace the lost soil.
We did get my garden completely fenced in. It's helped keep critters out, but I have a couple gaps to fill in. Also, I put my chicken run around my compost bins. They break down the compost unbelievably fast.
Excited to start a new year. ☺ hope everyone is well.
R&R 1011- Posts : 293
Join date : 2013-02-22
Age : 40
Location : London, OH -Zone 5B/ 6A
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
R&R 1011 wrote:Hey guys, haven't been on in awhile. Just pulled my seeds and garden binder out to start planning and figured I'd stop in on the forums.
I failed last year. I had a bad start. The creek behind my beds flooded from all the rain, flooded my beds, and knocked out a lot of my Mel's mix. This year my plan is to add on another foot in height on my beds and replace the lost soil.
We did get my garden completely fenced in. It's helped keep critters out, but I have a couple gaps to fill in. Also, I put my chicken run around my compost bins. They break down the compost unbelievably fast.
Excited to start a new year. ☺ hope everyone is well.
Hi R&R! Glad you chimed in! Last year was a wet one for sure, especially in the Spring. My re-puposed window boxes which I use for my SFG are in the lowest part of my backyard, of course. There were many times I was sloshing out there in my Crocs and hoping for the best. I too am trying to plan better with a year's experience under my belt. My compost pile suffered from regualr drownings as well.
I ordered some fun new to me veggies, and got a shelving unit with a couple lights for Christmas, so am also hoping for a better year in the garden.
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
I received the below greenhouse back a couple of years ago from my girlfriend and haven,t had the opportunity to put it up due to health issue's the last 2 years. I am hoping to give it a try in the next couple of months, maybe March or April time frame. I plan on starting cool weather crops soon inside under a grow light, them move to the greenhouse for the final hardening off process. That will allow me the room start things like pepper's, tomatoes, and maybe eggplants under the inside light to get them going, move them to the greenhouse for the hardening off, and then have them ready to transplant into the SFG. Timing is important, not sure I can accomplish all of this but I want to try. I don't want to have to buy plants at a nursery, which I did last year and had a terrible garden. Last year was my second attempt at a SFG and pretty much a total failure. Not sure if it was the plant's I purchased, weather, my Mels Mix, my gardening abilities or a combination of all. I also have various compost projects going, tumbler's, and ground piles and I hope to supply all for my needs and not have to buy anymore compost this year either. Big plans...guess we will see how it goes!!
68carguy- Posts : 152
Join date : 2014-02-16
Location : Northern, VA.
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Hi R&R and 68CarGuy! Good to see y'all!
R&R, my garden really didn't happen last year either... So don't feel TOO bad!
R&R, my garden really didn't happen last year either... So don't feel TOO bad!
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
AtlantaMarie wrote:Hi R&R and 68CarGuy! Good to see y'all!!
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Nice greenhouse, 68carguy! That will come in handy whether this spring or moving towards summer into fall! Last year was a tough one in our region for sure, without medical issues! Glad you are on the mend!
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Scorpio Rising wrote:Plantoid, what is your climate like?
Wet ,Cold ,very wet , windy, wetter , frosty tonight and did I say wet ?
I'll be starting most of our seeds of in a heated bed out in the office or use the one in my greenhouse .
I currently have some Kashmir cypress seeds stratifying in the fridge in an old four ounce mushroom container with coir compost . These boxes are wrapped up in food wrap to keep the fridge clean and the moisture in the box .. Only another week or so in the fridge & then they will also get put on a heated bed to germinate them.
We've had the warmest wettest December on record for the UK , average temperature was over 8 o C if I remember correctly & for a couple of days it managed a dizzy 15 o C .
Today 19 Jan it's dropped back to a more seasonal norm and it's realy brassy & cold out inthe wind . Big frost expected over the next few days minus 4 o C her in wales but 450 miles north from me it's expected to drop to minus 15 o C or even lower for a few night s.
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Kashmir cypress tree seeds? Typically they are wet tolerant, correct? Beautiful trees! Cypress grow here in the swampy areas especially lovely in the south, where they develop knees which protrude up from the water....
Scorpio Rising- Posts : 8687
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: Welcome 2016! January Plans and Schemes
Totally agree. My garden was a bust last year too.AtlantaMarie wrote:Hi R&R and 68CarGuy! Good to see y'all!
R&R, my garden really didn't happen last year either... So don't feel TOO bad!
Page 2 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
Page 2 of 4
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|