California - What are you doing this month?

Audrey's walking onions.  I stuck heads and bulbs in different places, hoping one would survive.  This is from a head planted upside down.

Believe me, if those were the only ones that survived you're on your way to a colony!!!  They are VERY prolific. 

I planted carrots in two places, spinach, spanish onions white and yellow and radishes.  My broccoli raab, cauliflower, kale and a few other things I can't remember are about 3 inches high.  Getting the best start on the fall I've had in a couple of years.

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:Believe me, if those were the only ones that survived you're on your way to a colony!!!  They are VERY prolific. 

I planted carrots in two places, spinach, spanish onions white and yellow and radishes.  My broccoli raab, cauliflower, kale and a few other things I can't remember are about 3 inches high.  Getting the best start on the fall I've had in a couple of years.

I don't understand how you can start your fall veggies when the temp is hanging around 94*.  But I guess it works for you.  Maybe my problem when planting in the fall is that I use transplants for the Brassica's and they just wilt in the heat.

Yolos;
Here's what I do.  First, I have professional grade shade cloth from an agricultural supply.  It allows the UV rays through but blocks 30% of the heat.  The plants seem to love it and even though the temps are the same as outdoors, they grow like it's 10-15 degrees cooler.

Then here's how I start my plants:


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I use 8" x 24" x 6" deep window box inserts.  I plant most smaller plants in a 4" space so they never need to be transplanted until they go into the garden.  Larger plants get planted 4-5 per planter box so they get nearly 6 inches.  This is particularly good for squash and 90% of their roots will be contained in the area so they are virtually undisturbed when transplanted.

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After planting I cover the seedlings with a 1/2 strip of paper towels and water through the towels.  That disperses the flow so small seeds don't get pushed around and keeps them moist so they germinate better.  The paper towel begins to degenerate quickly and by the time the seedlings are trying to push up through them I peel them back (you can see the remains around the older seedlings).

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The biggest danger for my seedlings are grasshoppers, so they get a covering of tulle and even when they are transplanted I will often cover them with wide mouth plastic bulk nut containers from Costco which works like a mini greenhouse and keeps munching bugs away.  Once they're large enough they seem do survive the leaf-eaters okay.

I'm following Audrey's lead this year as far as starts.  She's a good gardener.  I see a leaf miner has already attacked and I noticed white flies today.  I should have taken the care to cover tightly with tulle.

yolos wrote:
I don't understand how you can start your fall veggies when the temp is hanging around 94*.  But I guess it works for you.  Maybe my problem when planting in the fall is that I use transplants for the Brassica's and they just wilt in the heat.

We're "betting on the come," but this is strictly for seeds. We figure if it takes them a week to sprout, then another week to get their true leaves, we should be out of danger into Sep before they can even think about wilting. I have learned my lesson about direct seeding in this heat, however. I'd have to water 4-6 times a day to keep them from drying out, so everything goes into Jiffy Pellets on the deck where Momma can keep a close eye on them.

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:I planted carrots in two places, spinach, spanish onions white and yellow and radishes.  My broccoli raab, cauliflower, kale and a few other things I can't remember are about 3 inches high.  Getting the best start on the fall I've had in a couple of years.

I started kale and broccoli directly in the garden on Aug 1. WRONG ANSWER!   Now I'm starting over in Jiffy Pellets on the deck. My carrots are doing well. I have to replant a couple of turnips, but the rest look happy. I'm also going to start some KY Wonder pole beans and yet another batch of long beans. Hmm, maybe I'll try another lemon cuke, too.

I'm really excited about fall and winter gardening. I transplanted 3 tomatoes, today -- super snow white cherry, 4th of July, and Crimson beefsteak. They're now in 3 gallon pots, where they'll stay. I'll leave them out unless it goes over triple-digits, but these guys are for the greenhouse or the sun porch for this fall/winter. My goal is to have tomatoes all year round from now on.

I actually developed my planting system because I'm a TERRIBLE plant mommy!!!  If I use the little six packs, pellets or anything like them I forget to keep them wet and they die a horrible death 

The larger pots stay moist for a day or two and the paper towels keep moist for at least a day so most of them survive.  I just plant multiple seeds in the hopes that some will survive and then snip to the strongest.  

Then people like Sanderson come over and I'm able to fool them into thinking I'm a "good gardener" *snicker, snicker!* 

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:I actually developed my planting system because I'm a TERRIBLE plant mommy!!!  If I use the little six packs, pellets or anything like them I forget to keep them wet and they die a horrible death 

My grow-light/seed-starting setup is in the bathroom so my plants have multiple opportunities daily to guilt-trip me about how thirsty they are. Otherwise I'd probably be a bad plant mommy, too!

I still have plenty of time to be a bad mommy to these starts! I couldn't get this photo off the phone earlier.  

Aw, they're so cute.

I pooped out last night and didn't get mine planted, but that's my 2nd priority this morning. The first was to clean up the butterfly house and rotate the milkweed, which I did. (I have a new monarch to release this morning.)

I know the rest of the country thinks I'm nutz, but I'm giddy over our "2nd spring." We were so busy building the garden in April, I was too exhausted to really enjoy it. Also, since I didn't know what I was doing, I messed up most of what I tried to do, which was really frustrating. This is my "mulligan" so please put up with me. I'll be over it by November, I promise.

You'll get no teasing from us...  If anyone gets you it's the rest of us nutsy garden folk!

Just wait until you're picking a freshly ripened tomato in January - giddy won't describe it

Totally understand.

I just got a whole batch of lemon cukes, 3rd hand, from someone in our area. I couldn't get them to grow and blamed it on the heat, but these obviously made it just fine. I wish I could ask the gardener how she/he did it, but the trail is cold. Sure makes me feel like a failure, with all the TLC  I gave my lemon babies and got nada.  I am trying again, however, and our 10 day weather forecast is perfect, so no excuses will do.

This batch of veggies also included pattypan squash. We all fell in love with it, so it's now on my seed list. Fingers crossed I can still get it to grow this year. I'm getting a bush variety, so if I can scrounge up just one more large container, maybe I can bring it in and have summer squash all winter.

I actually have more Armenian cukes than I can use. I finally have enough of something that I can share. YEE-HAH!

Tomatoes are coming along, too. I have all sorts of different varieties in various stages of development and a couple chilling in the fridge. 

While clearing out those nasty vine peaches, I accidentally yanked out a melon plant. The one, lonely melon is now continuing its journey in a bowl on the kitchen table.

Long beans are still a complete failure. Planting again, today.

That volunteer I mentioned way back in May (I think) is now over 20' long and I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!   The goofy thing produces lots of leaves and a few male blossoms and that's it. I think I'll name it "Shai-Hulud" (Dune). It actually went underground and came up again.

Shai-Hulud - had to look that one up!

Glad you are getting some extras. I've only been able to grow a couple good tasting lemon cucumbers, so you are not alone.

countrynaturals wrote:Long beans are still a complete failure. Planting again, today.

The ones I planted on 6/6 are only just now showing some beans (I think I'll wait until they are a little thicker.) It's 8/24, so that's about 80 days - in line with the days to maturity of 85. I think the variety is Orient Wonder. My green bush beans matured in about half that time. Definitely slow growers.

Nice. I'm still waiting for the Rattlesnakes and KY Wonder to make up their minds if they are going to produce at all this year.

I pulled the Dragon Tongues in order to amend the soil for future winter crops.  I carefully removed the worm tube and stored in a bucket of moist MM.  I decided to caulk the leaks at the same time.  One surprise was that the cheap weed fabric had deteriorated!  I replaced with commercial grade up to the 7" line.  The 2x4 across the middle acts as an interior support for the plywood bottom to be screwed to.  (poor grammar)  


I plugged up the surplus 3/4" holes with 1" cork plugs, cutting them in half and whittling a second one out of the big end.  Call me cheap.  The collapsible grid and drip lines shown.  

Caulking the dripping gaps between the plywood bottom and layer one of 2x4, and wide gap between layers 1 and 2.

Refilled with MM and amended with homemade compost, Double Doody composted manure, kelp meal, crab meal, dry milk, and Espoma Organic.  Trying to beef up the nutrients.  Ended with replacing the worm tube and feeding.  The dripping at the seams has basically stopped and water is only draining from the remaining holes.

Good job sanderson. The box appears to be in excellent condition and with all those amendments the future crops should do well.

YEE-HAH -- IT'S SPRING! Okay, 2nd spring, but this one should be much better than the first one. 

Today I'm planting Daikon radishes all over the place and other varieties in a deep rectangular container on the deck. I'm also planting pattypan squash, since the packet says it only takes 45 days. 

Carrots are up and looking good. Beans are just starting to peek out of their little peat pellets. Melons, cukes, & zukes are all in bloom. I have tomatoes in all stages of development from sprouts to ripe fruit. All vines are loaded with little green ones.

Both varieties of squash (banana & delicata) are producing blossoms like crazy on tiny little plants. I thought they would vine so I planted them on a huge hill of wood chips, but they seem to be more inclined to bush -- we'll see what they do when they grow up.

Basil still wants to take over the world and it's determined to blossom no matter how much I scowl at it.

Granddaughter and 2 friends want an herb garden, so I'm also planting cilantro, 3 kinds of basil, oregano, & parsley today -- not optimistic about the parsley, but I'll try.

Gotta go play. It's beautiful out there this morning.

Isn't it wonderful outside! Bouncing around in the 90s for the next 10 days.

I worked outside yesterday:  Pulled up some of the smaller sunflower plants (disease?).  Planted a few French Breakfast radishes in the one amended box.  They and Tendersweet carrots will be planted  around the perimeters of several squares.  Finally seeded the purple broccoli seeds from CN.  Pulled the dead cucumbers to prepare for cleaning/amending/caulking the box to put it to sleep until next spring.  Gave the stink eye to the southern neighbor's tall trees as they start to shade a couple boxes.    Trimmed expended vines off the winter squash, leaving the daughter vines in hopes the female flowers might grow some personal-sized squash before first frost.  Started removing some of the sun shades and washing them for storage.  Still no KW nor Rattlesnake beans yet.  Chopped down some tomatoes leaving just stumps for pulling after the neighboring crops are done.  Heaped praise on the Japanese Millionaire eggplants for their dozen+ little fruits. Picked more hot pepper varieties and prepared them for a few days in the passive dehydrator.  Indoors, I put up some more seasonings/powders.

Funniest thing, most folks gripe when it gets "up" into the 90s. We celebrate when it gets "down" into the 90s. 

YEE-HAH! I FOUND A LEMON CUKE hiding under its leaves.   I had been looking in the bed, not hanging down the front. I am now a very happy camper!

Suspense - how does it taste?

Congrats on the lemon cuke.  I really enjoy mine, but they didn't make it this year.  My Marketmore's have done well.  I enjoy eating one a day or so and they've pretty much kept up with that with a single plant. 

As to the temps - we always laugh when it hits 90 the first time in the spring because we're so miserable and we know we'll LOVE IT when we hit 90 again in the fall.  It's all relative