2017 SFG in Brooks, Ga

Most of my veggie beds are now covered waiting for the 18 degree F tonight.  I did not cover two beds that have mustard greens growing in them and three large pots with Fava Beans.  I did cover 4 of the beds that have mustard greens growing, 1 garlic/shallot bed, one 4 x 6 carrot bed, and one Fava Bean bed and my two tomato plants.  

Fava Bean bed - 2 x 20 feet


4 Mustard Green Beds, one 4 x 6 carrot bed,  and one 4 x 8 Garlic/Shallot bed.

Some results in my attempt to keep some veggies alive and in some cases growing with three days of freezing weather with the lowest temperature being 18 degrees F.  

The mustard greens and the Fava Beans that were not covered look sick but I hope they will recover.  The mustard greens and Fava Beans that were covered look like they were not affected at all.  Of course, the garlic and shallots fared very well also. 

What surprised me the most were the tomatoes.  Doesn't look like there was any damage.  They were covered with Agribon 19, 6 mil plastic, a solar blanket on the very top and Christmas lights.  There were even some flowers still opening.  The Heat Wave tomato plant is doing better than the Celebrity.  These were the only varieties that were available at Home Depot in mid August.

Tonight's meal - a salad.  Wish I had timed it so my micro-greens were ready at the same time as the other items.


Made from the lettuce in my Aerogarden,


Carrots from my SFG


Tomatoes from my large pots covered with season extending methods.

Yolos ... That all looks so delicious ... I'm jealous.

W.o.w..... Those look terrific....

trolleydriver wrote:Yolos ... That all looks so delicious ... I'm jealous.

+1

Finally was able to make my harvests coincide so I could have a super salad.  Microgreens, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and green tops of onions.


I planted onion seeds (Yellow Granex and Texas 1015Y) and American Flag Leeks in starter trays on 12/18 and just gave them all a haircut today.  

I planted a nine cell tray of Imperial Artichoke on 1/10.

Today I planted a 36 cell tray of:   Bock Choy (3), Early Green Broccoli (3), Packman Broccoli (6), Superdome Broccoli (6), Purple Summer Broccoli (6), Spinach (6), Tatsoi (2), Celery (2), and Winterbor Kale (2).  

I also planted three tomatoes (Early Girl, Brandy Boy, and New Big Dwarf.



So I guess I better set up my lighting shelves so I can keep these growing until ready to plant.  I already have a 2 foot T5 light I have been using for the microgreens and the onions but I will need my four foot T8 lights set up once all these start to germinate.

Beautiful salad!

You answered a question I've had, without even knowing. T5 for micro-greens.

I love having sneak peek/reminders from people in the warmer zones - I need to start my onion seeds as soon as they arrive. Your salad is giving me spring fever! Beautiful. Now I want to start my aerogarden with greens, too!

sanderson wrote:Beautiful salad!

You answered a question I've had, without even knowing.  T5 for micro-greens.

I don't really think you need a T5.  If we can grow a Tomato up to transplant size on a T8, I am sure we could grow microgreens on a T8.  My T5 stays up permanently but I put my T8 system up in early winter and take it down after I plant my tomatoes etc. 

The reason for me purchasing the T5 was because I was looking for a small foot print so I could mount the light on top of a stand.  The Jump Start growing stand had everything I needed.  Bulb, stand, pulley system, light etc.  The one problem I have found is that I bought the model with one light bulb.  It puts out a good source of light right under the light but not out as far as I need it.  It works great for my tray that is about 5 inches wide.  But when I put a 10x20 tray under the light the greens are leaning in toward the center searching for the light.  I should have purchased a light with two bulbs.

I love the little pulley system.

Have you decided how you are going to build your new beds?

sanderson wrote:I love the little pulley system.

Have you decided how you are going to build your new beds?

NO.  Still trying to decide on the material to use for the bottom of the top bed.  I am leaning towards something like PVC board or Hardy Plank.  I have been busy working at my old job for the last two weeks helping them with year end accounting work getting ready for the auditors.  An easy way to pick up enough money to replace all the beds and MM I have been dreaming about.  I have also been designated as the day time walker for my grandson's new puppy which is required to be walked every three hours.

Update on my seed starting.

My three tomatoes (Brandy Boy, New Big Dwarf, Early Girl) are growing very well.  They were planted on 1/21 (I think) and are ready to be separated and up-potted to larger pots.  I will be using the Jumbo size plastic beverage cups from McDonald's.  And 4 Imperial Artichokes.


My onions (Yellow Granex, Texas 1015) and American Leeks planted 12/18.  I just gave them a haircut and will be planting them in the next week maybe.


And my 36 cell tray of cool weather plants planted on 1/21.  They are also ready to be separated and potted up.  Kale, Bok Choy, Spinach, 3 or 4 varieties of Broccoli, Celery which has not yet germinated.

Be-u-ti-ful! And so exciting! Makes me want to get mine going. But alas, too early here. If I start now I'm bound to get snowed in through April. Although I could sneak in some kale and collard and lettuce seeds...maybe once the onions sprout and are off the heating pad...

Yolos

I started my seeds this year with multiple seeds in each cell.  Today I separated the tiny plants into their own pots or some into 9 cell packs.  I think I will transplant my onions and leeks Sat 2/11.  Maybe broccoli (and other cole crops), peas, and some very early tomatoes on 3/1.  I will have to cover them if it gets too cold, but this winter there have not been that many nights below 32*F.  I do have a couple of Walls O Water so I may try that on the tomatoes that I will be planting way early.  I usually do not plant them until 4/1 approx.



My tomatoes that I planted last August are still flowering and producing tomatoes.  I cover them every night if the temps are going below 50*F.  So it is a lot of covering and uncovering but since I am retired, I now have the time.  One tomato plant is diseased and is no longer producing so I may as well remove that one.

My Fava Beans are flowering early due to the unusually warm winter.  Don't know if the flowers or pods can withstand freezing weather so I don't know if this is good or not.  We always get some really cold weather over a short period in Feb and sometimes in early March.

Yolos, Your plants always look so healthy!

sanderson wrote:Yolos,  Your plants always look so healthy!

Thanks Sanderson, but to be truthful, I almost never put pictures of my diseased or dying plants on the forum.  Usually only the nice healthy ones make it on here.

Last harvest of tomatoes planted Aug 2016.  The plants started getting some type of disease so I just cut them down.  I am replacing the soil and planting new tomatoes in a couple of days.  Probably surrounding them with Walls O Water and then 6 mil plastic when needed.


Some carrots harvested last weekend planted late last Aug.


My sweet potato starts planted Jan 21.  They sure grew pretty fast.  All four potatoes have sprouts coming out.  Worked much better for me than the jar and water method.  Of course this year I used a heating pad to warm up the soil and also put them under lights for about 8 hours a day.  Which I never did before so not a good test of which way is better.  I will now have to remove the shoots and plant the shoots to start developing roots.  But It is about 6 weeks before I can plant them outside so I started these way too early.


I planted my onion and leek starts last weekend.  Of course my grandsons new puppy got loose and trampled the bed.  Only thing bad was the holes I dug for the leeks are now filled in with dirt. 

I purchased my seed potatoes (Russet Norkotah) today so I will be planting some of them soon but will have to cover them if we get a hard freeze after they sprout. I think I will cut them, chit them, and see if any will sprout before I plant them.  I will wait a few weeks to plant the largest portion of them.

Okay, couldn't wait any longer.  I planted a few of my tomatoes very very early.  Four to Eight weeks earlier than normal.  I will have to use season extension methods because we will surely get some more freezing weather before now and last frost date.  I am planting these in the whiskey barrels because they are set up where the sun shines a lot of the day.  I had to sterilize everything (pots, stakes, fence, Christmas Lights) and replaced the soil.  I was afraid of the Southern Blight and the tomatoes that I just cut down also had some other disease.

The tennis ball on the top of the short stake is to keep the tip of the stake from punching holes in my Agribon or 6 mil plastic.  I will have to add black plastic, weed cloth or mulch before the first rain to keep from soil splashing up on the leaves.  I buried them very deep and the leaves are just touching the soil.

Brandy Boy


Brandy Boy and Early Girl with lights set up to help keep them warmer at night.


I have backups in case these don't do well.  I am going to start all the rest of my tomato seeds tommorrow for plant out in about 4 - 6 weeks.

Oh...before reading your post, I thought the tennis balls were so you could locate the pots once the snow covers them. Lol
But you guys probably don't get that kind of snow, right?

CapeCoddess wrote:Oh...before reading your post, I thought the tennis balls were so you could locate the pots once the snow covers them. Lol
But you guys probably don't get that kind of snow, right?

LOL  -  No.  About once every few years we get a couple inches which melt the next day usually.

Over the winter I had agribon 19 over these barrels (as well as 6 mil plastic) and the top of the tall stakes kept grabbing and ripping holes in the agribon.  Ping Pong balls probably would have been cheaper.