Gardening

[cineater]

I got 36 baby hostas out of that seeding.  The ones on the top shelf where it was warmer out performed the ones on the bottom but they are only a little behind.  They have to be babied until they can go outside towards the end of May.

I joined a new group called Wild One's.  National group that does native plants.  Fortunately there is no property to maintain.  We just go on garden tours and sit around and talk plants.  I was motivated by one day in the month where I wasn't working. 

[soon]

Wild Ones sounds fun!

I just got back from a garden meeting with lots of people in attendance. Now, is it just me or are gardeners very focused on foot wear? Like certain boots that youd never see elsewhere? And no two people in similar boots to one another. Its still winter here so I was in winter boots, but everyone else was in their 'garden boots.' Was charming.

[cineater]

Aw, the garden boot.  I have milk boots from Walmart but yes they do come in designer.  And yes, all the girls have them.  The guys are still in their hiking boots.

[soon]

Y'all have more sensible garden boots then a few i saw today, lol. Some of them were in these slip on steel toed boots that were first popular with activists and are now popular with aging hip rich kids and are expensive. How yeah gonna squat in steel toes?! But others of the garden boots were really cool and functional. I usually keep a pair of sandals in the shed for gardening in.

[janrichmond]

22 minutes ago, soon said:

I usually keep a pair of sandals in the shed for gardening in.

Bit risky? You could chop your toes off with a spade 

[soon]

15 minutes ago, janrichmond said:

Bit risky? You could chop your toes off with a spade 

Oh yeah, I suppose thats true. Although I think things like rubber boots wouldnt offer that much more protection if the spade is that sharp to begin with? 

Actually, last years well loved spade would likely loose a battle with my naked foot, the poor thing. Im usually pogoing on it with both feet on top, also.

Shoot - I love spraying my feet down with the hose at the end of the day of gardening! But now I cant shake the fear of bumbling my foot up 

[janrichmond]

@soon those steel toe boots are sounding good now 

[soon]

15 minutes ago, janrichmond said:

@soon those steel toe boots are sounding good now 

 

No steel toes Ive ever owned lend themselves to gardening, but maybe some do? I wear steel toes to and from the garden and then change into sandals to garden

Thinking of sticking with my sandals and just hiring a student to do all my spading 

[cineater]

If you're going to hit your foot with the shovel, gardening is not for you.  

I need boots I can wash off, boots I can drag shit into the woods with and then tennis shoes for running around the garden.  You'll see me in sandals but I'm a little creeped out by slimy things like snakes and snails so I'm not doing a lot when you see that.  And then there's the occasional, damn it I'm out here in my house slippers.   When mother nature calls, I'm there. 

[soon]

13 hours ago, cineater said:

If you're going to hit your foot with the shovel, gardening is not for you.  

Yeah! This ^^^^

I think rusty tomato cages are the most dangerous thing in my garden. That and me with a hatchet v. underground weed root systems 

[cineater]

I put in orange butterfly weed this morning.  I'm thinking in front of that I'm going to plant eggplant.  That might look kind of cool.

[cineater]

er, wait!  They've decided no more group transplanting and we have to keep the tomato plants at home with us.  We can get help transplanting from the watering crews.  No, the greenhouse has been running in the 90's.  The watering crews bail as soon as they are done.  And they stuck me with 120 tomatoes to seed.  I don't have room in the house for that many let alone under my lights. 

[soon]

Its haling so hard it hurts. Theres plenty more snow coming in the next days. But, oh, is it too hot in your green house?  j/k

We spent 80k completely overhauling our community garden, with the raised beds put in before first snow. The record breaking snow has damaged many of the very study raised beds.

I know the feeling of trying to keep all the seedlings under the lights! And the more successfully you rotate them, the harder it becomes as they quickly grow! Its madness! 

[cineater]

Feel sorry for you that it's still winter.  What's damaging the raised beds, freezing, weight?  I live in fear of hail and the greenhouse.

I know, the tomatoes grow into the lights.  I think if I kick the marigolds out I'll have room for most of the tomatoes.  But I just reseeded the cells that didn't come up and I'm shooting for 300 of those.  I could put them outside and bring them in at night.  They can't go to the greenhouse until after the plant sale.  They are reserved for the parks.

[soon]

Yeah, the weight of the snow mostly. Plus we had a few flash thaws and flash (re)freeze's. I think that may have warped some of the boards, maybe? I never thought about the danger of hail on a green house! Thats scary. Stay safe!

300 of marigolds, 150 tomatoes - you are a gardening machine!!

EDIT: About the weather here. People are so ready for spring that last night 27 people were hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning after attempting to BBQ indoors! 27 people!

Edited April 10, 2019 by soon

[cineater]

I'll ask the guys what wood we use.  I know it's not pressure treated because that's bad.

They asked me to lay out stepping stones so we could access parts of a big bed.  They left us unsupervised, lol.  Went over to the recycling plant and got a bunch of cardboard.  Laid out a path in cardboard, threw the stones on top of it and buried the whole thing in leaf mulch.  Took about an hour.  No digging, no future weeding/trimming between the stones and the whole thing is pretty solid.  Looks good too.  So far lots of compliments but the lead hasn't seen it yet, may have to take the whole thing out.

[soon]

Thanks for asking around about the wood. I was by there today and I noticed that a majority of the damaged beds are the accessible ones. They are one plank higher then the others and I suspect that the builders simply used the same frame as for all the others and built it taller, without having a taller frame. And I also wonder if the pebble walk ways retain cold differently then the grass walk ways in the other sections? Some folks were well grumpy with the 80k we spent, this is not going to be pleasant!

Oh, thats a great way to put the stones down. I never would have thought to do it that way! Hope it passes the leads scrutiny.

 

[cineater]

We passed!  I do everything like that.  I like to play in the dirt but I'm not digging that shit up, lol.  Everytime you disturb the soil or till it, you cause a "disturbance".  All those dormant seeds, mostly weeds, get brought up to the top where they grow.  You're fucking with your microbes and worms.  I cringe when people tell me they are tilling.

lol, I pawned half of those tomatoes off on somebody else.  I'm going to have to kick the marigolds out of some of the lights and rotate them.  We have places for 7 more flats and the greenhouse is out of room.  And we have to reduce fertilizer because they are out growing their pots.  Plant sale in 2 weeks and we are in full bloom.

I did something cool with the students.  In order to teach them the lasagna gardening method, we put a big wire basket in the center of the lasagna garden and then layered it up.  We've added a second story!

[soon]

You're kicking ass down there, cin!

Today was the first day I could go outside without winter gear! So nice to feel the sun warm the skin!! All the birds are back and sound lovely. And i finally got my salsa garden seeded under the grow lights!! Had enough room that I started some Pattypan too.

A day like today has me seriously considering moving to a hole in my garden for the summer 

Edited April 20, 2019 by soon

[cineater]

I am crazy!  We are caring for over 6000 plants and have 5 acres to have show ready by next Saturday.  Working my ass off and yes I'm having the time of my life. 

I love the folks who show up late to the party and walk over to me to tell me what needs attention.  You know, I'm new to the job and they are being helpful.  Yeah I hear you, that's scheduled to be addressed on this date, time and by who.  Got it covered but what I noticed in your area is......  So glad you walked over to me because I was on my way over to talk to you and what time did you say you'd have that taken care of? 

[cineater]

Shit, the tomatoes grew into the lights again.  Every other day I'm raising the lights.  I have the lights right on them so they don't get long and lanky but they are ready to take off.

[soon]

I dont believe that I will ever stop being amazed at watching tomatoes shoot up for the sun. Its a good problem to have, but yeah, those final days under lights can be tough and stressful! Of course the lankier they are, the deeper they get buried.

I havent seen evidence of germination in my trays yet, but I wouldnt expect to for another 3-4 days. I do think I was under watering from the jump, because my new plug trays almost fit my domes, but theres a tiny space for moisture to escape. And it seems to have done just that. Strange because I always find that I need to open the vents on the dome. Figured it was pretty comparable. Some of the seeds were 2 and 3 years old so I hope they have managed to get all that love and care that they require.

[cineater]

12 hours ago, soon said:

I dont believe that I will ever stop being amazed at watching tomatoes shoot up for the sun. Its a good problem to have, but yeah, those final days under lights can be tough and stressful! Of course the lankier they are, the deeper they get buried.

I havent seen evidence of germination in my trays yet, but I wouldnt expect to for another 3-4 days. I do think I was under watering from the jump, because my new plug trays almost fit my domes, but theres a tiny space for moisture to escape. And it seems to have done just that. Strange because I always find that I need to open the vents on the dome. Figured it was pretty comparable. Some of the seeds were 2 and 3 years old so I hope they have managed to get all that love and care that they require.

I've noticed that about older seeds too.  They take a little more time and water to bring them out of dormancy.

Tomatoes are going to the greenhouse tomorrow.  Get some real light from the sun.  I've seen what was brought in today.  Mine are going to put those to shame, woohoo.

[soon]

On April 20, 2019 at 8:53 PM, cineater said:

I've noticed that about older seeds too.  They take a little more time and water to bring them out of dormancy.

Tomatoes are going to the greenhouse tomorrow.  Get some real light from the sun.  I've seen what was brought in today.  Mine are going to put those to shame, woohoo.

3 sprouts up by bedtime yesterday!!!! Hopefully that bodes well for the rest. I guess I should have soaked the old seeds before planting them? I learned the hard way last year that parsnips are only viable for one year.

Your star tomatoes must be loving it at the green house!

[cineater]

1 hour ago, soon said:

3 sprouts up by bedtime yesterday!!!! Hopefully that bodes well for the rest. I guess I should have soaked the old seeds before planting them? I learned the hard way last year that parsnips are only viable for one year.

Your star tomatoes must be loving it at the green house!

So exciting when they start popping up out of the ground!  I always forget about the 24 hour seed soak until I'm wondering why they aren't up yet.   I don't think most of what we grow for the gardens need special seed treatment before planting.

Plant sale is Saturday and we have plants everywhere.