How does your garden grow?

[Larro Darro]

Oh man...you know you just cant beat mother nature.

2 seasons ago I went thru the process to save seeds from a tomato following some seed saving directions I read... fermenting the juices, soaking, rinsing etc. Never did get any germination either after I planted them and now tonight I had 3 nice tomatoes still left from the very last greenhouse pick down at work before we cleaned out the plants sometime back in late Oct. Yup really

And so when I went to cut up two of them (both had started to go bad) low and behold I saw something bright green sticking up in a cut up piece of tomato. At first I thought it was worm , BUT it turned out to be a germinated seed and the green was the sprout! Can hardly believe it!

How I save tomato seeds is to freeze an over ripe tomato. In the spring, thaw it out and cut into about four slices. Cover them with a little potting soil and wait for the sprouts to pop.

 

[DFB]

How I save tomato seeds is to freeze an over ripe tomato. In the spring, thaw it out and cut into about four slices. Cover them with a little potting soil and wait for the sprouts to pop.

Interesting...might have to try that!

 

[Larro Darro]

Interesting...might have to try that!

The tomato provides moister and nutrients to the sprouts. But there will be a lot of sprouts close together. Another way is to thaw the tomato, squish it up and spread it around the tray before adding the potting soil. That will spread out the sprouts better.

 

[lakngulf]

The tomato provides moister and nutrients to the sprouts. But there will be a lot of sprouts close together. Another way is to thaw the tomato, squish it up and spread it around the tray before adding the potting soil. That will spread out the sprouts better.

Never heard of that method. I use the old squeeze the seeds out, let them ferment, separate from gunk, and spread on paper plate to dry.

 

[DFB]

Can you believe it Dec 6 and it was +50F degrees here in Vermont today. Still it was a frosty +27F early this morning though.


Got the tractor out. Worked my compost pile over and rototilled my garden under.

Also picked up my mail at the box and found the new Rupp's seed catalog had come yesterday.

Yup good day indeed!

 

[Duwop]

Harvested one bushel of broccoli today, processed and in the freezer. Wife and I are going to do another bushel tomorrow.

 

[TomSeller]

Also picked up my mail at the box and found the new seed catalog had come yesterday.

Yikes!!!! it is that time of year, isn't it?

 

[Larro Darro]

Harvested one bushel of broccoli today, processed and in the freezer. Wife and I are going to do another bushel tomorrow.

I got a late start, but the broccoli seems to like greenhouse. The tomatoes not so much. I'm having to pick them as soon as they start turning.

I transplanted a tray of Swiss chard, some scallions and cilantro that got moved out from under the lights due to overcrowding, and a few more pepper plants that lived through the two nights of frost we had a while back. Did a whole lot of sweating in the greenhouse.

 

[DFB]

Rain all day here so prepping my gladiolus bulbs today.

Cutting the stems back and cleaning the old roots off. Good and dry now, probably will store them all in a mesh bag for good circulation when I get done though,

Last year I planted them early in May and was so dry they never did pop up until decent rain finally came almost a full month later!




Still need to count them all up...hoping for at least 300+ this year

 

[Larro Darro]

Rain all day here so prepping my gladiolus bulbs today.

Cutting the stems back and cleaning the old roots off. Good and dry now, probably will store them all in a mesh bag for good circulation when I get done though,

Last year I planted them early in May and was so dry they never did pop up until decent rain finally came almost a full month later!

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Still need to count them all up...hoping for at least 300+ this year

The farm just south of us used to have about half of their 1000 acre spread in glads. They said they couldn't compete with the glads coming up out of Mexico. They would come on the market early and drive the prices down.They do a little of everything with the land now. Sod, wheat, cotton, hay and cows. But you will still see a few volunteer glads out in the fields where they have hung on. Always loved watching them grow.

 

[Larro Darro]

Yesterday Margie picked and cooked the first mess of collards for the season. They were very good. Last night I planted 12 seeds each of chocolate bell, mini sweet and Jalapeno peppers. I will put them into the greenhouse when they get big enough to transplant. Speaking of the greenhouse, I'm still getting tomatoes and peppers out of there.

 

[lakngulf]

Good job on the greenhouse production. These late spring temps we have should keep them going.
Today I had the first tomato sprout for my 2016 garden crop. Excited!!

 

[dragoneggs]

Larro, you are encouraging us to getting planting some seeds. Thanks!

 

[Larro Darro]

Watching those seeds sprout is one of my favorite times in gardening. I'm going to try hard to remember to start less seeds this year. I always do several times over what I can use and end up giving a lot of them away. This has been such a crazy year with weather, I'm not even going to try to guess what Spring is going to be like. Without the greenhouse to fall back on, I wouldn't be starting this early.

 

[dragoneggs]

Watching those seeds sprout is one of my favorite times in gardening. I'm going to try hard to remember to start less seeds this year. I always do several times over what I can use and end up giving a lot of them away. This has been such a crazy year with weather, I'm not even going to try to guess what Spring is going to be like. Without the greenhouse to fall back on, I wouldn't be starting this early.

We do the same... need to plant fewer and spread out the seeding throughout the season. Probably should do some cleaning up of the greenhouse while it isn't raining today.

 

[Larro Darro]

I had just about gave up on the pepper seeds, but got the first sprout today. A Jalapeno. The 9th is a good planting day, so I might do a few more then.

 

[Larro Darro]

Last week I heard Dollar Tree had their seed packs in. I stopped at the store in Marianna and stocked up. Sadly there was no Grand Bell Mix.

Then when Margie was in Orlando for her conference, she passed a Dollar Tree when they were going out to eat. On the way back she stopped and got some Grand Bell Mix, as well as a few other seeds. We should be in good shape, seed wise.

Today and tomorrow are good planting days. I'll put a few GBM seeds in soil tomorrow.

 

[Tororider]

The wind chill is -5 as I write. Tomorrow won't be a good day to plant here.

 

[TomSeller]

Today and tomorrow are good planting days. I'll put a few GBM seeds in soil tomorrow.

No fair planting in January

Seriously, curious how you make out.

 

[RalphVa]

I've built some frames over my raised beds to put Remay onto. Unfortunately, not soon enough to save my peas, cauliflower and mustard. Maybe the carrots will keep going. Couldn't fine any Remay at Lowes or Home Depot. May order it from Gardeners Supply online.

Ralph