Off and Running

[lakngulf]

It has been a colder winter and therefore a slower start to getting things started in the greenhouse. But with some recent sunshine and slightly warmer temps I have some plants up and running. I have several types of tomatoes, regular and multi-colored bell pepper, egg plant, etc. Last year I had good luck starting rattlesnake beans and silver queen corn in the greenhouse. I have these ready to go this year:



Also, I am trying to get a jumpstart on some yellow squash. I can already taste it, shredded like hash browns and fried with onion and corn meal in a little hot grease.



Some regular and red romaine and kale should be good too.

 

[lakngulf]

I have lots of tomatoes: Celebrity, Brandwine, BetterBoy, Fantastic, Sweet 100, Umberto, and some others I received from the webmaster. My new greenhouse location has more sunshine and most of the plants are doing well, and not getting so tall like last few years. I hope that continues.

These are not very big, but very healthy. Maybe the late start will be good since Easter is so late this year.



Here is that same group, along with others on the large door that I can open and give the plants some direct sunlight, and help harden them before garden planting. The door has worked well, I just wish I could get more plants on it.



Some years back my wife read about using toilet paper cut into small rings as starting points for seeds. This process keeps the seed and young plant in tact, keeps the water around the plant, and is simple to lift out of the flat when time to up plant to larger peat pot. Here is one flat in process. These are some Better Boy and Fantastic starts.

 

[lakngulf]

Here is a shot of the greenhouse in action. The flats start in the shelves to the left, with grow lights. When second set of leaves begin to appear I up plant to five inch peat pots, put them in plastic containers and set them in as much sunlight as possible.



While this is going on it is encouraging to have some bright green produce in the garden that has wintered the storm, and still looking good. Collard greens are still tasty in March.

 

[randy41]

nice greenhouse

 

[Western]

So Milton, what have you been doing:laughing: See you've been busy and wayyy ahead of me! I got Potatoes and onions in and 10 days later we went to 13* with a 08 windchill:shocked:, so the tops of the onions froze and the potatoes are a week out (if they survive at all)

Your starts look nice and healthy, I have never started corn before, that's allot of transplanting for me.

 

[Looking4new]

We overwintered the peppers in the basement. Just moved the seeds upstairs near the woodstove to start them off. Got peppers and tomatoes starting.

 

[lakngulf]

I have never started corn before, that's allot of transplanting for me.

I plant most of my corn directly into the rows in the soil. These starts are for a small section in my garden, and hopefully I can get an early start. It will be a risk, with frost chances on into April.

 

[Western]

I plant most of my corn directly into the rows in the soil. These starts are for a small section in my garden, and hopefully I can get an early start. It will be a risk, with frost chances on into April.

It will be interesting to see how it works out for you. I think you are at least a week ahead of us weather wise. That was a fresh water lake on your dock right?

 

[lakngulf]

It will be interesting to see how it works out for you. I think you are at least a week ahead of us weather wise. That was a fresh water lake on your dock right?

Yes, I live on Lake Martin in central Alabama, a beautiful lake. License requires that Alabama Power lower it 10 ft each year to help with water control. It is on the way back up now and should be full pool in two weeks.

The corn starting process was an interesting start last year. Two grandsons came to visit about this time of the year. It rained and rained. So we just hung out in my greenhouse, they shoveled dirt wherever they wanted, and they helped me organize the seed that I have saved and store in the frig. We labeled coffee cans and put the seed in them. After that, I had each boy fill a flat with dirt and plant whatever they wanted. Well, the older grandson wanted to plant corn.

He did, it grew (much like the picture above) and I planted it early. Other grandson planted beans and they grew too. Even better end to the story: They were back visiting in late June, and we gathered the first corn of the year (off the grandsons stalks), and some beans, and had a great Southern lunch.

 

[EddieWalker]

Good job. When do you plant them in the garden?

Eddie

 

[grnspot110]

Nice greenhouse!:thumbsup:

I have an 8 x 10' hoop house, but it's still too cold to start anything here yet. ~~ Lowell

 

[lakngulf]

Good job. When do you plant them in the garden? Eddie

Normally, I would keep an eye on the 10 day forecast between now and Easter. If I saw no freezes before Easter then I would plant. This year, however, I am taking a gamble. I leave on April 1 on a three week trip, so on March 30-31 I will put some stuff in the ground. I have an irrigation system to give it some water along the way, but it will be a risk because we can get some cold weather in April.

When I get back I will either have some stuff growing great, or I will replant. I will start some more in the greenhouse before I leave.

 

[lakngulf]

I may be "jumping the gun" but I had some beans and corn in the greenhouse big enough to go in the garden so here goes:

DIRT


HEALTHY PLANTS WITH GREAT ROOTS


INSTANT ROW OF BEANS


And the corn the same way. This worked last year so got my fingers crossed. Ten day forecast looks pretty good.

 

[lakngulf]

I have been on an extended trip and have not seen my garden for two weeks. This is what happened on Tuesday and Tuesday night. High winds and COLD temps. I hope the little plants used the high 70s weather to get strong and healthy and did not succumb to the frigid temps. Temps looked great after Tuesday night



I will post some update pictures when I return.

 

[EddieWalker]

We've been planting too and that cold snap has us wondering if we planted too soon. So far, it's too early to tell, but what was growing is still growing and what hasn't come up yet is still a mystery. Looking at your pics really has me wanting to get our greenhouse built before winter!!!

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

The average last freeze date for my area is 4/15. We had below freezing temps on 4/15 and 4/16. I might have to start a fire in the wood stove today and/or tomorrow! :shocked:

Garden is not even close to being ready for planting.

Later,
Dan

 

[lakngulf]

Looking at your pics really has me wanting to get our greenhouse built before winter!!!

Eddie

Whoa!! I can't wait to see the "Eddie Bauer (I mean Walker)" version of a greenhouse. You add a special touch to everything you build.

 

[lakngulf]

Back from my trip and was anxious to see what effect the low temps had.

Beans took it hard and will have to be replanted:


But corn and most of the tomato plants made it ok:




I have a few plants in fresh, rich top soil. Amazing how much better they look than the ones in containers

 

[lakngulf]

I had a friend watering and monitoring the young plants in the greenhouse. Well, give young plants over two weeks in a greenhouse and they become leggy plants. They are all very healthy, and will be in the ground soon, after a couple days of hardening in the sun. They should have been placed outside during the two week span, but no way to make that happen.





Before I left I planted several items (beans, corn, okra, more tomatoes) to have for the garden in case the cold temps cancelled out what I had planted earlier.