How does your garden grow.

[Tungsten,]

No doubt there will be more people growing this year,Ive got some seeds going.Trying some hydroponic root veggies that are just breaking .Tomatoes are 4",may try potatoes in a 5 gallon staggered a few weeks apart.
What do you have going on?

[HunterDave]

Someone started a thread here. Interesting looking peppers.....lol.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=379444

[bsmitty27]

Tomatoes:
Purple cherokee
Sun gold
Tumbler F1
My seeds from last year cant recall variety

Ground cherries

Seedlings
Saskatoons (north line)
Sour cherries (romance series)
Butternut (planted in pots last fall)

The rest goes right in the dirt!

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Someone started a thread here. Interesting looking peppers.....lol.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=379444

Never noticed. Threads get lost quick with all the posts lately.

[alacringa]

My garden doesn't grow. It still has 2" of ice on top of it. Hopefully sometime before the end of June...

[saskbooknut]

My garden is still piled in snow, and it is snowing as I type in Saskatoon.

We have made arrangements with a friend, a local market garden grower for started plants - cherry tomatoes, Butternut squash and Zucchini.
I have seeds for spinach, carrots and herbs.
I will still have to source seed potatoes, and the larger tomatoes like Early Girl and Bush Champion.

Garden work is sure to be a mental health relief as this isolation goes on.

[Etownpaul]

Under the grow lights in the garage I've got

Mortgage Lifter tomatoes- might need to sell them to pay my mortgage at this rate

Manitoba tomatoes- one plant pretty much supplied enough tomatoes for me for the season last year

Grape Roma tomatoes- we like the little guys cut in half in salads

I planted 32 pepper seeds but I only got one sprout, that was almost a month ago now so looks like I'll be buying pepper plants.

I finally got some tobacco seeds to sprout. I don't even really smoke tobacco, maybe a couple cigars a year. They are nice looking plants though so we'll see how it goes.

I guess I may as well start my cabbage, broccoli, beans, squash and brussel sprouts this weekend. Hopefully we are frost free in a month so I can plant out.

[owlhoot]

The garlic I planted last fall is just popping up now.
I started Tomatos about a month ago they are coming along fine
I'm wishing I had started pepper plants, Its kinda late now and I don't know if or when the green houses will open

[Tungsten,]

A question about seed potatoes,Im in Calgary where do I get them?Or is it too early?Im gonna try in a 5 gallon bucket thx.

[owlhoot]

Originally Posted by Tungsten,

A question about seed potatoes,Im in Calgary where do I get them?Or is it too early?Im gonna try in a 5 gallon bucket thx.

Canadian Tire has them

[kens]

Originally Posted by Etownpaul

Under the grow lights in the garage I've got

Mortgage Lifter tomatoes- might need to sell them to pay my mortgage at this rate

Manitoba tomatoes- one plant pretty much supplied enough tomatoes for me for the season last year

Grape Roma tomatoes- we like the little guys cut in half in salads

I planted 32 pepper seeds but I only got one sprout, that was almost a month ago now so looks like I'll be buying pepper plants.

I finally got some tobacco seeds to sprout. I don't even really smoke tobacco, maybe a couple cigars a year. They are nice looking plants though so we'll see how it goes.

I guess I may as well start my cabbage, broccoli, beans, squash and brussel sprouts this weekend. Hopefully we are frost free in a month so I can plant out.

Is there an Alberta grower that offers the Manitoba tomatoe variety as seedlings for transplanting?

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by owlhoot

Canadian Tire has them

Great thx

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by kens

Is there an Alberta grower that offers the Manitoba tomatoe variety as seedlings for transplanting?

If your in Calgary Golden acres had them yesterday 4" $2.79.

[HunterDave]

A question about growing taters in a 5 gallon pail.

When you plant them do you only fill the pail half full of dirt and add more after they sprout like you'd mound them in a garden?

[Sundancefisher]

This year I am going to stay with my tried and true, go to veggies.

In my experience there will NOT be more people gardening.

Gardening takes money, space and tons of time.

One needs the space, the dirt and good sunlight for a garden.
Dirt is critical and often just clearing grass and planting fails due to poor drainage, clay, lack of nutrients and organic matter.
West facing or preferably south facing beds are best.
Time is needed to prepare the bed for planting. Rototilling, leveling etc.
Then regular watering.
Then regular weeding.
Only after months does one see the results.

For those that garden the delayed reward is expected and time spent relaxation versus dreary work.

Then one needs to worry about insect damage, animal damage and hail storms.

So...if you have a veggie bed that needs little work and you have grown before...then maybe this year some will start up again.

When I look around my neighbourhood...very few have veggie gardens in place. Some have minor flower gardens. Extremely few will start from scratch.

I have helped others with veggie gardens mixed into flower gardens. It can work very well depending upon hours of direct sunlight. I coach people on tiered gardening in a mixed plant space. Also did some apartment balcony gardening once upon a time.

One can spend the bucks to get a strawberry tower. One can grow potatoes in a bucket. One can grow cherry tomatoes in a bucket. Planter boxes can grow lettuce.

My go to veggies this year will be potatoes, carrots, peas, lettuce, kohlrabi, butternut squash.

This was a short summary.

Cheers

Sun

[pikergolf]

I think you are wrong, there will be lots more gardeners this year. Most will not be very successful as it will be their first year, but I bet there will be a ton of boomers that know how, that had lost interest getting back into it. I will be growing lettuce this year, gave up gardening a few years ago, but I have a tough time trusting fresh veg. in the supermarket right now.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

A question about growing taters in a 5 gallon pail.

When you plant them do you only fill the pail half full of dirt and add more after they sprout like you'd mound them in a garden?

So from some searching as im new to this,4" dirt ,seed potato 6" dirt,then when plant reaches 3~4" above pail fill to 2" from top,cover top with mulch.Lots of big drain holes in pail.

[Drewski Canuck]

I've tried to help people get a garden going. Sprayed the grass to kill it, roto tilled the sod in, cross tilled, then helped them plant the rows, only to watch them lose all interest, and let the weeds take over.

Not a lot of City people get it, and would rather watch Netflix.

But if you are interested, Lowes had some heritage potatoes, being Russian Blue, and Rosa. I have not found my Banana Potatoes yet, but will get some as well as my seed potatoes from last year are heavily sprouted.

If anyone see French Fingerlings, please tell me. Red skin, yellow flesh. Great for French Fires for some reason.

Otherwise, little point growing the regular potatoes when they sell so cheap in the Grocery Store.

Banana Potatoes sell for about the same price per pound as a good steak, and are usually served at the best restaurants only. That is what justifies growing them.

As for Tomatoes, have seeds from last year's Romanescos, F 1 Hybrids, etc, but I did see Mortgage Lifter seeds and grabbed a couple of packs. These were a hybrid from Tennessee from one story going around, and were priced at a premium in the 1920's.

Drewski

[Burro]

Only option I have is a condo deck, gets maybe an hour of direct sunlight a day. Tried growing peppers, fail.

What good stuff grows in little direct sunlight? Not much of a green thumb.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I think you are wrong, there will be lots more gardeners this year. Most will not be very successful as it will be their first year, but I bet there will be a ton of boomers that know how, that had lost interest getting back into it. I will be growing lettuce this year, gave up gardening a few years ago, but I have a tough time trusting fresh veg. in the supermarket right now.

I agree,most will just be container gardens but I think a lot will try a small area.

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by Tungsten,

A question about seed potatoes,Im in Calgary where do I get them?Or is it too early?Im gonna try in a 5 gallon bucket thx.

Mike, I did potatoes last year, I just took a mini potatoes from a supermarket left them in a plastic bag, in the dark until they sprouted and them planted them.

They were awesome.

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I think you are wrong, there will be lots more gardeners this year. Most will not be very successful as it will be their first year, but I bet there will be a ton of boomers that know how, that had lost interest getting back into it. I will be growing lettuce this year, gave up gardening a few years ago, but I have a tough time trusting fresh veg. in the supermarket right now.

I'd love to get lettuce, I've tried it and kale for 3 years and they get demolished by a green inch worm that I can't keep controlled.

I replaced 3 yards of soil last season hoping to get a head of them, no go.
Tried several "natural" pesticides no go.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by Burro

Only option I have is a condo deck, gets maybe an hour of direct sunlight a day. Tried growing peppers, fail.

What good stuff grows in little direct sunlight? Not much of a green thumb.

Root veggies like the cooler 60-70f temp and grow quick.Radishes have to be the easiest and only take 30 days.4" deep tray of dirt is all it takes.I try and cycle a batch every 2 weeks so theres a good supply. .They dont like the hot part of summer.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Mike, I did potatoes last year, I just took a mini potatoes from a supermarket left them in a plastic bag, in the dark until they sprouted and them planted them.

They were awesome.

Thats all my dad did im sure,wish i would have paid more attention.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I think you are wrong, there will be lots more gardeners this year. Most will not be very successful as it will be their first year, but I bet there will be a ton of boomers that know how, that had lost interest getting back into it. I will be growing lettuce this year, gave up gardening a few years ago, but I have a tough time trusting fresh veg. in the supermarket right now.

If you don't have a patch of unused garden...I doubt very many city dwellers will go through the trouble to dig up sod, bring in garden loam, plant and water to save a few bucks in the Fall... if hail doesn't do em in.

Takes a special person with patience and an enjoyment of the outdoors, feeling dirt between their figures, saving a worm from the dry sunny air to have a garden.

I have spent many years on our dirt getting it better every year.


I would take a bet that I am wrong. I see no significant increase in the number of people vegetable gardening in Calgary.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

I'd love to get lettuce, I've tried it and kale for 3 years and they get demolished by a green inch worm that I can't keep controlled.

I replaced 3 yards of soil last season hoping to get a head of them, no go.
Tried several "natural" pesticides no go.

you can buy a fine mesh blanket for a few bucks...keeps the critters from laying the eggs

they sell them at garden stores. light and water go through.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

A question about growing taters in a 5 gallon pail.

When you plant them do you only fill the pail half full of dirt and add more after they sprout like you'd mound them in a garden?

Yes.

6 inch soil. Seed potatoes on top. Water in soil to settle. Add two inches soil. Whenever you get more than two inches of plant add more dirt.

Likely obvious but like any pot, drill holes on bottom of pail and put rocks in for drainage.

For curiousity... if you take a 5 gallon pail and cut the bottom out and set into the ground and fill in dirt around a raspberry bush...it won’t sucker.

[303 Epps]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

If anyone see French Fingerlings, please tell me. Red skin, yellow flesh. Great for French Fires for some reason.


Banana Potatoes sell for about the same price per pound as a good steak, and are usually served at the best restaurants only. That is what justifies growing them.

Drewski

If your potatoes have sprouted, they'll be great for seed this year. I always pull mine inside to sprout before planting.

Regarding french fingerlings: I plant the Cecil variety (yellow flesh, red skinned) and got the seed a few years ago from Apache seeds in Edmonton. They had some last year at $7 for 500 g bag. At that price I have been saving some for seed from year to year. If you want a few, let me know.

[Etownpaul]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

If anyone see French Fingerlings, please tell me. Red skin, yellow flesh. Great for French Fires for some reason.



Drewski

https://earthapples.com/product/variety-cerisa/

I grew their "jazzy" variety last year and they were fantastic, I have some saved for seed this year. You can get their brand at most garden centers and greenhouses.

[jpohlic]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

I'd love to get lettuce, I've tried it and kale for 3 years and they get demolished by a green inch worm that I can't keep controlled.

This happened to us last year too. But they concentrated on the kale and we did get a few heads of lettuce.