Setting Up the Vegetable Garden

This has been an extremely busy time.  For more than a week, I have been gradually exposing the seedlings to higher and lower temperatures, as well as more and more hours of sun.  It's made for a lot of running around, since many afternoons have been both rainy and sunny.  I have been watching the weather reports to make sure that the plants never sat outside below 50 degrees.  They have been getting maximum sunlight, too, so I have had to make sure the plants didn't dry out.  All and all, they have gotten used to being outdoors.

The weather report said the cold nights were over - meaning not really going below 50 degrees, so I decided to start putting the plants n the ground.  I had fertilized the soil weeks ago, so all I have to do is dig the holes, add a little fertilizer for each plant (3 T).  It's an organic fertilizer for tomatoes and vegetables.

 

 

So far, I have planted 9 Bellstar Tomatoes, 7 Yellow Pear Tomatoes, 8 cabbage, 8 eggplant, 8 bell pepper, 8 watermelon and 7 cantaloupe plants.

 

 

For the tomato plants, I cut off the lowest branches, as they seem to suck up a lot of the plants energy/food, but won't bear fruit.  At least I don't think those branches will.  I read on a gardening website that it's good to do this, as well as plant a bit of the tomato plant's stem in the ground - I think this is so it will grow more roots and strengthen the plant.

 



So, now some of my concerns:

1. Only after I put the plants in the ground did I discover that the next 2-3 days are going to be cold.  One of the nights will actually dip down to 38 degrees!! I think I may try to cover the seedlings at night to protect them.  I'm not sure how yet, but I'm going to have to act fast.
2. I did not rake/level the garden as thoroughly as I should have, so it is pretty uneven in parts.  I'm not sure how this will effect the plants, but in the fall I'm going to rototill everything! I would have/should have done it this spring, but as always, I just can't seem to get to everything.
3. I'm worried about pesky critters eating my plants.  I still haven't figured out how I'm going to enclose this huge garden....
4. I did not even think to leave paths between the rows of vegetables, so it's going to be a little challenging moving about the garden.  I have only planted half of the garden, so I will be sure to leave myself more room when I plant the rest.
5. I did not put any stakes in for the tomato plants and am considering doing it this weekend so I don't disturb the roots later.

Seedlings

New Method of Transplanting Seedlings

I had many new seedlings to transplant this week, but I wasn't quite sure how to deal with the peat pellets.  Should I try to take the seedlings out of the pellet, or leave them in an put the whole thing in a larger container?  I decided to go online and see what other gardeners are doing, and I discovered a really good video that demonstrates how to transplant seedlings that have been grown in peat pellets:

 

 

Also, several of the tomato seedlings that I had transplanted were leaning over:

 

 

 

One thing that this video taught me is to plant seedlings low in the cup, so as they grow and get taller, you can add more dirt.  The other important thing I learned is that it is important to keep the seedling as straight as possible - so it will grow upright and be strong.  So, I re-transplanted some tomato plants, and then I did a bunch of tomato seedlings, pepper seedlings, and eggplant seedlings.

 

 

 

I feel bad that I am resorting to plastic cups and not recycling old newspapers, but this saves me a lot of time and I like this system better.  Plus, the cups only cost 4cents apiece.





One Pepper Seedling

April 6
The saga continues.  I have one little pepper plant that just seems to want to survive.  I planted it tonight, in an old sour cream container with holes drilled in the bottom.  I followed the planting instructions from The New Seed Starters Handbook (Bubel).  She says to line the bottom of the container with 2 sheets of newspaper, to keep the soil from draining out of the container.  Then she says to line the bottom with an inch of moss - and wet it.  Then, moisten some potting soil and fill the container to within 1/2 an inch from the top. Then put the seedling in.

I chose a potting soil that has a slow-release fertilizer (Fafard). Now the pepper plant is sitting under the grow light in the basement.  I really hope it makes it....

Not a great picture.  I've been wondering if maybe I should have started the pepper seeds in wet paper towels.  Something to try next time.  I have new seeds growing.  Today is Day 7 and I see about 3 tiny sprouts.  I have put them under light, but I am keeping them on heat because most of them have not sprounted.  I did add some water, because the peat pots seemed so dry.  I put on my 10X magnifiers and discovered a little fuzz (fungus - already!!) on one of the seedlings.  I pushed it off with my finger.  The others look OK.

If these don't grow then I'll try the paper towel trick.  I'll keep trying!  I'm also going to  buy plants from the nursery if I have to.

 

4/19/13 - UPDATE

My little pepper plant is doing well!  It has it's first true leaves!  And all the new pepper plants planted in the plugs are also doing well and about to grow their first true leaves, too.  Hurray!

 

 

Update:  June 2, 2013 - One and a half months later.  This pepper plant made it!! 

 

It is planted in a container, sitting safely in the pool area where animals can't get to it.  I did find some aphids on it the other day... just a few.  I picked them off and I have been keeping a close eye on it.  I have to go to Florida for a week and am really nervous about not being able to watch my plants.

 

 



April Last Year

I found this in on my computer in my documents - not a very effective way of keeping records.  I prefer this blog because it allows me to keep everything so organized and I can find anything I need with a click of the mouse.

Rereading this entry from last April reminded me that it was actually hot at this time last year!  Today (April 2) was freezing!

Here are my notes from last year:

April 16, 2012

Today is unusually warm for Massachusetts – 91 degrees!  We had mulch delivered on Saturday, the 14^th, so Jamie has been laying it all around the garden beds up front – to start.

I have been yanking weeds.  Buckets full.  I feel like I’m wasting a lot of time, but I also feel like it’s better to yank them than to pour more chemicals in our yard.  Also, if I yank them, hopefully they won’t spread their seeds.  I read that the grass has a better chance of growing thicker when it doesn’t have to compete with the weeds. Makes sense.

We hired WEED MAN to do our lawn for us this year, but we asked them not to touch the yard on the side of the pool by Jan’s house, because that’s where a vegetable garden is going.  We don’t want any chemicals touching any veggies we’ll be eating.

We have asked Joe to mow our lawn for us.  Two calls to him so far.

I am ordering another grow light.  I resurrected one that I bought about 20 years ago and have put a bunch of seeds under it:  snapdragon (3/?), poppies (?), plum tomatoes, peppers, cosmos (4/2).  So far, everything is taking off except the peppers.  I’m a little concerned because the tiny plants seem to reach a certain height and then flop over.  I see this happen with all of them except the poppies – probably because they are still quite small.  Overcrowding is another problem.  When I go to thin the plants, I end up killing some of them because they are disturbed.  Next year I will sow the seeds more sparingly.

I started a compost pile behind my shed.  I admit, I don’t really know what I’m doing.  But you have to start somewhere!  I threw in all the grass that grew into my flower beds, all the weeds that I yanked, plus stuff from my kitchen, like old broccoli, green onion tops, orange rinds, banana peels and a little spaghetti.  Don’t know if any of this is off-limits for a compost pile, but I guess I will learn.

I planted some sweet pea seeds in a shallow terra cotta container.  I plan to make a trellis for it out of branches when the little plants emerge.

I need to get all of my tools organized so that they are easy to get to and don’t get lost in the shuffle.

I had to stop myself from ordering a half dozen books online last night.  I have so many questions, so many goals.  I need to remind myself constantly that there is no rush… I have lots of time to learn and it’s OK to make mistakes.  I need to enjoy the process, just as I have enjoyed learning the process of cooking over the years.

April 23, 2012

I’m reading a book called Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew and I am really excited because it makes gardening seem so much easier, not so overwhelming.  Already I got a great tip for starting seeds – don’t use nearly as many seeds when starting plants, and cut the extra seedlings with scissors instead of ripping out.  So smart!

I set up my new grow light and moved it into Jamie’s room.  He insists.  Poor guy – it seems so bright!  I sowed more seeds tonight – dill, parsley, zinnias and basil.  I discovered that my peppers, which are finally starting to shoot up after 21 days, are organic, so I will be able to save seeds.  The plum tomatoes are also organic.  I made little signs to put in the trays and removed the seed packets, which were getting wet.  Supposedly, the seeds will last for a few years if stored properly.  I have them in a little plastic filing case but need to find something bigger.

May 3, 2012

I planted more seeds on the 27^th, April:  3 different kinds of zinnias, cucumbers and zucchini squash.  I’m beginning to realize that I should have started the seeds earlier.  The plants are all tiny – especially the snap dragons.  I guess I’m supposed to put a heating pad under the seeds.  Maybe I’ll try that next year… I don’t know.  It seems like growing seeds can get kind of expensive after a while.  Might as well just go out and buy the plants!  I’m keeping track of all of my expenses, so I’ll see whether it’s worth it or not.  Any way, it is a good thing to know how to grow things.

That 90 degree weather we had a couple of weeks ago convinced some of the shrubs to send out its blooms a little early.  A few nights ago, we must have experienced a frost, because I noticed our lilacs are almost dead, and I barely noticed they were out yet.  Some of the azaleas were also affected.  I made me sad to see all the little frost-burned lilacs and white flowers.

I mowed the lawn for the first time the other day – good thing, too, because we’ve had nothing but rain since.  I did the front; Jamie did the rest.  I want to take care of our own lawn, because I think it’ll look better if we take more of the responsibility on ourselves.  I need to start reading more and make some plans to care for this lawn.

I spent a lot of time cleaning up the flower bed by the garage.  Grass had grown through where juniper and phlox are supposed to be.  I’m going to lay some new weed cloth there.

Finally, I went to Lowes and priced boards to make my square foot gardens.  It’ll cost about $10 per garden for the wood.  I need to find someone to help me cut it, since Jamie doesn’t really have the tools, and neither of us have the know-how.

Sowing Eggplant, Thyme, Marigold, and Pepper Seeds

I started some new plants today, and I found it was super-easy because I purchased a couple of "greenhouses".  These include the tray, a clear plastic "greenhouse dome" and 36 pellets (or "plugs").  For only $5.00 apiece at Ocean State Job Lot, this seems like the way to go!

So easy!  I filled 2 trays with warm water until the pellets expanded into little pots with soil.  Then I put a seed or two into each one, covered with a little peat moss, put on the dome and finished!  I didn't forget to label the trays, so I won't forget which plants are growing in which tray.  Then, I placed them on the heating pads in my bedroom.  And, I won't forget to take the domes off and give the plants light as soon as they begin to emerge!

What I'm growing: 

• German Winter Thyme:  14-21 days to germinate (this took 3 days with heat)
• Eggplant, "Galine" (this took 5 days with heat)
• Marigold, "Snowball":  7-14 days to germinate (this took 2 days with heat)
• Pepper, "California Wonder":  10-21 days to germinate (beginning after 7 days, but slow)

These are the thyme sees, after just 3 days.

April 7 - These thyme seedlings are now a week old, and still tiny-tiny.  I wonder how I'm supposed to thin them and transplant them, as they seem so small and delicate.  I wonder if I should have sprouted them in wet paper towels first, and then transplanted each one in its own, separate pot?  Maybe I'll try that next time.

Here are my eggplant seedlings after 7 days.  They look pretty good:

Pepper Seedlings and Damping Off

April 1, 2013
Well, these peppers have been very challenging.  I have already discovered a couple of mistakes that I have made, but not before I have lost almost a dozen seedlings.

First, I waited too long to uncover the seed flat, turn off the heating pad, and place it under a grow light.  As a result, the seeds that emerged experienced root rot, or "damping off".  I didn't realize that I have to do this when the seedlings first emerge.  I thought I had to wait for most of them to emerge.

Second, I was watering the plants too much.  The problem actually began when I first sowed the seeds, because the planting medium was difficult to water.... the water floated to the top.  In the future, I will moisten the medium before I plant seeds, and then I will water from the bottom.  The first time I watered from the bottom, I filled the flat 1/2 full of water.  This saturated the soil, which is not good! Now, I pour only a little bit of water underneath.

I went to Sixteen Acres Garden Center to purchase a fungicide, because one of my books recommended it; however, I couldn't find anything that is specifically for seedlings.  Someone at the garden center said to put the seedlings in a sunny window to let any fungus dry out.  I did exactly that when I got home.  Thankfully, it was a sunny day, and the little seedlings responded beautifully.  They seem to do better in the sunlight than under the grow light. 

I was very discouraged at one point and almost threw the whole flat out, but this morning I discovered that many new seedlings have emerged.  So, even though some of the seeds germinated in just one week, many of the other seeds required two weeks to emerge.  I'll need to remember this when waiting for any seeds to germinate! 

The other day, when I was feeling discouraged, I picked up a new packet of pepper seeds and a tray with pellets.  I'm not giving up!  I am determined to learn how to grow healthy pepper plants!

April 2
Still discouraged.  The seeds continue to sprout, but the leaves and roots continue to rot.  I picked off 3 more seedlings today out of the flat, and saw fungus on one of them.  The soil looked dry, so I added a little water, but it turned out to be too much water. I still have roughly 30 seedlings/sprouts.  A few look really healthy.  I'll be happy if I can get a half dozen healthy plants.  We'll see....

April 5
I have decided to scrap the whole tray, except for 3 seedlings that seem OK.  The rest all show signs of rot.  Very depressing.  I took the 3 remaining seedlings and stuck them in a jar with some damp paper towels and put them in a sunny windowsill.

April 6
I am going to try to plant each seedling in its own pot and see how they do.  Not expecting much.

Discouragement

I felt a little discouraged today when I discovered that 7 of my little pepper seedlings have already bit the dust.  They were only 11 days old (sniffle).

I quickly reminded myself that this is a life-long adventure, and nobody said that I have to do everything perfectly this year.  That goes for next year, and the year after, and the year after that.

My goals include gaining gardening knowledge and skill over time.  I know I know more this year than I did at this time last year.  I need to keep going.

My Pepper Seeds Have Sprouted!

The seeds went in on March 18th, and I noticed my first sprouts last night, March 22nd.  These are the sweet peppers; no bell peppers had sprouted yet.  I checked them again tonight, and there are about a dozen sweet pepper sprouts, and one bell pepper sprout!  So, it didn't take 2 weeks to germinate, or even 10 days.  It took four and five days for each type of pepper to germinate, with the soil being between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

I switched from using plastic wrap as a cover to using a clear plastic garbage bag.  The garbage bag is so much easier to put on.  I have to keep spraying the soil because although the plastic is covering the tray, the water evaporates and the soil seems to dry out a little.  Tonight the soil seems damp, but I gave it a few sprays any way.  I hope I don't ruin the seeds.

Update:  Today is March 26th, a full 9 days after I planted the seeds.  Many of them have sprouted, but it seems that there are still many more that haven't.  Now I'm just trying to determine when to put them under the grow light.  I continue to lightly mist the soil, as it seems to dry out easily.  So worried about "damping off"!

Sowing Pepper Seeds

Yesterday I put together a list of plants that need to be started indoors in the month of March.  I got the information for starting dates right off of the seed packets.  However, I decided to consult 2 of my "seed starting" books, Seed Sowing and Saving, and The New Seed Starters Handbook.  TNSSH suggested starting the pepper plants as early as late January or February, so I decided to start mine a couple of weeks before schedule: Today!

I decided to put my learning to use.  The first thing I did was drill lots of holes on the bottom of a large 20" x 10" flat.  The reason for doing this is so that it will fit into another flat of the same size, so that I can water the seedlings from underneath. This was very easy.

Then, I sterilized the flats, water sprayer and spoon in a bleach solution - 9 parts water, 1 part bleach (I did this in the bathroom while wearing my white bathrobe).  My only thought here was that I wasn't sure whether to sterilize all the flats, since I had the solution ready to go.  I guess my concern is that the flats will only get germy while waiting around to be used at a later date. March 26- I learned in my WMMGA class today that the sterilized containers are only good for 2 hours; you can't wash everything in the bleach solution and leave overnight.

OK. Now in the kitchen.  This is when I realized that it would be great to have my own little space somewhere in the house where I can do this work.  I think I'm going to have to invest in a table and shelves and more lighting.  This reminds me that I'd like to do a post on "equipment". 

So, I filled the flat with holes with maybe an inch of sterilized soil (8 qt. bag for $2.00 from OSJL).  I used a straw to make 1/4-inch indentations in the soil for the seeds.  I planted 2 different kinds of seeds:  sweet peppers (Carmen) and green-to-red bell peppers (Snapper). All was going well until I had to water them.  I poured a 1/2-inch of water into the bottom flat and laid the seed flat on top.  It just floated.  And that's when I remembered that it's very difficult to water seed starting medium, and that I should have moistened it before I started.

I emptied out the bottom tray and decided to spray the surface of the seed flat with a fine mist instead.  This, too, is difficult in that the water seems to stay on top instead of soaking into the soil.  Oh well.  I sprayed a couple of ounces and covered the flat with plastic wrap.  This step made me realize that it would be awfully nice to have durable plastic covers.  Maybe some day.  This "hobby" can get expensive.

The flat is now sitting on a bookshelf in my bedroom, with a heating mat underneath.  Pepper seeds need the soil temperature to be at least 80F in order to germinate.  I have my trusty little laser thermometer nearby to give me readings.  The soil was 66 degrees about 15 minutes ago. It's now 69 degrees... 10 more to go!

My book says the seeds could take 2 to 3 weeks to germinate, but perhaps not so long at 80 degrees.  In another book I read that pepper seeds take about 10 days to germinate.  Either way, I hope this works.  I tried to grow peppers from seed last year, but they never even sprouted.  I later learned that the soil was too cold.

Reminder:  Label the flats so you know which plants are which.