New things sprouting

King Cho - welcome, and thanks for following the blog!

Several new things have finally sprouted in the garden, and they certainly took their sweet time at it! Man....cool nightly temps (37 one night) sure do prohibit germination of warm season crops, which serves me right for wanting to try and grow them early. Why do we do that? Beats me, I guess it's just the anticipation to get started - even though Mother Nature isn't ready yet. Duh!

Anyway, here's some Kentucky Wonder pole beans that have emerged, which will completely engulf the trellis in the next 3-4 weeks. Due to the excessive rainfall last weekend, they look kinda sad - but will recover in no time.

Photo below - Yellow crookneck squash. Getting an early start on these is pretty important in my area, because the squashbugs will be out in full force in about 5-6 weeks. Upside down tomato cages help keep the vines in their alotted 2ft x 2ft space, with my help of course. I'm still waiting on the zucchini to germinate, but figure it's just a few days away from happening.

Photo below - sugar bowl hybrid watermelons are getting in on the action as well, and there are 4 different plantings in the main raised bed against the tallest trellises. Unlike last year, plenty of room has been provided for them to grow, which will hopefully make this crop more successful.

Lastly, the onions that were planted last October are just about ready to pull, and I hope they have decent sized bulbs underneath the soil. If possible, they will be preserved somehow for adding to the homemade salsa later this summer. This one should be among the biggest.

In other news, around 5-6" of rain is supposed to fall in my area over the next 3 - 4 days - which is not good for the garden.....Dangit. There will be yellow leaves on everything, i'm sure - but it's just one of those things that can't be helped. I only wish that the rainbarrels were already setup in the new location by the shed, but it just hasn't been constructed yet. I'll be pouring concrete pillars for them ( 4 total ) to rest on, as soon as the rain stops next week.

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Protecting the tomato seedlings last weekend

Here's a video that was made last weekend

A good day for fishing

Since there's so many things going on in the garden at this time of year, a much deserved break from it was certainly in order. Going fishing is quite relaxing, and my wife is always begging me to take her - even when I really don't have the time for it. However, occasionally I decide to just drop what i'm doing, and give in to her requests. So, we loaded up the truck and headed out for a few hours of fishing for crappie. The wind was really blowing hard, so taking the boat was completely out of the question. Anyway, we caught the following fish from the bank of a small local public lake about 1-1/2 miles from our home......

The stringer of fish consisted of 13 crappie, 8 largemouth bass, and 1 shell cracker - and probably 5 or 6 little ones were released back into the lake after being caught. The 22 fish that were brought home took about an hour to clean, as i'm pretty proficient with a plain old fillet knife while someone (Austin) holds a flashlight for me. Of course Jude has to get involved too, and I usually hold each fish down to her level so she can get a good look, and lick it too...hehe...Sometimes she tries to bite them.

Anyway, these will be fried up pretty soon. MMM...MMMM

Take care,

EG

Jude and the planter bench

Update - No storm damage to anything in the garden! Yay!

Hail prevention

Here's a video I made before the storms arrived in the area on Saturday morning. Enjoy!

The orchard is alive and well

About every 5 years, mother nature cooperates by staying on track with the changing of seasons, as fruit trees in the area are allowed to bear as they should. Since planting everything in the orchard during the fall of 2004, i've been eagerly awaiting the bumper crop that would eventually happen. Well, it is this year, and i'm pretty dadgum excited about it.....Woo Doggie!

Photo below - As stated in years past, this first tree is is my pride and joy - which is the Santa Rosa plum. Oh gosh...if you've never eaten one, then you're missing out! It is covered with little plums - maybe around 400-500? All I know, is that it's alot better than the measly 10 that were produced 2 years ago, but gosh they were delicious......Japanese beetles love this tree, and i'll really get aggressive with sprayings of liquid sevin when they arrive for the year. Plum jelly - here we come....

Photo below - The pear trees are putting on too, but will only be enough for fresh eating later. That's ok - the trees will need to be a little bigger before providing enough for pear preserves or even pear butter, and I reckon we can wait for that.

Photo below - here's another little cluster on one of the lower branches of the same tree. I removed a small limb that had been stricken by fireblight the other day, and you really have to be vigilant to keep it from spreading. If left unattended, fireblight is the kiss of death for pear trees.....

Photo below - here's some apples beginning to form, and this little tree is gonna be loaded down for its' small size. We may even have to prop the limbs up with something.....Little stinker....

Photo below - Muscadine grapes, and japanese beetles will completely annihilate them at this stage. Luckily, it's still a few weeks before they emerge from the earth - which will allow these little grapes to get more size on them before the annual visit by the marauding pests. Again, aggressive pesticides will be used on these, too.

I failed to take any pictures of the 3 blueberry bushes, but they are doing their thing too. Proper maintenance and care of an orchard is very time consuming, and this year's tasks will be pretty demanding. Spraying for pests and diseases is the biggest part, and I only water them occasionally.
In other news, blackberry winter has arrived, and little blooms are beginning to form on the canes surrounding the property. A few may be picked for fresh eating later, but there's still 5 gallons of them in the freezer from last year. That'll make enough jam for next winter, and means that this should be a pretty relaxing summer for me. :-)

In other news, severe weather is forecast for my area on Saturday, and with 90% chance of rain including possible hail and tornadoes - i'll be forced to stay indoors. Rats......It's a good thing we have so many of those 1 gallon buckets laying around, because i'll need them to help protect the tomato plants in the garden...

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Filling the deeper bed

Karen, Roy, bloodshotmoonshine, Melissa, Lianna, and Crissy - welcome, and thanks for following my blog!

Well, the entire garden has been planted now, but I won't have pictures until everything begins to sprout. As usual, a few changes were made to the planting layout, but i'm completely satisfied with it. Last weekend was all about getting the main raised bed ready for planting, and it was back-breaking work for one person to get accomplished. Because the compost didn't get finished in time, I had to purchase bagged manure compost to fill the deeper bed with. So, after dealing with 70 bags at 1 cubic ft each and $100 more dollars spent, it was filled at last.
The stuff I buy is manufactured locally, and I love the consistency of it. It's got a pine bark base, which does wonders for drainage.

Anyway, I wanted to show just how many weeds had to be removed before the filling took place. Weed seeds get blown in from all kinds of sources, and it's important to remove them as quickly as possible. Once the full grown vegetable plants get to where they provide shade to the soil below, weeds will become pretty scarce.

Photo below - The deck rail planters with lettuce inside that had been protected by the fencing of the main raised bed was finally removed, and relocated to the deck. A few salads throughout the week will come from them, and me and Austin like a good salad! YeeHaw!

Photo below - since the front side of the bed (which is photographed most of the time) is constructed a little bit below grade, I decided to show the backside - which clearly shows how deep this bed really is now. Being constructed with cedar boards that were acquired from a small local sawmill, it's exactly 14" deep. Because of this, I expect this years' harvest yield to be at least 25% better than last years'. Frequency of watering should decrease as well, making my life alot better in the process too, hopefully.

After no precipitation during the last 2 weeks, it seems that the April showers will be in abundance, now. The tomatoes really don't need any more water for a while, but there's just not much that can be done about it. At least it will help make the squash, beans, and watermelons sprout, though. Warmer nightly temperatures would be great too....

In other news, i've been asked to give a presentation about raised bed gardening to the general public of Lauderdale County, Alabama - which will be held at the extension office. Man...that will be super fun, and I sure do look forward to doing it! A powerpoint presentation is currently being put together for it, and you can bet that several slides will be focusing on growing things vertically. Any readers in the area should definitely attend, because the whole day will be filled with presentations on all kinds of gardening topics. Needless to say, it's gonna rock!

Lastly, the process of distributing tomato transplants to their new owners has begun, and 1/3 have already been delivered. It's gonna be interesting to see what everyone's thoughts are of the tomatoes later, and i'll certainly ask for feedback. In all, about 19 different varieties were grown, but i'll try to trim that number down to about 5 for next year.That should be much easier!

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Tomatoes planted

Animal Spirits, Christy, and Sarah - welcome, and thanks for following my blog!

After 7 weeks of pampering inside the propagation systems, the time finally arrived for the tomato transplants to be put into the garden. I was certainly ready for it, because growing transplants from seed is always pretty demanding - and quite stressful too....The hardening off process was quite easy this go around, and that's certainly welcomed. Anyway, I wanted to show a few of my plants that's been moved into the garden.

Photo below - here's one of my 8 Cherokee Purple plants that is being grown in the 4x8 box that held pumpkins and watermelons last year. My main reason for doing this is to isolate them for seed-saving later, as well as crop rotation...I know my plants are pretty little, but i'm just glad they're healthy! Hehe...As usual, I gave them just a little bit too much water, as can be seen from the leaves - but the intense heat inside the shed during the warm days lately caused me to have to water them at least every 3 days. They're in Mother Nature's hands, now.....

Photo below - here's a Kellogg's Breakfast in one of the 31 gallon swc's. Those little fuzzy things on top of the soil mix is something that has fallen from one of the hickory trees surrounding the property. We've got tons of hickory trees, and it's easy to gather a few fallen limbs for adding to the smoker....

Photo below - here's another plant in one of the swc's located by the shed. I really don't remember what kind it is - maybe Giant Oxheart? Anyway, the totes are labeled - so at least I'll know for sure later. These 4 different swc's also allow me to try 4 different fertilizers on them. There's nothing like experimenting!

Photo below - Here's a mixture of tomato plants that will be sold to people at my place of work. I was late about potting them up, but I reckon they'll be just fine. Just a little tall for my liking, as I like short stocky ones......The hot temps inside the shed are to blame, and I wish that they'd been started a couple of weeks earlier. One thing about it - a person learns something new every year that they grow transplants from seed.

Photo below - Here's a little Cherokee Purple that was really late being potted up. I just didn't have any room left under the lights to do so.               

I'll only grow about 100 next year, because I just don't have the time - or room for potting up more than that, and keep everything under lights too. Needless to say, being ambitious has it's disadvantages sometimes. Hehe...Anyway, i'm just glad it's finally over.
As can be expected, I've lost some plants throughout the propagation cycle. However, due to uncontrollable circumstances that were presented to me this time around - I lost a BUNCH! I'd say at least 100 -150....I'd rather not go into it..........

Anyway, that's it for this year...

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Moisture control in the swp's/swc's

*Disclaimer - The following statements explain my thoughts on how to control the soil moisture content in a homemade self-watering container/self-watering planter, and by no means is the only method for addressing this issue. I only wanted to share what works for me, and certainly do not claim to be omnipotent on the subject, or the "messiah of swc's/swp's." I do not expect credit for any discoveries made, nor do I intend to someday become the leader of  a "following" from those that would be helped by my methods. This is what works for ME, and I live by showing - rather than telling. I do not name my swc/swp designs to make them stand out, nor do I place pictures of them onto every gardening forum on the internet. These are my thoughts, of which are freely shared with anyone that might accept them as useful information for their gardening experience.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a growing movement of gardeners online that displayed pictures of various homemade self-watering containers that they had designed, which grew some of the best looking vegetable plants i'd ever seen grown in a container. Tomatoes, corn, peas, squash, and even pumpkins did well in them. So, I joined the movement by building several of the more popular designs on the 'net. I even told my dad that this would provide the means for growing the most beautiful tomato plants he'd ever seen. Boy...I was excited about it, to say the least.
Little did I know, that each and every design had a major flaw - which was the fact that the excessive wicking characteristics of the soil was to the point that tomatoes would achieve less than ideal results (especially in a humid environment such as mine). Blossom end rot and radial cracking of fruit became so rampant, that I personally considered the end result a complete disaster. So, being the highly educated, analytical (but bonafide redneck) person that I am, I set out to find an answer to the problem that had previously eluded all other self proclaimed swc "experts".
Rather than flooding the internet with an ever-changing design of what worked better (like Rev. 3.1, 3.2, etc.), I opted to run trials and experiment with various ways of controlling the water movement from the reservoir to the mass of soil where the plants live. In other words - I was done listening to people that obviously had more money then sense, because they had done nothing but steered me in the wrong direction, and I decided to use my knowledge and common sense to hopefully succeed where others have repeatedly failed. Being a pretty nice, sensible guy, I even attempted to give input to those that were still seeking the answers - only to be shunned and barely acknowledged. So, I was pretty much on my own, and am considered a "thread killer" anytime I post to one of the threads started by one of the more popular members of Gardenweb....

What I discovered, was that a certain sized orifice between the water reservoir and soil mass would meter the water in such a way that you can literally alter the soil moisture level to fit your needs. Some think that the soil mixture should be altered to control capillary action, but the ingredients are not readily available to everyone in different parts of the country. So, my test was performed with a growing medium that is readily available to all people that have a big box store close by. That would be Miracle Gro potting mix.

With a single 7/64" hole drilled into the wicking cup of my little 4 gallon swp constructed from 2 cat litter buckets, a broccoli plant was grown to maturity in the fall of 2009 with excellent results.Soil moisture was consistently regulated to a reading of 3-4 on the moisture meter, which is right at the beginning of the "moist" range. At that point, I knew that my orifice reduction had worked.
Still, I set out to come up with my own soilless mixture that would enhance the situation even further, by using bulk ingredients to duplicate the highly touted "ProMix BX" growing medium that had brought so many people excellent results in commercially sold Earthboxes. ProMix BX is good stuff, but expensive!
So, I came up with what I call "6:3:1", which is 6 parts peat moss/3 parts perlite/1 part vermiculite. Purchasing the ingredients in bulk is really cheap, and you'd be surprised how many containers can be filled with only $40 worth of stuff from your local farmer's cooperative...
Anyway, here's the following measurements gathered the other day from several of my swp's/swc's currently in service.


Photo below - 16 gallon swc with three 7/64" holes drilled into the bottom of a 6 oz. yogurt cup being used as a wicking basket. This particular swc is being used to grow honeydew melons.

Photo below - 4 gallon swp constructed from a single 5 gallon bucket (as seen on my blog), with a single 7/64" hole drilled into the 6 oz. wicking cup. An early girl tomato plant is being grown in it, and the reading was taken just a few days after the reservoir was initially filled with water. I'll recheck in a few days to see if it has come up any, and would love to get a reading of around 3.5 to 4.

Photo below - 34 gallon swc that has 2 margarine bowls evenly spaced for wicking baskets, and has three 7/64" holes drilled into the bottom of each one. A total of 12 cucumbers are currently planted in here, and the reading of 4 is pretty good, in my opinion.

Photo below - here's a 31 gallon rubbermaid tote with a 9"x 9" pond basket in it for the wicking basket. To reduce the "water to soil" effective area, the entire pond basket has been sealed with foil tape - then eight 7/64" holes punched through this tape for metering the water into it. I'm happy with this reading, as corn is currently being grown in it.

Photo below - Finally, here's one of my swp's constructed from 2 cat litter buckets, and the same single 7/64" hole is being utilized in this planter, too. I have a couple of cucumbers in here, and expect them to do rather nicely.

Since the 4 remaining swc's were just recently planted with tomatoes and filled with water, i'll let them settle for a week or two before taking any readings. They are of course 31 gallon rubbermaid totes that are being used to grow heirloom tomatoes in, and will be the most interesting to watch - to say the least. In reality, they are the biggest concern for me, because this will be the first trial run for this particular wicking basket/soil mixture setup. In the end, i'll certainly show the results - whether they will be good or less than ideal.

*After using them for the season, the mix and orifice combination worked out very well.....

*Update on 6/5/11

My thoughts remain the same toward the mixture being used, but I have incorporated some pine bark (about 2 parts) into each swc for the 2011 growing season. The reason is to increase drainage to offset any heavy rainfalls from over-taking the moisture control so diligently strived for - as well as more airspace into the root zone.. As you might imagine, new growing experiences have brought with them more knowledge about the subject, and incorporating more oxygen into the root zone is what i'm trying to achieve at this time.
I also understand that certain configurations provide different results in various parts of the country. In other words, what works in the Pacific Northwest won't give the same results here - and vice-versa.

Even though I have 20 swc's/swp's currently planted for the 2011 season, my preference of gardening methods would probably be a deep raised bed with the right soil mixture in it. It's much easier to maintain, has less problems with blossom end rot, and certainly looks much better, too.
However, if anyone reading this is contemplating building some homemade swc's for yourself, I hope that the contents of this post will help you in some way. My advice to you is to learn all that you can by reading about other's experiences/trials, then determine what combination works best for you in your location.

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Japanese Maple seedlings

Well, the gardening workshop at the extension office was a success, and all who attended left with tons of free tomato and pepper plants. We also gave out packs of seed for corn and cucumbers, and flexible cutting mats/boards that you lay on your countertop to slice your vegetables on. About 20 citizens were in attendance, and it's always fun to meet new gardeners. My favorite part is hanging out with the regional extension agent, because I always learn something new from him. Anyway, i'm looking forward to the next one....

Japanese Maple seedlings
It's a good thing several empty 2 liter bottles were saved over the winter, because they really came in handy for potting up these japanese maple seedlings. I hope they make it, because I saw a variety similar to this at Home Depot the other day that was being sold for $70 in a 3 gallon container. I'm pretty sure these are "Bloodgood", and the trees get about 20 ft. tall.

Here's a few more that are resting on the little bridge to the playhouse. This coming fall, i'll probably sell the gallon bucket with 5 in it for about $50. Someone will surely jump on that deal....

Photo below - here's a closeup for better visualization. The weakest ones will be culled later, leaving just 5.

In other news, more stuff is being planted in the garden - mainly tomatoes and peppers. In all, 25 tomatoes and 2 peppers have been planted this week. Over the weekend, the compost will be sifted to see what's available for the garden, and I really don't know what to expect. Sifting compost is a hard job, and takes forever! I don't like it one bit, either. But, it's gotta happen. I'll also start constructing small concrete pads for the rain barrels to sit on, because it's been predicted that the summer months will be pretty dry around here. With no substantial rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, i'll have plenty of time to get ready for when it finally does.
A couple of fishing trips with dear wife will take place too, and the flowerbed construction might also be started. If anyone would like for me to do a complete post on constructing a raised bed from landscaping timbers, just let me know in a comment, and i'll be sure to take some good photos of the process.

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Jude is a real stinker!

Jude (our female German Shepherd) had a pretty big weekend, because she spent alot of time outside chasing squirrels and birds, and also getting into everything I was working on - of course. I can't help but laugh, because she chases the squirrels with everything she's got, but always comes up short... Ha! I remember the first time like it was yesterday, because the squirrel went up a tree, and she ran right past it. It's pretty amusing, to say the least. Anyway, I decided to take a picture of 2 different paths on the property - which pretty much speak for themselves.....

Photo below - After months of waiting, the landscaping timbers at WalMart were finally reduced in price from $3.79 each to $1.95. That's what I was waiting for, so I got 30 of them for the big flowerbed that will be constructed next to the driveway. It'll be about 5ft. x 25-30ft. Yeah....it's gonna be a whopper! Now ya understand why so much compost is currently being made....While grabbing the timbers in the parking lot, a small wasp nailed me on one of my fingers. Bee/wasp stings don't bother me much, so it didn't phase me a bit. It's more of an aggravation, than anything. I've been stung by anything you can think of (even scorpions).

Photo below - since Jude was having a fit to go for a ride in my truck, I decided to take about a 4 mile trip with the windows rolled down just for her. She loves it! If any other dogs are on the road, I just slow down so they can get a good look at each other. The only problem is - she won't get out when it's over! After pleading with her for about 15 minutes, I had finally had enough. It went something like "Jude, if you don't get your butt out of my truck, i'm gonna take your picture and put it on the internet, showing everyone how bad you've been". Hee Hee....Somehow, I don't think she cares....Now, it's official - Jude has finally reached the upper echelons of "Supreme Butthead". Hehe...

Anyway, after replacing the fuel supply line that was defective on the boat motor the other day, me and the wife went fishing over the weekend, too. It was a real scorcher, but we still managed to catch 10-12 fish. Only 6 were brought home (3 bass, 3 crappie), and another couple of trips should provide enough for a good ol' fish fry. Yeehaw!

Take care, and be good to your pet!

EG

Planting corn in the big box

Gardenergirl - welcome, and thanks for following the blog!

Well, I just couldn't take it any longer....While at Lowes the other day during my lunch break, I broke down and bought 10 bags of composted manure so I could plant a 4x4 section in the main box with corn. At $1.48/bag, it was a no-brainer. This brings my total count to 55 plants, which should make for some good eating later on....Of course the box is 14" deep now, so it took all 10 bags mixed with a little bit of peat moss and perlite to fill it to around 13". Once settled, the soil will probably still be about 10 - 11", which should be more than deep enough to make the corn grow well. It'll be filled to the rim with homemade compost next year.....

Photo below - lettuce that was started from seed in the coldframes back in January. It'll be ready to pick in another week or two, and a fresh salad sounds really good right now! The coldframes will be filled with lettuce next fall/winter, but I only grew a little bit this spring. Me and Austin are the only ones that eat lettuce, so this should be just enough for us.

Photo below - after being vacant throughout the winter months, dear wife finally planted some flowers in the planter bench to make it look really pretty once again. I enjoy seeing vibrant colors in these planters, because it really adds to the landscape. Besides - I put alot of hard work into this thing! Oh yeah, I really need to cut the grass (weeds), but just haven't found the time for it. It'll get done this week. There's just so much to do...

Photo below - I wanted to show an updated picture of the onions planted in the scrap pieces of rubbermaid totes. As you can see, no bolting whatsoever, although everyone else's is bolting like crazy. Weird.......Anyway, bulbs the size of a ping pong ball have already formed, and another round of fertilizer is in order...I'll give them 4 more weeks to mature - then they gotta go.

In other news, all of the tomato seedlings were potted up over the weekend, and are living outside. I'll give them another 2 weeks to grow, then they will be distributed to their new owners. Man....I won't grow that many ever again...hehe...

Last, but not least - Maggie Lawrence wrote a nice article about me Here  if anyone would like to read it. It was an honor to meet her, and be featured by her blog that is sponsored by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System , Alabama A&M, and Auburn University. I hope she comes back in the spring, because the garden will be huge!

Also, the gardening workshop will take place at the county extension office tonight, and I can't wait! WooHoo!

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

All about the swc's

Welcome, Sarah - and thanks for following the blog!

Prepping the large swc's for planting out next weekend has really kept me busy, because all of the saved soil from last year had to be amended with perlite, of course. Jude loves helping of course, because as the soil is mixed up in a tote bin, I pitch any little twigs or roots up into the air, and she snatches them before they have a chance to hit the ground. Anyway, here's 4 large swc's located in the expanded area between the shed and the little playhouse. A total of 8 tomato plants will be planted here, but I haven't decided which ones...More than likely, they'll be 8 different ones, because i'd like to try several new varieties this year.

Photo below - here's the cucumbers that were planted in the swp's constructed from cat litter buckets. With 4 gallons of soil within, they should have no problems growing 2 plants each. A few misplaced seeds are trying to poke through the plastic, but slits have already been cut for the first ones that have germinated. Oh well, i'll have to reach under the plastic mulch with something and clip the renegades...

Photo below - We have corn!!! Jude did a great job watching them for me, and now one of my little owls is keeping everything safe from birds and such. It has to be moved everyday so the wildlife thinks that it's real, though. Anyway, 15 plants were put into each one, and the soil moisture level was measured at 5 on the meter from Lowes. That'll be really good for corn...

Photo below - here's the 16 gallon swc constructed from the bottom part of the original shop-vac from about 20 years ago. It's planted with "Cool Green" honeydew melon, and the soil moisture content checked in at around 4.5 on the meter. Again - that's a good value for melons....

Photo below - here's the 18 gallon swc on the other side of the trellis that's planted with Congo watermelon. The little sprouts are just beginning to emerge from the slits in the plastic, and should be running up the trellis in just a few weeks. As you can tell, only 4 melon vines will be grown this year, because I kinda got carried away with the planting number last year.

Of course my homemade 6:3:1 soil mix is in all of them, and Osmocote controlled release fertilizer is the way i'm going with corn, cucumbers, and melons. The tomatoes will receive various other ferts, because i'd like to do trials on the ones that can be purchased from most big box stores. It should be pretty interesting!

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

No pics, but lots to say

Andrea - welcome, and thanks for following the blog!

It's a good thing that i'm not a lazy person, because the workload in the garden has increased significantly. To passersby, I must look like the energizer bunny while prepping everything for the warm weather garden. It's alot! Anyway, there's alot of things to tell - so i'll get right to it....

First, i've managed to pot up around 75 Japanese Maple seedlings in the evenings after work. It's doubtful that anymore will be done, because there's just no place to put them. Cuttings from forsythia and a tree with purple/lavender flowers that grows wild have also been dipped in rooting hormone - then placed into small containers with soil too. Maybe some of them will root - we'll just have to wait and see.

Second, any of the wintersown containers for early girl tomatoes that possess multiple seedlings have been divided up, too. Thirteen containers have quickly turned into 21, and one was even planted in one of the cat litter bucket swp's yesterday. Heh.

Third, new things direct sown into the large swc's have begun to sprout, like more cucumbers and melons. Plastic mulch has been added to the ones for melons, but the wind was blowing too badly to mulch the 34 gallon containerwith cucumbers in it. Maybe someone on the property will help me with it? It would be nice!

Fourth, customers are already asking for their tomato transplants - but they're just not ready yet. This is because the ones being grown in the long shelf system can't be potted up - due to all three propagation systems being full right now....Yep, a valuable lesson has been learned, and i'll only do maybe 150 plants next year. This should allow enough room for holding them as their containers are increased. Doh!

Fifth, the local extension office will be holding a landscaping/vegetable gardening workshop next Tuesday evening, and of course i'll help with it. Man, I sure do love those workshops!

Well, that's about it, but you can bet alot of pictures will be taken over the upcoming weekend. Wife wants to go fishing, so that'll take place too.....

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

The compost is smoking hot...

Muza-Chan and Web4Deb - welcome, and thanks for following the blog!

In hopes of keeping the main compost bin aggressively decomposing, I added another 50 lbs. of alfalfa pellets and also another 16 lbs. of dry dog food to it. Let me tell ya....those 2 additions can really heat a pile up! During the last week of April, the contents of the bin will be screened over a wheelbarrow - which should provide (some) compost for amending the beds with. Meanwhile, the soil in the 4x9 box next to the woods "might" be transferred into the main box. I know, pretty crazy, but it just might happen. I need to plant more corn right now, and need the soil for them.....Anyway, the pic below is definitely worth a 1,000 words, because this pile is really hot, now!

Photo below - I also got another makeshift trellis constructed for the other cucumbers in the 34 gallon swc, which should turn into a wall of growth later on. This little area has received most of the focus right now, and  quickly became one of the more anticipated improvements to the garden area this year. I just hope the trellises don't get blowed over later....That would be a bummer! You know how I dislike flimsy trellises...More vertical pieces will be attached as the vines begin to climb, because i'm all out of "sticks" right now....

Also, the cucumbers in the cat litter swp's just sprouted, and the corn in the large swc's too! Boy, with the plentiful sunshine as of late, things sure do happen quick. The large swc's for the tomatoes by the shed are being assembled as well, because 8 of my little babies will be planted in them in about another week. As a matter of fact, all 26 tomatoes will be put into the garden then, too, because the 4x8 box is pretty much ready to go for the Cherokee Purple tomatoes....Hehe....."We're there"........

Of course every swc/swp is getting filled with my homemade 6:3:1 potting mix (peat, perlite, vermiculite), and the wicking baskets/cups are really being restricted too. I'll show some soil moisture content measurements in a couple of weeks, as I really want them to have time to settle a little after the initial filling. The ideal measurement for tomatoes should be between 3-4, and peppers 2-3 on the moisture meter from Lowes. Melons and corn would do good at around 4-5, at least in my opinion. Anyway, after last year's swc growing cycle, I feel that I have a pretty good handle on the "soil moisture problem" that most swc gardeners experience. In no way do I proclaim that my way is the only way, but you're welcome to try it, if you'd like. Several store bought fertilizers will be trialed in the swc's/swp's for tomatoes, because i'd like to have a comparison to an organic mixture that I know will work well. Plus, it's fun to experiment....

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Sprouts in the wintersown containers

Phillip - welcome neighbor, and thanks for following the blog!

This was my first time using the wintersown germination method, and I have to say - it was pretty dadgum easy....As can be expected when initially learning how to do something, I still have a long way to go before proclaiming myself an expert on the subject, though. The success rate this year was probably around 60%, and that's certainly nothing to hang my head about.
Anyway, the lids have been off for over a week now, because the weather has just been gorgeous!

Photo below - Here's a little Early Girl tomato seedling, which is perhaps my favorite thing to do this way. Oh gosh....germination was excellent, and there's about 17 of these out there. What I like most about wintersowing, is that there is no hardening off needed. These little fellers are germinated in the elements already. However, the Black Cherry toms were a bust. It's a good thing several were started in the propagation chamber, too. Whew....

Photo beliow - Marigold, and again - the germination was excellent. The jury is still out whether i'll do these again this way, because I typically like to put full grown transplants into the garden around the first of May. As you can see, these clearly have a long way to go. Perhaps a few will be done in the propagation systems next year. We'll see.....

Photo below - Just look at these little Celosia sprouts. These things sure are pretty, and I will hopefully be able to use them in a small flowerbed somewhere in the garden area.

Lastly, here's one of the little 5 oz. cups that were used to pot up some of the tomato plants in. I found a sweet deal at that weird merchandise store close to my work, and picked up 100 for just a dollar. Sweet!

In other news, I have 100 japanese maple seedlings that have just sprouted, which will be pampered in a partial shade area next to the woods. They should grow to about 12" by fall, and hopefully about 3 ft tall in a couple more years. I'll likely keep them until they are at least that size, because their value will increase significantly....I'll show ya a pic of them in a few days. Yesterday evening, at least 30 of them were placed into cut-off 2 liter bottles filled with soil, then watered liberally. The rest will be done the same way before the week is over, but the time to do it is pretty scarce right now.

With all of the different stuff keeping me busy right now, I hardly have time to catch my breath. Dad had to go into the hospital on Monday to have 3 stints put into a major artery around the abdomen area, because a large aneurysm had formed - which was of course life-threatening. Although very sore, he made it through surgery very well for someone 76 years old. He's a real trooper!

Anyway, you can expect to see things really start to escalate in the garden around here, because there's no freezing weather in the forecast all the way up into April 15th, which is our last average frost date. I'm planting everything that's possible during this week - except of course tomatoes....Yay! Get ready, because this will be the biggest garden to date....

Take care, and happy gardening!

EG

Planting time for cucumbers

Here's a video of a few things already planted in swp's/swc's. Enjoy!

My explanation of a swp

Welcome, Nathan - and thanks for following my blog!

I think a couple of my new readers (Duane and Nate) might find this video pretty informative, as I try my best to explain the principle of how a self watering planter works. Enjoy!

More nitrogen for the oldest compost bins

Earth_Mommy - welcome, and thanks for following the blog!

I've been on the lookout for some cheap dry dog food as of late, because it can really get a cold compost pile cooking again. The oldest pallet bins have been somewhat neglected for the past 2-3 months, because all of the focus has been on the newest bin system (which of course has the vertical auger in it.) So, while I was doing some shopping the other day, I noticed this bag of dog food, and immediately put one in the buggy. Man...16 lbs. for $4.99 - what a bargain! I assure you that the packaging is the best thing about the whole thing, because the food itself smelled pretty weird, and I understood why it was so cheap. Still, it was a good addition to the piles, and of course Jude was having fits for it, but I can assure her that she wouldn't be as happy as the dog on the package afterward..... Ha! If she only knew.....

Photo below - I also put the 2 gallon bucket of UCG's in them that the store up the road is saving for me every week. That's so nice for them to do, and I sure do appreciate it! Speaking of UCG's, wife is gonna make me go with her to Huntsville to find a suit (blech!) for EG to wear at an upcoming wedding. The best part about the trip, is that there are probably 5-6 Starbuck's in the area. Hehe.....Oh, we'll be going in the big red truck for that trip! I'll hopefully bring home somewhere between 50 and 100 lbs, if they have some there.

The long weekend (thanks to Good Friday) will be spent mixing more 6:3:1 for the swc's, and also hardening off the tomato seedlings in the propagation systems. I've already potted up the tomato seedlings that will be used in my garden, and placed them on the top shelf of the 3rd propagation system. The other 300+ seedlings will be potted up into 6 oz. cups, then placed back under the lights. It's gonna be interesting, because I really don't have room for them. Sounds like it's time to skin the 4x4 greenhouse finally....hehe.

Jude is taking good care of the corn seedlings for me, and i'll reward her over the weekend by giving lots of time outside her cage. She loves Saturdays and Sundays....

I've also began setting up some of the larger swc's in place, and have around 9 more to go. The buckets of 7:2:1 growing mix from last year will be adjusted to meet this year's formulation, too - by adding more perlite to it. If I can think of it, i'll adjust the temperature control of the coldframe opener, too - but it's doubtful that i'll remember...They sure would be a big help right now with the tomato seedlings....

Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and productive weekend!

EG