Fall/Winter Gardens 2014-15 Part 2

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1368713/

Since that post has over 200 replies, thought I'd start a new one.

Thanks, Stephanie. Good idea.

Question: when you direct sow, do you lose some of the seeds to birds or squirrels or other critters?

THANKS, Steph!

1 Happy Green Peppers and fall seedlings
2- beans
3 radishes and carrots
4- peas and brocolli
5- garden still going not counting whats out front

oh yeah, theres definitely the risk of critters interest in your seeds, as i have found out with my autumn crops, lol. Then there are those little creepy crawly things that munch down your seedlings the minute they poke their heads up from the soil.

I really need to invest in that seed growing system that GG showed me, as the builders of this house were a tad bit stingy when it came to windows, lol.

seriously, get a bb gun for the squirrels. Theyre not so bad after you get rid of a few.

i hear they taste like chicken ;)

hahahah thats what my rabbits say!!! ;)

oh good, my 15LB purchase of earthworm castings have come in today (i kind of underestimated just how much that would be, lol, good thing that there is no such thing as "too much" when it comes to this stuff). When i get my autumn veggies planted down in my garden bed, they will get a good dose of this stuff to go with it.

at last, signs of life from my pansy / viola seed :)

the rains we have had over the past couple of days seems to have set off a massive explosion of mushrooms around here, i feel like i am in the Super Mario Brothers game, LOL!

Mushrooms mean you have healthy soil.

well that is good to know, because they are every dang where, LOL! :)

Hubs mom used to cook waffles and squirrel gravy.. I never tried it but he says it was delicious!

Badcat, nice peppers, and wow you've got a lot of space in those beds!

Jmc, I followed that link for the worm castings, $20 seems like a good deal (shipping included). How big an area will that cover? And that red and white mushroom is trippy, I've never seen one like that!

JMC! lol I feel ya! The whole yard is covered in all kinds of em. Wouldnt be bad, I just dont want the kids messing with them.

Becky those are our seeds!! haha Got seedlings all over, first year Iv had the beds and Iv taken plenty of notes for planting next year :)

i guess the area coverage would be your preference, as castings dont really have a "maximum amount" allowed per square foot, as plants could even grow in just pure castings alone if you wanted them to. but so far i have put some in a house plant container, two containers with tomatoes growing in them, and all of my autumn seedlings, and still it feels like ive barely put a dent in it. i mainly got it to add to my main garden bed when the autumn seedlings go in

update on the progress with those seedlings. i found a place where their afternoon dappled shade is a bit brighter than where i first had them, im sure they will appreciate that.

had to move the kale into larger cells (MAN, they grow fast!)

This message was edited Aug 21, 2014 2:47 PM

JMC1987,
What's to the right of your beets, with the silver dollar leaves?

The beets look happy!

oh that is siberian kale, supposed to be the original old fashioned version :)

I'm envious jmc1987. I can barely get kale to grow at all, and I've tried many different things over the years, including two different climates. You'll obviously be eating well this Fall/Winter!

oh by the way, any of you guys wouldnt happen to have any borage plants going to seed would you? i would feel a lot more comfy doing some kind of seed swap instead of getting seeds from a source where you have no idea whats going on at their facility. I know there are plenty DG'ers with the plant listed on their trade lists, but i have the hardest time getting anyone to ever reply to trade offers, lol.

I just rototilled up a new bed as I pulled out all my sweet corn stalks. All the broc and cabbage starts will go in this one. I'll start some bush beans in some of the blank spots and see if I can get more beans in the freezer!

How long does okra produce in TX? Mine seems to still be going. I had all okra and sunflowers in the next bed over. The bunnies got to some of my sunflowers so I cut the rest for flowers for the house. Stalks went to the goats and chickens. Now I'm eyeing that bed for a goat compost bath and a rototill, too. But I hate to pull out the okra if it is going to keep on going on. What it you all's experience?

I think okra will keep going until there is heat, but you might need a ladder real soon. I know I will need it next week !

Sorry jmc; I don't have borage these days.

ok am i being paranoid here, or are my viola seedlings getting too leggy? (it doesnt help that every darn day since they have germinated has been cloudy) I have them sitting under a 10 watt aquarium "grow bulb" (just barely kept out of the shot) that i had in my stash from when i still had my aquarium, i usually leave it turned on from the time i wake up to literally time for bed, lol, but i dont quite think thats doing the job here, it doesnt say anything about what color temperature it is either, although it does have a blue tint. I will be upgrading that to a 30 watt bulb with a 5000K color temp REALLY soon though, should be some time during this week.

This message was edited Aug 24, 2014 4:57 PM

Jmc1987,
I keep my lights no further than 1"-2" from the tops of my seedlings, at all times...

ah, ive always been a little worried about the heat that the bulbs give off. guess thats a fear i can dismiss if you guys are putting them that close.

JMC1987,
My regular old T12 fluorescent lights don't throw off much heat.

Check your heat output on the brassicas...

main reason im starting them indoors at all is because ive read that they absolutely detest summer heat, yet they require starting as early as 6 to 10 weeks before the cooler weather comes. if i knew i could get away with it i would have started them outside with all the rest of my seedlings.

Seedlings under lights as of this morning, day #25 from sowing the seeds.

Pic #1 gives you an idea how close the lights are.

I use the same bulbs GG does and keep them at the same distance she does. From what I've read that's what is recommended. Remember that plant instructions many times are the same for all areas of the country. I don't think summer heat is the same all over....when I read " plant in direct/full sun" I now know that doesn't hold true for Texas unless it is a native.

apparently luck has been on my side lately, mom has just trusted another raised bed into my care, its another little bed that is overgrown and weedy, just like the bed that she let me convert to a small veggie bed. This one is in part shade. Although this one i will reserve as a flowers only bed. And i am thinking all deer resistant plants (seeing as i am in a wooded area, and they multiply like rabbits around here). So my considerations are:

Heuchera (a mix of varieties),

Ipheion uniflorum 'Wisley Blue'

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/100911/


and Cyclamen Coum

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2506/

Your thoughts? Bad combination or no? (considering each ones individual needs)

This message was edited Aug 26, 2014 12:07 AM

Sorry, I only grow veggies!

Jmc1987,

Take a look at this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF4q1EcRM18&list=UUU0VgNVC0KzHpiz026V-RHQ

thanks tons! :)

fall veggie seedlings still coming along nicely. I did have a small complication with my kale seedlings, had some caterpillars attempt to declare it as an all you can eat buffet, they are all properly smushed now, and all is well again, lol.

Get yourself some Bt (Bacillus Thurengiensis) and get ready to start spraying your seedlings....

I have kale growing from the seedlings I started in April! I just stuck them in the bed because I had the space, and they just sulked along. Then suddenly, they started looking like vegetables! I imagine these leaves will be very bitter, but if it ever gets below 90F maybe I'll get edible leaves.

I think I'm going to start some new ones as well - perhaps I'll have kale next April, lol.

that VERY first sowing of golden beets, starting to bulb up :)