We also cut the tops off of the tomatos at about 20 inches and also trim the leaves back to give each cluster of tomatos more sun so the ripen better than in the shade of their own leaves
Gardening 2022
- Thread starter Robinjopo1
- Start date
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DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Here on the Upper Plateau of Tennessee temperatures are running really cool this spring. The hottest temperature we have seen thus far here on my place is 83. We have yet to turn on the air conditioner and are still sleeping with widows open and an extra quilt in the 50ish degree nights. Bad thing is that I am struggling to get those warm weather crops to sprout from seed. The soil is cool and wet with 11 inches of rain already fallen this year. I have planted my okra 3 times with awful spotty results. SO I changed tactics and pre sprouted my seeds instead of just putting them in cups or direct sowing.
I took okra seeds and put them between 2 damp paper towels in a warm sunny window. I got a great germination rate so I know it is not my seeds. Then I took a pair of tweezers once the seed had sprouted and placed the seeds in holes in the garden just below the soil surface with the sprouts pointing up. Then they went ahead and put down roots and sent up leaves. Since okra is a heat loving plant I know they will languish until the temperatures come up though but atleast they are up.
This is a great way to test the viability of your seeds too!
Positive in this is that my cool weather crops are loving the weather with bumper crops of lettuce, spinach, peas, beets and spring onions. Fruit trees and berry bushes are a bit behind though an will be a little late ripening.
I took okra seeds and put them between 2 damp paper towels in a warm sunny window. I got a great germination rate so I know it is not my seeds. Then I took a pair of tweezers once the seed had sprouted and placed the seeds in holes in the garden just below the soil surface with the sprouts pointing up. Then they went ahead and put down roots and sent up leaves. Since okra is a heat loving plant I know they will languish until the temperatures come up though but atleast they are up.
This is a great way to test the viability of your seeds too!
Positive in this is that my cool weather crops are loving the weather with bumper crops of lettuce, spinach, peas, beets and spring onions. Fruit trees and berry bushes are a bit behind though an will be a little late ripening.
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Another experiment that is working really well this year is that normally I cannot set out sweet potatoes until mid to late June. Again they are a heat loving plant and tend to languish in cool damp soils and rot. This year I saw a youtube video and tried it and so far it is working great. I will link the video below.
I made rings of 2"X4" wire in a 3 foot circle about 3 foot tall out between my young pear trees in full sun. On the inside of the wire I lined the circle with large black heavy garbage bags and filled the rings with soil, compost and worm castings. Then I set out my sweet potato sets that I had rooted in a kitchen window. I put 3 to a ring with 2 set in slits in the sides of the rings. Thus far these sweet potato plants are twice to three times the size of my other sweet potato plants planted directly in the soil at ground level.
The black plastic is helping to absorb and hold the heat thus keeping the soil warmer earlier and they are draining great due to being a raised enclosure helping to combat the excessive rainfall we have received.
This can help free up space in my other raised beds and because they are raised this high I hope to reduce vole damage also.
The picture below is when I first planted the sets.
So far this experiment looks to be working pretty good. I will let you know how it comes out.
I made rings of 2"X4" wire in a 3 foot circle about 3 foot tall out between my young pear trees in full sun. On the inside of the wire I lined the circle with large black heavy garbage bags and filled the rings with soil, compost and worm castings. Then I set out my sweet potato sets that I had rooted in a kitchen window. I put 3 to a ring with 2 set in slits in the sides of the rings. Thus far these sweet potato plants are twice to three times the size of my other sweet potato plants planted directly in the soil at ground level.
The black plastic is helping to absorb and hold the heat thus keeping the soil warmer earlier and they are draining great due to being a raised enclosure helping to combat the excessive rainfall we have received.
This can help free up space in my other raised beds and because they are raised this high I hope to reduce vole damage also.
The picture below is when I first planted the sets.
So far this experiment looks to be working pretty good. I will let you know how it comes out.
Garlic. Has to dig too early so it is small.
Diva, I have a neighbor that swear by putting okra seeds in a little bleach to germinate. I wouldnt do that, but he swears by it.
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Never heard of that
Pre sprouting worked great and they already have first leaves on them. Just too cool but it is 85 today so that will help. I have made a small nick in seeds with nail clippers or nail file. Sometimes that helps too. A friend put hers in a small jar with a piece of sandpaper in the bottom and shook the seeds around to help thin that outer shell.
you can make a seed roll instead of trying to handle those small seeds in the garden directly - you could even germinate the entire seed roll ....
never heard of using bleach for germination - hydrogen peroxide can be effective in checking and using questionable old seed - makes sense that it would effectively boost early germination >>>
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/2022/05/using-hydrogen-peroxide-to-boost-seed.html
other additional seed info >>>>
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/search?q=soaking+plant+seeds
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/search?q=garden+seeds
Planted Stevia for the first time. It is an annual but does it self seed or do I need to prepare otherwise?
Do you eat raw or do you dry? Thank you.
Do you eat raw or do you dry? Thank you.
Almost all the pinto beans have sprouted and are climbing the chickenwire divider in the garden...The sunflowers are now over six feet high but not yet blooming. I cut down a fat, needle type tree that does not bloom or look pretty...just big and green. But, it was blocking the sun to the half of my apple tree for several years now and just had to go. Got a new sprinkler yesterday and if I set the controls right and put it in the middle of the garden, it can spray the entire garden except the farthest corners in about an hour. It pushes out 700 liters of water per hour and reaches about 25 feet out. Gonna replant the picked radishes row and the picked sweet peas row in the next days. Helena weeded about half of the garden in strong sunlight and I had to get her to take a break as the temps went over 95 today in the shade.
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Arcticdude
Top Poster
We're starting to get up to the mid 50's here now. We'll start planting in the garden tomorrow. We've only got a few nights in the mid 30's expected. The wife has 140 plants in the laundry room under a grow light and several flats of vegetable plants she got from the nursery. Most can start going in tomorrow.
Last summer I started growing stevia. You can just pick a leaf off when you want to use some or you can harvest a bunch and dehydrate. Store them in glass jars and don’t keep for too many months as they start to lose their sweetness. At least mine did.
It is an annual but won’t overwinter in our zone. You can of course bring it in for winter. They do seed. Odd looking seeds with fur looking stuff around them. You can also grow more from stem cuttings. I tried that with a few. Most did fine.
Here is a map of what the Weather channel is predicting for June. Looks like some of TN folks are in for some very hot weather! 
As are my family in Ohio.
As are my family in Ohio.
Oh WOW! GeorgiaPeachie, you mean up in North Georgia you are going to be hotter than down here in Central Georgia, where we are normally roasting in June? And it's going to be even hotter up in Northern Virginia where my son lives! What a crazy year, weather wise.Here is a map of what the Weather channel is predicting for June. Looks like some of TN folks are in for some very hot weather!
View attachment 16491
I hope I don't sound too insensitive when I say "I'LL TAKE IT!"
Buttoni
God Like
I'm surprised there's no red patch in Central Tx. I'm sure there will be by July.
Thought this might be helpful to new to gardening folks. Kind of a template of what is valuable to grow in tough times as well as an idea on where to begin with size of garden needed.
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Picked and froze garlic scapes for pesto. Third picking of sweet peas to go in the freezer. I made creamed peas and new potatoes for supper last night, roasted asparagus and pork chops and my husband "bout ate himself to death" Lol. Picked spinach this morning and am going to freeze some sausage and spinach quiches. I dug a few new potatoes for some snap beans too. Green onions are picked and soaking right now so I can chop them and put them in the freezer. Scalloped turnip casserole for supper. I think I have about 1 more picking of turnips left. Cabbage is starting to head up also. Starting to see bulbs on the onions. I think beets will be ready to pick by next week for pickling and carrots are about 5 inches long. Romaine is still holding up pretty good and not bolting.
It's a busy time and let the canning begin
High today 76.
It's a busy time and let the canning begin
High today 76.
Buttoni
God Like
I'm starting to see bulbs on my onions as well now.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
What does the blue mean? I'm in the blue.Here is a map of what the Weather channel is predicting for June. Looks like some of TN folks are in for some very hot weather!
View attachment 16491
Arcticdude
Top Poster
We were planning on starting to plant the garden today but then a storm came in and changed our mind. Maybe tomorrow.
The blues are normal temperatures. You lucky dog!
