Gardening

[Bartcephus]

Folks... its getting about that time to think about your spring garden projects. I've started my seeds in a Burpee starter bed, peppers, (sweet and hot), tomatoes, onions, watermelon. I have my corn, cucumber, peas, beans, squash, pumpkin seeds waiting for the last frost. I ran the middle buster and then disk one garden spot and disk another. Now all I have seen is rain rain rain. Freezing temps at night and more rain.... The onions were the first to germinate and are now about 2" tall, the tomatoes followed and passed the onions, and the watermelon is now emerging right there in my kitchen. The farm is soooooooo wet now. Got the tractor stuck about two weeks ago. Don't even want to try it now. So, am I too ahead of the game? or am I doing it just right or am I behind? What are you guys doing now? (BTW, I'm in Zone 8)

 

[NSBound]

Folks... its getting about that time to think about your spring garden projects. ........... (BTW, I'm in Zone 8)

hahahaha - you are about 3 months ahead of us. Still pushing snow. Zone 5b here.

 

[lakngulf]

I'm in central Alabama and started Celebrity and Better Boy tomatoes on January 31. One seed per grow pod and they are all up and going. Plan is to transfer to larger container this weekend (two weeks from planting). Will plant them deep with just the leaves showing. Also, will start another group this weekend.

Too early? It is good to see something grow, and I want to have some plants ready when the soil temperature will do.

Wet here as well. Nothing but mud to work in.

 

[Trkrd]

I'm a little north of you, and not the gardener of the family (just run the plow and tiller). The wife already has our house looking like a green house. Can't sit down without moving a plant of some kind. Tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, peppers are in the living room now. As I am typing this she just said "If you had built me a green house like I ASKED YOU TO, they wouldn't be in the house !!

 

[bp fick]

Well, seeds have been purchased, trays are stacked up and excitement builds, but we are months away from even indoor planting. Target date to put things in the ground is May 20th and even then, frost is still likely for weeks!!!

 

[LRTX1]

I have had my peppers in the greenhouse since 1st week of Jan. I will transplant those and plant okra, yellow squash, cukes, watermelons, and some other stuff near the end of march. That is in the garden at the house.

I will be planting white acre peas(3.5 acres) as soon as the grass starts to grow and I can get the cows off of the rye field, turned, harrowed. Hopefully that will be middle/late march.

If all goes well my second planting will be 10 acres or so.

 

[charlz]

Well onions are cold tolerant so you are OK on those. Peppers and tomatoes you want to be pretty big by the time you transplant so those also are likely OK. The melons grow pretty fast and need warm soil once you transplant them so you might be early on those. What is your average 'frost free day' (first day of the year where you no longer get frost)?

 

[Bartcephus]

Charlz,

About the first week of March is our last average frost. First time with melons. From what I read, they need a long growing season. So I thought I would give them a head start.... Maybe I should have used that for okra or something?

 

[radioman]

Wow - thats pretty early -- but then you are in zone 8. I cant even think about gardening until april. Then I can plant stuff in may depending on how wet it is.

 

[LRTX1]

Charlz,

About the first week of March is our last average frost. First time with melons. From what I read, they need a long growing season. So I thought I would give them a head start.... Maybe I should have used that for okra or something?

Melons should be somewhere around 90 days. If planted by april 1st, you should have a few for the 4th of july.

As far as okra goes, to get enough for a good mess every third day or so, you would need about 100 +/- feet spaced every 6 inches or so. I wouldnt want that many okra plants in my living room