Gardening Where You're At
 

I started writing this on the Weather thread, but had second thoughts. This one is going to be kind of long:

The weather is doing what it likes to do most in Texas - changing from hot to cold and then from cold to hot.

I have tomato and pepper plants that are fully hardened off and ready to plant out. Then today happened - the low is going to be around 35F in the DFW area of Texas which means that it could be around 5 degrees warmer or colder where we live. I brought the plants inside. It's the last day of March and this weather is to be expected here...sometimes. By next Wednesday, the high temperature will be around 80F or so.

What gets to be irritating is when the low temperature gets to freezing in late April/early May. With peppers, it's not as much problem because they can live right through the hottest days of summer. I did the math and peppers can have over 200 days to grow/produce here. Tomatoes have two short seasons and is another reason why I grow cherry tomatoes = shorter DTM with a wide variety of taste.

In a different thread, I described how I messed up my tomato seedlings by transplanting them into solo cups filled with a potting mix that was poor in quality. I was tired and hurting that day and didn't want to go somewhere else, so I bought what the store I was at had. A bad decision on my part, but it gave me a reason to try something that I have been thinking about for years.

While gardening in our main garden at the time, I couldn't help but notice the volunteer tomato plants - they were growing like weeds :idea: They started showing up from mid April through mid May. The volunteers were little tiny plants just breaking ground compared to my tomato plants that I started months before inside. I weeded most of the volunteers out, but left some just out of curiosity. Sure enough, mother nature knew more than I did, because those volunteers caught up in a hurry.

Five days ago, I started tomato seeds to mimic those volunteers of years past. I chose 4 varieties: Porter, Japanese Pink Cherry, Medovaya Kaplya, and Brad's Atomic Grape. I'm interested in seeing how they do.

Atomic Grape... Yes Yes Yes and more Yes.

So you're direct sowing the new seeds outside? Or late-starting inside?

I have started them in seed cells so they can be outside when the weather is warm enough, and inside when it gets too cold.

So I guess you'll plant 'em outside young, to get them to catch up to the others?


Tomorrow, Apr. 1, is my tomato seed starting day. I can't wait!:jooy:

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;731094]So I guess you'll plant 'em outside young, to get them to catch up to the others?


Tomorrow, Apr. 1, is my tomato seed starting day. I can't wait!:jooy:[/QUOTE]

That's my idea - no fooling...:lol:

Congratulations on your tomato seed starting day :)

Going back to a couple of threads I started - One is about tomato plants and the other is about pepper plants- this one about peppers was on January 15th.

"I got the first batch started:

Alma Paprika
Fooled You Jalapeno
Fort Knox Hybrid
Jimmy Nardello
Nadapeno Jalapeno
Pretty N Sweet

I'll know which ones sprouted by the time I start tomato seeds. There might be some replacements if need be or more added just because. :)"

In retrospect, I started the peppers too early.

Gardening Where You're At:

I've lived in the same area for 53/4 years - (I turn 54 this month). This is the 4rth year I have grown peppers from seed. 2015 was my first attempt, but that year shouldn't count because it rained so much that the plants that didn't drown were stunted badly. With the over 2X amount of yearly rainfall (73+ inches) it made a problem that I was unaware of happen. The gardens have RKN in them, and wet years make them breed - a whole lot.

Pepper and other gardening was not the same after the RKN overpopulation. Before 2015, we had been in a 7 year drought. I bought transplants and had excellent results. As I remember back, the RKN was present in those drought years - just not so many of them. I didn't know what was wrong then - just some tomato plants didn't grow as well.

I garden in containers now.

The answers on when to start seeds for me comes from the results of what happens with what I am trying out. The advice I received online and here was wrong. You have to try things logically for Where You're Gardening At.

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;731201] With the over 2X amount of yearly rainfall (73+ inches) it made a problem that I was unaware of happen. The gardens have RKN in them, and wet years make them breed - a whole lot.

Pepper and other gardening was not the same after the RKN overpopulation. Before 2015, we had been in a 7 year drought. I bought transplants and had excellent results. As I remember back, the RKN was present in those drought years - just not so many of them. I didn't know what was wrong then - just some tomato plants didn't grow as well.[/QUOTE]

Man, what a bummer. I feel for ya!

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;731201]The answers on when to start seeds for me comes from the results of what happens with what I am trying out. The advice I received online and here was wrong. You have to try things logically for Where You're Gardening At.[/QUOTE]

You are so right. Even a few miles from where one is can make a difference. After lots of data collection over time about seed starting to planting out times I have a lot better handle on it but you know Mother Nature always has to throw you curve balls now and then!

we had snow flurries march 31st, and april 1st, no fooling.

i have peppers started. some were older seeds. basically anything older than 5 or 6 years have been no shows. seeds were sown on march 15th. one king of the north is just now sprouting. four of 10 varieties have sprouted, so i planted six additional varieties. oldest seeds are 2009. i literally sowed dozens of seeds in the chance i get one
to sprout. we will see.

yesterday, i started six varieties of tomatoes from seed. oldest seed is prue from 2008.
the other five are from 2010. i need to freshen up some varieties.
i have several from 2009 or older, i just don't know when or if i will get around to.
they are either my saved seed or seeds from other tomatovillers.
i should do something with them soon.
i will be starting more seeds this week, and cherry tomatoes next week.
i am having to shift my growing to things that do well here. tomatoes may have to take up less garden space than in the past.
oldest seed that gave me plants was my uncle steve tomato. 14 year old seeds were still
giving me useful plants. 16 year old seeds sprouted weakly, then died.
there may be an old seed offer in the future.



keith

We also got erratic weather.
We get nice 15 days forecast then it is revised down.
As i am writing it is 34f outside. But the forecast is calling for nice tomato weather for the next 15 days. My seedlings are in the garage, wanting to be planted out...i will start today or tomorrow.
Then i will start hardening off pepprs and eggplants.

April can be the most erratic month of the year weather-wise here. Temperatures can vary from 30F to 90F. My father told me that he had seen it snow here in April, but I don't remember it snowing here in April. The latest freeze was May 2, but it was not official at DFW Airport - a lot of people lost their plants.

Knowing/experiencing this should tell me to find a new hobby, but I'm stubborn. Yesterday I finished making my 20 five gallon buckets of pro mix/MG/chunky perlite/10-10-10/ and others. A child's plastic wading pool was a good way to mix it all in. The buckets will be fed/watered with 4-18-38, 15.5-0-0 Calcium Nitrate, and Magnesium Sulfate. ...and rain.

Not sure where to put this without creating an unnecessary new thread, I'll put it here.

Starting my first Ohio garden. I arrived at this property late last year, I built this two raised beds with low tunnels, but the sun didn't shine there. This new section gets sun until 6:30pm. I'm eager to find out how long I can extend the season with them this year.

I'm still learning about the temperature pattern in Ohio. This place is a little ridiculous, you can get four seasons in a single day during the colder months (fog, snow, sunny, cloudy, rain, windy). Last frost date is April 30th, I'm not patient enough to wait that long, probably will try to put the tomatoes out on tax day.

I probably don't want it much bigger than this for the time being as I have less time now with my job and taking care of my dad who have Alzheimer.

The grow mix is 50/50 potting mix and mushroom compost. And cheap Jobe's tomato fertilizer I got on clearance. But I have my hydroponic fertilizers too if needed. I can probably fit 20-25 full sized tomato plants in this area.

Max, I think this is a good place to post what you posted. "Growing Where [U]You're[/U] At" means exactly that.

Be patient - this is coming from a guy who wanted to plant out today, but I know better. Or do I? It is a guessing game, and we want to add logic when it isn't logical.

Your father with Alzheimer. I am very sorry.

Three days ago I was protecting against scattered frost. Now there will be some high 70's-low 80's moving in. It started raining last night and that will be off and on for today so it will be perfect for planting out that first early corn tomorrow. Woo Hoo!

There will surely be one more frost between now and the end of the month. It happens every year. Put stuff out and then the mad dash to cover them for one night.

Yep, we're in one of those "if you don't like the weather, just wait a day" areas. :)

Weather still average in the 50-60*F for a few more days.