Northern Zone Pushers: watcha doing?

[bughunter99]

Originally Posted by Got Worms?

I've been trying to get my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedling into the greenhouse, but it's just not happening. I put a few (sacrificial) eggplant out last night and it didn't go well...sorry about the large image...I didn't realize it was so big 'till I posted it... then the "edit" feature wouldn't let me change it.

I wonder if those few will perk up for you. They look sad but not destroyed....hopefully

[jmsieglaff]

All tomatoes, peppers, and tomatillos are potted up. I'll probably start getting them used to sunlight next week/weekend and moving into the cold frame except for any expected cold nights preceded by cloudy days (I've got spray painted black milk jugs that keep the cold frame warm at night when it is at least partly cloudy the day before).

[bughunter99]

Well the 15 day forecast looks OK, so I have decided to start pushing it. Three nights with a low of 36 but cloudy/rainy. Day's in the 50's, 60's and 70's. The first tomato went in the ground today. Woolly Kate. I planted it in my warmest micro climate, against the garage brick wall. I have a duplicate of this plant so if it croaks it will not be a big deal. I think it will be OK though.

Also planted today, a few Russian Red Frilly kales, more radishes and a couple of broccoli. I could probably risk a few more plants but the ground is still too cold in most parts of my yard, so not much point.

Stacy

[jakebb]

Well the wax paper idea worked okay. I put my tomato seedlings outside today for the first time in more than a week. I used a sheet of wax paper to dim and diffuse the sun's light. They stayed out there for 7 hours today and some of them look a bit haggard but not full sunburn like before. Maybe double or triple layering the wax paper until they get used to being outdoors would help.
I finally finished double digging my first raised bed. It only took me an entire month! It was an absurd amount of labor. Several friends and family have volunteered to help me with it but whenever there is actual work to be done no one seems to be around.
Menards had a sale on rototillers so I buzzed over there and bought myself this cute little electric rototiller. I spent several hours using it before I figured out I was using it wrong. Turns out you have to slip the wheels up to get it to dig down the full 8 inches.
It is an impressive little machine, but I'm not sure if I really like the idea of straight-up tilling. I'm thinking of developing some sort of hybrid approach that utilizes the rototiller to help with the double-digging.
The 10-day forecast looks really good, with only one night dropping down to just barely freezing. I decided to take a chance and planted a few bean seeds, just to see what happens. It is a full month before I should be planting them. It's completely possible and even likely our weather will take a turn for the worse but then again it might not. Planted a set of red onions that I bought. Hope they do well.

[bower]

Just chowed down on a tuna salad sandwich with fresh dill and slices of my first indoor cucumber of the season. Delicious! Lots of little ones coming on too.

There's snow on the ground this morning but thank goodness, the amount was trivial. It won't last long.
Greenhouse temp was down to 38 F again last night, but that is no bother for leeks and lettuce and mustards that revived after winter, nor for the winter seeded turnips parsely and Kin Tsai (Chinese leaf celery) which seem quite happier to be out there than in the house. My big rosemary bush is back in the greenhouse too. I wonder if the Utah celery would tolerate those cool nights?

During the warm days last week I went to the beach twice and came away with bags of kelp both fresh and dry. The dry stuff is easy to shred by crushing it, so I have a big bag o that ready to dig into the tomato containers. Tomato seedlings are getting large, I have to figure out the best way to carry them in and out. My extras this year are way too many!

The earliest peppers have started to flower: Alma (55 days from seed), Guajillo (60 days from seed), Franks (60 days from seed) and Lipstick today (62 days from seed). By days from seed I mean days from sprouting and shucking seed... days free of the helmet? We'll see who's first to set fruit.. and ripen.

[Got Worms?]

Now, what was I doing? Oh, yeah! I was going to comment on ...no, I was...ah $#!+, too much coffee again...2 cups of Charlie's Insane Octane.
Hold on, I can do this. Get to the point! Okay!...

This morning, (and Good Morning) wait ...last night I ...yesterday, I put out some of my tomato seedlings into the greenhouse. The GH has been going down to the mid 30s at night, so I decided to use a rope light that I bought to start seeds with. Yes, here we go. So, I laid that down and put the trays on top. Then I used cardboard and bubble wrap to insulate it all, held up with wire fencing, and duct tape. I would have used bubble gum, but I never chew gum while I'm drinking ...I tend to swallow it. Anyway, It worked! The GH went down to 36* F while the outside temp was 31* F but, inside my little makeshift "hothouse" it only went down to 59* Ha, Ha.

Originally Posted by jakebb

Got up to 70 yesterday, but been snowing off and on all day today. The weather can't seem to decide if it is late winter or early spring. Soil hasn't had the chance to re-thaw since the topsoil thawed and then froze again. I think I'll thin my seedlings soon. I had to raise one of my lights for the taller seedlings, some of them were touching the bulbs.

All, ...well...some of my tomato seedlings have burnt leaves from my inattentiveness, and too rapid growth, also.

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Upon further review, my plants were just not done dying yet. I lost almost everything.

I do hope that you can save at least a few plants of each, for seed, if nothing else. Sorry to hear about the lost plants.

Originally Posted by bughunter99

I wonder if those few will perk up for you. They look sad but not destroyed....hopefully

Bughunter, the eggplant bounced back...as you said.

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Yesterday's high winds took down my little portable greenhouse despite the three gallon size jugs full of water I had on the bottom shelf! Luckily all that was left in it were the extra seedlings I was holding on to as back-ups after having planted out the rest over the weekend. I worked late yesterday and by the time I got home, my husband had already rescued them. He picked up all the trays and starter pots, pushed everybody's roots back in, and gave them a good drink of water. Most survived, and I will move them back out once the wind dies down, but hopefully the ones I planted will make it through and I won't need them. Since they didn't all make it back into their original starter cells, I have no clue which onions are which as I'm growing four different varieties!

Glad you could salvage most of your onions, even with the mix-up. Was thinking, maybe you could stake that mini-GH down for a little more wind resistance. You've probably already thought of this, and I know...it's a little late now, but...

So, I took a few pictures of the mess out in the GH for your viewing pleasure, or not, and am thinking about pulling the leaves back off of the onions, peas, etc, out in the garden. All seems well in the GH, except that the Chicklets (somewhere between Chicks and Pullets) are wanting more space. I have a 3 yr. old hen out in the coop right now, and she will not abide any roommates. She's getting to look more and more like dinner!

Hoping the weather settles down to a more seasonal norm.

Charlie

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by KarenO

come hell or high water I am starting my greenhouse this week. Heater on and to heck with the power bill.
Karen

What source of energy do you use for heating the greenhouse?

[Lindalana]

I am tired of dragging my plants from hoop house to glass porch and back, this April is just cruel. Am looking forward to starting my 30 WOW tomatoes, have done it May 1 in the past years with good results. Forecast this year is not great but I do have replacements in case.

[Father'sDaughter]

Just watched the local news and actually heard the station's meteorologist say, "It looks like we won't be able to put those tomato plants into the garden any time soon."

Sigh.

[taboule]

I see this as a positive sign, these guys are always wrong.

[tam91]

Yesterday, mine made the 'great migration' from the basement under lights to the greenhouse. I do have a heater that kicks in at night.
Grow little guys, grow...

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by Durgan

What source of energy do you use for heating the greenhouse?

Hi Durgan, I use a Small electric ceramic heater. 1500 watts. works well for a small greenhouse. Mine is twinwall polycarbonate panels in a hollow pvc frame. I chose this model specifically for that reason, that It would hold heat early in the season. I aim to keep the night temps at minimum 12 degrees C which they are even at 8 or ten below zero and I have a digital remote weather station. The sensor is in the greenhouse and the monitor in the house so I can keep an eye on the greenhouse temp without going outside.
https://www.facebook.com/NorthernGar...ation=timeline lots of pics of my stuff on here, A facebook page I maintain for fun. anyone is welcome to like it if they wish.

Karen

[Durgan]

KarenO

I considered the double wall to be too expensive for my requirements, also my climate is not as severe as yours. I find it necessary to keep the plants into the center of the greenhouse on very cold nights. I used wood, natural gas, propane and electricity for heating at various times. Now I use only natural gas which is quite economical. My favorite was the wood stove but that was in another location. You have a great setup and it was not cheap.

What do you do with all your produce? I am almost at the stage where I eat everything that I grow plus I buy much fruit and process into juice, since I am in a great growing area.

[bughunter99]

Our ten day forecast is classic spring weather. Highs in the 50's and low sixties and lows in the low 40's and rain 8 of the next ten days. With this in mind I pushed a few more tomato plants out into their summer locations. I changed the potting mix in one of the self watering containers, added new stuff that had warmed up in the sun, added a little warm compost and wet it down with warm water. Then I planted Darby's Red and Yellow and Orange Russian 117 in it and surrounded them with Wall O waters. This SWC is placed under the eaves against the brick wall of the house. The eaves help prevent from too much rain and the brick wall may give a little warmth off it, but only if we get some sun!

I put Perths Pride in a regular container. One that is light enough that I can move inside at night I things get dicey. Since this one was developed in Austrailia, I am not too sure how much it will enjoy the 40's.

Galina's I took the biggest risk with. That plant is a really fast grower and tough. I put it in the ground, growing against one of the stone fence columns to give it additional heat, but more importantly-wind protection which is so important here in our springs.

The previously planted out Woolly Kate after sitting and doing nothing for a week, has started growing. The soil in that bed is warm, so it should be fine.

I like to get my seedlings out in the lightening storms. They definitely perk them up. The trick is picking the storms that will have the lightening without 2" deluges of rain that wash them out!

Today, the plan is to get more of the greens, cauliflower, broccoli and onions in the ground if the rain holds off a bit.

Stacy

[Sodak]

Put out the following in Smart Pots with WOW on April 26...
Pink Honey, Bloody Butcher, Native Sun, Gary'O Sena, Lucky Cross.
A blend of early and late.
The darn WOW would not stay upright over Sun Gold as it's location was in an extra windy gap twist house and garage. Lows over next 10 days look to all be above 35, so we will see how it goes without Wall of Water on it.