Northern Zone Pushers: watcha doing? - Page 4

Timomac · March 10, 2014

I've just finished planting 6 varieties of tomato along with some parsley and basil seeds under ma new light fixture. I upgraded from my original 2 x 4 foot, full spectrum T8 flourescent fixture to a 4 x 4' T5 bulb fixture.

Therefore, it is summertime and the good weather must follow here in Chicago.

My list this year is:

Moravsky Div
Indian Stripe
KBX
Brandywine Sudduth
Sungold
Big Beef

I like to have a couple hybrids in the mix due to different fungal issues in my garden/area, here outside of Chicago. I'd rotate but I haven't got a large area. I'm trying a different regimen of organic fungicides, something Amideutch used in years past, with mycos (Great White for me), Actinovate, Excel LG (Organicide) and Bonide Copper spray if necessary.

Tim

bughunter99 · March 10, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timomac

I've just finished planting 6 varieties of tomato along with some parsley and basil seeds under ma new light fixture. I upgraded from my original 2 x 4 foot, full spectrum T8 flourescent fixture to a 4 x 4' T5 bulb fixture.

Therefore, it is summertime and the good weather must follow here in Chicago.

My list this year is:

Moravsky Div
Indian Stripe
KBX
Brandywine Sudduth
Sungold
Big Beef

I like to have a couple hybrids in the mix due to different fungal issues in my garden/area, here outside of Chicago. I'd rotate but I haven't got a large area. I'm trying a different regimen of organic fungicides, something Amideutch used in years past, with mycos (Great White for me), Actinovate, Excel LG (Organicide) and Bonide Copper spray if necessary.

Tim

Dear Tim,
Make sure to spend your time tomorrow with your plants and NOT looking out the window. The dratted Skilling says 3-7" tomorrow.

I've had good luck with Indian Stripe, I think you will like that one!

I've spent the day shoveling snow ON to the driveway and patio trying to get it to melt.

Stacy

Timomac · March 10, 2014

Dear Stacy,

If Skilling's says it, it must be so... sigh. He's the best. (He's the weather Oracle here in Chicago).

I'm excited to hear IS does well here. I've been looking for a purple that takes the freaky weather we have. Cherokee and Black Kim were so so for me.

But, I have two basil sprouts after a day and a half, so pffft to their snow!

falconblack · March 10, 2014

Zone 3 here, but planted hot pepper seeds inside 2 weeks ago any way and they are doing fine.Hopefully I will be able to put them out end of May.

Will put pics on when I figure out how....lol

SharonRossy · March 10, 2014

Hello from Montreal. Haven't started a thing yet. But plan on growing Valencia, azoychka, amana orange, yellow Brandywine, bloody butcher, black from Tula, Anna Russian, Neves Azorean Reed, the miracle BPF, Monte Carlo, Striped German, Amy's Apricot, Reisentraube, Sun Sugar, Red penna, Cherokee Purrple. I think that's it although I was considering Indian Stripe.

taboule · March 11, 2014

Already did my first transplants 2 days ago: peppers and some eggplants, exactly one month after seeding. Today i'll start my first batch of tomatoes and a few other things -some greens and more brassicas. Bought more heating pads yesterday, so ready to crank up the production. Expecting low 50s today

bughunter99 · March 12, 2014

Yesterday I was throwing snow onto the driveway and patio and making good progress! Note that for the first time in months we could see grass in the backyard! The ground is frozen so deep I need it uncovered so it can start thawing.

12 hours later. WAH! Oh well, at least its pretty, and... my potato seeds are sprouting...and this can't go on forever right?

Stacy

Tormato · March 14, 2014

It's almost time to dust off the collection and make a list of what I have.

Then, about a week later, look through the oldest seeds and decide which ones of those will be trialed.

About another week later, decide which of the freshest seeds will be trialed.

About that time, maybe the snow will be gone.

SharonRossy · March 14, 2014

Tormato, we can always be optimistic! I'm thinking of starting next weekend. With any luck at all, I'll be planting by the end of May....

jakebb · March 14, 2014

Count me in as a Northern Zone Pusher. The sign at stores that's next to the burpee seed stands recommends planting June 4th, which I feel is a bit ridiculous, so I'm gonna be planting out my tomatoes and peppers on May 11th. The actual last frost date is April 27th according to the document my extension office published online, so I don't know how much I'm actually pushing...
Spring has also arrived very suddenly, and by the looks of it will be staying. The lawn shows new growth and so does one particularly hardy weed I noticed out back. The pine trees also look suspiciously green. I'm itching to get started, and I think I am going to plant out some cold tolerant salad greens. I'm thinking of trying to squeeze in some cool weather stuff before I plant my tomatoes out. Any zone pushers have any suggestions?

jakebb · March 14, 2014

Oops, accidentally posted twice.

falconblack · March 14, 2014

jakebb,you sure are in a nice area there.I went to mount rushmore a couple years ago.We sure enjoyed that area.We stayed at Hillcity koa campground.

bughunter99 · March 14, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakebb

Count me in as a Northern Zone Pusher. The sign at stores that's next to the burpee seed stands recommends planting June 4th, which I feel is a bit ridiculous, so I'm gonna be planting out my tomatoes and peppers on May 11th. The actual last frost date is April 27th according to the document my extension office published online, so I don't know how much I'm actually pushing...
Spring has also arrived very suddenly, and by the looks of it will be staying. The lawn shows new growth and so does one particularly hardy weed I noticed out back. The pine trees also look suspiciously green. I'm itching to get started, and I think I am going to plant out some cold tolerant salad greens. I'm thinking of trying to squeeze in some cool weather stuff before I plant my tomatoes out. Any zone pushers have any suggestions?

If the soil has warmed enough for things to start sprouting, lettuces, broccoli, chard, and kale are all things I get out there early. I just throw a little row cover over them if things get chilly out there, and I never put all my eggs in one basket. Replacement plants are kept in reserve just in case mother N decides to get freaky.

I'm jealous. We had massive melt-off again today and now another 3 bleeping inches forecast for tomorrow. When will it end!?

Stacy

jakebb · March 14, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconblack

jakebb,you sure are in a nice area there.I went to mount rushmore a couple years ago.We sure enjoyed that area.We stayed at Hillcity koa campground.

Yeah, we really like the black hills area as well. We go camping there every summer, usually at the Mount Rushmore koa. Sylvan lake is so beautiful they have weddings there almost every day in the summer. It is a lot cooler there though, which is nice in July/August but not when you want to go swimming in June!

bughunter99 · March 15, 2014

I need room under the plant lights!

This is the time of the year the work starts. Its too cold for things to be outside in the pop-up greenhouse, 24/7 but I have run out of room under the the lights.

Today the high will be 43, so I put together the pop-up greenhouse indoors so it was full of warm air, then moved it outdoors. Today starts the cool weather veggie day trips in the green house for the lettuces, broccolis. blue potatoes, cicilian parsley, kale and onions. I will be pulling them back indoors at night while the weather is still crazy. (We have more snow predicted tonight.)

I screwed up with one of my planting flats. Normally I like to keep all the things that do OK with cool weather in the same flats, but three eggplants slipped in with the lettuces, so they are getting an early outdoor introduction.

All plants got their first fertilization with 1/4 strength Neptunes fish and seaweed and this afternoon, if the sun stays out long enough that debris can be separated from the ground, I might actually be able to start a little spring stick clean up! I have 2/3 of the yard exposed again! <happy dance>

Stacy

March 10, 2014	#49
falconblack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Canada Posts: 39	Peppers Zone 3 here, but planted hot pepper seeds inside 2 weeks ago any way and they are doing fine.Hopefully I will be able to put them out end of May.Will put pics on when I figure out how....lol

March 12, 2014	#52
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	I will not curse Mother Nature...I will not curse Mother Nature.. Yesterday I was throwing snow onto the driveway and patio and making good progress! Note that for the first time in months we could see grass in the backyard! The ground is frozen so deep I need it uncovered so it can start thawing. 12 hours later. WAH! Oh well, at least its pretty, and... my potato seeds are sprouting...and this can't go on forever right? Stacy

March 14, 2014	#55
jakebb Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: South Dakota USDA Zone 4b Posts: 24	Count me in as a Northern Zone Pusher. The sign at stores that's next to the burpee seed stands recommends planting June 4th, which I feel is a bit ridiculous, so I'm gonna be planting out my tomatoes and peppers on May 11th. The actual last frost date is April 27th according to the document my extension office published online, so I don't know how much I'm actually pushing... Spring has also arrived very suddenly, and by the looks of it will be staying. The lawn shows new growth and so does one particularly hardy weed I noticed out back. The pine trees also look suspiciously green. I'm itching to get started, and I think I am going to plant out some cold tolerant salad greens. I'm thinking of trying to squeeze in some cool weather stuff before I plant my tomatoes out. Any zone pushers have any suggestions? Last edited by jakebb; March 14, 2014 at 07:09 PM.

March 10, 2014	#46
Timomac Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: SW Chicago suburbs Posts: 36	I've just finished planting 6 varieties of tomato along with some parsley and basil seeds under ma new light fixture. I upgraded from my original 2 x 4 foot, full spectrum T8 flourescent fixture to a 4 x 4' T5 bulb fixture. Therefore, it is summertime and the good weather must follow here in Chicago. My list this year is: Moravsky Div Indian Stripe KBX Brandywine Sudduth Sungold Big Beef I like to have a couple hybrids in the mix due to different fungal issues in my garden/area, here outside of Chicago. I'd rotate but I haven't got a large area. I'm trying a different regimen of organic fungicides, something Amideutch used in years past, with mycos (Great White for me), Actinovate, Excel LG (Organicide) and Bonide Copper spray if necessary. Tim

March 10, 2014	#50
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	Hello from Montreal. Haven't started a thing yet. But plan on growing Valencia, azoychka, amana orange, yellow Brandywine, bloody butcher, black from Tula, Anna Russian, Neves Azorean Reed, the miracle BPF, Monte Carlo, Striped German, Amy's Apricot, Reisentraube, Sun Sugar, Red penna, Cherokee Purrple. I think that's it although I was considering Indian Stripe.

March 11, 2014	#51
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	Already did my first transplants 2 days ago: peppers and some eggplants, exactly one month after seeding. Today i'll start my first batch of tomatoes and a few other things -some greens and more brassicas. Bought more heating pads yesterday, so ready to crank up the production. Expecting low 50s today

March 14, 2014	#53
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,959	It's almost time to dust off the collection and make a list of what I have. Then, about a week later, look through the oldest seeds and decide which ones of those will be trialed. About another week later, decide which of the freshest seeds will be trialed. About that time, maybe the snow will be gone.

March 15, 2014	#60
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	I need room under the plant lights! This is the time of the year the work starts. Its too cold for things to be outside in the pop-up greenhouse, 24/7 but I have run out of room under the the lights. Today the high will be 43, so I put together the pop-up greenhouse indoors so it was full of warm air, then moved it outdoors. Today starts the cool weather veggie day trips in the green house for the lettuces, broccolis. blue potatoes, cicilian parsley, kale and onions. I will be pulling them back indoors at night while the weather is still crazy. (We have more snow predicted tonight.) I screwed up with one of my planting flats. Normally I like to keep all the things that do OK with cool weather in the same flats, but three eggplants slipped in with the lettuces, so they are getting an early outdoor introduction. All plants got their first fertilization with 1/4 strength Neptunes fish and seaweed and this afternoon, if the sun stays out long enough that debris can be separated from the ground, I might actually be able to start a little spring stick clean up! I have 2/3 of the yard exposed again! <happy dance> Stacy