Gardening 2024

[johnnymacrds]

I got a few pots of greens under way, been getting a few handfuls each week. Under the lights I have some starters of zucchini, squash, cucs, tomatoes, pumpkins. New this year; watermelon, cantaloupe and Corn... potatoes are chitting.. will have the cheap plastic greenhouse set up this week since the starters need to get out from under the lights.

I'm chitting my potatoes now. I got impatient last year and planted them to early.. and also harvested them a little too early.. still good but they got eaten so fast due to the size.

Anyone else having any cool garden crops or early season tips to share?

[Sundancefisher]

My crocuses are up and blooming. Daffodils have been trying to come up for a while.

Try growing giant kohlrabi. Great veggie.

[elkhunter11]

As an experiment, I put my potted stawberries in my heated garage for the winter. There are plenty of green shoots now, and after this week, they will be back on my deck. to see what happens.

[Drewski Canuck]

Crazy as this will sound, I started carrots in doors. Last year I transplanted the carrots on May Long weekend, and they caught and grew very well!

Central - Northern Alberta needs another 4 week growing season to deliver consistent big carrots. Starting them now they go in the ground a few inches tall on May Long, and it gives the carrots a nice jump.

Other experiment was an unknown apple from a tree that produced many 5 gallon pails of 3 - 4 inch apples last year. I saved the seeds and planted them, but so far, no germination. Very hard to say exactly what this apple is, as I have never seen it before. But it had a rough red skin, and was the shape of a Macintosh, but firm flesh.

Drewski

[Dmay]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Crazy as this will sound, I started carrots in doors.

Haha.....yup, sounds crazy! But great idea!!!

[TBark]

I started my tomatoes on March 1. A bit early but oh well.
I’ve got some 15-16 inches tall already, looking to put the sun shed on my back deck this Sunday or Monday when the overnight temps can manage them outside.

TBark

[sewerrat]

I expanded my vegetable farming plot this year by about 10x 8 feet, I will plant some nice Yukon gold potatoes and some more beans.

I found a nice hot micro climate spot in the front of the house where peppers and tomatoes will go. that piece was covered by mulch before so might as well farm that as well.

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

As an experiment, I put my potted stawberries in my heated garage for the winter. There are plenty of green shoots now, and after this week, they will be back on my deck. to see what happens.

Just curious did you have to keep them watered over winter or just stash them there and let them dry out? Then now that it’s springtime you started watering them, just kinda wondering as I’m planning on getting a bunch of strawberries going this year and looking into what to do with them over winter (I just built a greenhouse last summer/fall so getting it ready to go.

[Drewski Canuck]

Slough Shark,

For any perennial that starts from the root and is not a bulb root, like strawberries, the problem of warm storage, or even above zero storage, is desiccating or drying out the root. Once it is dry, basically it will die.

You would have to have the root in a moist media like peat moss, and keep it cool and damp so that dry out does not happen.

People talk about winter kill, when it really is the root drying out. This happens to trees that have not a good root set and not watered in sufficiently in the fall.

Last year's long warm fall was dynamite on the plants and new fruit trees as we did not have any real moisture from September to freeze up in December.

Drewski

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by slough shark

Just curious did you have to keep them watered over winter or just stash them there and let them dry out? Then now that it’s springtime you started watering them, just kinda wondering as I’m planning on getting a bunch of strawberries going this year and looking into what to do with them over winter (I just built a greenhouse last summer/fall so getting it ready to go.

My garage is kept a 7 degrees all winter, but they were on the floor, so cooler than that. I watered a bit every week, but they took very little, The plants stayed green until December/January then turned brown over a couple of months. This is today, more green shoots every day, and growing fast.

[slough shark]

I see, so since I plan on having strawberries and other plants in the greenhouse if I want to make them winter properly and leave them there I’m going to need some system for keeping some moisture in the dirt since it seems even in winter the greenhouse warms up during the day. I’m guessing watering them and putting some plastic over top or something to keep the water in and checking on them every now and then.

[TBark]

Question,
Anyone know what this seedling is?

Pkg said Parsley but they’re not looking like it.
Net image search of parsley seedlings look nothing like these.

TBark

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by TBark

Question,
Anyone know what this seedling is?

Pkg said Parsley but they’re not looking like it.
Net image search of parsley seedlings look nothing like these.

TBark

Looks more like a bean. Never seen parsley that looked like that. Any parsley I've grown starts looking like somewhere between a tomato seedling and a pepper seedling.
What did the seeds look like?

[TBark]

They were already in the pods, so unsure what the seeds looked like.

Funny thing that might have something to do with it.
These were on for $1.99 and Canadian tire! regular price $7 or $8,
so that could explain it. They just didn’t know what they were, ha.

TBark

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

Looks more like a bean. Never seen parsley that looked like that. Any parsley I've grown starts looking like somewhere between a tomato seedling and a pepper seedling.
What did the seeds look like?

A bean or a squash... hard to tell the size. Definitely not parsley (or I want to see that parsley when it has grown!).

ARG

[6.5 shooter]

Started my melons and gourds around good Friday, they are getting true leaves now. Tomatoes, garlic, pole beans and red scarlet runners about a week later. Trying to see if I can propagate my apple, nan king cherry and some wild prairie sage from branch trimmings so far just leaves, not sure if they have rooted at all? I know the ones in just water have not. Transplanted tulips and some spring blue bells last week but the cold hit so hopefully they survived.

[owlhoot]

The fall planted Garlic is up, about 6-8"
Bought 6 packs of tomatoes and peppers, will transplant to 4" pots so they'll be good sized when I plant them out in 3-4 weeks, I don't grow from seed anymore unless I'm doing heirlooms
Radish and spinach are planted in the ground, They 14 day forecast doesn't show any minus temps, Could be an early year , Butt........

[oldjeda]

Does anyone here check their soil ph? Any thoughts on reducing soil ph in the vegetable garden? Tested mine and it’s 8-ish 😳. It’s been climbing for a couple years. I’ve read that high ph inhibits nutrient intake and I know tomatoes like a lower ph. Tomatoes did not do well last season neither did the beans or beets.
Thanks

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

Does anyone here check their soil ph? Any thoughts on reducing soil ph in the vegetable garden? Tested mine and it’s 8-ish 😳. It’s been climbing for a couple years. I’ve read that high ph inhibits nutrient intake and I know tomatoes like a lower ph. Tomatoes did not do well last season neither did the beans or beets.
Thanks

https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.ext...n%20the%20soil.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

Does anyone here check their soil ph? Any thoughts on reducing soil ph in the vegetable garden? Tested mine and it’s 8-ish 😳. It’s been climbing for a couple years. I’ve read that high ph inhibits nutrient intake and I know tomatoes like a lower ph. Tomatoes did not do well last season neither did the beans or beets.
Thanks

Mix in some peat around the tomatoes,you can also adjust your water but it takes a lot of acidic water to even move the pH.
How are you testing your pH?

[owlhoot]

I used to throw wood ashes in the garden, My PH started going up so I quit that, I mix in peat moss now to lower it.
Tomatoes like a more acidic soil, 6.2 to 6.8

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by slough shark

I see, so since I plan on having strawberries and other plants in the greenhouse if I want to make them winter properly and leave them there I’m going to need some system for keeping some moisture in the dirt since it seems even in winter the greenhouse warms up during the day. I’m guessing watering them and putting some plastic over top or something to keep the water in and checking on them every now and then.

My neighbor has the same plants, from the same vendor. His were stored in his heated garage, at 10 degrees, he covered his, and he only watered a few times over winter. He also cut the plants down last fall before storing, and his plants show no sign of life.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

Does anyone here check their soil ph? Any thoughts on reducing soil ph in the vegetable garden? Tested mine and it’s 8-ish 😳. It’s been climbing for a couple years. I’ve read that high ph inhibits nutrient intake and I know tomatoes like a lower ph. Tomatoes did not do well last season neither did the beans or beets.
Thanks

I do. I add sulphur as needed.

[oldjeda]

I tested the ph using three different probes. I’m looking for a more accurate way to do it as I’m not sure how accurate these are. Any suggestions?

I did start adding sulfur last fall. Hopefully that will start to help this year.

Has anyone used citric acid in their water to knock down the chlorine? I’m thinking this could also help knock down the soil ph?

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

I tested the ph using three different probes. I’m looking for a more accurate way to do it as I’m not sure how accurate these are. Any suggestions?

I did start adding sulfur last fall. Hopefully that will start to help this year.

Has anyone used citric acid in their water to knock down the chlorine? I’m thinking this could also help knock down the soil ph?

Those cheap probes are junk,if thats what your using?
Get the drops test,use distilled water.
What is your regular watering water? well or municipal and its pH?

My hunch is your pH is fine,just lacking nutrition,or you have a imbalance.

Edit; chlorine so your on city water.Should be fine, plenty of gardens grown with city water.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

I tested the ph using three different probes. I’m looking for a more accurate way to do it as I’m not sure how accurate these are. Any suggestions?

I did start adding sulfur last fall. Hopefully that will start to help this year.

Has anyone used citric acid in their water to knock down the chlorine? I’m thinking this could also help knock down the soil ph?

What did you feed last year? Salt fertilizer or organic ? anything added?

[artie]

I was wondering if anyone knows when would be a good time to put in grass seed
I was planning on seeding as soon as the mud dries up.
thanks

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by artie

I was wondering if anyone knows when would be a good time to put in grass seed
I was planning on seeding as soon as the mud dries up.
thanks

Nights need to be warm for seed to germinate,youll just waste water trying too early .
End of May early June when its usually raining is best.It will germinate in 7-10 days and you'll have grass shortly after.

[Reeves1]

[owlhoot]

Originally Posted by Reeves1

I'm gonna try that, Thanks
Getting harder to bend over as I get older