# Gardening Anyone?



## soapmaker (Apr 13, 2020)

I just thought I'd post how I am planting lettuce again this year. I have  a nice sized cold frame to start radishes, lettuce or any early crop a month ahead of time to get a good start here in Canada. Radishes are coming up nicely! Our grocery store has been carrying "live lettuce" for the last few years. It has the root ball on and tastes just like homegrown lettuce. And It's cheap! Last year there were 3 little bunches of different kinds of lettuce in one root ball. I bought 6 of them (that's 18 plants), cut off all the leaves except the center "heart" leaves. Washed and ate what I cut off, divided the root ball into 3 little lettuces and planted them in the cold frame. We ate off that lettuce all summer by cutting off the outer leaves, always saving the heart to re-grow. Yes we eat a lot of lettuce!


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## Arimara (Apr 13, 2020)

I would have needed to start some of what I wanted last month. But as it stands, I have not look for seeds, which will be scarce now.


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## soapmaker (Apr 13, 2020)

Arimara said:


> I would have needed to start some of what I wanted last month. But as it stands, I have not look for seeds, which will be scarce now.


Yes, they were scarce when I looked for seeds too. But lettuce seed does not keep well for the next year so buying these live lettuces has been very helpful.


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## IrishLass (Apr 13, 2020)

Those live lettuces are awesome! They stay fresh in the fridge without going bad for weeks on end, unlike the packaged bags of cut lettuce that go bad in a few days. Normally we are eating homegrown lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other greens off my hydro/aeroponic Tower Garden from September to June, but we have been buying our produce from the store because I did not start up my Tower Garden back in September like I usually do every year. We had a family reunion out of state to go to in November and had no one reliable to tend to it while we were away.

Thankfully I have seeds a-plenty stored away from last year and have no need to buy any for the next time I set my garden up. 


IrishLass


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## Cross-stitch gal (Apr 14, 2020)

Don't tell my husband about your lettuce, he'd want some!  He has talked about us getting some for our garden though.  We normally have tomatoes, corn, and a few other things planted by now.  But, I'm afraid this year the plants haven't been here yet.  However, we do have some snow peas coming up right now.


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## soapmaker (Apr 14, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> Thankfully I have seeds a-plenty stored away from last year and have no need to buy any for the next time I set my garden up.
> IrishLass



Do you find lettuce seed to keep over? I keep leftover seed in a sealed container on the basement floor (50 degrees) and leftover lettuce seed does not germinate for me. Perhaps I should put it in the freezer.


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## Kcryss (Apr 14, 2020)

I thought we had to wait until after the last freeze to plant. Is that not true for cold weather crops like lettuce and radishes?


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## soapmaker (Apr 14, 2020)

Kcryss said:


> I thought we had to wait until after the last freeze to plant. Is that not true for cold weather crops like lettuce and radishes?


I don't think lettuce would do well in a *freeze *but very cool weather won't hurt it. Radishes can tolerate more. But as I said my early stuff is in a cold frame and I have glass covers for it if it's going to freeze. And for lettuce I would also cover with a cloth if it was going to freeze overnight.


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## Kcryss (Apr 14, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> I don't think lettuce would do well in a *freeze *but very cool weather won't hurt it. Radishes can tolerate more. But as I said my early stuff is in a cold frame and I have glass covers for it if it's going to freeze. And for lettuce I would also cover with a cloth if it was going to freeze overnight.


Gotcha ... guess I need to build a cold frame for next year. 
I finally have a great garden space and can't wait to get things planted. I started seeds indoors, but not all are coming up.


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## IrishLass (Apr 14, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> Do you find lettuce seed to keep over? I keep leftover seed in a sealed container on the basement floor (50 degrees) and leftover lettuce seed does not germinate for me. Perhaps I should put it in the freezer.



So far it has been working for me. I keep my leftover seeds sealed in my refrigerator.


IrishLass


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## soapmaker (Apr 14, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> ...my hydro/aeroponic Tower Garden...
> IrishLass



This sounds very interesting. Can you enlarge? Like this?


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## IrishLass (Apr 14, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> This sounds very interesting. Can you enlarge? Like this?



Yes- that's what I have.  I actually have two threads in the Off Topic section where I show off my Tower Garden through it's growing seasons and talk about it:

*










						I finally have room for a  veggie garden!
					

Hopefully, this will be successful:      It's called the "Tower Garden". If any of y'all have been through a ride called 'The Land" at Disneyworld's Epcot Center in Florida which portrays different ways of growing food around the world, you will have seen a whole section of these, only on a much...




					www.soapmakingforum.com
				









						My 2018/19 veggie garden
					

Well, she's up and running! I recently started my 3rd year of gardening in my handy dandy Tower Garden. For those that haven't read any my previous posts about my lack-of-space veggie gardening woes, the ingenious "Tower Garden" contraption that I'm using as my planter was designed by Tim Blank...



					www.soapmakingforum.com
				



*
I really love it and am amazed at the amount of produce I'm able to harvest off of it. I always have enough for our family of 3 plus extra to give away. I normally set it up in late August/early September and keep it running all the way through June. I take it down in June because we always go away for vacation in June and I have no one reliable that lives close enough nearby us to be able come over every day to care for it. It gets so hot in the summer months here (110F/43.3C to 120F/49C) that it really needs daily care to keep the reservoir topped up, fed and pH balanced to keep the plants from getting too stressed out. I guess you could say that my summer is other folks' winter when it comes to growing a garden. lol


IrishLass


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## bookreader451 (Apr 14, 2020)

My seedlings are under their grow lights.  36 tomato plants and assorted peppers, eggplant and some herbs.  I do the rest from seed in the beds.   I have a 16 x 2 raised bed with fencing down the middle for the tomatoes.  I just stake them up along the fencing.

On a happy note it has been so nice I have thyme and sage in my herb garden already.


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## Ladka (Apr 14, 2020)

My seedlings have been enjoying pretty warm and sunny weather (except for today) and are doing well.  Some of the flowers need transplanting into larger  containers. Many have sprouted well but some tomatoes haven't (yet).


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## Jersey Girl (Apr 14, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> Yes- that's what I have.  I actually have two threads in the Off Topic section where I show off my Tower Garden through it's growing seasons and talk about it:
> 
> *
> 
> ...



My friend sells these and I would love to have one for inside but unfortunately we have no space and no sunny enough areas in the house that would support it.


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## shunt2011 (Apr 15, 2020)

I so want to do some planting but it's still too cold here.  We actually have snow falling today.   I have seeds ready to go.  I prefer to just plant them in my raised beds.  Hopefully in the next few weeks it will warm up for more than a day or two. Of course we can't purchase any plants here as the governor has closed nurseries and the home improvement stores aren't allowed to sell them either.   Think she forgot that plants are food for many especially those struggling financially during this virus and not working.


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## Snowbell (Apr 15, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> I so want to do some planting but it's still too cold here.  We actually have snow falling today.   I have seeds ready to go.  I prefer to just plant them in my raised beds.  Hopefully in the next few weeks it will warm up for more than a day or two. Of course we can't purchase any plants here as the governor has closed nurseries and the home improvement stores aren't allowed to sell them either.   Think she forgot that plants are food for many especially those struggling financially during this virus and not working.


You can try calling your favourite garden centre. Here garden centres are closed to the public but we are allowed to take phone orders or online orders if they have a website. Some offer delivery to you now or we are allowed to do contactless pick up.


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## shunt2011 (Apr 15, 2020)

Snowbell said:


> You can try calling your favourite garden centre. Here garden centres are closed to the public but we are allowed to take phone orders or online orders if they have a website. Some offer delivery to you now or we are allowed to do contactless pick up.


I've already called a handful.  No luck.  They are not allowed to be open per our governor.


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## Snowbell (Apr 15, 2020)

Well that just sucks. I spend half my day taking orders and we normally don’t open until the beginning of May and normally not being able to safely plant until the end of May. To those in the same boat as not being able to find veggie seeds here’s some tips:
Check your fridge/counter
Tomatoes and peppers seeds are viable- seed and leave on a paper towel for a day or two to dry off then you can plant. Same goes for cukes, melons, and most veggies that have seeds
Potatoes that got to warm and sprouted those can be used for seed potatoes. 
I have read that romaine lettuce will sprout if you put the bottom cut in water - I don’t know for sure as I have never tried
Hope this helps


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## soapmaker (Apr 15, 2020)

Snowbell said:


> Well that just sucks. I spend half my day taking orders and we normally don’t open until the beginning of May and normally not being able to safely plant until the end of May. To those in the same boat as not being able to find veggie seeds here’s some tips:
> Check your fridge/counter
> Tomatoes and peppers seeds are viable- seed and leave on a paper towel for a day or two to dry off then you can plant. Same goes for cukes, melons, and most veggies that have seeds
> Potatoes that got to warm and sprouted those can be used for seed potatoes.
> ...


Yes those seeds work but you can't guarantee you're going to get what you previously had as they are likely hybrids and could revert back to one of their grandparents! As far as the lettuce, yes it will sprout but doesn't grow very well, or give enough for a salad.


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## math ace (Apr 15, 2020)

I am in WET Florida... Usually SUNNY and  DRY, but I've seen over 4" of rain in the last 3 days and it is still raining LOL!

I have Tomatoes, Jalepenos, Yellow Bell Peppers, green beans and zucchini going.  

I am expecting the feed stores to get sweet potato starters in soon, but I wouldn't know since I am avoiding the stores with the Corona Virus issues


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## Jersey Girl (Apr 15, 2020)

I just called my favorite garden center and they are open!  I guess here in NJ it’s one of the only things our governor didn’t shut down thankfully!  Going to go tomorrow and get some early veggies!  Gardening is a huge passion of mine, both veggies and flowers.


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## IrishLass (Apr 15, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> Of course we can't purchase any plants here as the governor has closed nurseries and the home improvement stores aren't allowed to sell them either.   Think she forgot that plants are food for many especially those struggling financially during this virus and not working.



Wow....no kidding? That makes absolutely no sense to me? The ability to grow your own food is pretty essential in times of crisis, especially with this one because if you grow your own, you don't have to go to the store as often. Win win. You would think that above all else that it would be encouraged, not stymied or curtailed, or that they'd at least find a way to make such things available without anyone's safety being compromised. 

Thankfully, nothing as weirdly illogical is going on where I live, especially with our weather being perfect for everyone to grow their own 'victory garden' if they have the desire and space. It's sunny/blue skies and 70's and 80'sF here now- absolutely perfect conditions for an abundant garden to grow. My local Lowes and Home Depot are open and selling plants and seeds just as they normally do all year round (but with safe social distancing protocols intact), and the smaller, stand-alone garden center down the street is open, albeit with curbside/pickup service only (you order online or by phone and them go pick it up curbside.....just as with our local restaurants). 


IrishLass


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## Ladka (Apr 15, 2020)

I collected seeds from paprikas bought in a store,  put them in small containers with soil and they sprouted wonderfully. Those I'd obtained this way two years ago bore fruits comparable to the original one.
About five years ago I took seeds from a cherry tomato to grow it the next year, and every year thereafter. It bore fruits identical to the original one until last year when one of the two plants my daughter grew gave identical fruits and the other changed colour from originally red to orange. Not bad


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## Savonette (Apr 16, 2020)

We've been really lucky with mild weather in the Houston area.  And my happy/sad news is I was able to get my hands on an avocado tree before they sold out for the season!  I go out on my work-from-home breaks and admire it.  It's the little things, ain't it!


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## PieBorg (Apr 20, 2020)

We've been living in this home for a little over a year, and I've finally gotten around to building a couple of garden beds with an arbor between them for grapes and other vines.  The strawberries and asparagus are already going great guns, but everything else is off to a slow start. Some things have not even sprouted yet, but when I looked today, the vine peaches have come up and something else that I failed to mark but which I think is either bushel gourds, cukes, or melons.  Someone stepped on my tiny little spearmint plant, but he managed to survive.  The spearmint is hanging in there too, lol!


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## Relle (Apr 21, 2020)

Flowering Kalanchoe, great inspiration for soap colours.


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## PieBorg (Apr 21, 2020)

Relle said:


> Flowering Kalanchoe, great inspiration for soap colours.


Holy cow! I can't believe that actually happens in nature! Gorgeous!


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## math ace (Apr 21, 2020)

PieBorg said:


> Someone stepped on my tiny little spearmint plant, but he managed to survive.  The spearmint is hanging in there too, lol!


You can't kill the mint family!
I suggest you plant them outside of your garden bed or they will take over!


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## PieBorg (Apr 21, 2020)

math ace said:


> You can't kill the mint family!
> I suggest you plant them outside of your garden bed or they will take over!


Actually, that's the plan, taking over, I mean.  They're not in the garden bed with the veggies.  We have very poor, compacted soil, mostly clay and rocks, so as you might imagine, it doesn't drain very well.  If the mint lives up to its reputation as a garden thug, maybe it'll help improve the soil, or at least slow some of the rainwater runoff.  It's planted where there's really nothing it can hurt, just a bunch of rocks.  Since we moved in, we've been trying to get something to grow, but there's still a lot of bare ground, so if I end up with mint everywhere, I'll transplant some of it as a ground cover.


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## Relle (Apr 22, 2020)

PieBorg said:


> Holy cow! I can't believe that actually happens in nature! Gorgeous!


Natures very clever, I don't think we appreciate it enough or even know what's out there.


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## KDP (Apr 22, 2020)

Relle said:


> Flowering Kalanchoe, great inspiration for soap colours.View attachment 45293


Absolutely stunning!


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## bookreader451 (Apr 22, 2020)

Snowbell said:


> I have read that romaine lettuce will sprout if you put the bottom cut in water - I don’t know for sure as I have never tried
> Hope this helps


Romaine and celery will both grow if you plant the bottoms. Last year I had so much celery I was giving it away to anyone that walked by the house!

I am hoping they open the garden centers.  I need my annuals!


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## Ladka (Apr 23, 2020)

bookreader451 said:


> I am hoping they open the garden centers.  I need my annuals!


I was glad our government left garden centres open from the very beginning and later even added florists. I thanked God for their wisdom. 
So I was able to buy soil to replant my tomato, paprika, lettuce, woad, coreopsis, cosmos, decorative flax, and sunflower seedlings in time.


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## Relle (Apr 23, 2020)

These Jacarandahs (Jackverandha's ) are usually out nov/dec just before Christmas. If you park on the top car park of the shopping centre here and look out you see dots of purple and Red (flame trees) all over in people's gardens. The Photo of these ones are on the north coast of NSW, they have a festival. Have been there when they are out, the scent is gorgeous. Just makes you feel good looking at them. Would love to match that purple shade for a lavender soap.


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## IrishLass (Apr 23, 2020)

Oh, I love Jacarandas! That pic is beautiful! There are lots of them around where I live. My sis has one in her yard that she named Jack. lol There is a park nearby us that we go walking in which has a good handful of them, and it's like walking through a fantasy land on a purple carpet in the spring.


IrishLass


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## soapmaker (Apr 27, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> Yes- that's what I have.  I actually have two threads in the Off Topic section where I show off my Tower Garden through it's growing seasons and talk about it:
> 
> *
> 
> ...


I almost forgot to come back and thank you for this. The 65 year old mind doesn't work like it used to. I won't be doing it but it's very interesting!


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## Nona'sFarm (Apr 29, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> So far it has been working for me. I keep my leftover seeds sealed in my refrigerator.
> 
> 
> IrishLass


That's what I do and it works great for me. We planted arugala seeds about a month ago that were purchased 4 years ago, which means they were really 5 years old. We planted thickly, thinking that most wouldn't germinate. Wrong! So many came up that we have tons to cut as micro-greens.


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## soapmaker (Apr 30, 2020)

I've never tried arugala. This is head lettuce.


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## Marsi (Aug 6, 2020)

it is winter here

it is cool and sunny when the wind isnt blowing up from Antarctica
outside i am preparing garden beds for spring
the soil is damp and easy to work

i am lucky


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## soapmaker (Aug 6, 2020)

Marsi said:


> it is winter here
> 
> it is cool and sunny when the wind isnt blowing up from Antarctica
> outside i am preparing garden beds for spring
> ...


That was a lovely post. Like a poem.


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## Ladka (Aug 6, 2020)

Who loves my running beans - besides me? Roe deer!
Who loves my indigo plants - besides me? Roe deer and caterpillar.
Who loves my tomato  - besides me? Tomato worm.
We are many thar want to profit from my garden and I hope my portion won't be the smallest.


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## soapmaker (Aug 6, 2020)

Our biggest problem in the garden is squash bugs and little yellow and black striped beetles on all the vine crops. No matter how we try to protect, the vines are destroyed or if they do grow large there is no squash on the vines.


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## Marsi (Aug 6, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> That was a lovely post. Like a poem.


Thank you


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