Tomatoes Saw Their First Sun, Egg Plant Seeds Saw Their First Soil

Temps moderated today with a high of 60 and sunny skies, so I put the tomato seedling out at noon and let them enjoy their first taste of real sun for nearly 5 hours.  I have to think they are feeling a bit satisfied tonight.

On the seedling side, I did a tray of 40 Egg Plant seeds today.  Here is the layout.

1. Burpee Hybrid, Martha Stewart, Seedlot 2002/2003
2. Pandora Striped Rose, Baker Creek , Seedlot 2011
3. Cookstown Organ, Baker Creek, Seedlot 2011
4. Rosa Bianca, Freedom Seeds, Seedlot 2010
5. Turkish Orange, Rons-Seeds-Store on ebay
6. Black Beauty, Top Notch Seeds, Seedlot 2009
7. White Egg, Martha Steward, Seedlot 2002
8. Black, Gotreaux Farms, 2010
 
It will be fun to see how these shape up, especially those old seedlots. 

Seedlings

The Tomato seedlings have been thinned to one per cell.  Tomorrow, they'll even get their first taste of real unfiltered through glass sun. 

The Bell Peppers are almost all awake in their propagator as well.  This weekend I'll seed the Eggplant.  Next week, the Melons and Cucumbers go into the propagator.  We are well on our way for spring in 4 weeks.  I have started more than enough seedlings to plant in the garden, survive a late frosts, and still have many to give away to friends.  Now that is gardening at its finest.

I am still designing the layout of the seven 60 foot rows of this years garden.  And the three 8x15 foot raised beds, and the vegetables that will be interspersed into the ornamental beds. And, whatever I have yet to dream up.

Does God Get Cold

God was out in the garden this evening. “Where have you been, it has been a while?” I asked. “I’m here every night, you just having been in the right frame of mind to see me” he replied. We just sat for a while, and then I said “It is pretty cold out here tonight, so I guess I’ll be going inside now.” “Right behind you,” God chuckled.

I Took the Back Roads Today

Say hello to the world, little tomatoes.

My one attempt at catching the effect of the frozen icy mist on the trees this morning. Kind of a ghostly, almost twilight zone look.

Tomatoes Anyone?

Tomatoes seedlings are popping up around here like popcorn in a microwave.  Well over half of them are up and awake.   Unfortunately, this is reminiscent of last year.   Last year they popped up, but winter and overcast days lingered on, and I have tall stringy weak seedlings.

Sure as I put these in we have an uncharacterisically late cold snap, days of overcast skies, and another cold week predicted next week as well.   Thankfully, I started them late, after seeing what happened last year.  Hopefully, I can keep them strong this year.

Another Seedling Tray - This time the BellPeppers, etc.

Tray 1 - Bell Peppers (save two) (old seed playbox)
Carnival Mix Bell Pepper - Burpee 2010 (from Bill in Fl.)
Red Ruffled Bell Pepper - Territorial Seed Company 2011
Flavorburst Hybrid Bell Pepper - Park Seed 2011 (Holland)
Habanero - Martha Stewart 2003
California Wonder Bell Pepper - Martha Stewart 2003
Big Dipper Bell Pepper - Martha Stewart 2004
Cubanelle Sweet Pepper - Martha Steward 2002
Carnival Mix Belle Pepper - Martha Stewart 2003
Peter Pepper - Top Notch Seed

Winter's Last Fling, or At Least I Hope So.

Looks like an early February arctic blast is coming through.  Dropping from a high in the mid-60s today, down to a low of 26 and a very chilly next 4 days with lows below freezing 3 of the 4 nights.  Fortunately it has been cool winter, so nothing out there has attempted an early awakening for spring.  Things are nice and hardened off, so this should be no biggie in the plant world, or at least in my plant world.

Late on the Potatoes, Just Right on the Tomatoes

I am two weeks late planting the potatoes, and that will likely extend another week or two, with the cold and rains. 

But I planted out the Tomato seed trays tonight, right on schedule for planting at 6 weeks old.  Here is the layout for 2011.

2011 Seedlings


Tray 1 - Tomatoes (fun tray)
Wild Everglades – Bill in Florida
Cherokee Purple – Bill in Florida
Black Krim – Ferry Morse Heirloom Seeds
Pruden’s Purple – Ferry Morse Heirloom Seeds
German Pink – Seed Savers Exchange
Amelia Hydbrid – Top Notch Seed
Chocolate Strips Purple – Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Giant Delicious “World Record Variety” – Weeks Seed Company
Dixie Golden Giant - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Ultimate Giant - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Cosmonaut Volkov Slicing – High Mowing Organic Seeds
Brandywine – High Mowing Organic Seeds
Giant Oxheart - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Giant II – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection

Tray 2 (fun tray)
Hillbilly Gary – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Box Car Willie – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Garden Peach – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Black Zebra – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Brandywine OTV – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Paul Robeson – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Orange Strawberry – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Blondkophchen – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Costuluto Genovese – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Julia Child – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Ugly Ripe Tomato – Bill from Florida
Plum Lemon Tomato – Bill for Florida
June Flame Tomato – Bill for Florida
Big Rainbow Tomato – Burpee
Mortgage Lifter Tomato – Burpee
Black Truffle Hybrid – Burpee
Burpee’s Supersteak Hybrid VFM – Burpee
Big Rainbow Tomato – Park Seed
Rutger’s Tomato – Ferry Morse

So, what does fun tray mean.  First it means that these seed plugs were used last year and that means that there are other seeds from last year still in the plugs alongside the new Tomato seeds.  Now, by all accounts those seeds were duds, but sometimes they surprise you and pop up a year later after having been allowed to go completely dry.  No doubt some surprise things will pop up.   Second, they are not central to the 2011 Tomato crop which will be more proven hybrids.  In other words these seedlings are for fun and pleasant surprises, both Tomato and non-Tomato.

Hmmm, Something Looks Different. Gonna Be Some Happy Earthworms Tonigh

My neighbor showed up with the tractor and made short work of tilling in the remains of the winter crops.  There is a ton of organic matter in that soil.  I suppose it will be an Earthworm paradise, till I do it again in about 5 weeks, till it up again, and hill it. 

It's Another Cold Winter. Not Quite as Cold as Last Year, But Plenty Cold Enough

This big Philodendrun lost every least last year, with out coldest year in 15 years.  This year it is a bit bronzed around the edges, but it'll look fine in no time.

I have decided to harvest out the garden, and as soon as it is dry enough to go ahead and till it/hill it in preparation for spring.   I still have the 3 raised beds to grow some late winter veggies.   They'll get some Broccoli, Cauliflower, Potatoes and some Snow Peas as well.  I think I'll even transplant the onions and garlics from the main garden as well.

Still got Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Cabbage, and Kale out there, but its got to go. One more cutting, and we're tilling for spring.

Those rows just don't look 60 feet long, do they?

Purple or Red

Dead Red. Amazing number of peppers still left on that plant. Surprised it had room for leaves.

Time Marches on to Spring

I am now certain that I will not do a second planting this winter in the main garden.  Now, I may play around in the 3 raised beds a bit, but that is it.  All activity in the main garden will be the continued harvesting of items still growing like Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Red Russian Kale, etc. and most importantly preparing for spring.  After my experience this fall with the vigorous growth, I am moving my rows from 3.5' on center to 4' on center.  I am fairly certain that will be better for the plants, and 100% certain it will be easier on the gardener.  As soon as it dries up enough, I'll get my neighbor to bring in the tractor, bust it up good, work in the amendments and wait for spring.   And depending on how this year goes, spring is only 5 to 7 weeks away.

In the meantime, looks like the nasties are heading our way tomorrow with an 80% chance of rain with temps in the mid to low 30s.  Buhyuck.

4th Quarter?

God popped in this evening. "Its been a while, where have you been?" I asked. "Just watching." God answered. "So, you're a lurker?", I asked. "Well, I wouldn't put quite that way" he answered. He elaborated, "I'm more like a coach. I sent the play in from the sidelines, and see how well you listen and execute." I answered, "I'm trying God, its not the 4th quarter, is it?"

Happiness

Who could have possible known the happiness that millions of people would feel by the simple experience of planting a seed in the soil?

I Could Pretty Much Repeat the Last Post

Its been warm for a few days, but the cold comes back in tonight.   Lows are heading down to the upper 20s in just a few days.   I tilled up the raised beds, and bought some Compost and Cow Manure to amend them.  I'll get that done tomorrow or day after, but I think I'll wait to put in my new Cauliflower seedlings till after this cold snap.  Hopefully we'll get a good rain by then as well.  Things are getting awefully dry out there.  What a contrast this is compared to last winter, when we up to our eyeballs in rain.  Oh well, that's nature.

Warm, Then Cold Again

We had a couple of warm days in the low 70s, but its back to cold again.  And next week it will be back to warm for a few days, then back to cold again.   We should call this the "see saw" season, instead of winter.

I was wondering through the garden today.  I tripped over an old vine, and out popped a nice Acorn Squash that I missed.  I split it, saved the seeds, and cooked it with a little butter and brown sugar.  Talk about goooood.   Wonderful complex flavors, but simple to prepare, and healthy.  Got to love that.  Its funny, that my family, in-laws, and no one else I know ate the winter squashes.  They sure were missing some good food, but I'm not.  They'll always be a part of my garden from here on out.

While I was in seed saving mood, I went out and got some Cucumber seeds.  I had read to let them get yellow and soft before harvesting the seeds.  Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to this operation, but in spite of the fact that they were pretty disgusting looking, yellow and soggy, the insides still smelled like fresh Cucumber.  To say I was relieved is an understatement.

The second set of heads are starting on the Broccoli, in spite of the fact, that I let a couple of large first round heads go to flower.   Hey, at least the bees love me.  They are all over those pretty yellow Broccoli flowers.  I did lose a couple of Cauliflower heads, which turned yellow and ugly after the freeze of last week, but I had already harvested, and gave away so much, that I can't say that I minded.   I still have some Cheddar Cauliflower coming along, too.

And still got a great crop of lettuce, along with enough Georgia Collards to feed a small army.  My Curled Leaf Collards are shaping up great as well, while my spinach looks like really sorry.  Beets and Carrots don't look so good either.  Go figure.

Lots of Cold Early This Year

We have a couple nice little freezes last week, and over the last two nights we've been down into the upper 20s. The fall garden is officially frozen and done.  Winter garden is not showing near the vigor of the fall garden.  Pretty much same soil, same prep, the weather hasn't been quite as friendly as the fall weather, which was darn near perfect as far as gardening goes.  I have to admit, I am tempted to just harvest out the rest of the winter garden crops, till it all up, cover and wait for spring.  I am just not sure that what I will harvest of what is still growing is worth the effort as opposed to being really ahead of the game in spring.  I'll wait till the first of the year to make a final decision, but sure am leaning to the early start for spring.

Last of the Mohicans, err, I Mean Last of the Bell Peppers

This was the last Bell Pepper harvest before winter finally did them in.  We stuffed and froze them.  Hopefully, there are enough of them to make it till spring.   I've always thought of stuffed Bell Peppers as kind of a winter food anyway.  I am funny that way.