Author Topic: 2020 Garden  (Read 6232 times)

RWS

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2020 Garden
« on: January 09, 2020, 05:45:50 PM »
I might as well get a thread started for this years garden.  I started off by planting some sweet onion seeds for later transplanting into the garden.
When the wife was cooking sweet potatoes for supper, she cut off the sprout end of a couple for me to get new plants started for this years garden.

This winter has been relatively mild so far as evidenced by the fact that the leaf lettuce is bolting.  The wife has a bunch of camellias she has planted over the years.  Here is a picture I took today.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2020, 08:05:04 AM »
The pink sprouts that are turned up in the above picture are turning green with leaves about to come out.

Light requirements: Full sun.

Planting: Space 12 to 18 inches apart.

Soil requirements: Sweet potatoes need well-drained soil that’s not too rich. Work 1 inch of compost or other organic matter into soil prior to planting. Tubers develop best in loose, sandy soil. Build raised beds in heavy clay soil. Soil pH should be 5.8 to 6.2.

Water requirements: Water plants weekly to keep soil consistently moist.

Frost-fighting plan: Sweet potatoes are very sensitive to frost. Light frosts (28º F to 32º F) damage leaves and can cause roots to rot. Protect newly planted seedlings from late spring frosts by covering plants with straw or a frost blanket.

Common issues: A soil-borne fungal disease called scurf can devastate sweet potatoes. You can avoid it by always planting certified, disease-free plants such as these sold by Bonnie. Watch out for Japanese beetles and other leaf-eating insects, sweet potato weevils, wireworms, and nematodes. Keep deer from nibbling leaves with floating row covers or bird netting.

Harvesting: Potatoes are usually ready as the ends of vines begin to turn yellow or just before frost. Harvest before frost; cool temperatures can reduce tuber quality and storage. To harvest, find the primary crown of the plant you want to dig, and use a digging fork to loosen an 18-inch wide circle around the plant. Pull up the crown and use your hands to gather sweet potatoes. Cut vines out of your way before digging. Cure tubers to develop sweetness by lightly brushing off soil, laying unwashed tubers in a warm (80°F to 90°F), well-ventilated place for about 10 days.

Storage: Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry spot. Do not refrigerate or store below 50°F. Cured sweet potatoes keep up to 6 months when stored around 60°F with high humidity. A basement is ideal, though an air-conditioned storage room or pantry works, too.

Edit 1-16  Second picture added.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2020, 06:25:56 PM by RWS »

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2020, 03:06:12 PM »
Actually I planted the cabbage Labor Day 2019 and shredded 6 heads of cabbage in December.  Now it is January 24th and we have just finished canning 13&1/2 quarts of sour kraut.  Yesterday both of us had Dr. appointments in Macon, so on the way home we stopped by the grocery store for?  Shopping what was on sale.  They had 8 cans of chunky soup for $8.  We also got some sliced corn beef and sliced swiss cheese from the deli.  We have a loaf of rye bread in the freezer.  I think Ruben Grill sandwiches are on the menu for this week.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2020, 03:39:00 PM by RWS »

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2020, 06:15:27 AM »
I planted a row of English peas in a 55' row the last few days of January.  They are due to come up this weekend.  In another garden 45' x 45' we put our excess leaves from yard raking.  The blueberries got theirs first, then the flower beds.  I managed to get them tilled in yesterday and it rained last night (1.24").  It will be a week before I will be able to get in there again to till.  I tilled in lime and nitrogen a couple weeks ago in prep for the leaves.
I have planted tomato & pepper seeds inside and waiting on them to come up.
I planted the first radishes for the year.  I usually plant 2 or three times a week or 2 apart.  One batch usually makes good and the others do nothing.  Been this way for as long as I can remember.  Seems you have to hit the timing just right ? ?
« Last Edit: February 06, 2020, 09:23:30 AM by RWS »

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2020, 06:51:09 AM »
My sweet potatoes have put on sprouts.  Looks like I may get 10 to 12 plants from the ends of 3 sweet potatoes.  I only plant 4 to 6 plants and get gobs of sweet potatoes, so I may pot up 2 or 3 and bring them to the Spring Campout for the auction. 
Also shown in the picture is a seed tray with peppers and tomato plants for the garden in a month or so.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2020, 06:16:48 AM »
English peas are up in the garden.  I put on my rubber boots and started on the chicken wire fence for them to brow on by driving the T posts in.  Also yesterday I planted 4 rows of Silver King sweet corn.  Sweet potatoes are sprouting nicely.  Won't be long before I cut them off the potato, put them in a jar of water and let them form roots.
I have water melon seed in cups just now coming up.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2020, 01:21:17 PM »
This is a better picture of the water melons.  Looks like 4 plants came up which will be enough.

My first radishes came up in the herb garden next door so I planted some more today in planter boxes.  I always plant radishes more than once and usually only one planting does well.  I think it is all in the timing.

I also have some new canalope plants coming up.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2020, 10:06:40 AM »
Well, my blueberries have started blooming for this years crop.  One thing I have noticed is the number of blooms are way down.  I guess it is because we have had very little cold weather this winter.  There will still be plenty for us, but there may be fewer people come pick.  I would expect that if this corona virus is wide spread in this area that I would have to restrict even that.  I have my popcorn and theatre chair and am just sitting back watching.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2020, 09:58:03 AM »
Well,  here is a picture of the English pea row with the fence completed.  To the left is a row of "Texas Sweets" and "Candy" onions that I started from seed.  They are hard to see because they are so small.

Abigayle

Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2020, 04:49:04 PM »
Nice!!! We need a small tractor and attachments to help keep things under control, once they are in the ground.  It seems like there is alway the choice of harvest and preserve, or weed.  By noon in Ga.  I am more into preserve.  We start very early, but the hours go by quickl.l
Ariel

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2020, 08:02:33 PM »
March 9th and the potatoes are starting to come up.  I planted mellons today.  The corn still has not come up and it has been in the ground 15 days.  Trying to decide if I should plant some more just in case this first does not come up. 
We are just staying home and planting garden trying to avoid the crowds.  We have plenty in the freezer and hope to make a good garden this year.

RWS

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2020, 02:30:23 PM »
The corn is finally coming up and two days ago I planted 2 more rows.  This week I also planted my tomato plants and about a dozen bell pepper plants just because I had them.  I usually only plant two or three.  At least we have lots of rice for stuffed peppers.  I picked the rest of what was in the garden so I could till and get ready to plant peas & beans as soon as it warms up some. Late April or May time frame.  We were going to have brussel sprouts for supper this evening until I came in with the last of the cabbage.  We are still getting brussel sprouts.  Esparagus is starting to come up.  It usually come up when the first corn comes up.  We are just staying home and planting garden.  Got a freezer full of seed.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2020, 03:02:21 PM by RWS »

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2020, 11:42:50 AM »
3-18-20
Yesterday I planted hot peppers, squash and cantalope.  Today I planted 4 more rows of corn.  Did not need the corn as we have plenty in the freezer from last year.  We are starting to put a small dent in the freezer as in the last week we have had 2 blueberry delights, a blueberry pie and now working on blueberry coffee cake.  Being quarantined with the wife isn't half bad.  She is a good cook and is trying to use up all the blueberries from the freezer as the bushes are blooming and putting on this years crop.

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2020, 07:05:03 AM »
Walking in my garden yields the smell of celery.  Last Fall Homeless Depot had celery plants in a 6 pack.  I had never seen them before, so I bought a pack.  We cut the top off one for Christmas stuffing and it has grown back a new top.  ( I like to experiment)  Now that it is warming up they are starting to get tall.  Won't be long and I will have to take them up.  Maybe celery soup is in my future?
My oldest son brought me a few texas sweet onion sets he had left over.  We are about to finish up our winter onions and will start on his soon.  I have another whole row coming along in another garden.  There are only about 24 onions here.
Strawberries are blooming here and putting on green berries.  Won't be long.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2020, 08:58:18 AM by RWS »

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Re: 2020 Garden
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2020, 12:01:36 PM »
3-22-20  This morning was a little misty/rainy so I potted up 4 sweet potato slips I had in a jar sprouting roots.  The slips came from last years crop.  So far this year I have not bought any seed.  All has come from the freezer & last years crop.  4 sweet potato plants are all that I planted last year and we are still eating the last of them.

I take that back,  I bought red seed potatoes back in January.

 

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