Misc/Chat Getting started

[kyrsyan]

I found the white strawberries in Sam's Club this weekend, within days of their arrival. Those got popped into seed start trays for the time being, with water and fertilizer. Humidity dome on and on to seed mats. They seem to be fond of it. I figure to start popping the larger ones into pots next weekend. Leave them on mats for long enough to get them going and then move them to a front window.
And since I was doing garden stuff, I dropped in seeds for two types of tomatoes and four types of peppers. Old seed so I figured to start early and give them the best shot at making it. And if they don't make it, I have time to get fresh seed and start again.

 

[Chicken Mama]

Doing the same here. On 1/28 I started 2020 seeds of lettuce, spinach, basil, broccoli and sage. They all germinated already!

I'll wait another month before starting tomatoes and peppers because the ground won't be warm enough for them until early June.

 

[kyrsyan]

Doing the same here. On 1/28 I started 2020 seeds of lettuce, spinach, basil, broccoli and sage. They all germinated already!

I'll wait another month before starting tomatoes and peppers because the ground won't be warm enough for them until early June.

I'm going to give the tomatoes and peppers more time indoor so they're larger when it's time to go out. I'll start the somewhat cold hardy stuff in a few weeks so I can put in out around the middle of March, not long after it pops.

Got to say though, those strawberries are pretty happy at the moment. I figure most of them will be ready for potting up next weekend. And if they make it, it'll be the first time I've successfully done strawberries from roots.

 

[kyrsyan]

The strawberries are doing well. Today the larger ones started going from white to green. 4" pots with humidity domes should be here by the weekend. And I'll have to buy some soil.
I figure to pot up the largest this coming weekend. Then wait until they have 4 to 6 leaves before I move them off the heat mats and to the front window.

 

[Chicken Mama]

We don't really have window sills so I've settled for heat mats and LED grow lights. My concern is that it'll be a jungle in here before it gets warm enough to plant outdoors. Looks like I may need another LED light soon. Another option is to pluck what already germinated and start again in about 4 weeks. It was a test really to assure the seeds were still viable, and every single one was a success.

 

[kyrsyan]

I also ordered fake strawberries to put in the garden bed and fake out the birds and squirrels. I have neighbors who feed them so the best I can do is fake them out. At least until someone can teach me snares and I can research when I'm allowed to use them. Except cats may be a problem.

 

[Chicken Mama]

If you're serious about continuing your berries year after year, get some 3/4" PVC pipe, bend is to form an arch over the bed and cut it to length. Three arches per bed should be enough. Some cheap metal pipe brackets screwed into the wood (inside walls of the bed) will hold them in place for many years. Drape 1"x1"bird netting over the arches, clamp it with little c-clamps and weigh down the netting at the ground with rocks or bricks. It helps keep the critters out.

 

[AlaskaSue]

I’m getting started too! I’m pulling those old strawberry plants as soon as the iron-hard ground will release them! Time for new plantings I decided.

But at Latitude 62 getting started just means PLANNING: my calendar for seed starts inside, dates for my outdoor direct seeding, my spuds, putting my starts in the raised beds, 30 flower baskets & two flower beds, container beds (up to 11 now), and planning at least one new herb bed. I have an herb seed order I want to put in for a place I found last year called Strictly Medicinal that has a great deal of info and a fun new catalog for those interested. Early starts will be seeded next month (indoors), the rest in April.

I can do a lot of greens seeding outdoors as soon as the ice allows me to put seeds in the dirt, but most of my first seeds, and my starts, will not be planted out there until Labor Day (oops…MEMORIAL Day) weekend. I’ll catch up with y’all then!

Meanwhile, I’ll keep planning and casting envious glances your way! Good luck with the berries!!

 

[Martinhouse]

AlaskaSue, did you maybe mean Memorial Day weekend? I just could not imagine what could be planted at Labor Day in Alaska!

 

[Chicken Mama]

If you're serious about continuing your berries year after year, get some 3/4" PVC pipe, bend is to form an arch over the bed and cut it to length. Three arches per bed should be enough. Some cheap metal pipe brackets screwed into the wood (inside walls of the bed) will hold them in place for many years. Drape 1"x1" bird netting over the arches, clamp it with little c-clamps and weigh down the netting at the ground with rocks or bricks. It helps keep the critters out.

 

[Chicken Mama]

My six beds (28"x4'x6') were new last year and the dirt has settled down about 6". What amendments would you all recommend to top off the beds. Veggies will be tomatoes, various squash, onions, garlic, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce and spinach.

 

[kyrsyan]

The beds will get netting. That is on the list. But for more than the strawberries. That is also my blueberry patch. So there are plans for 3D printing a few connectors that will let me use old tent poles as the framing.
Hopefully I can get that done this year.

 

[AlaskaSue]

AlaskaSue, did you maybe mean Memorial Day weekend? I just could not imagine what could be planted at Labor Day in Alaska!

Hee, yep…sigh. It’s been a real, real long day…. Thank you!

 

[Martinhouse]

Welcome. Those two holidays are so easy to confuse, I think because they kind of bracket summer. I've called them each other's name since I was a kid and still catch myself doing it sixty/seventy years later!

Your gardening sounds wonderful!

 

[kyrsyan]

My six beds (28"x4'x6') were new last year and the dirt has settled down about 6". What amendments would you all recommend to top off the beds. Veggies will be tomatoes, various squash, onions, garlic, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce and spinach.

I put more soil, compost, etc. In the fall I bury the beds in leaves from the trees. Then mix that into the soil in the spring. So far that's holding. I'm hoping to try a new form of raised bed this year so I can keep gardening even when my spine objects.

 

[kyrsyan]

So I'm doing the happy dance today. 22 of the strawberries are now potted to larger pots. There are two or three more to do but I ran out of potting soil. So those will get done later today.
Seedlings... I really, really, really wasn't expecting much if anything at all. I'm talking 5 year old seed. I tried it last year and got fails. But apparently the seed mats made a big difference. Tomatoes and peppers popping. Almost all of the tomatoes are popping, so I'm going to have to thin because I was a bit generous with the seed. The hot peppers have one in each dome showing. Those are typically longer to pop so even one makes me happy. (And I'll be marking that "one" to make sure I save seed from it if it makes it.) And the italian yellow sweet pepper is just popping multiples. Definitely a wonderful sight. At this rate my front window will be full of plants by the time it becomes time to plant outside. And I'll have a serious headstart on the season.
I ordered 4" plant pots with humidity domes. They are decent. I should be able to reuse them a few times. The pots are also clear so it lets me check on root growth as well. And because I found out that the thermostats can handle several seed mats at a time, two more seed mats are on the way. Lightning deal and worth it. Four is the most I can do with my current starter set up and probably more than enough. That will put two mats per each thermostat. From what I found, they can easily handle that.