pepperhead212's 2024 garden

[pepperhead212]

Tomatoes are in!! 33 tomatoes and 2 tomatillos (actually 3 - I couldn't just toss the extra one, so I planted it behind the shed, amongst all those weed garlic chives). I actually have less than I'll be given to a friend, but I double everything, plus those things that didn't germinate, I put some more extras of some other favorites in, so she's going to be busy later on!

[AKgardener]

Yah for planting maters

[pepperhead212]

Here's how much larger the eggplants grew in just 10 days, since that last photo! And, like the tomatoes, the only fert is that silica supplement, and a very small amount - ~1/8 tsp/gal - of that hydroponics fertilizer, that I use for greens and herbs. I didn't even realize what a short time it was, until I looked at that previous eggplant photo!
Here's that photo from 10 days earlier, when I planted the Jiffy pellets, that I started the seeds in 23 days earlier, in larger pots - the 18/tray size.
Eggplant transplanted - some not very large, but all the pellets had roots running out of them. They will take off now. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And 10 days later:
15 eggplants hardening off, 5-6, started on 4-3 this time. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I wanted to start hardening them off before, but there was all that rain the last two days. Oh well, weather doesn't always cooperate!

I want to plant them soon, but every day has thunderstorms forecast, and Thursday has "gusty" thunderstorms forecast, so I might wait until after that - I'll wait and see.

[pepperhead212]

I got a lot done today, starting early. Even though it was not hot - only 72 or 73 degrees, so about average - it was very humid! Started out that way being foggy, which took a while to lift. I took that eggplant out to start it out, and finished taking my indoor plants outside - something I thought I'd have to get help with, for those lime trees, but I got them out on that homemade dolly, I made just for these things a couple of years ago. One of these nights I'll clean that mess up in there, when I'm finished with the outside stuff!



I pulled the last 4 Swiss chard plants out of my front flowerbed, as they were just starting to bolt, plus I had to clean out the bed, and get it ready for some other things. I got over 12 quarts of Swiss chard from it, and that's. after getting numerous cuttings, through the winter. I thought sure it would bolt even faster. The longer, lighter colored stalks in the bowl are a variety from Baker Creek that are an "improved" Rhubarb, which hadn't bolted, while all the others, a Rhubarb from Burpee, were just starting to bolt.

A 12 qt bowl, filled with Swiss Chard. by pepperhead212, on Flickr



I also got my 'tiller working - something I usually don't have a problem with, but I couldn't get it to start Friday, even with some starter fluid (something I often have to use the first time of the season). I finally thought that it might be the gas, even though I always add STABIL to the gas, and it keeps it OK the entire winter, when some is in the tanks. So I drained the tank, got some fresh today, and it started up! I then 'tilled most of what I could - what is still covered is for butternuts later, and I'll 'til it when I am ready to plant it, and cover it with the fabric, before planting the butternuts.



After getting everything put away outside, I went inside, and got a call from my gardening friend, that I gave my extra tomatoes to, and I'll have my extra eggplants, peppers, and a few other things. She was asking me about a number of herbs - not something I thought she used many of, since she's Indian, and these aren't the traditional herbs they use. So I told her that I'd start a bunch of those cuttings off my plants, that root easily, and quickly.

[pepperhead212]

Putting the peppers out to start hardening off, same day I'm planting the eggplants. 3 days until the peppers get planted, unless forecast changes! Supposed to rain Wednesday, then clear up.
Peppers, starting to harden off, 5-13 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I got the basil and epazote out of my cloner today, and planted all of them. I then put in some cuttings from the sage, marjoram, spearmint, and peppermint for my friends, and the only tomato of mine that got broken off - one of 2 Atomic Fusion plants - and I'll try to root it, which is usually easy. I could also root a couple more basils, for my friends.
Cloned basil, the two on the left, Dolce Fresca, the other four, Spicy Saber, showing the roots. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Cloned Red Oaxacan epazote. Not quite as rooted as the basil, but they will take off still by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Later I planted the eggplants - just one Long Purple, and 2 each of Ichiban, Asian Delight Hybrid, and Matrosik, the last one the only non-Asian variety.
Ichiban eggplant, planted on 5-13 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Asian Delight hybrid eggplant, planted on 5-13. A little sunscald on one leaf, but otherwise good. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Matrosik eggplant, planted on 5-13. Many more spines on the stems than others I've grown, but too early to see the calyx, where I usually see them. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Long Purple Eggplant, planted on 5-13 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Earlier, I saw the first flower buds on several of my tomato plants! None open yet, but both of the Sunsugar and both of the Juliet plants have well developed flower clusters, and one of the Early Blue Ribbons; a few others with tiny buds, but I had to almost strain to see them! I expect to see some open soon. I didn't see any buds on Oaxacan Jewel yet - I looked, because the last two years they have been the first of the larger varieties, ripening before 7-4, but I wasn't looking to see when the flower buds appeared.
First tomatoes with flower buds, 5-13. Juliet and Sunsugar first two so far, and Early Blue Ribbon the only one of larger types, with any buds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

Found the first flower opening up -sunsugar, as usual. Was out there picking off the suckers, and saw it.

Most of the tomatoes have buds on them now, even the larger varieties. I was surprised to see buds on the Green Giant and Pruden's Purple, but of course, this doesn't mean I'll get earlier ripe tomatoes, just that the tomatoes might start forming earlier than I expected. And that Oaxacan Jewel has some buds, which are larger than any others - the largest over ½", but not open yet. I'll see if they are the earliest again (besides the cherries).

All the things I planted yesterday look great! The okra and zinnia - with only the first set of true leaves when planted - already have new growth on most of them, and the peppers have perked up, and none are drooping, like they were yesterday (forcing me to stake almost all of them, when I planted them).

I'm starting to see my garlic forming scapes - the Music and Estonian Red the first ones. I also snipped the scapes off of all those scallions I have growing, that are getting large, as well as on some of the shallots - probably some I started from seed, as I haven't seen this before. I considered leaving them to harvest larger, like garlic scapes, but I figured I'd just snip them very small, to help the plant get larger.

While in that bed with all the scallions and shallots (and a few greens still), I noticed a bunch of volunteer dill and parsley plants; the dill was expected, but the parsley was not grown in that bed, and I haven't seen it spread like that before - only fairly close to the flowering plant.

[pepperhead212]

I saw open flowers on my second variety today - Juliet - and some flower buds on my tomatillos. Things are going good! And that napa rose is still the largest plant of all the plants, though some are catching up. And every one has buds, but just the two varieties opening.

Today I finished the staining of the deck posts and lattice; something I started yesterday, after staining the upper part of the deck back on March 14th and the day before - ever since then, it has been either raining, to frequently, or too cold, to finish it! I knew it had a long time waiting, but didn't know how long, until I looked up that photo! I didn't do much out in the garden today - just picked some suckers of those tomatoes.

[AKgardener]

Yah for maters I have open flowers and tomatoes on most of my plants as well..