pepperhead212's 2020 garden

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GoDawgs
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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#21

Post: # 18897Unread post GoDawgs
Fri May 01, 2020 3:49 pm

Congratulations! Getting the 'maters in is always a milestone. Now if your peppers will just get with the program! :)

I'll be waiting to hear how your Everona tomatillos do. I grew three last year and the plants got big but the fruits only developed in a few of the many husks even though there were pollinators everywhere. It was the first try doing that variety and only my second try ever doing tomatillos so maybe I just wasn't holding my mouth right.... :lol:

For okra seed I usually soak it two days in a shotglass of water and that seems to do the trick.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#22

Post: # 18927Unread post pepperhead212
Fri May 01, 2020 10:45 pm

This morning, around 9 am, I took all of the seeds that had been soaking overnight in the GA-3 and put them in the petri dishes, on layers of moistened strips of paper towels. In less than 12 hours, all 4 seeds of one of the cucumbers germinated, and a number of each of the two types of okra had sprouted, and a couple of the squash had sprouts started. The bitter melon and bottle gourd seeds are the slowest, but this even speeds those up. Too bad it doesn't work on pepper seeds!
ImageCucurbits and okra seeds, sprouting, before putting them in the jiffy pellets. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageCucumber seeds, sprouting in less than 12 hours after soaking in the GA-3 overnight. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#23

Post: # 18963Unread post GoDawgs
Sat May 02, 2020 10:12 am

That's amazingly quick germination! Where do you get your GA-3? I might have to try some of this.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#24

Post: # 18989Unread post pepperhead212
Sat May 02, 2020 5:57 pm

@GoDawgs I got the GA-3 I'm using now from a place on ebay - cheapest I found anywhere. And here's a previous thread I started on it:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=534
While you can see that I did test those Indian gourds, and didn't get any great results with those, the other cucurbits I tested - winter squash and cucumbers - had great results, so I figured I'd soak the gourd seeds too. Okra seeds also had a great increase in speed and %, plus it increased the germination % of older seeds, compared to just soaking in water, or a hydrogen peroxide solution. When I did those tests, I had a bunch of older seeds of varieties that I didn't like, so I figured that I'd put them to good use in some way!

I got my cloner set up today, with basils and red epazote. I'll be making something with that excess trimmed off basil tonight!
ImageCloner with three types of basil, plus some red epazote. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageLeftover basil, from getting cuttings for the cloner. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also got 5 more of my SIPs set up, and all I have left are the 8 EBs, for peppers and okra, so no great hurry! I started getting the drip irrigation system set up, fixing any leaks or broken parts visible. That's also no great hurry, since plants are small, rainfall is high, and temperatures aren't yet high.

Tonight's job is to re-pot some of my larger peppers, not because they really need larger pots, but because they are shading out the much smaller plants next to them, that germinated much later.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#25

Post: # 19070Unread post GoDawgs
Sun May 03, 2020 4:43 pm

Thanks for that information. I remember that where I worked (production nursery) our propagation department used GA but I can't remember what for or which strength/formulation or even which plants they used it on. Retirement will do that to a person... :D

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#26

Post: # 19098Unread post pepperhead212
Sun May 03, 2020 10:23 pm

I've got sprouted seeds in all 6 of the Jiffy pellets for the emeralds, 10 of 12 little Lucys, 2 of 2 of both cucumbers, 2 of 2 Polaris and one of two south Anna butternuts. There might be more if I looked now! That GA-3 really does help those seeds!

I was going to ready up the last 8 SIPs out there today, but I stopped at 1, as it was just too windy to handle those covers. Tomorrow is supposed to be worse, but Tuesday it's getting nice again. All I really did out there today was to get the supplements in the SIPs with the tomatoes in them, and a little more done with the irrigation system.

Oh yeah, another thing that I added to all of my SIPs today, that I add a couple of times in the season - I break off a piece of a mosquito dunk, and drop it through the fill pipe. It only needs a very small piece to prevent them; I also do this indoors, in my hydroponics, to prevent fungus gnats, so it works for those in here, too. I've read that mosquitoes aren't a problem in these, but I don't believe it - mosquitoes find standing water!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#27

Post: # 19402Unread post pepperhead212
Thu May 07, 2020 10:42 pm

Today I finished getting my last 7 SIPs ready, for the peppers and okra, and now all 41 are ready. I also got a little more of the drip irrigation system set up, and re-potted several of my pepper plants, to keep them from shading out the smaller plants, that are running behind this season. And given this cold weather I'm getting, the peppers and eggplants aren't going to be going out anytime soon!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#28

Post: # 19632Unread post pepperhead212
Sun May 10, 2020 5:50 pm

I dodged a bullet these last two nights, when it got colder than ever this late in May! I think the frost held off because of the intense wind! Only one plant looks really bad, and most have just one bad looking stem. And a good number of them look just fine! I do have an extra one of the one in this photo, so I might replace it; I'll also look at the other 4 I have extras of - if they look better than the ones I already planted, I'll replace them.
ImageThe worst looking tomato plant, after the two really cold nights. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

It is supposed to be warmer from now on, and later in the week more like normal, so eggplants might go in next weekend. They usually are in about now, and peppers about a week later.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#29

Post: # 19948Unread post pepperhead212
Thu May 14, 2020 11:34 am

I still don't know if I'll pull out the worst looking tomatoes, and plant the extras I have, as they seem to be recovering. 2 of the 5 extras are of the varieties worst hit by that cold; the other extras don't look as good as the recovered plants, which were barely bothered by it.

I just took my eggplants out to start hardening off this morning, and they have gotten quite large, quickly! Normally, they would have been planted by now, but the weather has not been normal this month! lol I put 7 outside, and I still have two smaller ones in the seedling room, but they will be outside soon.
ImageEggplants hardening off 5-14 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have some Ichiban, my earliest every year, a Hari, a Neon from old seeds, and one from saved seeds (Not sure how these will be, since these are supposedly hybrids), and Rosita and Rosa Bianca - the two new ones this season, for me. I got rosita because it looks similar to the bright purple Neon, which it seems has disappeared from the seed catalogs. This is also why I tried saving the seeds, even though they are listed as hybrids. They have been my most productive variety since back in the late 80s/early 90s, though there was one other time it went unavailable for a few years.
ImageNeon and Ichiban, 7-14. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have more eggplants than I normally plant, but I might plant the extras in that raised bed, just to have extras.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#30

Post: # 19991Unread post Whwoz
Thu May 14, 2020 9:55 pm

That Neon is certainly a pretty colour

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#31

Post: # 20035Unread post pepperhead212
Fri May 15, 2020 5:25 pm

I got a bunch done today, despite the heat...it must not have been very humid, since the first hot day like this (got to 87°, plus intense sun) usually stops me in my tracks, until I get used to the heat! Before I knew it, it was late afternoon, and getting cooler (though it's still 83° out there!).

I got 7 of my eggplants planted - 5 in SIPs, and 2 in that new raised bed. I still have 2 to plant - seedlings that were the slowest, but are growing quickly, now!
ImageIchiban eggplant 5-15. The one on the left grew considerably in the few days that I hardened them off. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageNeon eggplant, from saved seeds 5-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageRosita and Rosa Bianca in SIP 5-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageRosita and Rosa Bianca, in the new raised bed. 5-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here are the two eggplants that will be planted in a couple of days - the Hari green one, and the Neon, from old seeds.
ImageHari and Neon eggplant seedlings 5-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I got most of my cucurbits planted today, though the two bitter gourds have still not germinated, despite having them in a seed sprouter! They are always the slowest, I guess because of the very thick seed shell. 3 of the 4 butternuts got planted, 4 of the 4 cucumbers, 1 each of the two bottle gourds (I'm planning on planting more a month from now), and both of the 2 Tinda gourds (a new one for me). All of these are in SIPs, except the butternuts, which are in a row with a new variety of moschata squash that I got from Baker Creek - Yuxi.....Gua (I forget the other two parts of the name!), which supposedly can be harvested immature, and used as summer squash, which is why I had to try it! It didn't germinate well, the first time, but it said the packed was overpacked, because of low germination! Second try, I put some in my sprouter, with the bitter gourds, and got 2 sprouts in less than 2 days, and they are on the way!
ImageCucurbits - butternuts at top, then cucumbers, bottle gourds in the middle, and Tinda gourds the smallest on the bottom. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Garlic is doing well, and I hope that we don't get the rain we did last year, in the month before harvest.
ImageGarlic, and on the right 3 just planted butternut seedlings. 5-15-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And asparagus are coming up, though I haven't harvested, since I knew I wouldn't have much the first year, and I've read that it's best to leave them be, the first year or so.
ImageLargest asparagus, so far. 5-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#32

Post: # 20131Unread post pepperhead212
Sat May 16, 2020 9:25 pm

When I planted those beans, I put some new Nylon trellis up, and I covered the row with some chicken wire - hopefully, if any of those animals try to get to the plants, they will get their feet tangled up!
ImageBeans, covered to hopefully prevent rabbits. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I put in Blauhilde, Thai Long Red, Rattlesnake, Blue Lake Pole, Withner White Cornfield, and Cherokee Cornfield, the last one being my only new one. Too bad I don't plant bush beans - I got some Blue Lake Bush, in a gift seed packet!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#33

Post: # 20484Unread post roper2008
Fri May 22, 2020 7:04 am

Everything looking good. I have a Kaffir Lime tree that I finally put outside in the rain. Ants alway get to it in my sunroom and plant mealy bugs or scale. Mother Nature will take care of them now.
I do the same thing with my old earthbox soil, threw it in my raised beds. I see some of your gourd seeds is bitter melon. I have some growing also. I’ve learned about bitter melon years ago from my filipino friends, and Calamansi, which I also have growing.

Oops, I didn’t even notice your second page. Nice eggplant.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#34

Post: # 20486Unread post SQWIB
Fri May 22, 2020 8:15 am

Wow, everything looks freaking great!!!
I really like your Molcajete.

Have you noticed how hardy the Rosita is compared to the Rosa Bianca, I couldn't believe how tough this plant is!
It even blew away my Black Beauty, next year I'm ditching the black beauty, I think the only reason I grow them is nostalgic.

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#35

Post: # 20494Unread post pepperhead212
Fri May 22, 2020 11:04 am

[mention]SQWIB[/mention] Good to know about the rosita! Your the second one that has given it a good review, since I have planted it (this is my first year for rosita and rosa bianca).

I got a lot done yesterday - I heard that today was going to be an on and off washout, so I tried to do everything then. I planted my last two eggplants - Hari, and the Neon, from the old seeds, which were the slowest.
ImageHari and Neon (from old seeds) eggplants, last ones to go in, 5-21. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also started planting the peppers, but only the stronger ones, that I had re-potted, and had hardened off longer - I think that I only got 9 planted, but the rest are out of the seedling room; in fact, everything is now, and the lights are out! I also got the last of the squash planted, and the okra.
ImageEmerald okra, planted 5-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageOne of the EBs of Little Lucy okra, planted 5-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also uncovered the greens in the raised bed, and harvested some of the kale and senposai, to make dinner with. The kohlrabi will be next. I'm surprised that the napa has shown no signs of bolting under the cover, as those outside bolted when small.
ImageRex Dragon Napa, and some large scallions, 5-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageBolted purple napa, 5-17. That under the cover is MUCH larger, and not bolting. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageA good sized komatsuna, some kohlrabi, and some small leeks, 5-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageRed Bor Kale, 5-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And I started getting my basil clones planted in my Jr EBs - the first of the Seratta and Geco Fure. Still one more of each, and a couple of Thai Basils:
ImageMy first basil clones, 5-21-20. Had to wait a little long to plant them, due to the cold. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#36

Post: # 20540Unread post arnorrian
Sat May 23, 2020 2:12 am

Lovely!
Climate: Cfa
USDA hardiness zone: 7a
Elevation: 140 m

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#37

Post: # 21009Unread post pepperhead212
Fri May 29, 2020 10:23 pm

I buzzed a bunch of my tomato blossoms today, to get the earliest ones set. Turns out, there are only a few varieties now that don't have any blossoms, so they are coming along well. I also got my second spray of Surround on the tomatoes, eggplants, cukes, squash, peppers, and okra - quicker than that first spray, since it was mostly the new growth. I could see how much the things grew, in just a week! The peppers and cherry tomatoes I stop spraying with surround as soon as I start seeing fruits, as the small fruits are a pain to wipe it off of.

I got the 3 pepper EBs covered yesterday - the ones prone to the pepper maggot flies. Those are left on until around 8-1, as the flies are typically gone by then.

I got my last plant outside today (except for the hydroponics) - the largest kaffir lime tree, which I needed a friend to help me with, just to move it to the floor, then I get it with the hand truck. I stopped watering it a while ago, and it made it a lot lighter. After he left, I cleaned up that area, along with the window, so the blinds can come down on that south window, now that it's getting hot out.

I'll do more outside tomorrow, when it will be cooler, and less humid.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#38

Post: # 21053Unread post pepperhead212
Sat May 30, 2020 5:36 pm

As usual, the Ichiban is the first to blossom!
This is why I grow them every year, along with the fact that they are delicious eggplants, as long as they are picked early. They do get stopped by heat, but recover, and start producing again.
ImageThe first open blossom on Ichiban eggplant, 5-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Mowed my lawn today, and it was definitely dry out there! It really hasn't rained much here lately (most of it stayed in PA), and that that did come down dried up with that heat! I also changed the oil and filter in the tractor and the 'tiller, since it was much nicer out than yesterday, and got all of my deck plants set up with their drip watering system again.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#39

Post: # 21629Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:17 pm

Well, it is no longer dry out there! This is the third evening in a row of storms, this one much slower, so it may result in a lot more rain. It's raining now, so I'm in for the night!

I went out earlier, and buzzed the blossoms on my tomatoes, and found my first tomato, and it wasn't even a cherry! A lot are set, but just not a tomato visible yet on them.
ImageFirst tomato set, 6-5 Prime Rib. I have not even seen seen any cherrys yet. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A couple of Ichiban eggplant blossoms have set, too, and one is just starting to show. I buzzed 3 more open ones today - I can see a puff of pollen when I buzz those, so they definitely get pollinated!

The gourds were some of the things I was having trouble with this season. Something ate two of the seedlings, shortly after planting, so I had to restart them, and the bitter melons were not germinating, though they are always the slowest. The tinda gourds - a new one to me - just didn't grow after transplant, so I direct planted some. Every one germinated the first time, so that shouldn't be a problem. The bottle gourds (the ones that were eaten) have already germinated in the SIPs, and hopefully, that was a freak occurrence.

Finally, one variety of my okra is lagging behind, while the other is going crazy! This makes no sense, as all 3 EBs the okra is in was treated the same way, replacing about 1/4 of the mix with the identical mix, with some of that organic mix added. The Emerald is the one that is wilting when it gets really hot (and I pulled one that was really bad, and direct seeded some, which have come up already), but when the sun goes down, and early, before the sun gets to that side, they look fine, but much smaller than the Little Lucy plants, in the other two EBs. I'm thinking of starting 6 more Little Lucys, and if these don't soon get better, replace them!
ImageEmerald okra, still not looking good. 6-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageLittle Lucy okra, 6-5, going crazy! by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: pepperhead212's 2020 garden

#40

Post: # 21729Unread post GoDawgs
Sat Jun 06, 2020 5:42 pm

It sounds like you're right at the shift from planting mode to maintenance mode! That's always a nice change from the pressure of getting garden infrastructure ready, getting plants up and going, then the actual planting. Now it's time to worry about bugs, funk, weeding, watering and harvesting. There's always something, isn't there? :lol:

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