Gymgirl, your tomatoes look outstanding.

Thank you, Txtea! They went outside this morning to begin hardening off. Hopefully, they'll get transplanted this Sunday.

Jo-Ann!

I need to latch onto your planting schedule for this Spring/Summer. The only things I have managed to grow so far in this season are tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, and okra (and some Kentucky Wonder Pole beans I took a chance on last season). Grew the beans in 5-gallon buckets sitting under my patio cover -- they actually made beans!

But, I wanna grow more veggies this season, cause my beds end up sitting with nothing in them. Once the brassicas are done (when the heat makes them bolt) I'll have at least three raised beds available to plant something else.

I'd like to grow my own cukes for pickles -- I researching growing "Picklebush" in a hydroponic setup, so no dirt involved.

Also, I'l like to grow lots of bush beans. Lady Cream Peas, Crowders, Zipper Cream, etc.

When do I need to begin direct sowing seeds or starting seedlings? Let me know when your starting something so I can follow along. Our growing conditions are relatively the same, as the crow flies, LOL!

Thanks!

Cutting after this picture for tonight.

Looks great!

Very Nice.

Osaka Purple Mustards?

There's a woman in New Zealand growing those from seeds I saved from the first one I ever grew. So kewl.

Asian yard-long beans really like heat.

Oh yes. That is so true. They will not even grow if it is below 55. Or Germinate.

That is so good to know. I have fresh seeds!

I have a question.

I got started late last fall season. I've reviewed my posts, and the year before, everything was transplanted out by mid- August/September. This year, most things went in around Oct/Nov.

To date, I have one bed that has cauliflowers, broccoli, turnips, mustard greens, spinach, and beets growing. These plants have been growing since mid-Oct.. So far, only two cauliflowers are making a head. Every other cauliflower is just huge, beautiful leaves, and, the weather is warming up here, fast! I'm wondering if it's worth the prime real estate to let the cauliflowers keep go (I don't necessarily have to have the heads -- I've been making green smoothies with the huge leaves, so nothing is going to waste..), or is it time to rip them and spread new seeds for a spring/summer garden?

The broccoli are in the "teen" stage, and look like heads might form in the next 2-3 weeks. The Seven Top turnips & beets are beautiful (growing for the leaves only), and the spinach is further along than any I've ever grown before.

I have cabbages, spinach and beets in a second raised bed. The cabbages are growing slowly, but the beets and the spinach are taking off nicely. I'm wondering if there will be enough cool ahead to bring the cabbages to maturity. Should I leave them alone, or plan on ripping the cabbages soon? My neighbor has a garden FULL of bolted cabbages and other greenery that he planted as mature plants before I set out my fall/winter seedlings. He's starting his own bug nursery over there....NOT lol.....

I'm a bit confused because one gardener I'm following on YouTube has new seedlings ready for transplanting out next week. He's got Packman broccoli, tons of different tomatoes, beets, lettuce, and sweet bell peppers, all ready to throw out a second set of true leaves. They're growing outside in seed flats, so are already hardened off. Actually, they're not cole crop plants, except for the broccoli and the beets (which, I hear can be grown year round here, if the weather is agreeable.)

Yet another fellow gardener here reported this morning that he spread seeds this weekend for: Packman broccoli, spinach, Asian red cabbage, snow peas, onion sets & garlic sets (his experiment). He knows the snow peas will bolt soon as it gets too hot.

The planting schedule has always eluded me, and I believe I figured something out that I hadn't considered before. In addition to the soil temps, it also matters what the SIZE/MATURITY of plant you're dealing with is, within the planting schedule. Which is why my almost-mature, almost-end-of-the-fall/winter season cauliflower and other cole crop plants will bolt the first chance it gets too hot...

Is this correct thinking?

If it is, then I do need to prepare to rip those plants soon and start throwing out new warm-weather crop seeds, yes?

Please LMK soonest.

Thanks!

Sounds like everyone is following there own schedule. I have tomatoes and peppers I grew from seed, but it will be awhile yet before I feel safe putting them in the garden. I had to move my tomato plants from the cold frame today because they were getting to tall, so I moved them from a glass covered cold frame with a low ceiling to a plastic covered one with a higher ceiling so the tomatoes would not touch the cover. My peppers are still quite small, I do have lettuce growing in the garden and onions transplants were planted a week or so ago. I planted carrots about a week ago, but so far nothing is showing. I am thinking like the middle of march before I put my tomatoes in the garden and maybe April before the peppers go out. I figure around the first of April to plant my cucumbers and squash. I may start some water melons inside, and some cantaloupes also, did not have much luck with any of those last year.
Took these pics today!














Just put the Daffodil pic in because it brightens up everything, so glad to finally be getting some blooms.

Thanks, Seedfork,

What you just said helped a lot!

I started four more short rows of carrots today, Nantes Champion, and Red Cored Chantenay, just like before. That may have been a mistake being I have had no sign of a carrot so far from the first ones I sowed. The temp. was up to 78 F. today, but I know there is still some cold weather to come, I am just going to wait it out for about another month.

Linda, don't pull your cole crops until there is some sign of bolting. If the heads start to loosen, THEN grab them quick.

David

Okie dokie!

Planted watermelon and cucumbers today.

I’m about to clear my cauliflower plants out of RB #1 . I put them out too late, so I’ll not harvest any good heads. But, I’ll harvest LOTS of huge leaves to make green smoothies, LOL! Once the cauliflower is gone, I can transplant the beets and collards that are growing inside under lights. The leaves are about 7” long, and they’re looking good. Hoping to grow beets year-round.

I've got broccoli heads forming, and, if it stays cool enough, I’ll get some nice heads.

I have to build another raised bed, cause cabbages and early beets are still taking up space in RB #2. RB #3 is sitting and waiting for the tomatoes. Once I finish the second half of that Mittleider T-Frame and install it in place, they’ll go in, too.

Then, I’m gonna start some cukes, Kentucky Wonder Pole beans, watermelon, and squash seeds, and direct sow some beans -- crowders & purple hulls, lady cream peas. And, then, there are more collards and mustards ready to go in.

Busy, busy weekend…

We are just south of Dallas county. It is colder here than in Houston, by about a zone,

I do mostly summer crops and herbs. Herbs like cilantro love cool to cod weather, and will bolt in the heat.

Because this has been a harsh winter and Easter will come late, I am just now starting my tomato and pepper plants. They will be trotted outside each day when it is above freezing, and brought back in each time there is a threat of freeze or frost. A few "sacrificial " plants will be put in the ground in the hopes they wont be lost in a cold snap, and some held back in case the others bite the dust and need to be replaced.

I prefer to start them from seed because I am picky about what cultivars to grow and I want to control, when possible, that I don't use GMO varieties.

Got my springtime tomatoes planted today, largely because my visiting adult daughter did most of the work. Her name is Sarah. The other helper is my Shelter adopted mixed breed, Trudi. I will be in the wheelchair several months. That's why, as I mentioned on another thread, I'm growing tomatoes using Earthboxes. My wife, Elise, who is taking the photo, spends her non-office hours taking care of me. She doesn't love my tomatoes, but has still stayed with me for over 33 years of marriage.
: )




Planted 10 plants of five types. A full-sized indeterminate red, Momotaro; a dwarf red indeterminate, Husky Red; a full-sized indeterminate orange, Sweet Ozark Orange; a determinate yellow cherry, Gold Nugget; and an cherry sized bicolor red/gold indeterminate, Isis Candy. Here Sarah is planting Momotaro.

Hurray for getting the tomatoes planted!