How-to

Seedling shelves

Jenni — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 06:35:06 +0000

Seedling shelves Jenni Sat, 03/04/2017 - 22:35

This is the shelf I have. It's a Husky 5 shelf heavy duty shelving system. It can hold up to 1,000 lbs per shelf, so it's more than enough for some plants and lights. Once we get the shelves rearranged, there will be about 1.5' between each shelf, which is more than enough.

The only complaints I have about it are:

It's 48" wide, so it's 2" shy of being able to fit 5 trays on it. As such, I let the trays on each side stick over an inch
I wish it had one more shelf, as that would be perfect. I haven't been able to find a replacement or add-on shelf anywhere for it.

I wish I had seen this one when I bought mine, as I would have liked gotten it instead.

It's the same brand and same type of shelf. The only difference is that it is 60" wide instead of 48". That means you can fit 6 trays on each shelf.

Topic

How-to

Started more seeds

Jenni — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 06:37:23 +0000

Started more seeds Jenni Mon, 02/20/2017 - 22:37

So, I started more seeds today. It's an ongoing process to grow seedlings, as some plants need more time, some you grow early in the season, some you start later. As such, I usually have seeds going into dirt from January through April - even later if I do a fall planting.

Hot peppers, sweet peppers, and eggplant are plants that take quite some time to be ready to go in the ground. While greens might pop up within a few days of you planting the seeds, these can take up to 2 weeks before you finally see little plants popping up. And then it takes well over a month for them to get a good size to go outside. As such, I try to have these in the dirt by mid February or so. Last year I was late and didn't get them in until March, which meant smaller plants come May.

Peas are a plant that likes the cool early spring temperatures. As such, I also start growing them as seedlings in February. This allows for good sized plants once we're ready to move them outside. And that means earlier peas! :D

Topic

Seedlings

How-to

What to do with old soil?

Jenni — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 06:36:40 +0000

What to do with old soil? Jenni Mon, 02/20/2017 - 22:36

A question I see a lot from people who container garden is what to do with the soil from last year that is in their containers. Do they get rid of it? Reuse it? What? It seems like every year once we get close to growing season that this question comes up.

There are a lot of options. If you have a compost pile, you can dump all of the old soil that doesn't have plants currently growing in it, bulbs that will come back each year, etc. This gives it a chance to be reinvigorated by the nutrients it picks up from your compost heap. But what if you don't have a compost heap?

What I've done is reuse my soil every year. But I don't just reuse it as it is - I amend it. I bought some cheap tarps at the store - one for my tomato plants, one for everything else. I don't want to to reuse my tomato soil two years in a tow for tomatoes, so all of the pots that had tomato plants in them get handled separately.

We dump out all of the containers onto the tarp. We use a rake to help break up the soil so that it's not in huge clumps. We then pour in some fresh organic soil as well as compost that we purchase at the store. I have some all-purpose granular fertilizer that I purchased at a local farm store. I also pour in some of that.

Using our hands and the rake, we mix everything up as good as we can. Then we refill the containers.

This allows us to get the most use out of the soil we purchased while also giving the plants the nutrients they need.

Topic

How-to

Containers

Soil

Setting up a garden when you're a renter

Jenni — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 05:56:02 +0000

Setting up a garden when you're a renter Jenni Wed, 08/31/2016 - 22:56

Well, recently we were told that we had to remove everything that wasn't physically on/attached to the patio - no plants out on the ground. When I pointed out that I had permission to do this and it was in the same place as always, I was told that they had never given permission, had never seen the garden, etc. Now this was the exact person who I had talked to about my garden multiple times and had approved it. They tried saying in past years they'd just seen the greenhouse. A greenhouse that I just bought and installed this year. After a little more poking, it was clear that they had visited the garden this year (since that's the only time I had a greenhouse) and had to have seen all the containers since those were already there.

After a little back and forth, I ripped up a good chunk of the garden and the rest seems to be ok for now. Didn't make me too happy to pull up all my pumpkins, most of my squash, much of my cucumbers, etc. - it was probably $100+ worth of plants. Needless to say, we'll be moving as soon as we can, as I am tired of this kind of thing.

So how can you help protect yourself?

Get it in writing

If they approve you having a garden, greenhouse, planters, etc., get it in writing. And get that again every time you sign your lease. Make sure that it states that this agreement supersedes anything in your lease, community rules, etc.

Have them visit

Set up your garden and then have them visit. Ask them if there are any issues with what you have, where it is at, etc. Then you can fix it before your plants get too established. My landlord couldn't seem to understand why it would be an issue moving a pot that is probably 20 gallons with a 7' tall tomato plant in it.

You might even want to document the visit, such as recording it. Just make sure what the laws are regarding recording other people.

Once they've ok'd it, take photos, print them, and have them sign off.

This should help protect you for at least the duration of your current lease if they try to change things midway like they did to us.

Topic

How-to

Mistakes

Powdery mildew

Jenni — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 05:54:55 +0000

Powdery mildew Jenni Thu, 07/28/2016 - 22:54

Powdery mildew is a problem for me every year. I live in an apartment that runs their sprinklers several times throughout the night from about 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Since these run at night when it's cool, it never fails that mildew starts to grow. Not to mention that it never fails that we get rainy days that are cool.

I've tried just about everything over the years. Several people mentioned Neem Oil, so I finally picked some up at the store recently when I found it on sale. I mixed up some and put it in a spray bottle and went to work. I gave everything that had mildew on them a good spraying and everything else that could get mildew got a light spray. And then I waited to see what happened.

A week later and there was maybe 30% the amount of mildew on the leaves as there had been previously. I was so excited, as some of the leaves were just completely white and fuzzy. I've got to do another spraying, as the bottle recommended every week until it's cleared up and every 14 days to help prevent mildew.

Hopefully within a few weeks the plants will all nice and healthy again. Having this mildew on it makes it hard for the plant to photosynthesize, and it can die.

Topic

So hot!

Jenni — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 05:50:54 +0000

So hot! Jenni Sat, 06/04/2016 - 22:50

It is so hot here this weekend. Normally in June this area of Oregon should average about 78° for the high. This weekend we're expected to hit 100°+. With it being so hot, you've got to be certain to take care of your plants so that they make it through such high temps. That is especially true if you go from lower temperatures to really high ones like we've done (we were in the 60s).

If you're growing in pots, you may find you need to water multiple times throughout the day. I try to water in the morning, check them in the afternoon (water if necessary), and then give them another watering in the evening. Typically if you've gotten that hot, you're also going to be hot at night and the plants will need more water to get them through the day and night than normal.

If you can, think about setting up a sprinkler hose, soaker hose, etc through your garden. I picked up two 50' hoses last night to do exactly that, but realized with my back limitations that I can't do it on my own. So my husband will have to help me later tonight or tomorrow morning to hook it up. This allows for a constant trickle of water to your plants. This will better help them get through the hot days than just a bunch of water once or twice a day. A sprinkler hose has little holes in it that can either be directed down to the ground or allowed to spray things. A soaker hose is made of a porous material that allows the water to seep through.

Another thing you might want to do if your plants are in containers is move anything that isn't ready for all that heat and sun into the shade. I planted my cucumbers a week ago, but they are not ready for all of this. As such, we moved the containers onto the patio where they will get more shade.

When watering, try not to get too much water on the leaves. While it may evaporate quickly, it can also act like a magnifying glass on your leaves while it's still there, burning the leaves.

If you have plants like lettuce, broccoli, spinach, etc, don't be surprised if they bolt in the heat. My lettuce was big and fat and now suddenly because of all the heat it is bolting. This is the process where the plant puts up a shoot that will have the flowers and seeds in it. It's also referred to as going to seed. You can try to delay this process by keeping them shaded, but once the process starts your plants likely don't have a lot longer.

If you're in an area that gets a lot of extreme sun and heat, you might want to consider putting up a sun shade. They come in various strengths, which block out some of the sun and heat. When we get into a house I'm planning to set one up to put my greens, chinese cabbages, spinach, etc in so that they last longer and don't bolt.

Hope you don't have to deal with too much extreme heat this summer, but if you do, I hope these tips help.

Topic

How-to

Outdoor

Weather

Tomatoes grow quickly

Jenni — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 05:51:30 +0000

Tomatoes grow quickly Jenni Wed, 06/01/2016 - 22:51

Typically once planted in the ground or in a large pot, tomato plants will grow quickly. I usually see at least a foot's growth in the first few weeks, as well as a lot more branches.

If yours aren't growing very well, there are a few reasons this could be:

- It's too cold. Tomato plants are not fond of the cold and might not grow as well under those conditions.

- Not enough nutrients. Did you give the plant some kind of tomato food, fertilizer, etc when you planted it? Mine get a handful of long lasting granular fertilizer in the hole before I put in the plant.

- Using too much energy on buds/tomatoes. Did you pinch off any buds that popped up? It may seem crazy, but until your plant is a good size you should pinch off any buds that appear. This allows the plants to focus their energy on growing the plant instead of growing tomatoes. This will meant a healthier plant and more tomatoes later.

I planted my tomatoes in their pots on May 5th. I started growing them inside from seed at the beginning of March and then moved them outside a couple weeks before I planted them so they could harden off.

Here's what they looked like the day I planted them:

(click for larger photo)

Here's a comparison of what they looked like on May 23 (when my husband helped me stake and mulch them) and today on June 1:

(click for larger photo)

And here are some plant to plant comparisons between May 23 and June 1:

As you can see from the photos, they grew both taller and bushier in just a few weeks. This even includes pruning some sucker branches and bottom branches off the plant in order to concentrate growth further up the plant.

Topic

How-to

Outdoor

Planting tomatoes

Jenni — Mon, 30 May 2016 05:51:58 +0000

Planting tomatoes Jenni Sun, 05/29/2016 - 22:51

Planting tomatoes for the first time? Maybe been growing them for a while, but just been putting them into the ground without much thought to their roots? If so, did you know that tomatoes like to be planted nice and deep? Tomatoes are one of the plants that thrives on being transplanted because they love it when you bury their stem deep. I do this when I transplant the tomatoes from the seedling cells to the 4" pots and again when I plant them in my garden. This helps build a strong root system, which means better access to the water and nutrients in your soil.

All those little hairs and bumps that you see on a tomato plant can become roots if they get close to or touch the dirt. This is why sometimes when you buy a tomato plant you'll see roots right at the surface. This isn't a problem plant, it's one that is developing a better root system.

Plant part of the stem

When you dig your hole for your tomato plant, be sure to dig it quite a bit deeper than you'd need just to sit the plant down into the dirt. This is because you're going to plant at least a couple inches of the stem into the dirt as well. Carefully snap off any branches that are on the part of the stem that will be planted, as well as those within a few inches of the ground. Once the plant is tall enough, I snap off any branches that are within a minimum of 6" of the ground since those leaves will end up splashed with water and can end up with fungus and other such problems.

I also throw a handful of long lasting granular fertilizer in the hole before I plant the tomato start. This is especially important if you're container gardening, like I am. Then I plant the start.

By doing this, you give the plant the chance to build an even better root system, which means more tomatoes and a healthier plant.

Pinching off flower buds

I know it seems crazy, but you will want to pinch off any flower buds that pop up while your plant is still small. This is because you want your plant putting all of its energy into growing the plant and not growing tomatoes yet. This means you sacrifice some tomatoes at the beginning, but are helping to ensure a lot more tomatoes later.

If you let tomatoes grow on your plant while it is still small, your plant won't get as big as it can. That means it won't be able to produce as many tomatoes, will be more likely to break if you have larger tomatoes, etc.

Once the plant is a good size (4'+ with a good amount of healthy branches), then I allow it to grow buds and produce tomatoes.

Topic

How-to

Containers

Outdoor

Pollinating squash

Jenni — Tue, 10 May 2016 05:52:59 +0000

Pollinating squash Jenni Mon, 05/09/2016 - 22:52

A lot of people are used to plants where the fruit doesn't grow until a flower has been pollinated. So when fruit shows up on a squash, pumpkin, or gourd plant, they assume it means the flower has been pollinated. When they don't see any fruit, they try pollinating the flowers themselves. The problem is that these kinds of plants don't work that way - they have male and female flowers. The male flowers go from the stem to flower, while female flowers have a fruit at the bottom.

The fruit at the bottom of the stem of the female flower will continue to grow along with the flower. This does not necessarily mean that the flower has been fertilized. And if it doesn't end up fertilized, it will start to shrivel up and rot at some point.

Bees and other pollinators are supposed to do the job, but as we all know, we're short on them and they can't always get to your flowers. So what can you do about it? You can pollinate themselves.

First you have to wait until you have flowers of both kinds. Keep an eye out, as the pollen in the male flowers is only viable for so long.

When you finally have flowers of both, head outside before it gets too hot during the day. The flowers will be nice and open early in the day, but close up once it starts getting hot. Take some q-tips with you, as that is how you're going to do the pollination.

You'll rub the qtip on the inside of the male flower. You should see yellow pollen on the qtip. That is why I like using qtips - they are white and make it easy to see the pollen. Once you have a good amount on your qtip, you can go and rub that on the inside of the female flower.

You may have to be very careful. Male flowers fall off really easy and you might knock one off. You may also need to open the female flower if it has begun to shrivel or has already closed for the day.

If you're going to work on multiple plants of different types, put the used qtips in your pocket so that you don't accidentally cross-pollinate your plants.

Following this method should help increase the pollination rates of your plants.

Topic

How-to

Tomato Growth

Jenni — Sat, 07 May 2016 05:53:54 +0000

Tomato Growth Jenni Fri, 05/06/2016 - 22:53

For those who are new to growing tomatoes from seed, it can be hard to know if your plants are growing on schedule as they should or whether they are behind. I've gone through my photos taken this year to give you an idea of over the course of a little over a month and a half about how your tomatoes should look. This covers from when I planted the seeds to when I moved them outside to harden off to when they were ready for sale/planting.

I keep my tomatoes inside in the warmth of the house until they are ready to be planted outside. At that point they go outside to be hardened off. Previously that meant outside in the sun for several hours and then back indoors at night. Now that I have a portable greenhouse, they go into there and I can close that up at night. Until they're ready for that, they stay indoors under the lights. Otherwise you can severely stunt their growth. They should not be moved back and forth from indoors to outdoors while they are small.

This should give you a better idea of how things should grow over that time. Next year I'll work on trying to take specific pictures of each seedling type daily so that we get a better idea of progression.

You can view the photos here in the gallery.

Topic

How-to

Seedlings