tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post9006952346241534508..comments2023-11-11T10:00:52.832-08:00Comments on Annie's Kitchen Garden: April 27, 2010: Rainy Days & Tuesdays (part 1)Annie*s Grannyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-72881624941867042562010-05-12T09:35:15.374-07:002010-05-12T09:35:15.374-07:00Terri, I don't start my seedlings in the red c...Terri, I don't start my seedlings in the red cups, I start them in soil blocks and then plant them into the red cups when the roots begin to grow out of the blocks. That gives me some really strong plants when it's time to put them into the garden, and most of the cups are kept from year to year, and reused. I have a problem with cutworms here, so I've left a bit of the top of the cup to serve as a cutworm collar. I've only done that with the tomatoes (and a few flowers)that are planted directly into the ground. Those were from old cups that had broken and couldn't be used again, otherwise I'd have protected the stems with collars made from heavy paper or light cardboard.<br /><br />The buckets were used...because I had them! I got a dozen of them last year, to make into self watering containers. That didn't work out for me, as the tomato plants became rootbound and eventually died, so I decided to utilize the buckets this year by removing nearly the entire bottoms, so the roots could go as deeply as they want. I had grown four tomato plants that way last year, and I was very happy with the way the buckets performed. It allows me to plant all around the base of the tomato plants, as they are kept quite high off the ground. Right now I have bush beans growing on one side of the main bed, and lettuces on the other, with the tomato buckets down the center. I also like (and use) the buckets for cucumbers. One thing, good support needs to be provided for the buckets. The tomatoes get very top heavy, and can topple over in the wind...I learned that the hard way! <br /><br />In other words, no. The plants don't necessarily grow better in the buckets, I just had 12 buckets that I wanted to get out of my shed!Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-8406032740729481452010-05-12T08:34:09.628-07:002010-05-12T08:34:09.628-07:00I just discovered your wonderful blog! I haven'...I just discovered your wonderful blog! I haven't had a chance to read all your posts but envy your garden so far this year. I too am planting my garden (I am in Oregon). I just have a couple questions - 1. I see in your photos that you start seedlings in the red cups and I see them also in the ground. Do you leave the plants in those red cups, are the bottoms removed for the roots??? 2.the green buckets - why? Do the plants grow better in the buckets rather then direct in the ground? Sorry if these are silly questions, but I want to do well in my garden this year and you know all the tricks. I wish I could talk to you in person!!! Oh, I could learn SO much from you!Terrinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-54450852462622236932010-04-28T09:08:53.935-07:002010-04-28T09:08:53.935-07:00Jan, neither had I, and I probably won't again...Jan, neither had I, and I probably won't again. I think we'll all have a lot of successes and few failures regardless. I've always just trusted my Crockett's Victory Garden book and my gut instinct, and have done just fine.Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-56899846327554515172010-04-28T08:46:05.563-07:002010-04-28T08:46:05.563-07:00Mr. H, our normal last frost date is May 1, but mo...Mr. H, our normal last frost date is May 1, but most years it's actually a couple of weeks earlier. I'm really pushing it this year, as everything is about two weeks early. The extended forecast had nighttime temps in the mid forties for the entire week, so I took a chance on the tomatoes. Now that forecast has dropped to the high thirties, so I'll be pacing the floor for the next week or so. <br /><br />I won't be planting my peppers out for another two weeks. I did leave them outside, an a wind protected area of the garden, last night. I haven't had the nerve to go look at them yet, but they should be OK. I think I should put them back inside the shed at night for at least another week.Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-16352344053878031292010-04-28T08:40:45.178-07:002010-04-28T08:40:45.178-07:00I've never gardened by the moon and, even thou...I've never gardened by the moon and, even though I'm not always successful, there are a lot more things to blame than the moon!Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11430236104525571846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-39822101204045185062010-04-28T08:40:16.393-07:002010-04-28T08:40:16.393-07:00Kitsap, my spring spinach is already showing leaf ...Kitsap, my spring spinach is already showing leaf miner damage. That's a real problem here. The fall spinach fares much better, but oh...the taste of the first spring spinach is oh so worth the trouble of sorting through those leaves.Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-79030281536721275812010-04-28T08:38:09.246-07:002010-04-28T08:38:09.246-07:00Erin, I've never grown corn in containers befo...Erin, I've never grown corn in containers before, but EG does it and his grow fine. I had the corn seed (free), and it's a shorter 5' variety, so I decided to try it. I planted 14 seeds, two in the center and 12 around the outside, and will thin to seven plants in each barrel. The variety is not one I would have picked out, but free is good, and certainly good enough for an experiment. With the tomatoes, I feel huge holes in the bottoms of the containers, which are then set on the ground, is the way to go. That way the roots can seek their own depth. Of course, the tomato top table is another story ;-)Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-30506333711023244362010-04-28T07:01:57.442-07:002010-04-28T07:01:57.442-07:00Mr. Granny, I like it.:)
It's been raining he...Mr. Granny, I like it.:)<br /><br />It's been raining here as well but is far too blustery and cold to set our tomatoes out...we have a couple/three weeks to go. When was your last frost date? I'm jealous that you can plant so early compared to us. I like Mr. Granny's one plant garden.:)Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-39201219965761299642010-04-28T04:58:22.201-07:002010-04-28T04:58:22.201-07:00Where to start?
Mr Granny?! - Fabulous!
Raspb...Where to start? <br /><br />Mr Granny?! - Fabulous! <br />Raspberries - Gorgeous patch and it will only get better from here on out. <br />Tomato Plantings - Looks like you will be set for another record setting year in 2010!<br />Harvest - MMMMmmmm... spinach! One of my favorites. I was just celebrating the spinach patch coming into it's own on my blog post this week.kitsapFGhttp://www.modernvictorygarden.com/apps/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-16955366862668797272010-04-28T04:28:35.484-07:002010-04-28T04:28:35.484-07:00"That will be his own special tomato plant, a..."That will be his own special tomato plant, as he's not allowed in the main garden." You had me laughing so hard at that! I am sure he'll do great! I am so glad I knew that you did so many tomatoes in containers, since that is what I did this year - it helped ease my nervousness about it. And your corn does okay in a container? I got some dwarf corn (about 3 ft high) to try this year but not sure where to plant it since I don't have an area to do traditional rows, so I was thinking the same...Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-57362060327508824012010-04-27T19:35:13.136-07:002010-04-27T19:35:13.136-07:00Ribbit, I should have named him Mr. Granny from th...Ribbit, I should have named him Mr. Granny from the beginning. It really does fit him, especially now that he's retired and doesn't mind helping with the housework as long as I do all the gardening ;-)Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-21785278806435674502010-04-27T19:04:32.792-07:002010-04-27T19:04:32.792-07:00I love the Mr. Granny. Show him who's boss! ...I love the Mr. Granny. Show him who's boss! Your garden is looking fantabulous as always. Look at all of those pepper plants!Ribbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01460673212389110633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-28255342424372541762010-04-27T18:30:35.774-07:002010-04-27T18:30:35.774-07:00Thank you, Sunny.
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Thomas, I'm hopi...Thank you, Sunny. <br /><br />********<br />Thomas, I'm hoping this second planting of beets comes up. Maybe Mr. Granny put a hex on them....he doesn't like beets!Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-6824462441100830342010-04-27T17:45:32.771-07:002010-04-27T17:45:32.771-07:00Wow Gran, you've been a busy girl! I planted ...Wow Gran, you've been a busy girl! I planted 9 tomato plants last weekend and took your advice - I bought calcium tablets and crushed them. :) <br /><br />I love the picture of your raspberries. I can't believe how far along they are. <br /><br />I'm having issues with my beets as well. Only about half germinated and they are growing VERY slowly.<br /><br />I'll have to do a tomato planting demonstration one of these days! I curious to see how you do it.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09303344546714641616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-62089576821984877352010-04-27T17:39:19.191-07:002010-04-27T17:39:19.191-07:00Same weather scenario here AG...and I also watered...Same weather scenario here AG...and I also watered yesterday... : ) Everything in your garden is looking fabulous!Susan (aka Sunny)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14493445436835770963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-59994936866056794642010-04-27T16:56:51.917-07:002010-04-27T16:56:51.917-07:00The Mom, the four bottomless buckets I planted las...The Mom, the four bottomless buckets I planted last year worked so well, this year I have a dozen of them!<br /><br />********<br />Daphne, they sure make the tummy celebrate ;-)Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-17033070997033353532010-04-27T16:26:28.321-07:002010-04-27T16:26:28.321-07:00Whoohoo the first of the spring planted veggies to...Whoohoo the first of the spring planted veggies to be harvested is always reason to celebrate.Daphne Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305049560953735881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-90566600429022049752010-04-27T16:17:42.077-07:002010-04-27T16:17:42.077-07:00It's so exciting to see a bit of a peek into w...It's so exciting to see a bit of a peek into what will be coming soon to our neck of the woods. I love the tomatoes in the bottomless buckets. What a wonderful way to plant them.The Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15070310346205563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-19472547371633550022010-04-27T14:59:40.967-07:002010-04-27T14:59:40.967-07:00Robin, I'm so looking forward to adding you to...Robin, I'm so looking forward to adding you to The Garden Fork Club!<br /><br />********<br />EG, if he's half as attentive to that plant as he was to the ones in AZ, it should do well. I do hope it grows true, not like my supposed Tumbling Tom did last year.<br /><br />********<br />Dan, it is a pain. I missed out on some of the best times for planting, mostly due to the "barren" dates. I think I'll just revert back to my old way of planting when I'm darned good and ready to plant.Annie*s Grannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04772261218172078099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-183584609314324622010-04-27T14:43:25.018-07:002010-04-27T14:43:25.018-07:00Things are really filling in! All your tomatoes lo...Things are really filling in! All your tomatoes look really happy too. I have been planting a few things opposite to the moon planting as well. It is kind of a pain isn't it :-)Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743102355360873845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-6978921783980661302010-04-27T14:07:17.107-07:002010-04-27T14:07:17.107-07:00I sure hope Mr. Granny takes care of that gartenpe...I sure hope Mr. Granny takes care of that gartenperle, because i'd like to see what they look like.Jeff Vandiverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07200011426236637927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597627580631284872.post-54387155523232825842010-04-27T13:59:33.508-07:002010-04-27T13:59:33.508-07:00WOW Granny you have been very busy! Everything loo...WOW Granny you have been very busy! Everything looks great! I have tried to follow the gardening by the moon also. The weather, plants, time and moon just don't seem to cooperate with each other. My little garden helper is back from visiting with his mom...so, we will get "The Italian" to take our picture with our fork. It is an old one!Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12220238404223196571noreply@blogger.com