re: 2023 Spring Garden Thread

Tornado, slip a plastic disposable plate upside down under your cantaloupes. The little grooves channel the water awasy and the fruit stays dry. I sometimes save and use the plastic tops from coffee cans. Also, give Melona cantaloupe a try.

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I am more scared of what happens afterwards and the multitude of weeds that explodes around where the hay bale was.

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Put the hay bale in a box that is larger than the bale. Take a thin bladed knife and poke several slits so the water can drain. When you are finished with the bale, roll it into a plastic contractor bag and dispose of it. Or, instead of hay, you can use the straw bales for seeding lawns. They are supposed to be free of seeds.

Having second thoughts about cantaloupe because my wife's (no pics) favorite is watermelon. Anyone have any preferred watermelon seeds? I'll be growing out of a raised bed but the melon vines will have all the room they want to run. I will also be able to trellis them to my fence.

I've thought about buying sugar baby seeds. Apparently, those can produce up to six 4 lb fruits, which would be great.

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Anyone have any preferred watermelon seeds?

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Whatever the raccoons won’t eat! We did black diamond and sugar baby. The raccoons love both of those varieties.

Dumb question of the year for you guys that grow onions: I found an onion bottom in the compost pile that has sprouted. If I plant it, will it grow an actual onion bulb?

I have grown romaine lettuce from sprouted bottoms, and pineapples from pineapple tops. The onion thing is my latest experiment.

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Anyone have any preferred watermelon seeds?

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Crimson Sweet did really well for me last year. Years ago I grew one call Moon and Stars. It was delicious, but low yield.

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I found an onion bottom in the compost pile that has sprouted. If I plant it, will it grow an actual onion bulb?

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I believe so.

Just finished sowing all of the tomatoes and eggplant.

Pretty much all of the peppers have sprouted or are currently breaking through the surface.

I had to move everything into the garage. My “barrier” wasn’t enough to keep a curious cat off of my light.

I figured it was a long shot. Oh well, I tried.

Planting tomatoes and peppers in the next week. Rest of the seeds on the way.

Once the rain moves through next week, I'll plow and get ready to row.

We did pretty well last year with heavy mulching of the plant base. We eventually lost the battle but not before a ton of squash were harvested. Not sure if the borers were late in our area or what. Going to try that again along with the sacrificial squash that Pillage posted.