re: 2025 Spring Garden Thread

Something is already taking my strawberries. Guess the raccoon trap is being deployed.

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I used miracle gro organic raised bed and garden soil bags to fill my boxes last year. You mention organic may not be best? Do I need to switch out soil or can I just add some compost to the box this year?

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Anything Miracle Gro is going to be a bunch of ground up wood chips (organic) and will decompose within a year. If you want to use the same soil every year, then I'd replace most of that with something more mineral based (sand, pumice, perlite, etc.). Compost will just add more organic matter to the mix, which will also decompose. You want the organic layer on top, not throughout the entire bed where the roots are. The roots do not "eat" organic material. They eat glucose that comes down from the leaves and they absorb nutrients through water. When you water the organic top layer, the roots below get what they need without being robbed of oxygen through decomposition.

Look on the ingredients list of any bagged soil. It's going to say something like 40-70% "recycled forest products." That means wood chip waste from sawmills, etc. They use this stuff for 3 reasons. 1) it's cheap, 2) it's light and ships cheaply, 3) it will give you one good growing season before it all breaks down, which is all 90% of the country uses it for anyway.

The absolute perfect mix for me has been what Gary Matsuoka of Laguna Hills nursery uses in his Top Pot soil:

35% peat
30% pumice
20% perlite
10% sand
5% biochar

This mix holds some moisture, breathes, and does not compact/breakdown over time. I put an inch of compost on top of that with some osmocote and then mulch on top of that to help with moisture retention. This is a permanent soil. The only reason I ever take things out is to prune the roots of potted plants. It then goes right back into the pot with the same soil.

Here is a YouTube link of Gary explaining the philosophy of this method:

LINK

I grow key limes, guavas, cattley guavas, loquats, sapodillas, star fruit, peppers, hibiscus, and about a million other things in this mix.

It's been 15 days and no tomato seedlings. I gambled and used old seeds, 3-4 per block thinking I'd have decent success, but nothing. They're seeds from 2 years ago, but I still thought at least a few would be good.

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but I still thought at least a few would be good.

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That’s what I’m hoping for my onion seeds I planted yesterday. Also starting some tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and cauliflower. I’m going to start another tray in a few weeks in case I lose these. I just thought LA weather was wild, went from 90 to 24 overnight a few days ago.

Picked a handful of radishes and my turnips and carrots have bounced back surprisingly well from the -3 temps. Snow cover had to play a part, green onions look fine.

When starting seeds is it ok to leave them in the house by a window or is it too cold inside?

Ideal soil temp for most of the spring type vegetables is usually around 70-85F. Depends on what temp you keep your home. On the cooler side and they may still germinate but it’ll take longer. Any way you can provide a little extra warmth will speed up the process. Just don’t go too hot cause that can also cause germination issues.

my onions went in the ground Nov. 16.

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When starting seeds is it ok to leave them in the house by a window or is it too cold inside?

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Get some cheap heating pads from Amazon. You'll be pleased you did.

Something like this will also be beneficial. LINK.You can use the heaating pad and light year after year.
It's still early enough.
Good luck!

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This shite is too much like work.

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Gardening is more like therapy to me.