re: 2019 Garden Thread

I put 3 cucumbers in the ground, 10 tomato’s, and 4 bell peppers. No idea what’s what on tomatoes since my 3 yr old mixed the seeds together to help me.

I have (might be had after recent freeze) 5 or 6 yellow Hungarian wax peppers make it through the winter. We will see if they keep their leaves after this past weekend.

I will put beans in later and possibly zinnia flowers in tomorrow. Last year my 4 yr old daughter asked for flowers so I bought zinnia’s and did seedlings. Then in summer I dead headed and put the flowers in a paper bag in the garage. Now I have enough seeds to do my whole back yard.

I put about half in. Tomatoes, potatoes (late) peanuts, blue lake pole beans, pole Lima, a few peppers and cucumbers. I’ll wait a couple weeks and add more. On another patch I planted 6 rows of Silver Queen and Funks G90 sweet corn.

That is what I’ve read. I’d like to get some tomatoes for longer into the summer.

Reimer Seeds

Definitely let them grow some more. I’d start hardening them off now, though. Also, cucumbers can be sensitive to root disturbance. So be very delicate with them when transplanting.

Any recommendations for Tomatoes and hot peppers that I can stick in pots?

Thinking maybe Jalapenos or Thai for peppers?

Everything I've read says at least 12 x 12 pots. Sound correct?

Where do you guys buy started plants? Home Depot? I'm in N.O. so is Perinos a better option?

any tips on growing from seeds this year? i'm trying that instead of the direct transplanting

focus is on tomatos and hot pepper

I buy a big bag of perlite,a cube of peat moss or coconut coir, ad a bag or two of compost.

I also bought a soil blocker press so I’m using that instead of pots, but I also use the same method for plastic pots.

I mix 2-1 peat and perlite to compost. I use some oversized cup and pour it into a bin through a 1/4 inch screen to pull out all the big sticks, rocks, and crap.

I’m still on my first bag of perlite and peat and it’s year 3, but I will get more next year.

Then when you go to plant I thoroughly wet the mix a day or two before you put it into trays and get a cup full of perlite and fill it with water to let soak.

The day before you plant the seeds, soak the seeds in water at least 8-12 hours. You should see them swell up when you go to plant.

Then when I go to put my seeds in instead of using soil on top I put perlite from the cup that’s been soaking in water. In the past I just used wet soil mix, but it seems to harden as it dries making it difficult for the seedling to pop up.

I usually don’t have to water until after a week and to water I put the tray into a bin with about 1-2” of water on the bottom so it wicks up from below.

If I notice it’s real dry, then I might put a few drops on the perlite where the seed is, but usually I don’t do much.

This year I didn’t do many - maybe 50-60 tomatoes and pepper plants. Last year I did too much - like 50-60 plants plus a few hundred flowers.

cool, I started them off those lil discs that expand when wet