2015 Garden Journal

BigVanVader · January 19, 2015

I have decided to keep a picture journal here to show my adventures in gardening this year. My fiancé and I bought a house this year and while not nearly as much property as I wanted I have much more useable land than I ever have. I will be building greenhouses, putting up fences, trying out selling at a nearby market, and turning lawns into gardens. Enjoy!

Pink Brandywine's started early December

BigVanVader · January 19, 2015

Peppers to sell as seedlings started. Began construction of my first ever hoophouse. I will mainly use this for seedlings and winter crops like lettuce. I based it off an old Elliot Coleman cheap DIY design. Its just 20 ft rebar and irrigation tubing. I liked this design because I can easily move it wherever I need it.

BigVanVader · January 19, 2015

Peppers ready for lights today. These are Tam jalapenos and Big Dipper bells.
I also went and picked up my greenhouse pool plastic today. I'm so excited its kinda sad.

Salsacharley · January 19, 2015

You are on a roll dude! Looking good...best of success to you.

BucksCountyGirl · January 22, 2015

Everything is looking good! Best of luck this season

BigVanVader · January 22, 2015

Thanks y'all. I think I may have started some seeds a bit early but oh well, live and learn. Just finished first round of transplants. I doubt I will start any seeds so early again, I just wanted to see how big I can get them before the first market which is March 28th. More pics, enjoy!

Salsacharley · January 23, 2015

It looks like you planning on selling the plants, not the fruits at the market? March 28 is way early! I thought April 18 was early for my market opening because our last average frost date is April 15. Yours must be even later. I've got seedlings growing to be put under a hoop house like yours but I won't do it until mid-March.
(I am going to try not to have to heat my hoop house). I sell tomatoes, not plants. I don't expect to have anything to sell until May at the earliest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Thanks y'all. I think I may have started some seeds a bit early but oh well, live and learn. Just finished first round of transplants. I doubt I will start any seeds so early again, I just wanted to see how big I can get them before the first market which is March 28th. More pics, enjoy!

BigVanVader · January 23, 2015

I plan on selling plants early season Charley then produce later on. Since we just bought our house I wasn't able to get any winter crops going before it was to late and I had a million things happening at once, but this fall I will be planting onions and various salad/cole crops to sell with my plants.

I'm not expecting to really make any money but wanted to get my feet wet and hopefully hit it full steam next year since I will (hopefully) have time to get everything prepared.

Very few farmers bring plants to sell (2 last year) so I wanted to have various sizes and types available. What I don't sell will be given away to family and friends or planted in my garden. I wont make much but I figure the physical, mental, and spiritual therapy gardening provides me is worth plenty on its own. The rest is just gravy!

Oh and yes it is early. We have a few indoor hydroponic farms in the area now who grow produce year round which is the main reason it starts in March. April 15th is normally the safe date for transplanting tomatoes and peppers in my area and that is when the market used to start, but it seems to get pushed earlier every year now as more people are getting excited about local produce.

BigVanVader · February 14, 2015

Well I decided to redo the greenhouse. I couldn't handle it not being square and I wanted a way to attach the plastic. I ended up going with wiggle wire to secure and it just arrived Friday. So with any luck I will have the plastic on the next semi warm day we have.

Seedings of 29 varieties of tomatoes have been started with more getting planted weekly until April. I also have many other seeds going like peppers/eggplants, many perriennal flowers, herbs and on and on

I have also been busy gathering supplies for making my lasagne beds. I plan to build them in long north/south rows and cover with clear plastic until planting time. Here are a few more pics for your viewing pleasure.

linzelu100 · February 16, 2015

Just curious, are those rocks you are growing your seedlings in? I have never seen that medium before.

BigVanVader · February 16, 2015

Its Diatomeceous Earth, you should read the sticky here about it. It is an excellent medium for seed starting.

Rairdog · February 16, 2015

Very nice! Have you fed the seedlings anything in the DE?

BigVanVader · February 16, 2015

Yes I feed them after first set of true leaves with diluted urine at a 10/1 ratio. Then I transplant after 2nd set is visible to avoid transplant shock.

linzelu100 · February 16, 2015

Hmmm I have never seen it like that before. I have DE, but it's ground up. I use it on beetles sometimes. Some family members I know drink some in water everyday. I just never saw it in that raw form before.

Salsacharley · February 16, 2015

What's the brown stuff in the white bucket?

January 22, 2015	#5
BucksCountyGirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Holland, PA/Zone 7A Posts: 692	Everything is looking good! Best of luck this season __________________ - Kelli Life's a climb...but the view is fantastic

January 23, 2015	#8
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	I plan on selling plants early season Charley then produce later on. Since we just bought our house I wasn't able to get any winter crops going before it was to late and I had a million things happening at once, but this fall I will be planting onions and various salad/cole crops to sell with my plants. I'm not expecting to really make any money but wanted to get my feet wet and hopefully hit it full steam next year since I will (hopefully) have time to get everything prepared. Very few farmers bring plants to sell (2 last year) so I wanted to have various sizes and types available. What I don't sell will be given away to family and friends or planted in my garden. I wont make much but I figure the physical, mental, and spiritual therapy gardening provides me is worth plenty on its own. The rest is just gravy! Oh and yes it is early. We have a few indoor hydroponic farms in the area now who grow produce year round which is the main reason it starts in March. April 15th is normally the safe date for transplanting tomatoes and peppers in my area and that is when the market used to start, but it seems to get pushed earlier every year now as more people are getting excited about local produce. Last edited by BigVanVader; January 23, 2015 at 10:17 AM.

February 16, 2015	#10
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	Just curious, are those rocks you are growing your seedlings in? I have never seen that medium before. __________________ Lindsey

February 16, 2015	#14
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	Hmmm I have never seen it like that before. I have DE, but it's ground up. I use it on beetles sometimes. Some family members I know drink some in water everyday. I just never saw it in that raw form before. __________________ Lindsey

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January 19, 2015	#4
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	You are on a roll dude! Looking good...best of success to you.

February 16, 2015	#12
Rairdog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Noblesville, IN Posts: 112	Very nice! Have you fed the seedlings anything in the DE?