Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[kayrobbins]

Ginny, I got the seeds from Southern Exposure Seeds. They are sold out of the Alabama Blue for 2015. They are now calling the NC Yellow Yellow Cabbage collards. They had a collard tasting event and it was the winner. I have always heard of tomato tasting but never collards.

I really liked Ambrosia Red. It was productive and had good flavor. The Ambrosia Yellow I got was a big disappointment. It was not yellow at all. I am still looking for my forever yellow cherry. I do not love Sungold like most do. I have grown Sweetgold, Egg Yolk, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry and Dr Carolyn. This year I am trying Sugar drop to see if it is the yellow cherry that becomes a must have in my garden.

[elight]

I have 6 tomatoes out in SWCs, and another 5 in the ground. Also a pepper plant and 8 cucumbers. I put everything out very early in the hopes of getting a jump on the season and also because I am now on vacation and didn't want to wait until I get back. I'm holding off on fertilizer probably for another week to make sure they don't get ahead of themselves. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we'll have tomatoes for Thanksgiving. Worst case scenario, if they can't take the heat of the next few weeks, I can always replant with store-bought transplants. Very excited, though about some new varieties including Big Beef, Sean's Yellow Dwarf, Bundaberg Rumball and Cosmonaut Volkov. Tried to limit it to shorter season varieties.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Larry - where do you get the Premium Crop F1 seeds?

(I've only used Packman - lots of side shoots - I've grown 2 years now; first year same plants had broccoli until June (I shaded though). Last year it was hotter, didn't shade. I grow in the ground (sand). I've experimented with Root Pouches, Raised Beds, and ground and ground always did best.

Says 54 days, but it seems MUCH longer.

I purchased seeds for Premium Crop Broccoli twice and both times from Henry Fields.

I tried growing Belster in the sand but didn't have any luck. Then I grew Packman in a raised bed filled with straight compost and had good production. Then a couple of years ago I switched to Premium Crop. With Premium Crop I got significantly larger heads and they held better in the garden. I find Premium Crop to also be visually more attractive with a nice blue green color. With Packman determining when they were ready to pick was much more difficult for me. Those tiny green beads would quickly pop yellow and diminish the taste significantly. Of course that can also happen with Premium Crop but I get a bit more time to make my decision to harvest.
Larry

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by elight

I have 6 tomatoes out in SWCs, and another 5 in the ground. Also a pepper plant and 8 cucumbers. I put everything out very early in the hopes of getting a jump on the season and also because I am now on vacation and didn't want to wait until I get back. I'm holding off on fertilizer probably for another week to make sure they don't get ahead of themselves. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we'll have tomatoes for Thanksgiving. Worst case scenario, if they can't take the heat of the next few weeks, I can always replant with store-bought transplants. Very excited, though about some new varieties including Big Beef, Sean's Yellow Dwarf, Bundaberg Rumball and Cosmonaut Volkov. Tried to limit it to shorter season varieties.

I also grow tomatoes in Orlando. Of the varieties you are growing, the only one I have grown is Big Beef (BB). I grew 2 BB plants in the fall of 2014. One of them did better that the other and produced quite a few large tomatoes. I transplanted it in early September and the vine was dead due to Early Blight in early January. I am trying many different varieties now but I will probably return to growing BB sometime in the future. God Willing
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Thanks Larry - I checked HenryFields and they are out of stock.

I did find it at an online store called Seed Kingdom. I checked DavesGarden for reviews and it isn't even listed. Not a huge purchase but still.

I even checked on eBay and found it - 30 seeds * 2 (whatever this means - why not just put 60 seeds; do they really count???). Person has tons of + feedback.

Other than that, I couldn't find it anywhere.

You are so right about Packman flowering; when they happens, it happens fast - I just let it for the bees.

UGH - Was biting the bullet and ordering from Seed Kingdom -got up to the CC info and noticed the site was not secure. Closed session.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Thanks Larry - I checked HenryFields and they are out of stock.

I did find it at an online store called Seed Kingdom. I checked DavesGarden for reviews and it isn't even listed. Not a huge purchase but still.

I even checked on eBay and found it - 30 seeds * 2 (whatever this means - why not just put 60 seeds; do they really count???). Person has tons of + feedback.

Other than that, I couldn't find it anywhere.

You are so right about Packman flowering; when they happens, it happens fast - I just let it for the bees.

Reimer Seeds indicates that they have Premium Crop (PCB) in stock. I have ordered from them in past but not for PCB. From my research in the past it appears PCB is used a lot by a bit larger growers, such as those selling at Farmer's Markets. I've even seen where they transplant 3 or 4 plants bunched together in order to restrict head size. Seems buyers often want smaller heads which more closely match their meal size requirements.
Here is an interesting link about spacing broccoli.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discuss...s-or-12-inches
I've spaced PCB as close as 10" rows and 10" apart in rows and although crowded it worked fine.
Often when planting in a raised bed, the dimensions of the raised bed significantly influence plant spacing. This year I will space plants 5" from boards in 11" rows and 11" apart.

I just thought. I have PCB seeds left over. PM me and I will send you some.

Good Luck, Larry

[Fiishergurl]

Does EB usually have a sale in September?

Ginny

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

Does EB usually have a sale in September?

Ginny

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

It's usually in December or late November, for Christmas, but new owners this year, so who knows?

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

It's usually in December or late November, for Christmas, but new owners this year, so who knows?

The original owners would have random 1 day promotions here and there. No earthbox sales/free shipping since the new owners took over.

Ginny - the best deal is to buy 3 EB kits for $89.85 from EB (shipping is $18.95 if you can't wait until December - if they have the promotion). You get to pick your color.

I have mostly green, 5 or 6 terracotta and 3 white. The white stays cool in the sun, green is by far the hottest. If I were buying anymore I would get only white.

All the newer colors Cobalt, EggPlant, Chocolate are really dark.

http://earthbox.com/earthbox-systems...tem-white.html

Some of mine I bought the full system b/c I wanted the casters, so I got the fertilizer/dolomite too. The recharge kits are a rip off - nothing great about their fertilizer either. I usually just did caster add-ons later on.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

The original owners would have random 1 day promotions here and there. No earthbox sales/free shipping since the new owners took over.

Ginny - the best deal is to buy 3 EB kits for $89.85 from EB (shipping is $18.95 if you can't wait until December - if they have the promotion). You get to pick your color.

I have mostly green, 5 or 6 terracotta and 3 white. The white stays cool in the sun, green is by far the hottest. If I were buying anymore I would get only white.

All the newer colors Cobalt, EggPlant, Chocolate are really dark.

http://earthbox.com/earthbox-systems...tem-white.html

Some of mine I bought the full system b/c I wanted the casters, so I got the fertilizer/dolomite too. The recharge kits are a rip off - nothing great about their fertilizer either. I usually just did caster add-ons later on.

Barb is absolutely 100% correct about the best value, the best color, and getting your own fertilizers and dolomite lime vs their replant kits.
I wish their was a way to get more of their mulch covers for a better value. People have come up with other ways to do it, but they are more labor. Those mulch covers are a rip off!

[Barb_FL]

Marsha - they are $1.49 each at EB if you buy 50 - which would work OK for you. They should be about $.50 each; but the problem is that the shipping is $18.95 which is the same as shipping 3 EB. Those covers are really light.

The covers at Amazon are approx. $12-13 for 2 - which is just insane - might as well get the fertilizer/dolomite for an extra $1.

When I first got my EB, I bought a lot of the replenishing kits, so I still have extra covers.

Do you cut and then plant, or plant and then cut? I cut first, so mine starts off pretty bad with duct tape over it. I put fairly large plants in the EB.

To save $, I doubled up on used ones which worked out OK. What worked even better is one used one, and then the thicker plastic from perlite (could be potting mix, etc) for the top layer and I just clamped them down with plastic spring clamps.

My husband is going to hike the GA section of the AT in October and bought 2 ply WHITE 30 gallon bags - smaller and lighter than my soil solarizing bags. I will measure tomorrow, and let you know it they fit an EB top and if so, that would be a cheap alternative.

Do you use the white side or black? I use the white side up. If you use the black side, you could get at least 2 covers from 1 bag - that would be about $.25 plus whatever you will use to attach it.

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Ginny - excited you are getting the EB bug.

[Imthechuck]

I also have been watching and watching for them to go on sale

I have not seed any sales since they were acquired by a new company

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Marsha - they are $1.49 each at EB if you buy 50 - which would work OK for you. They should be about $.50 each; but the problem is that the shipping is $18.95 which is the same as shipping 3 EB. Those covers are really light.

The covers at Amazon are approx. $12-13 for 2 - which is just insane - might as well get the fertilizer/dolomite for an extra $1.

When I first got my EB, I bought a lot of the replenishing kits, so I still have extra covers.

Do you cut and then plant, or plant and then cut? I cut first, so mine starts off pretty bad with duct tape over it. I put fairly large plants in the EB.

To save $, I doubled up on used ones which worked out OK. What worked even better is one used one, and then the thicker plastic from perlite (could be potting mix, etc) for the top layer and I just clamped them down with plastic spring clamps.

My husband is going to hike the GA section of the AT in October and bought 2 ply WHITE 30 gallon bags - smaller and lighter than my soil solarizing bags. I will measure tomorrow, and let you know it they fit an EB top and if so, that would be a cheap alternative.

Do you use the white side or black? I use the white side up. If you use the black side, you could get at least 2 covers from 1 bag - that would be about $.25 plus whatever you will use to attach it.

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Ginny - excited you are getting the EB bug.

Barb- last year I bought about 140 for about Less than a dollar each from them, you need to call them to get the OK for that.
I place the shower cap first, white side out, then cut it and plant.
I still think they shouldnt cost even that much.
I'll be interested to see if your husband's bags will fit. Do you have a link for plastic spring clips?

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Imthechuck

I also have been watching and watching for them to go on sale

I have not seed any sales since they were acquired by a new company

Even the old company only put them on sale once per year, at least for the last 4 years I have been watching. The sale was usually just buy $65 worth and get free shipping, which is pretty good.

[Barb_FL]

OK - I checked the bag and it fits great. It's a compactor bag from HD. 18 gallon (not 30) - 30 bags per carton.

It is approximately 33" not counting the flap. 2.5 Mil (the husky is 3 Mil but feels much thicker). EB is advertised as 29" - Width is no problem at all.
I would keep the bag folded so approx. 5 Mil. so $.33 each. I think they could be reused.

Here is the link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-18-Ga...9933/203473002


I wonder if Duct taping would work to keep it in place. That would be the cheapest option.

Here are the clamps (multiple sets) that we bought at least 3 years ago. We bought them when we put in the raised bed and use them to hold down shade cloth. I ended up buying snap clamps for esthetics. And later bought a custom made 12x12 shade cloth held down with bungee cords.

The plastic pieces on the ends break off almost immediately but the spring still works. Mine are outside all the time. I use them now for putting up shade cloth for my seedlings. So I am always putting up/taking down the shade cloth. When not it use, I leave them attached to the PVC pipe so they are always in the element.

The really big ones are useless to me b/c they are so hard to open - need 2 hands. I use the 2 mid size ones a lot for the shading and even holding some of the solarize bags on the EB. The tiny ones I use to hold the drip tubing.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...073F/203404716

One thing nice about buying them at HD, is you can see what you are getting. They came in a mesh type bag.

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On one of my EB being solarized, I didn't have casters - just mover's dolly so it took much more room in the bag and couldn't tie if off - I ended up closing the open side with duct tape so I can give you an idea about how the duct tape works - hopefully not too sticky when I take it off.
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RE: Solarizing - my original clear bag started disintegrating on top. It was out there for > 3 months - took it off - kind of a petroleum smell though.

The Husky bags are holding up great. One had a split on top (I don't know why), but I had taken it off and laid it on top with the plastic clamps.

What are you using to hold down your solarizing bags on the EB? That would be what you want to do for the new 'shower cap'.

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I wrote my planting incorrectly - I plant first then put the cap on. So I have to cut the shower cap first; it's not too hard to gage the cuts when I have an empty EB next to it. I know the directions are to cut and then plant, but my plants are too big for those little holes.