Tortoise's 2018 garden(s)

[wyoDreamer]

I like the Jiffy pellets. I have good luck with them, now - just need to stay on top of the water. My first year, they all got slimy and algae'd because of too much water. Then the plants died because of too little water.
I use regular shop lights, with one cool light bulb and one warm light bulb. This will provide a wider spectrum of light to imitate sunlight. I hang them with chains and then keep them about 2 inches above the plants.

 

[tortoise]

I get good germination (usually) in jiffy pellets, but the plants die off.Most of my onions have died off and my celery is getting "iffy". The jiffy pellets are harder to work with once seedlings are ready to set outside because they dry out on the sides too. I think that's why I'm losing onions. I water from the bottom until I start setting outside, then from the top, but still in no-hole trays. IDK. I'm switching to plug trays.

 

[tortoise]

DH is putting hay/poo/manure/etc on the garden. I hope he plans to till it today also.

My large collection of sad little seedlings:

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's a LOT of seedlings! Hoping they do well for ya!

 

[sumi]

They look good from over here Hope they will grow well for you!

 

[tortoise]

We are 2 weeks from historical average last frost date! And beautiful weather! I didn't have to bring seedlings in last night!

I planted [in the garden!] kale, Swiss chard, and half my peas.

Also planted 12 more trays of seedlings. I think they are mostly hollyhock and columbine.

I ran out of potting soil - still have more seeds to plant. Finally getting to the end of it though!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Wow! Awesome amounts of seeds you've got going. I'm hoping for the best for you!

 

[tortoise]

Nothing growing in the garden yet except weeds! I spent a few hours yesterday evening weeding half the garden. We have terrible quack grass. DH rototilled, so all those bits of cut-up roots are trying to sprout new plants. I'm ripping them out. I hope to get the quack grass under control with frequent weeding, intensive planting, and groundcover between rows. I need to hoe my unplanted rows too. Thousands of tiny weed seedings.

I started to water last night. So hot and DRY. I don't know how the weed seedlings are finding moisture, no way my garden seeds will germinate in there!

I plant to weed the other half today and start planting. Mangel beets, kohlrabi, maybe more peas.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Tilling is a double edged sword around here....loosens the soil so I can row it up easer after I run pigs on it...but certainly stirs up the weed seeds too...ugh. I use opened up feed sacks and heavy hay to keep most of it under control. But, I have a feeling your garden is much bigger than mine!

 

[sumi]

If only growing the things we want in our garden grew as well and was as resilient as weeds? We'd never go hungry lol