The Gardening Thread

[norrislakevol]

I have planted 4 different varieties of onions, Black seeded Simpson lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Kenebec Potatoes, Cabbage, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and Golden Bantam Corn (it's somewhat cold tolerant) as my spring crops. Will plant tomatoes soon (will plant them from seed in hills this year instead of buying plants) as well as some other warmer weather crops.

I always be sure to raise plenty of heirloom crops so I can save the seeds, but also raise some hybrids. I have grown big beef tomatoes for years along with Parks Whoppers as my hybrid tomatoes, but will probably stick with the whoppers since they make better tomato juice. I always raise Romas and Rutgers as my heirlooms.

I love raising some of my own food.

Any other green thumbs in here???

 

[Go aeiou]

I have planted 4 different varieties of onions, Black seeded Simpson lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Kenebec Potatoes, Cabbage, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and Golden Bantam Corn (it's somewhat cold tolerant) as my spring crops. Will plant tomatoes soon (will plant them from seed in hills this year instead of buying plants) as well as some other warmer weather crops.

I always be sure to raise plenty of heirloom crops so I can save the seeds, but also raise some hybrids. I have grown big beef tomatoes for years along with Parks Whoppers as my hybrid tomatoes, but will probably stick with the whoppers since they make better tomato juice. I always raise Romas and Rutgers as my heirlooms.

I love raising some of my own food.

Any other green thumbs in here???

Pink Brandywine and Cherokee Purple are excellent heirlooms. I grow either Whopper or Better Boy as hybrid. Several different hierlooms.
It looks like there will be a kinda late frost in a few days in Nashville.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

I have planted 4 different varieties of onions, Black seeded Simpson lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Kenebec Potatoes, Cabbage, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and Golden Bantam Corn (it's somewhat cold tolerant) as my spring crops. Will plant tomatoes soon (will plant them from seed in hills this year instead of buying plants) as well as some other warmer weather crops.

I always be sure to raise plenty of heirloom crops so I can save the seeds, but also raise some hybrids. I have grown big beef tomatoes for years along with Parks Whoppers as my hybrid tomatoes, but will probably stick with the whoppers since they make better tomato juice. I always raise Romas and Rutgers as my heirlooms.

I love raising some of my own food.

Any other green thumbs in here???

Cabbage?? I thought it was a cold weather crop like broccoli and cauliflower.

 

[norrislakevol]

Pink Brandywine and Cherokee Purple are excellent heirlooms. I grow either Whopper or Better Boy as hybrid. Several different hierlooms.
It looks like there will be a kinda late frost in a few days in Nashville.

Yeah, Wednesday night will be cold in East Tennessee.

 

[norrislakevol]

Cabbage?? I thought it was a cold weather crop like broccoli and cauliflower.

It is. If you raise it in the spring you have to plant it early....like in March, and it's best to plant a variety that matures quickly so that the coming hot weather doesn't make it spicy. Same for the other two you mentioned. Hot weather can make them bolt.

Raising Cabbage and Broccoli is fall is better IMO. You just have to pay attention to how long it takes to mature and make sure you get it planted early enough so that you can harvest it before the really cold weather hits. Varieties like Late flat Dutch take a long time to mature, and you may need some luck to get it matured and harvested before the weather changes.

 

[Go aeiou]

It is. If you raise it in the spring you have to plant it early....like in March, and it's best to plant a variety that matures quickly so that the coming hot weather doesn't make it spicy. Same for the other two you mentioned. Hot weather can make them bolt.

Raising Cabbage and Broccoli is fall is better IMO. You just have to pay attention to how long it takes to mature and make sure you get it planted early enough so that you can harvest it before the really cold weather hits. Varieties like Late flat Dutch take a long time to mature, and you may need some luck to get it matured and harvested before the weather changes.

I prefer to grow radishes in The fall . They stay flavorful without the heat. Spring radishes get hot and pithy as soon as the weather warms.
I typically try to grow greens that will live through the winter and produce quickly when fertilized i.n late winter. Sometimes have "winter" or "siberia" in the name.

 

[norrislakevol]

I prefer to grow radishes in The fall . They stay flavorful without the heat. Spring radishes get hot and pithy as soon as the weather warms.
I typically try to grow greens that will live through the winter and produce quickly when fertilized i.n late winter. Sometimes have "winter" or "siberia" in the name.

That makes sense. I have grown radishes in fall as well. they are good and mild.

I think Siberian Kale can handle temps down to zero degrees. "Florida" broad leaf mustard greens are very good, but they get nipped in the low 20's if I recall correctly.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Yeah, Wednesday night will be cold in East Tennessee.

Supposed to have frost

 

[Tin Man]

Got the vegetable garden in today.

 

[Tin Man]

Smokey pinks are blooming!

 

[Tin Man]

 

[71VOL]

Got mine ready yesterday...

 

[Tin Man]

 

[Tin Man]

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

Got mine ready yesterday...View attachment 364912

TN Dog,
Will you pls go to the long keyboard effort of telling me/us how you made your raised beds. ie the wood you used, thickness, how u attached the corners and any other wisdom you wish to pass along..
I was going to build one out of 6x6 treated (lining the insides of course) but, about fainted when i went to Lowes and saw the price of treated timber in Jan......I hear it's much more now...
Thanks

 

[Go aeiou]

TN Dog,
Will you pls go to the long keyboard effort of telling me/us how you made your raised beds. ie the wood you used, thickness, how u attached the corners and any other wisdom you wish to pass along..
I was going to build one out of 6x6 treated (lining the insides of course) but, about fainted when i went to Lowes and saw the price of treated timber in Jan......I hear it's much more now...
Thanks

If you are in middle, tn you can go to grant cedar mill In Grant, TN. Just off I40 near Gordonsville. They sell red cedar that is plentiful in the area. I use 1x8x8 rough sawn. Grade B are $6 each. Cedar does not easily bow so 1 inch is plenty stong.
Typical size for a bed is 4x8. The length can be about anything, but you need to be able to reach the middle of your beds. I've used 3 ft and 4.5 feet 4 feet works when buying 8 ft lumber.
I use 2x2 corners and screws to attach the sides. Use another 2x2 in the center of the 8 ft run for strength.
Each 4x8 bed will cost you about $20-25 not including soil.
You can pick out each piece of lumber at Grant's. They load.
I think there is another cedar mill in Chapel hill between Columbia and Shelbyville.
TN dogs beds appear to have fence to keep out dear. I have a fenced in yard, but still have to keep rabbits out so I have a fence about 18 inches high.

 

[walkenvol]

I have planted 4 different varieties of onions, Black seeded Simpson lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Kenebec Potatoes, Cabbage, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and Golden Bantam Corn (it's somewhat cold tolerant) as my spring crops. Will plant tomatoes soon (will plant them from seed in hills this year instead of buying plants) as well as some other warmer weather crops.

I always be sure to raise plenty of heirloom crops so I can save the seeds, but also raise some hybrids. I have grown big beef tomatoes for years along with Parks Whoppers as my hybrid tomatoes, but will probably stick with the whoppers since they make better tomato juice. I always raise Romas and Rutgers as my heirlooms.

I love raising some of my own food.

Any other green thumbs in here???

Do you not have trouble with your future heirloom seeds being unreliable because of the current heirloom plants cross pollinating with the hybrid plants?

 

[norrislakevol]

Do you not have trouble with your future heirloom seeds being unreliable because of the current heirloom plants cross pollinating with the hybrid plants?

You have to be careful with them. If you want to raise a heirloom sweet corn like Golden Bantam or Stowell's Evergreen (for example) then you have to plant it when no other corn varieties (heirloom or hybrid) are flowering nearby. Your corn should be true then. Same with squash, Carrots, onions, cabbage, and greens. Greens and onions can cross-pollinate easily with other varieties, even if your neighbor a half mile down the road is growing some and let them go to seed. Carrots can even cross pollinate with Queen Anne's Lace, because it is in the same family (Parsley family).

Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, melons, pumpkins, potatoes, and peppers are less sensitive to cross-pollination with members of the same species, and in general different varieties can be spaced at least 10 feet apart with good results.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with the exception of corn, you will likely not know if your seeds are cross-pollinated or not until the next year when you plant them and see the resulting vegetable. I had squash like this one year. I raised and saved seeds from my zucchini's and one of my plants was a hybrid of a zucchini and a yellow summer squash. I am assuming because my cousin who lives about 500 yards away was raising yellow squash. Still edible, but not what I wanted. That's why you never plant all your seeds from a known good batch. Save at least half so you can correct a mistake.

If you want to know how to properly grow and save heirloom seeds then visit grandpappy.org. Go to gardening tips, then click on the article "How to Grow Your Own Vegetable Seeds". You will also find out that some things like cabbage and onions are biennials, and will only flower and produce seeds the second year of their lives.

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

If you are in middle, tn you can go to grant cedar mill In Grant, TN. Just off I40 near Gordonsville. They sell red cedar that is plentiful in the area. I use 1x8x8 rough sawn. Grade B are $6 each. Cedar does not easily bow so 1 inch is plenty stong.
Typical size for a bed is 4x8. The length can be about anything, but you need to be able to reach the middle of your beds. I've used 3 ft and 4.5 feet 4 feet works when buying 8 ft lumber.
I use 2x2 corners and screws to attach the sides. Use another 2x2 in the center of the 8 ft run for strength.
Each 4x8 bed will cost you about $20-25 not including soil.
You can pick out each piece of lumber at Grant's. They load.
I think there is another cedar mill in Chapel hill between Columbia and Shelbyville.
TN dogs beds appear to have fence to keep out dear. I have a fenced in yard, but still have to keep rabbits out so I have a fence about 18 inches high.

Thanks a bunch, I'm n Cookeville but it will be worth the trip!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

If you are in middle, tn you can go to grant cedar mill In Grant, TN. Just off I40 near Gordonsville. They sell red cedar that is plentiful in the area. I use 1x8x8 rough sawn. Grade B are $6 each. Cedar does not easily bow so 1 inch is plenty stong.
Typical size for a bed is 4x8. The length can be about anything, but you need to be able to reach the middle of your beds. I've used 3 ft and 4.5 feet 4 feet works when buying 8 ft lumber.
I use 2x2 corners and screws to attach the sides. Use another 2x2 in the center of the 8 ft run for strength.
Each 4x8 bed will cost you about $20-25 not including soil.
You can pick out each piece of lumber at Grant's. They load.
I think there is another cedar mill in Chapel hill between Columbia and Shelbyville.
TN dogs beds appear to have fence to keep out dear. I have a fenced in yard, but still have to keep rabbits out so I have a fence about 18 inches high.

Do I need to exit I40 at Gordonsville or is there an exit closer to the mill. What is the name of the road the mill is on??
Thanks

 

[jp1]

TN Dog,
Will you pls go to the long keyboard effort of telling me/us how you made your raised beds. ie the wood you used, thickness, how u attached the corners and any other wisdom you wish to pass along..
I was going to build one out of 6x6 treated (lining the insides of course) but, about fainted when i went to Lowes and saw the price of treated timber in Jan......I hear it's much more now...
Thanks

Here's an affordable option to the treated lumber that you have to take out a loan for. I made a few new beds out of 1×6 cedar pickets (like you see used for a cedar fence). I want to say they were $3.45 or so at Lowes when I bought them. I went 2 boards high all the way around. Cedar being somewhat rot resistant should make them last for a decent amount of time. Just have to stake the sides with wood or rebar to keep them from bowing out since the material is thinner.

 

[Go aeiou]

Do I need to exit I40 at Gordonsville or is there an exit closer to the mill. What is the name of the road the mill is on??
Thanks

Exit 254 then hwy 141W. I think the exit sign says Alexandria. Should be a right hand turn/merge onto 141w, and the mill is about 3-4 miles on the left.

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

Thanks a ton Sir. You just saved me a bunch of $$$ Wife has been on my all winter to build her a raised bed!!

 

[walkenvol]

Thanks a ton Sir. You just saved me a bunch of $$$ Wife has been on my all winter to build her a raised bed!!

No wife should be forced to sleep on the floor, I support a raised bed for every American wife!

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

No wife should be forced to sleep on the floor, I support a raised bed for every American wife!

Now you got me in a lotta' work