Topic: gardening 2021

[Jake]

Anyone gardening this year? Mike, are you doing tomatoes again?

First year with a green house for us, so did some testing with hits and misses. Started two identical seed systems on March 20th - the one that was left in the green house failed completely. Only 1 (!) out of 54 cells resulted in a seedling. The nights were still too cold. The second system was brought into the house and that flourished in the south facing windows. Almost all the cells produced seedlings.

The same date I planted two varieties of radishes and lettuce in the green house, and those plants didn't mind the cold nights at all - they flourished and we have been harvesting both for a few weeks now.

The seedling that were started in the house, were moved to the green house mid April to harden. They did very well and really started taking off a week and a half ago. We moved them into the beds on Friday and so far so good!

Next year I am planning to start peppers way earlier - perhaps even in late January. Moving up the date of tomatoes earlier too: end of Feb/early March. Will need to figure out space and approach for radishes, salad (and other greens like spinach and kale) to be able to harvest from May to October

[Jake]

2

[ober]

I was literally watching our neighbor work in her garden over the weekend and thought to myself... there are so many other things I'd rather do with my time.  I personally don't get the joy or value out of growing your own stuff.

[Jake]

I was literally watching our neighbor work in her garden over the weekend and thought to myself... there are so many other things I'd rather do with my time.  I personally don't get the joy or value out of growing your own stuff.

I get it, it is not for everybody.

To me gardening is very relaxing - and almost like meditation. I still wonder at the growth cycle and how a dormant seed, after being put in dirt, given some water and sun, grows into a plant that can be harvested and eaten. It is amazing and I enjoy the journey. Spending time with my kid is super nice too - kid, because Bo is 11 now and is terrorizing the neighborhood with friends, and doesn't have time for such foolishness but Ewa has been with me throughout all the stages and also seems to enjoy the process.

[micah]

I was literally watching our neighbor work in her garden

channeling ethic?

[ober]

I get that Jake - but still... not my idea of a relaxing time.  Maybe I'm jaded from spending ENDLESS hours in the garden as a kid.

@micah - trust me, it's nothing like that.  And I say 'watching' but what I really meant was trying to figure out if she was actually using an electric rototiller.  I'd never seen one before.

[Mike]

Anyone gardening this year? Mike, are you doing tomatoes again?

Yes.  I had a busy spring so I'm doing everything out of the tower garden so we'll see how well it goes.  I'm also trying strawberries again and managed to get a few out but overall I think they might not be worth the trouble.

I was literally watching our neighbor work in her garden over the weekend and thought to myself... there are so many other things I'd rather do with my time.  I personally don't get the joy or value out of growing your own stuff.

For me it comes down to just some basic things:

1. Small connection with nature
2. I enjoy the pretty flowers
3. The tomatoes I grow are so much better than store ones (seriously a tomato picked when it is completely rip is so far beyond store bought)
4. I can grow herbs that are harder to find
5. The herbs smell really good

With the herbs there is also a joy in going "I want some fresh rosemary" and just going outside and snipping a few sprigs off.

That said, weeding sucks a lot!  So, I try to set up the veggies to not need it.

[Jake]

Hey Mike, I think you're trying to share a picture but it is not displaying.

and I agree with all your points. This year is the first year I am growing herbs - they do smell awesome. And the ability to cut your own fresh rosemary, like you mentioned, or sage to make your food more aromatic is great - plus it saves some money because that stuff is not cheap!

[Jake]

BTW, everything has been growing really well with the recent beautiful weather - but a cold front arrived 2 days ago and it got down to low 40s at night so there will be a slow down for sure.

[Mike]

Hey Mike, I think you're trying to share a picture but it is not displaying.

Weird.  Fixed.