Homegrown is the way it should be.......Gardening!

[searchinbig]

Ha, I picked up some more pepper seeds also today along with another tomato variety. All the pods are filled. I took pics of them, but I'll be damned if I know where the hell I just saved them too. Here is a shot of the garden area. We are actually expanding it to the right of my green bean fence.

Cool idea to add before AND after pics. Gonna snap mine soon!  ;)

[mjkoehler]

I got the 4th of July in the mail, Mike.  Thanks.  I can't decided if I'm popping them this weekend or next.  Hmm....

Excellent! They really do burst fruits around the 4th and are abundent. 1 week probably won't hurt. And they will continue producing through fall. I was still picking up to Octoberish.

[mjkoehler]

The local chocolate factory sells bags of cocoa hull mulch...any thoughts on that?  I picked some up.  It sure smells nice!   ;D

Uhhh, if I send a paper bag can I have some? I would huff on that all day. Forget using it in the garden.

[TheBigChicken]

maybe huff and puff :-?

[Sassbox]

Cocoa hull mulch is heaven on earth!

I need some recommendations/sources for heirloom tomatoes that can be grown in large pots.

[wharf rat]

Cocoa hull mulch is heaven on earth!

I need some recommendations/sources for heirloom tomatoes that can be grown in large pots.

Sass,  I buy almost all of my heirloom seeds/starts from my local farmer's mkt., so I don't know what is available in your area.  If you're buying from a catalog, most of these should be available.  Some of the heirlooms I've grown in the past and continue to go back to include:

Jubilee:  Kind of golden/orange, and not a ton of seeds
Cherokee Purple:  Originally from the Cherokee, and purplish as the name indicates.  The local farmer told me it was pretty disease resistant.  Since I have a problem with blossom end rot, I've grown these for several years.  Still have a small end rot problem throughout but definitely an improvement over earlier varieties.
Marglobe:  Lots of tomatoes, red and sweet.  Yummy!
Martino's Roma:  I love making marinara and salsa with these!  Plus they're also disease resistant.
Amish Paste:  Same as the Martino's, this is my all time favorite for sauces and salsa.  I think the local farmer said this one originated from Amish folk in Wisconsin.

There are more I've tried, but these are the ones that stick in my memory.  Hope this helps.

[ALady]

The local chocolate factory sells bags of cocoa hull mulch...any thoughts on that?  I picked some up.  It sure smells nice!   ;D

Uhhh, if I send a paper bag can I have some? I would huff on that all day. Forget using it in the garden.

;D ;D ;D

In all seriousness, I'd gladly send you some!  I bought a 50 lb bag 'cause it was only $3, and as an apartment dweller/balcony gardener, there's no way I'm going to use all of it...

[aMillionDreams]

Cocoa hull mulch is heaven on earth!

I need some recommendations/sources for heirloom tomatoes that can be grown in large pots.

Agreed on the mulch.  I asked a guy who I consider to be an expert in heirloom tomatoes (he's planting 100 varities this year, 60 of which are considered rare). He said the best heirlooms for containers are Stupice and Esther's Cherry.  I haven't grown them out yet but he was nice enough to send me a pack of each.  

[Sassbox]

Oh, nice...thanks for the information.

Funny, we live on five acres but I have to grow veggies in pots.  We have too many animals here (deer, rabbits, etc.) and I don't want to have to fence in a garden.

[mjkoehler]

OK so we started our seed pods Saturday, and we already have stuff coming up. DAMN

[aMillionDreams]

Oh, nice...thanks for the information.

Funny, we live on five acres but I have to grow veggies in pots.  We have too many animals here (deer, rabbits, etc.) and I don't want to have to fence in a garden.

If I had five acres I would fence off an acre of it.  That would be amazing!

[Janet]

I'm hoping for sun this weekend so that I can work in the back yard and do some plantin'.  It's been way too wet lately to do any yard stuff.

[mjkoehler]

I'll try to get some pics posted tonight, Shit's outa control. I have cucumber plants that are several inches tall and doing well. I some of every chili and mater variety sprouting. I have some of the 3 types of basil we planted coming up also. Tomorrow will be 1 full week since we started the seeds and it looks like some of them have been growing a lot longer.

[goose]

The weatehr in Louisville is crazy.  We have Bulbs already sprouting.  I know it's not gardening, but...

[searchinbig]

Okay so this year we are gonna start some things from seeds that we saved from last years crops (tomatoes).  I live in the Northeast. I've heard all different things about when to start the seeds. Our pole beans we always have started outdoors.

Whats the best time to start these guys?

[aMillionDreams]

Okay so this year we are gonna start some things from seeds that we saved from last years crops (tomatoes).  I live in the Northeast. I've heard all different things about when to start the seeds. Our pole beans we always have started outdoors.

Whats the best time to start these guys?

6-8 weeks before you want to put them in the ground.  Find out what the frost date is for your area and count back 6-8 weeks.  The farmer's almanac has pretty good planting dates (though they tend to be a little early).

http://www.almanac.com/garden/plantingtable/index.php

[aMillionDreams]

I got to visit the greenhouses at Churchhill downs today.  WOW! The sheer numbers amazed me.  They had 25,000 annuals that were growing. They landscape 144 acres of land. Their collection of succulents and cacti was nothing short of amazing.  Many of those plants end up in the conference halls and boxes and are very rare. The tulips were beginning to sprout.  I can't wait to watch the TV footage of the Derby and see all those plants putting on a show for the world.  Very cool experience!

[Soulshine]

For those of you who are willing and able to share:

Can we have a Farmers Market at Jacketfest? A "Farmers Fest" or "Jacket Market." I'm totally serious. I have a feeling we will be eating very well that weekend.

When I reach a point in my life where I'm willing to sit still for a while I hope to have a few things. 1) a self sustaining house 2) lots of land and 3) I hope to grow my own food. Until then I'm proud to support my local organic farmers.

Well done friends!

[Dudley]

For those of you who are willing and able to share:

Can we have a Farmers Market at Jacketfest? A "Farmers Fest" or "Jacket Market." I'm totally serious. I have a feeling we will be eating very well that weekend.

When I reach a point in my life where I'm willing to sit still for a while I hope to have a few things. 1) a self sustaining house 2) lots of land and 3) I hope to grow my own food. Until then I'm proud to support my local organic farmers.

Well done friends!

If I make it down for Jacketfest i'll have to bring some good homegrown grub.. Theres always too much coming ouuta my garden.. And my buddies and I are moving into a house on a couple acres here soon and will makeit self sustaining hopefully by the end of the year.. Lots of work planned for the yard this year and for some reason I can't wait to start it.. Come on spring!!

[aMillionDreams]

[size=20]It's the first day of SPRING!!!!!!!![/size]

Where all my gardeners at?

I took my class on a field trip to an organic farm yesterday.  We got free cabbage seedlings and entered a contest to grow the biggest cabbage.  I got my first load of compost last weekend and I'm planning on going again this weekend and making my final amendments to my front perennial bed before I plant in it.  My tomato seeds came up nicely but my pepper seeds aren't doing as well. I think I may start over on them this weekend. I have snow peas poking above the surface as well as two kinds of greens. I love this stuff!

I'm so glad spring is finally here!