CC's Fruits, Veggies & Food 2023

[Crealcritter]

Wednesday 01 March I sowed 50 foot rows of carrots, lettuce, beets and spinach.

Hoed a shallow trench, rolled out cheap single ply toilet paper and sowed the carrots. Easier to see those little tiny carrot seeds that are the same color as the soil, this way.

Thankful Almighty gave me a window with dry enough soil to till and with no wind, to sow those little tiny seeds.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Branching Out]

Wow. That is one crazy long row of vegetables. I have heard of people using toilet paper to make DIY seed tape, gluing the seeds in place with a paste of flour and water. Never before have I seen the paper rolled out, for seeding on top of it. This looks like a brilliant idea. Would spraying the paper with water using a spray bottle before placing the seeds be a good idea, to keep it from blowing around and unsettling the seeds? And the paper decomposes right, so the carrot roots go right through it and into the ground?

 

[Crealcritter]

Wow. That is one crazy long row of vegetables. I have heard of people using toilet paper to make DIY seed tape, gluing the seeds in place with a paste of flour and water. Never before have I seen the paper rolled out, for seeding on top of it. This looks like a brilliant idea. Would spraying the paper with water using a spray bottle before placing the seeds be a good idea, to keep it from blowing around and unsettling the seeds? And the paper decomposes right, so the carrot roots go right through it and into the ground?

This veggie garden is 56 x 106 feet. The rows are 50 foot long. That way I have 3 foot on the ends of the row to walk around and maneuver the tiller for cultivation. It's also fenced with 4 foot high field fence. And 2 foot tall 1 inch chicken wire J clipped around the bottom of the fence. To keep the rabbits honest.

The wind was calm when I rolled out the single ply toilet paper, so blowing the toilet paper around was not an issue. With the toilet paper being dry, it was easy to see the seeds and push them around in a straight line and under the baling twine row marker.

I've sown carrots on cheap single ply toilet paper like this before. It's worked well for me in the past. I don't see a reason why it shouldn't work this time also.

Here's my inside starts. Peppers 4 flats, broccoli 1 flat, califlower 1 flat, brussel sprouts 1 flat and onions 3 flats. I need to sow 3 flats of tomatoes, I just don't enjoy sowing seeds in flats. But it must be done, so I'll do it.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Branching Out]

What a lot of seedlings that you have started indoors as well. Are you planning on feeding a small army?

 

[Crealcritter]

What a lot of seedlings that you have started indoors as well. Are you planning on feeding a small army?

Small Army? Nah... well maybe

It's just Farm Babe (my wife) and I. But we have a large family, some live close by. The ones that don't live close by, come for visit over summer and bring empty jars back and take full ones back home. I also have neighbors that I like to share with.

Farm Babe likes to can and preserve, happy wife happy life. So we don't purchase much from the grocery store. we eat mainly what's raised here. I think I'll add food to the title of this thread.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[heirloomgal]

Hello @Crealcritter!

I love your TP idea! I am definitely going to use that trick next time I plant carrots. Always a struggle for me with those teeny seeds, and I really don't enjoy thinning.

When I joined the sister site SS a ways back I used to enjoy following your posts! I am happy to have you here, and can't wait to see your garden journey!

 

[Crealcritter]

There is food is in the background, eating their daily ration of grain. So I'm still on topic . Our sugar magnolia is starting to bloom, it's a gorgeous welcome sight after winter. I know spring is closer, rather than further away when it starts flowering. I'm thinking I would like to air-layer this magnolia and line both sides of the driveway with saplings. I suppose I should consult Farm Babe first though, since she mows the lawn. Probably would be a big pain for her mowing around them, if I did.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Crealcritter]

In order to sow 3 flats of tomatoes, I had to first set up another area to grow the pepper seedlings. Because my seedling shelf only holds 12 flats. Under cabinet worked well with four 6000 lumens @ 5500K LEDs fixtures (they were on sale at Rural King).

It's just temporary until I set out the broccoli, califlower and brussel sprouts seedlings. I've never grown seedlings under LEDs before, so i'm not sure what to expect. Then again I won't know unless I give it a try.

These LEDs are a lot brighter than my florescents, I have for the seedling shelf. Also my florescents are alternating 6000K and 8000K. I hope I don't force flower these little pepper seedlings by sticking them under 5000K.

I have 3 flats ready to go and cells packed with top soil for sowing tomatoes. But it's late and I'm tired, so I decided to sow tomatoes tomorrow.

Time in earth sure does fly by. I hope you enjoyed your day today. I enjoyed my day and got to share a little bit of it with you all. It's time for sleep again already, where does the time go?

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[AMKuska]

I'm familiar with this scramble. I've kicked my cold weather crops out of the grow tent since they can handle the cool weather. They go out during the day and come back in at night.

 

[Branching Out]

I'm familiar with this scramble. I've kicked my cold weather crops out of the grow tent since they can handle the cool weather. They go out during the day and come back in at night.

Me too-- but once they have been out for a week, mine stay out. I just took a layer of row cover off of several trays that have been outside undercover on the deck through 10 days of very cold, snow weather--- and they look like they just stepped out of a spa! Plants are amazing.