Ducks 4 in '24

[ducks4you]

Moved the 2nd mum downstairs, repotted mini rose and it is living next to the mums, north window of basement. They have a cardboard crate and are surrounded with plastic, so no cat tricks...I Hope!
Yellow mum bit the dust after a cat dug through the dirt in the pot.
Started winter thyme and rosemary are they are sitting on the outcrops by the south facing kitchen windows. Both are in pots that drain, sitting in used ziplock gallon bags with a couple of inches open at the top.
I was trying to find something to plant in these pretty red pots I found on clearance a few years back.
Kicking myself for Not labeling, then realized you can Always label a storage bag.
Pretty good for me having a fever then a cold this week.

 

[ducks4you]

I have shared this before, but I thought somebody might be interested.
Chuck lives near Kankakee, so zone 5b
*****************************************
Chuck Vogt's Seed Starting Schedule (Professor Emeretis, University of Illinois, College of Aces, specialties in vegetables and herbs)
WHEN TO SOW FOR TRANSPLANTING FOR A SPRING GARDEN
January 15-February 15 (go out in March/April)
celery
celeriac
parsley
onion
shallot (from seed)
leek
chives

February 16-February 28
rosemary]]better off w/clone or cultivar
lavendar]]better off w/clone or cultivar

March 1-March 15(go out late March/early April)
cabbage
broccoli
cauliflower
kohlrabi
collards
kale
lettuce
oregano

March 15-March 31
fennel
dill
pepper
eggplant
sage

April 1-April 15
tomato (develop faster and go leggy if started earlier)

April 15-April 30
cucumber]]develop Very fast, put out when it has 1st true leaves
watermelon]]develop Very fast, put out when it has 1st true leaves

May 1-Mar 15
basil(don't put out before Memorial Day)
***
WHEN TO SOW FOR TRANSPLANTING FOR A FALL GARDEN
June 1-June15
brussels sprouts(bitter when grown for a spring schedule)(transplant in July)(harvest mid October)
==not going to make tight sprouts
==Glucosinolates in spring grown brussels sprouts
"The bitter taste of Brussels sprouts comes from compounds called glucosinolates and their degradation products, he explains. These bitter tasting compounds are an important part of the plant’s defence mechanism against leaf-eating enemies, such as insects, nematodes, slugs, and herbivores, like pigeons and deer. They are also responsible for many of the health-giving properties of Brussels and other brassicas, particularly their antioxidant and anti-cancer properties."

Brussels: a bittersweet story

Brussels: a bittersweet story

www.soci.org

July 1- July 15
broccoli
cauliflower
kohlrabi
late cabbage
collards
kale (flowering and regular)
fennel (florence)

July 15-July 30
early cabbage

August 1-August 15
kohlrabi
lettuce
dill (for weed)(don't want to flower late, so big fronds)

 

[ducks4you]

Webinar from Johhny's
Free Webinar

Thursday, February 8 at 2 p.m. ET

How much work is involved in releasing a new tomato?
Free Webinar: Tomato Innovation for Your Finest Harvest

I signed up for it.

 

[digitS']

Gosh, @digitS' !
I am ALWAYS using CC bc I watch these videos on my laptop while I am listening to the radio, talk radio or streaming music.
You might check your settings.

Heavens to Betsy, you're right! It does have captioning – auto-generated but that is okay.

Well, Imma still charging up the iPad and seeing if I can gain some more benefits from the Bluetooth . Thank You!

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

 

[ducks4you]

I like how the seeds companies are including helpful articles with their emails.

5 Reasons Why You Should Wait to Start Seeds

We know, as January ends, spring feels like it’s just around the corner—but the thing is, it’s not. Unless you live somewhere tropical or you have a garden in the Southern Hemisphere, starting your seeds now could cause you a lot of problems in a month or two. Maybe your Seeds ‘n Such seeds just...

seedsnsuch.com

I think @digitS' said something like this:
"5. Increased resource usage
The larger seedlings get, the more resources they need, including water, light, and fertilizer. If you’ve started seeds before, you already know that once you sow seeds, you’re on the clock. Make sure that you’re ready to give seedlings the care they need before sowing the first round of seeds, and remember that the longer the seedlings are in your greenhouse the more work you have to do to keep them alive."

Hugelkultur: What It Is and Why You Should Transition to Mounded Beds

Hugelkultur: it sounds straight out of a fairy tale, the name of a dashing prince on a quest to rescue some lost damsel. In reality, hugelkultur is more akin to the mystic mage that lives in a secluded cave deep in the woods. A permaculture raised-bed garden design, hugelkultur is underrated...

seedsnsuch.com

 

[ducks4you]

...and this...

7 Exciting Garden Trends to Watch for in 2024

Out with the old, in with the new — that’s what the new year is all about, right? Not always. Some gardening trends that we’ve been seeing for years keep gaining momentum, and 2024 is no exception. But keeping up with gardening trends isn’t just about being cool — in 2024, gardening is all about...

seedsnsuch.com

 

[ducks4you]

As we start seeds, or contemplate starting seeds, I was wondering...
Are we more careful when our seed packages carry just a few seeds?
Are they more Precious than those packages that carry 200 seeds, for instance?

Is this good practice?
I ask bc this is part of my last order from SeedsNSuch.
Purple Bells Cerinthe Seeds × 1
Packet - 10 Seeds

Big Red Hybrid Geranium Seeds × 1
Packet - 10 Seeds

I just started thyme and the package had 200 of the tiniest seeds imaginable, as was the package of 100 seeds of rosemary. I planted about 1/2 of the seeds in each good sized pot.
My reasoning for starting these with seeds is bc I do have a heat mat and gro light setup, and south facing sunshine in my kitchen window. I wanted to expand my skill set, plus I have bought Both and killed Both before, even though purchasing or planting cuttings is recommended. Let the general public support the large corporate greenhouses!!!
With the herbs my timetable is very flexible. My goal for 2024 herbs is to resurrect my herb garden. I won't be able to dig out the grasses and weeds there for at least another good month.
ANY seeds that sprout will be a plus.
Note: I had left the tips of the ziplock bags open, but decided to add some water to the tops and close them up completely. I think that they will both benefit from a Mediterranian climate as their nursery. MY plant murdering is usually drying plants out so they die of thirst.
So, aGAIN, will you or I treat those flower seeds differently bc there are so few of them?
As we all discuss the loss of heirloom vegetables, fruits and flowers, SHOULD we give them more babysitting?
There is a thread on marigolds right now. I happen to know that each marigold flower produces what looks like about 50 seeds. Marigolds Want to reproduce That badly in your flower bed.
Just some thoughts, and I welcome Yours!

 

[ducks4you]

https://www.gardenbetty.com/how-to-...++how+to+make+your+own+garden+soil - 12971050

btw, for those who have PM'd me here, this is NOT me.

 

[ducks4you]

I found yet aNOTHER interesting seed company,

Seed Needs LLC - Quality Flower Seeds, Herb Seeds and Vegetable Seeds

Seed Needs LLC is a family owned and operated seed shop that offers more than 600 varieties of flower seeds, herb seeds, vegetable seeds and vine seeds. Located in the mitten state of Michigan, Seed Needs ships out more than 200,000 Seed Packets to happy customers all over the USA.

www.seedneeds.com

Anybody buy from them?