My order...

[Wildsky]

I'm becoming more and more of a believer in soil temperature as a guide for early planting, Wildsky. The air temperature will have only a little effect on seed planted 1 or 2 inches into the soil and plants can't read a calendar.

You can look at that linked chart from the University of Minnesota and see that it would serve no purpose to plant bean seed when the soil temperature is only 41F - that NG stands for "no germination." In fact, they won't germinate at 50F but somewhere above that temperature, the seeds will start to grow after awhile. (Look how early that you can get your lettuce and spinach seed out there, however

Steve

Hi Steve,
Thanks for that chart, what are the numbers on it? (the number of plants that germinated in the test?)

Is there a way to take the soil temp? Perhaps I'll have area's that are warmer than others. I did want to plant my vegies in my back yard.... but thats between the garage on the west side and the house on the south.... takes the snow longer to melt in that area, so probably stays cold longer....
Cheryl

 

[Wildsky]

I grow Yukon Golds every year, they're wonderful unless they get that black core thing, that ruins the potato. I usually get plenty - they don't last very long, we gobble them up! I also grow Russian Banana Fingerlings, they are wonderful in potato salad or just steamed, split and a little butter. Yumm!

Where can I buy those?

There is no garden center or anywhere near me to buy seeds etc... I'm relying on the internet for things I need. The closest place to me is a Walmart an hour away.

I read the method of growing potato's using tires - we have a few tires around here, I just gave two to the goat to play on...... That method sounds pretty easy, I'm just not sure when and how to add a tire and soil as the plant is growing.

 

[digitS']

Cheryl, I should have included the title, "Days to Germination for Vegetable Crops at Various Temperatures," - - those numbers are days.

Snap bean seed will NOT germinate at 50F. It takes them 16 days at 59 to germinate. At 86, a snap bean seed takes only 6 days. Well, we aren't goin' wait until the soil is 86 because it will NEVER get that warm. But, it serves no purpose to plant bean seeds when the soil in say 45 - the seed may ROT in the ground before it gets warm enuf!!

Notice that these researchers kept onion seed at 32 for 136 DAYS!! There's dedication to science - 4 1/2 months sitting around waiting for an onion seed to sprout .

You can buy a special soil thermometer but I used to have an aquarium thermometer that worked really well (I could clean the soil off it easily . Now, I've lost that . . . so, I just found this tired, old rusty outdoor thermometer that's still readable, dig a little hole down a couple of inches and bury it there. After 10 minutes, I dig the thermometer up and take a look. Easy, peasy.

You may have no choice, Cheryl, but to buy your potatoes on the internet. Milk Ranch Specialty Potatoes hasn't been in the business very long but there seems to be positive feedback amongst those who've ordered from them. They are in Colorado so, maybe, the shipping costs would not be very high. Fedco, Territorial and Pinetree seed companies have great selection of spuds. But, here's an idea - - do you have a grocery store nearby that sells organic potatoes?? I say "organic" because conventional potatoes are usually treated so they don't sprout in storage - just the opposite of what you want in a seed potato!!

Steve
:tools

 

[digitS']

Tires . . . I don't like plastic in the garden, why would I like tires?? That wasn't the question . . .

The neighbor has a HUGE stack of tires near my big veggie garden. He puts a few out to grow his tomatoes in. I see no important benefit to doing that. Honestly, I think the only reason we don't have a HUGE mosquito problem is because it's so darn windy out there. Tires catch water and make a nice little environment for the skeeters!! un

Lay the tire on the ground, put a seed potato in the middle and pile on loose dirt - being sure to fill the ENTIRE IN-TIRE area with soil, hope that the mice don't move in and take up residence (you'll get NO potatoes if they do , pile another tire on after the plant has grown some and put more soil in that . . . Okay, you've given your potato plant soft soil to grow in and you've covered the surface with soil again so that the potatoes don't show up there and get sunburned . . . where does the tire need to enter this equation?? I don't know. I don't like old tires.

Steve

 

[Wildsky]

I don't like the tires either - left by previous owner - and the weird thing in most still have rims (?) weird.

I just don't know what to do with them, and I figured if I could USE them it would be better than them lying around. The two tires I gave the goat to play with are NEW as well....

Perhaps I can stack them and use to make compost? I just don't want to leave them lying around and I have no CLUE how to get rid of them...

 

[Wildsky]

Can mosquito's reproduce in trees?

We only moved here in June last year - and the mosquitos were horrible, mostly around one particular TREE..... the tree looks like there is something wrong with it, it has these little clusters of what looks like dirt all between the branches and stuff - Trees are another thing I need to learn about - we have HUNDREDS of trees!!! (property boardered on three sides by rows of trees for wind control) we have black walnuts (4 trees) Plum trees, cherry and a couple I have NO CLUE what they are.....
Looks like they have had no attention - most have branched out right at the bottom, they haven't been trimmed - very annoying having the low branches - not sure if we can fix that. (thats a whole nother thread!)

 

[Wildsky]

You may have no choice, Cheryl, but to buy your potatoes on the internet. Milk Ranch Specialty Potatoes hasn't been in the business very long but there seems to be positive feedback amongst those who've ordered from them. They are in Colorado so, maybe, the shipping costs would not be very high. Fedco, Territorial and Pinetree seed companies have great selection of spuds. But, here's an idea - - do you have a grocery store nearby that sells organic potatoes?? I say "organic" because conventional potatoes are usually treated so they don't sprout in storage - just the opposite of what you want in a seed potato!!

Steve
:tools

We have a little grocery type store near our house - they do have some sad looking fruit and veggies now and then. If I find a good potato do I just throw it in the ground? Or wait for it to actually sprout and then toss it in? I have had a few potatos get the little eye thingies on them....

 

[Reinbeau]

I get my Yukon Golds from Pinetree Garden Seeds up in Maine. They have the best prices I've found for seed potatoes. As for potatoes from the grocery store why not try them? But I wouldn't count on the best yield from them. Some are treated with a growth retardant that inhibits the eyes from sprouting. Just remember, when you're planting the potato pieces, the new potatoes form above that piece, that's why it's important to dig a bit of a trench for the pieces and to cover the shoots with soil as they grow. The deeper that piece, the more room for new potatoes!

 

[sebrightlover]

Tires . . . I don't like plastic in the garden, why would I like tires?? That wasn't the question . . .

Steve

What is your stance on 5 gallon plastic buckets. I've heard about cutting the bottoms out and filling with soil to plant potatoes. Brother works construction and they always have loads of 5 gallon buckets left. Thinking about giving those a good cleaning and using them with my sweet potatoes.

 

[digitS']

Holly, 5 gallon buckets get too heavy packin' around with produce in 'em so I go for the 3 gallon ones . . .

For potted plants, I'd imagine that 5 gallons would be mighty heavy unless a light potting soil was used. Still, 5 gallons of soil would probably be a bare minimum for standard tomatoes, for instance. So, beefsteaks on the patio would be possible.

Just plunked down in the garden - I still don't understand . . . why wouldn't the gardener just loosen the garden soil to whatever depth is needed? And, hilling-up can be done on the open ground. The only thing I can think of is to gain some vertical advantage with a bucket.

Steve