What Are You Planting Today, This Week, This Month?

[rosajrms]

Am sprouting pinto beans for soups (supposed to get the gas out).

Am sprouting peas and bush beans in wet paper towels for my little hydroponic bin. Anyone have any luck with hydroponics? Am not growing weed. Just have the growing anything green bug.

Planted a few garlic cloves in a pot outside, using an old popcorn popper lid over it for greenhouse?

Planted 3 turnips that had greens growing on top outside too, in a pot, with a clear plastic plant tray for its greenhouse top.

We had such a sorry Spring last year, and, a short Summer. Sure hope we get better weather this year.

Live in western Washington, zone 8

Thanks for this site.

 

[jemagsy]

I just tried the damp paper towel in plastic bag method Sunday evening and last night I had two roots sticking through the shell and quite a few more swollen peas (mind you this was after 2 days). So I would definitely say this method works. I am a little nervous about how they are going to do once I put them in soil though.

I am currently experimenting with the best method to germinate my Thomas Laxton Peas. Here's my set up

Approximately 25 seeds on the damp paper towel (to test overall germination rate/%). Then I put soil into four eggshells and put 4-5 seeds in each soil filled eggshell and then placed the eggshell inside a soil filled cup. After that, I placed 2 of the 4 cups in a gallon zip lock bag and 2 I did not place in bags. I also tried two cups where I just directly sowed the peas into the soil (again I put one cup in a gallon ziplock and the other cup I did not place in ziplock).

I am thinking that the paper towel germination should work the best, I have some hope for the eggshell method too, but am a little worried that the seeds may be too crowded.

In theory and according to the Farmer's Almanac I should be able to plant some of these seeds outside come mid-January... we shall see though.

Edited to Add:
I have added the step by steps to my pea experiment
here

 

[vfem]

Well, I screwed up! I made some make shift mini greenhouses on planted some seeds out on the deck the other day. We had some unusually warm days and 'pop' out came some sprouts I wasn't expecting until spring :/

Now I'm bummed, Either I need to scrap them all... or what can I do to help them survive until Feb/Mar when things warm up here again? Take them inside... leave them be and see if they make it?

I also planted some bulbs... I hope they don't pop up early and I lose all those tulips

 

[rosajrms]

jemagsy,

I'm interested in following your experiments. Please, keep posting. Sounds fun. Do you mean actual egg egg shells? Will the roots be able to break through the shell as they grow? Very interesting.

I'm sprouting 9 peas and 9 bush beans. I have 6 total pots for my hydroponics, so, I figure 3 to a pot. I'll put the peas in the back row and the beans in front. Since they will get fed through the water, I am hoping that they will not be too crowded.

The pinto beans are sprouting nicely and should be ready for the next soup. I think I will try to get off all the hulls before I put them in the soup. I only started with about 1/4 cup, and, now, they are half of the quart jar I'm using for sprouting.

The weather people are talking about possible snow on Saturday. I'm going to worry about my garlic and turnips outside.

Thanks for sharing. I'll keep sharing too on my experiments.

 

[rosajrms]

vfem,

If they are in a little greenhouse, won't they be okay? Do you have very cold winters?

 

[rosajrms]

Checked on my little garden sprouts and decided to plant them

Hydroponics: Peas and Bush Beans Sprouting Day 8
Planted:
2 Peas 2 Peas 2 Peas
2 Beans 3 Beans 2 Beans
Out of 18 seeds, have 13 sprouts


Am just using small decorative red rock to hold the plants in. So, see what happens.

Should I let them be in natural light for a day or two or go ahead with the plant light? Have the plant light on right now.

yea! I have a little garden!

 

[beavis]

Wheat, chicken grains, sunflowers, bachelor's buttons, love in a mist, kiss me at the garden gate, stock statice and scarlet poppies!

 

[rosajrms]

ooh,

what are chicken greens?

thanks

 

[beavis]

The chicken grains are just the local chicken scratch formula they sell at the livery.

Looks like millet, milo cracked corn and such.

Some will germinate, other like cracked corn wont.

 

[Ron]

Re: Hydroponics
I am having great results my Aerogarden. Lettuce is growing at an unbelievable rate.