Are We Planting Yet?

doser

Well-Known Member
Just planted some crooked kneck squash seeds today. It is an early summer variety so I'm hoping for the best. So Cal under mild weather and my peach tree has already started showing green so I'm going for it. Gingerley of course but taking some baby steps. Got my compost bin surrounded in insulation and it's cooking along about 95`-100`F. so I hope to have another 3-4 c.f. by Feb.. I screen mine through an expanded metal table top that I've re-purposed and it makes a nice airy soil.
Anyhoo, good to be back in the dirt.
 

vh13

Well-Known Member
Oh man, I miss gardening in Southern California. Absolutely fucking amazing growing weather. It's easy to squeeze 2 or 3 growing seasons into a year.

Now is a great time to start seeds indoors. Sooner you start 'em, the bigger they get in summer. I'd wait till late Feb. or March, at the earliest, before taking frost sensitive plants outdoors though. Or at least be prepared to plant more seeds, as there's still the chance of an over-night cold snap.
 

doser

Well-Known Member
Oh man, I miss gardening in Southern California. Absolutely fucking amazing growing weather. It's easy to squeeze 2 or 3 growing seasons into a year.

Now is a great time to start seeds indoors. Sooner you start 'em, the bigger they get in summer. I'd wait till late Feb. or March, at the earliest, before taking frost sensitive plants outdoors though. Or at least be prepared to plant more seeds, as there's still the chance of an over-night cold snap.
Yeah, I know it's way early but I have them covered in a visqueen greenhouse that I made. I'm not planting my whole garden mind ya but just something to keep the itch at bay. My herb garden Ahem, is doing fine but I need more plants in my life. Something I can sink my teeth into. lol
So Cal ain't perfect that's for sure. We have our issues too and a lot of times I'm looking at a gurilla grow in other states and thinkin Yeah that would be cool but since I hate cold weather, I'm stickin it out here.
 

vh13

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I know it's way early but I have them covered in a visqueen greenhouse that I made. I'm not planting my whole garden mind ya but just something to keep the itch at bay. My herb garden Ahem, is doing fine but I need more plants in my life. Something I can sink my teeth into. lol
So Cal ain't perfect that's for sure. We have our issues too and a lot of times I'm looking at a gurilla grow in other states and thinkin Yeah that would be cool but since I hate cold weather, I'm stickin it out here.
Sounds good. I've built little mini green houses out of empty plastic bottles and scraps and such to keep seedlings warm at night, with good outcome.

If you use immature compost as mulch, and plenty of it, that'll also help keep the seedlings warm on the cold nights.

Also, if you have any Christmas lights laying around, string 'em inside your greenhouse around your plants, they'll gently warm the place up like a candle.

You can also fill up gallon milk jugs with hot water and stick 'em in there at night, if it's going to be a cold one.

Make sure the ground surrounding the plants stays warm too, as the roots need to survive more then the foliage up top.
 

doser

Well-Known Member
I think quite a few people would agree with april planting here too but I'm watching some spring sign from other plants and thinking it will be an early spring. Lordy I hope so. I don't like cold weather. Not really cold anyway. Got a place in the mountains that just sits emty in the winter for the most part. Just too fricking cold for my old bones. April will be around soon though.
 

chicken bob

Active Member
the wife drove my truck to work today i went out and put it in the 4 wheel before she left ..... i wish i lived in so cal but i would miss having 6 foot of top soil
 

doser

Well-Known Member
I was born in Indiana. I know about "black dirt" topsoil!! Why aren't you "representin" with huge assed trees? What I couldn't grow with a load of black dirt
BLACK DIRT...........MMMMMMMMMMMMHHHHHHHHH!!
 

doser

Well-Known Member
I put some glass over the raised bed I planted the squash in and it's heating up real nice. No sprouts yet but they been in there several days so soon I spect. Got a cold and wet one coming in though so I might lose the planting. Not to be discouraged if I do though, I will just plant again. I want that early crop. went out to the local Ag University and got some greenhouse veggies that they sell from there greenhouses. Man I love fresh veggies. I like meat too but I really love garden fresh.
 

vh13

Well-Known Member
I put some glass over the raised bed I planted the squash in and it's heating up real nice. No sprouts yet but they been in there several days so soon I spect. Got a cold and wet one coming in though so I might lose the planting. Not to be discouraged if I do though, I will just plant again. I want that early crop. went out to the local Ag University and got some greenhouse veggies that they sell from there greenhouses. Man I love fresh veggies. I like meat too but I really love garden fresh.
No doubt, fruits and veggies picked at proper harvest time is always better then the immature stuff sold at grocers.

You might get some early flowering from the squash, considering you're planting so early. If you do, I think you can treat it like basil, cut off the flowers and force it to keep making leaves. Squash blossoms are tasty. =)
 

Mindmelted

Well-Known Member
I got romaine going already,a husky cherry tomato with flower and red pepper plant with flowers also.
Will be starting more and getting a jump on the garden for summer....
 

doser

Well-Known Member
I got romaine going already,a husky cherry tomato with flower and red pepper plant with flowers also.
Will be starting more and getting a jump on the garden for summer....
seems like last year at this time at this time I had a load of lettuce that came up on it's own (I let my lettuce go to seed and then collect my own seed)
but so far not much. We have cherry tomatoes all over the yard (they plant themselves). Swiss chard is doing ok. Swiss chard is pretty tasty if you havent tried it. Fry it with garlic and olive oil. tastes ptetty good.
 

Toolage 87

Well-Known Member
Its nice to get back into the soil but here I don't have a spot I can grow and digging out the ground isn't an option so a green house is my only one but of course there's bills to be paid but here its just starting to get really cold.
 

doser

Well-Known Member
Just got back from the fairgrounds and they have a garden growing almost full blast. I came home and said screw it and planted carrots and lettuce.
Let's get this show on the road and worry about it later.
 

doser

Well-Known Member
Its nice to get back into the soil but here I don't have a spot I can grow and digging out the ground isn't an option so a green house is my only one but of course there's bills to be paid but here its just starting to get really cold.
Rough growing up there in the North Pole is it?
 

Jimmyjonestoo

Well-Known Member
Man must be nice to be planting already. I've started a few ghost chilli seeds inside already bit the rest of my seeds won't get started inside for another month so they can go out mid April.
 

doser

Well-Known Member
I noticed my squash has broken ground so we're off!! Looked on a farmers almanac website and they gave planting dates for all the diff. veggies. I'm a little early on the squash but spot on with the carrots so those aught to be showing soon. Sure is nice to come out and inspect seedlings again.
 
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