Raised Bed Gardening - Cement Blocks > Greenhouse!

INDEX

Split Tomatoes

Mildew

Garden Pests

Soil Additives

De-Chlorinating City Water

2019 Week -4

Family Beds Rebuild

Pantry Beds Prep

2019 Growing Season - Week 0

Tomatoes and the interminable Bacterial Wilt

41.6oz Homegrown Tomato

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2nd Season Crops

Planted another plot of Radishes and leaf Lettuce ... possibly pushing time limits, presoaked-sprouted Sugar Peas and planted into bed. Sugar Peas are designed to be eaten in young pods, before Peas are noticeable inside pods, till peas are near full size. Recommended for salads, stir-fry etc.

Typical first frost guestimated at 2-6 weeks.

All my 2nd season plantings are frost resistant to frost proof.



After inspection, it appears I might be able to raise hoops above Pepper plots, sufficiently, to cover with plastic for extended yields.
Plants nearing 4' with multitudes of started Peppers. Peppers might prove among the best producing crop, behind Tomatoes and Squash ... certainly the most colorful! Picked 12oz Yellow Bell, Orange and Reds doing nicely. Hot Hungarian Wax, Cayenne and Chili Peppers Turning red ...

Have 2 Onions that look to exceed 1lb each!
 
Tomatoes, except for Cherries, done, from the Garden.
Saved one of the best for last ...



Beefsteak.jpg

Nice when a slice smothers the largest bread I could find!
Took half a loaf and full pound of Bacon to put a dent in this Tomato.

BLT
Toasted Italian bread
Hickory smoked Bacon
Beefsteak Tomato
Garden fresh Lettuce
Salt
Hellman's Mayonnaise

Eat over large drip pan ...
 
Radishes
Harvested good quantity of Radishes 25 days after planting. Leaving Green onions for maybe another week. Mustard Spinach ready to start harvesting.

Peppers
Peppers doing great, a continuous crop of small and large colored Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers keep pace with demand. Will have a large crop of Chili Peppers in near future ... don't know what to do with them, we have drying machines, so they won't go to waste but could really spice up someones life LOL.
Note on Peppers
Started Pepper plants in mid April for transplant. They did very poorly inside Food Pantry warehouse ... due to temperature being maintained in the 50s-low 60s? Will need to add heat or move to warmer location. For next Spring.
 
Fall crops

Piles of Peppers and most impressively Hot Peppers.
Lots of Colored Sweet Peppers but the Hot Peppers are ripening by the fistfuls.
Chili, Cayenne and Jalapeno are obvious but Pepper seeds from China were labeled Scorpion >> not Scorpion!
Best guess, by appearance and hotness are Serrano Peppers ... way-way hotter than Jalapeno!

2nd Season crops coming in:
Harvesting
Radishes - they do thrive in cooler weather!
Green Onions
Mustard Spinach - don't really care for it but grows big and fast (limited Fall crop seeds still recently available)
Okra getting big
Potato plants flourishing - love small new potatoes!
Green Beans near harvest size
Leaf Lettuce nearing harvest size
Sugar Peas growing, but questionable for substantial harvest, with time remaining?

Facebook page ...

Community Garden - OFP

Got some grant money and shopping for side dump wagon, can't find anything ... any recommendations?
Could build a side dump bin rig, but gotta spend the money for assigned purposes and wouldn't feel right about billing for it.
 
Buttoning up the Garden for Winter.
Using the Electric Wheel barrel to perk up the beds with seasoned Horse Manure, additional top soil and mulch from our new chipper-shredder-mulcher.
Emptying rain barrels hoses and watering system.

Most everything suffered heavy frost-freeze and died, except some Beets and the accursed Mustard Spinach that no one seems brave enough to want to try.
Haven't told anyone about the second season small new potatoes still hidden underground, not enough for substantial give away but small Potatoes (<1") cook nice and are so tasty added to my rice cooker!

Before they got frosted ... I did manage to rescue 2 large Habanero Pepper plants.
Transferred to 5 gal pail and put in my basement with homemade LED grow lights.
They had massive numbers of unripe Peppers and I couldn't let them go to waste.
May manually pollinate if plants remain healthy looking. (Small fine paint brush)

Improving lighting with additional LEDS, timer and reflective surround.
 
DrkAngel said:
"Compost Tea" sounds interesting.
Have lots of seasoned horse manure and fairly decayed vegetable mater.
Interested in trying a small 12V air pump with my old 2 sq ft solar panel! ... ?

Will also try blending egg shells ... in blender, with water and Epsom salts. Stirring frequently while applying.

Any advice on re-washing used coffee grounds before applying, to further reduce acidity?
or
Will original brewing be sufficient?
Found outdated Calcium supplement tablets and Epsom Salts, at surplus store, for mineral supplement on Tomatoes next year.
Both dissolve easily in warm water, should even work through sprayer.
Certainly much better than blended egg shells!
Got cheap Vitamin C for treating Chlorinated water also!
 
Too early to be posting gardening tips, but I have a couple garden projects in the works.

Side dumping wagon
Most of our beds, wooden or blocks, are <36" between, making dumping wheelbarrow loads of compost or dirt awkward, to say the least.
1st thought was adding a side hinged large plastic mortor mixing tub to flatbed wagon and either scissor jack with electric drill or use handles for dumping.

I can get a budget if reasonable production alternative available. ... ?

Better ideas?
Links to anything meeting requirements?
 
DrkAngel said:
DrkAngel said:
"Compost Tea" sounds interesting.
Have lots of seasoned horse manure and fairly decayed vegetable mater.
Interested in trying a small 12V air pump with my old 2 sq ft solar panel! ... ?

Will also try blending egg shells ... in blender, with water and Epsom salts. Stirring frequently while applying.

Any advice on re-washing used coffee grounds before applying, to further reduce acidity?
or
Will original brewing be sufficient?
Found outdated Calcium supplement tablets and Epsom Salts, at surplus store, for mineral supplement on Tomatoes next year.
Both dissolve easily in warm water, should even work through sprayer.
Certainly much better than blended egg shells!
Got cheap Vitamin C for treating Chlorinated water also!

Add a bit of calcium nitrate to the first growth month.
 
Yeah, time to reduce-stop Nitrogen when time to promote flowering.
 
I built a 5 shelf Grow tower with 6000-6500K LED strips and we had a seed starting party after mid-March.
Transplanted outside in early-mid May. Some limited number of additional seedlings from local greenhouses or stores.

2018 Seed Starting Party
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Grow rack-tower was set up in Pantry warehouse. Most notably, the Peppers suffered from the cool temperature in the Food Pantry's Warehouse, Peppers like warm to hot soil temperature.
This years plantings, will likely cover-insulate the tower and use at least 1 florescent, left on permanently for added warmth.
 
LEDs on timer, 16 hours per day.

Will plant later or larger pots for each seedling.
Mid March was too early for mid-May transplant?
Some got too big and rooty which seemed to prolong transition from transplant.
They seemed to stunt a bit before growth explosion.
 
Getting ready for indoor seed starting ... collecting seeds.
Bidding on seed packets from China. - Yeah ... can take a couple months to receive.
Quality, quantity, accuracy ... all suspect!
last year:
"Blue Marigolds" = odd mix of yellow & orange.
"Sweet Basil" = wide variance of scent and flavor.
"Catnip" = not even close!
Several not even received.
Mystery packets of Chinese only labeling.
Several in cellophane packets with no label or tracking, and bought enough and delayed long enough that I had no idea what were supposed to be.

but, great bargains!
Ungh ... but no one be bidding against me!!!
 
Picked up nice stuff at an "outdated" surplus store.
500mg Vitamin C
and
Calcium tablets - they dissolve easily in water, except for coating. Best to crush and remove paper like fragments.

Getting ready for seed starting and garden planning. March 16 planting party
Septuagenarian co-gardener fell victim to debilitating illness, so have to pick up the slack till "changing of the guard".

"High Tunnel" greenhouse scheduled for erection in early May.
Still pondering allowing Bee entrance while excluding other pests.
Ideal would be resident Beehive with internal + external access? (Let Bees monitor insect access! - through hive.)

Planning extensive Milkweed program. Have lots of peat pot starter kits that seem inadequate for decent vegetable starting, so will use for Milkweed starting mid-April for mid-May outside transplant.
Mid-April starting for various other items also:
Outside for Radishes, Beets, Onions, More Garlic etc.
Inside for Squashes, Cucumbers etc.
 
DrkAngel said:
Getting ready for indoor seed starting ... collecting seeds.

Mystery packets of Chinese only labeling.
Several in cellophane packets with no label or tracking, and bought enough and delayed long enough that I had no idea what were supposed to be.

but, great bargains!
Ungh ... but no one be bidding against me!!!
This is how invasive species get going... After some thought, I destroyed my Chinese seeds. I'm on a County Parks Committee and we battle horribly destructive invasive species of plants. A real catastrophe!
 
DrkAngel said:
I built a 5 shelf Grow tower with 6000-6500K LED strips and we had a seed starting party after mid-March.
Transplanted outside in early-mid May. Some limited number of additional seedlings from local greenhouses or stores.

Impressive work! You're making some people VERY happy! Good on you!
 
I did not know anything about community gardening in other countries before I read this topic. (In my country there are such things as dachas, but this is another matter)
I assume that you live in the country where agriculture is really great and excellent and I just wonder why you buy seeds from China?
 
Our "Community Garden" is actually divided into 2 sections.
About half is dedicated for growing and distributing vegetables to needy locals.
The other half is sectioned with specific beds allocated for families to grow their own preferred vegetables. We usually have spare seeds and seedlings available, even some for individuals home gardens. Present LED lighted racks hold 12 x 40-50 pot trays and I will be starting 2 trays of various Peppers in a warmer environ. Possibly an herb selection also? Might have to distribute some of my Aloe farm ...
 
Seed starting party was a great success ... chatted and laughed with old friends and met a few new ones! Planted some seeds too.
Started about 10 varieties of Peppers, nearly as many types of Tomatoes. Dozens each of the standards with a fair sampling of some specialties. Trying some Eggplant also, this year.
That all?
No, too early for starting a lot of other items, Squash, Cucumbers, Melons, flowers etc.
Plan on another seed starting mid-April in conjunction with a bed prep and early crop planting. Outside for Onions, Radishes, Beets, Peas and Carrots etc.
Typical planting, after danger of frost is ~May 15±. (Will rely on Weather Channel 10 day forecast and possibly gallon jug hot caps)

A lot of the attendees took home mini herb gardens and some specialty Tomato and Pepper starters.
 
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Cement block beds 2019
Cement blocks were heaved and tilted by the Winter freezes but remained in place. Will have to wait on the ground to thaw to see if they naturally resettle. Might have to stomp back into place?
Local Boy Scout troop offering to rebuild the wooden-failing Family Beds with cement blocks. Straightening and aligning while widening all walkways, Everyone seems optimistic about the individual planting holes supplied by the block holes!
Plan is for laying down 4' landscape fabric along 3' walkways and setting blocks on edges. Plastic was considered but looking to avoid swamping. Clay soil is bad enough!

Horse manure and wood chip piles were covered with tarps and piles look no longer buried and hidden by grass!. Possibly, mice and such harvested all the invading grass while nice and warm under the tarps?

Did a quick check and Garlic is started poking up through the Straw covering. Strawberry plants are starting to green as well as some of the Herbs. Onions look to have been chewed off at ground level but are growing up with brown edge around central tube.

Taking inventory and planning for Spring.
Ideally Boy Scout bed builds will be ready for mid-April prep and early crop planting party.

... Grow Tower Tent
Found Grow Tent that will fit perfectly over Grow tower, should help seedling grow better with warmth and better reflected light!



... Tomato Tower Support Line
Found better "rope" for Tomatoes to climb, local surplus store has 100' coils of plastic coated 1/8" steel cable, should last for many years ... will seal cut ends with silicone.
 

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Grow Tower w/Tent not doing great, temperature in warehouse is 40-50's and seemed to be stunting growth. LEDs don't put out much heat so added a 2 x 75w track light fixture as additional heat. 75w incandescent bulbs are no longer available but found 2 "100w" Halogen bulbs at 72w each, nearly perfect. Will just have to direct light away from plants on lowest shelf.

Breaking point was 58 degrees inside tent while it was 75 degrees outside!

Tomatoes are started-stunted but no Peppers or Eggplant yet. Will check temperature today with 144w "heat" overnight.
 
My high-tech farmer buddy's at Archie's Acres use heaters their green houses to keep the plants warm while growing. I don't remember the temperature....80ish? However they are not growing tomatoes in the green houses as tomato flowers don't pollinate well in the heat.

Got any diffusion for those bright lights? Maybe bounce the light around on reflective surfaces?

:D :bolt:
 
Dual track light fixture designed for reflective bulbs so covered except the end which is pointed towards the corner, inside reflective Mylar tent.

Metered 84ºF on shelf above Halogens, 80ºF and 78ºF on higher shelves. Bottom shelf varied 70-80ºF. ... Mylar and canvas "Tent" not well insulated?
 
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