Post Punk Kitchen Forum

You got all those nightshade-type plants already or you are planning to? It seems really early for them in a zone 7. Unless I'm confusing myself with zones. Portland is zone 8 I believe, and so zone 7 would be one zone colder... right?

Also my seedlings are doing really well too. I started WAY more than I will ever be able to plant, so my plan is to use this website ( http://www.portlandfoodexchange.com/ ) to trade my starts for different plants that I don't have. Currently I'm starting a green/orange zebra tomato, pickling cukes, and a mixed broccoli bunch. I'm using seaweed stuff for them too.

Zone 7 is Virginia. The chard etc probably needs planted nearer to fall. Last year everything bolted, it was so hot. Trying to find bolt resistant fennel seeds so I get bulbs this year and not just fronds. My dill and basil burned up too when we had super hot days in May. It was depressing.

Bought some Kale at the farmers market. Have to put it in a pot soon though. I'm thinking about maybe getting some more veggies when we go again. Last year we got 4 tomato plants from our CSA but they all died. Hopefully we can do better this year.

Flower garden: purple and red Columbines, red bells, and black coffee Begonias (all attract hummingbirds)
Herb garden: columnar basil, thyme, Rosemary, and hens and chicks (not herbs, but in the same area)

kale does best in partial shade. we have a thread for tomatoes, so hopefully going there will help you with your tomatoes this year!

I've been really slack. I'm going to pull things out of my containers and add more compost in then hopefully plant some seedlings in a week or so. I think I'm just too impatient for seeds! haha I'll keep trying with the seeds I have. I want to get some chard and spinach, cauliflower and broccoli would be awesome too.

A few weeks ago I planted two pots each of basil and cilantro and 12 seedling things each of cherry tomatoes and red peppers. The pots and tomatoes are sprouting really nicely. The tomato plants are about 2" tall, so I think they're almost ready to be transplanted. Most of the basil has sprouted 6 leaves and I've had to thin the pots a few times. The cilantro have just sprouted tiny cilantro leaves. The peppers JUST came through, I had almost given up on them! I have everything sitting near my patio doors and I'd like to put them outside, but it's been so windy.

just remember, nitrogen gives you your green compact growth. phosphorous and potassium gives you your fruiting and flower power. 12 hours dark/12 hours light also puts plants in the fruiting flowering mode.

Question! I'm using the suggested maxicrop seaweed dilution to water the plants/seedlings... but I'm using it all the time, I'm not ever watering with regular water. Is that okay? It doesn't really say on the package. I'm also supplementing with some trace mineral drops (mostly magnesium and potassium, and it's pretty diluted).

Also, check out my strawberries! They didn't flower (or fruit obviously) at all last year. I know they usually don't create a 'crop' the first year, but I have always had them make at least a couple fruit/flowers the first year. Anyways, so last year I was kinda sad... but now I'm happy!

Also, bonus puppy!

mars, those strawberries look super healthy! as for maxicrop feeding schedule, there really isn't one. the NPK ratio is so low, you can use it with every feeding, but the bottle directions state that seedlings should be watered with solution of 1 capful to 1 gallon of water each week. same applies for veggies, fruits, outdoor plants, flowers and potted plants. it isn't a complete fertilizer, though.

general organics-(a subsidiary of general hydroponics) makes a vegan grow, vegan bloom, and vegan compost tea:
http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=GBTG405
http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=GBTB405
http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=FBL405

If I was to buy just one which do you think it should be? I've already spent more money on garden-y stuff than I planned for this year, heh. I really just thought at first I'd just kind of throw some plants in the ground and see what happend. But it got so exciting I started buying all sorts of fertilizers and tools to get the job done better. Oh and also am mixing that 'vegan mix' into the ground where I'm planting them all, so they aren't totally un-fertilized. And over old stuff I'm sprinkling it on top.

ooh! i'll have to send that vegan mix to product development so we can start carrying it. that should get you off to a good start, esp if you are using it in conjunction with maxicrop. believe it or not, human urine and blood is high in nitrogen and i know many a person who use both urine and menstrual blood mixed in with their water when feeding plants. for some there is an ick factor, but hey, i think it's more gross to use a formula with animal products, right?

if you had to buy one, get the bloom formula. you'll need it later in the growing season when you want to increase fruit and flower production with your tomatoes, peppers, cukes, and anything else that fruits or flowers.

keep 'em separated: don't forget to not plant greens with plants that fruit and flower, as their nutritional needs are different.

Basil!
My mom got epazote seeds too, but they looked a little moist and weird : ( I planted them anyway because I didn't want to throw them away in case they were still good (I don't think they are).

Anyway, here's my baby: