I moved my seedlings to bigger pots this week.  I ended up having about 50 extra tomato seedlings and a few hot pepper seedlings that I gave away to friends and family.  

I purchased some compost for my garden.  This year, I'm using Oakdell compost.  I  didn't add anything last year, and the two years before that, I was unhappy with the other company we purchased compost from.  One year, it had a ton of weed seeds in it, then the next year it didn't seem like compost at all because it looked like sand.   

So now, I'm just waiting for it to stop raining and to dry out enough to get this all tilled in.  Then I want to get my plants in the ground in a few weeks.  Where I live (zone 5), the last day of frost is considered to be Mother's day.  Sometimes my plants go in before that, sometimes after...depending on weather.  This year doesn't look like it will be an early planting year.   The night temperatures are still in the 30's.  But I'm so excited to start.  I'm wondering if I should try the wall-o-water...but then I roll my eyes at what that would cost me for as much as I grow. Probably not cost effective, for the first year or two (maybe even 3).  

Prior to moving the seedlings to bigger pots, I used a 4-12-4 Miracle-Gro seedling fertilizer, diluted by half.  They looked good and were not as 'leggy' as they get without this fertilizer.  Just remember, seedlings don't need as much nitrogen.  They need phosphorous, which should be at least double the number  of nitrogen. I will say here too, that 'leggy' tomato plants are okay as far as I'm concerned.  They do just fine once they've been moved into the garden. They settle in, fill out, and live up to their potential. 

I'll be starting my cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkins in the next couple of weeks.

Some new varieties I'll be giving a trial run are:
   Naples Long - these sounded fun to grow
   Musque de Provence
   Jill-be-little
   Blaze

I'll also be growing Long Island Cheese.  The taste of these are my favorites.  They are so sweet and wonderful.

Sunday, 16 April 2017

Wow, it's already that time of year.  In the process of redoing my kitchen, I got a late start on my seedlings (but at least I got them going.)  However, I started them the week before I left on vacation.  I asked a cute little neighbor girl to keep them watered....I'm not entirely sure that happened.  They looked pretty parched when I got home.  I didn't have my usual success rate with the seeds this year, but I always start way more than I need.  

Cherry Tomatoes
As always:
   Pink Bumblebee - new last year
   Sweet 100's
   Sweet Million
   Yellow Pear
   Sun Sugar
   Sweet Gold
   Sugary

New this year:
   Snow White (this was a free trial)
   Sun Gold


Determinate Tomatoes
As always:  
   Yaqui
   Heinz 1370
   
New last year:
   Skyreacher


Indeterminate Tomatoes
As always:
   Lemon Boy
   Celebrity
   Superfantastic
   Early Girl
   New Girl
   Goliath
   Jetsetter
   Porterhouse
   Delicious
   Big Zac
   Mexico
   Parks Whopper
   Parks Beefy Boy
   Better Boy
   Big Beef
   Burpee Supersteak


New Last Year:
   Country Taste
   Big Boy
   Beefmaster
   Ball's Beefsteak

New This Year:
   Cherokee Chocolate (free trial offer)
   Costoluto Genovese - I found the seeds for these and wanted to give it another go.



Peppers
   Anahiem
   Ancho San Luis
   Mucho Nacho
   Guajillo
   Pasilla Bajio
   Holy Mole
   Mulato Isleno
   Garden Salsa

Ornamental Peppers:
   Chilly Chili
   Medusa


I dispensed with the herb garden this year, but I did plant a whole bunch of basil.  I love pesto.