The Garden Thread 2021

[Hovannes]

It's early, but the weather has been unseasonably good'

I'm currently in the process of, yet again, moving and rebuilding my raised beds, slowly converting over from 4x4 corner posts to cement blocks
like these;

So far I have green onions, golden zucchinis, and sugar snap pea seedlings and strawberries in a pot.
We've been enjoying an excellent crop of Meyer lemons and the Rosemary grows like weeds.

What are you doing (or planning to do) in the dirt these days?

[Hovannes]

While it's still too early, i find myself contemplating which tomatoes to start.
Over the past several seasons I've concentrated on heirlooms but I'm thinking a larger variety more suitable for slicing (hamburger size) might be fun to try.
But which variety?
I've got German Queen, Park's Whopper, Mortgage Lifter, Beefsteaks available, so which one?
I don't have the space nor water for more than two or three 'mater plants
Also these are huge vines needing substantial support. I have four t-posts left over from the ranch I can use to rig something up, but exactly how is yet to be thought out.
Any suggestions?

[Hovannes]

I bought my tomato plants
Park's Whopper
German Queen
Ace
and of course, San Marzano.
I still need to find eggplants and Armenian cucumbers.

[sweetandsour]

The two pear trees have repeatedly bloomed and froze all winter. After the snowstorm a couple weeks ago the leaves came out and now they're blooming again. The new pear tree I planted this winter is budding now also. Blackberry vines are green with new leaves and now have blooms. The Plum tree is budding now. The fig tree still looks dormant, and I'm hoping the freeze didn't kill it. The muscadine vines have been pruned and could begin budding any day now. The pecan tree as always will be the last to bud. I fertilized everything lightly today with some 13-13-13 left over from last summer.
The garden still has mustard greens, but I'm ready to turn it over, and begin looking for tomatoes and peppers.

[Hovannes]

Got eggplants today

[Hovannes]

Today I planted the Eggplants and the Golden Zucchinis. The tomatoes seem happy and I even have a strawberry that's threatening to turn red!
I need to get that fourth raised bed ready for planting though

[Hovannes]

Jalapenos and Curly Italians got planted today. The 2021 garden is shaping up!

[Fainn]

I planyrdn green beans crimson watermelon and yellow crooked neck squash today

[Hovannes]

I put in a mound of Armenian cucumbers this morning.
I think the 4th raised bed is ready for planting at last!
I've got green onions, red onions and sugar snaps ready to plant, Maybe there's room for something else,
but maybe not.

I still have one pot reserved for herbs as well, but I'm still not sure what will go in that one.

[sweetandsour]

Blackberry vines and plum tree are both blooming, and the muscadine grapes are now budding.



A few wildflowers are in bloom back behind the fence, so I'm not mowing there, and enjoying the view.

[Hovannes]

We harvested the first strawberry.
Mrs Hov got the honors and gave it
Today I need to re-engineer the trellis for the Sugar Snaps and plant red onions

[Fainn]

We had a lot of rain this past week and 80% of my seeds have sprouted.

[sweetandsour]

I've always planted on Good Friday, so today I planted 3 rows of speckled butter beans, 6 Big Boy tomatoes, 6 Homestead tomatoes, 6 hot jalapenos and 6 cayennes.

[Hovannes]

the Sugar snaps are in and have discovered the trellis. The flat Parsley awaits. I have room for maybe six more plants in front of the Sugar snaps, but what?

[mcommini]

Threads like this make me wish I didn't have the blackest of thumbs.

[Hovannes]

Threads like this make me wish I didn't have the blackest of thumbs.

Where there is sun and dirt, there's a way!

[Hovannes]

There were no casualties in the garden so far. All the plants seem healthy and happy. The sugar snaps discovered the trellis and of the four tomatoes, the San Marzano and the Parks Whopper Improved are the tallest, almost to the second rung on their tomato cages and sporting blossoms.

[sweetandsour]

There were no casualties in the garden so far. All the plants seem healthy and happy. The sugar snaps discovered the trellis and of the four tomatoes, the San Marzano and the Parks Whopper Improved are the tallest, almost to the second rung on their tomato cages and sporting blossoms.

Do you feed Miracle Grow or other such thing to your tomatoes on a regular basis?

I'm out of MG at the moment, and thinking of trying something different this season.

[Hovannes]

I like Miracle Grow, but haven't started with MG yet.
Do do use B-1 and a Tums under each tomato plant though.

I just noticed something has been snacking on the Eggplant leaves

[Fainn]

Out of the places for beans I planted, only 2 sprouted. The squash is at 80% and all but one watermelon sprouted.