January Jump-Start (Garden Dream and Plan Thread)

[Hinotori]

Next two weeks are all I need to bear. That will tell me if we're going to hard freeze again. I very much doubt it at this point.

If the ground dries enough for me to take a wheelbarrow in the main chicken pen, I'm going to haul some litter out to a raised bed to mix in. I can plant peas after I do that.

On a side note, the peas I planted last fall are not dead. The snow and ice managed to kill off the tops and I'd given up on them. I should go trim them and they may start growing more

 

[CrealCritter]

If the weather cooperates, I'll be working the spring / fall garden in the next week or so. I need to change out the deep bedding in the chicken coop, so that will get tilled into the garden. Seed sowing will start a few weeks after that. It's only the end of January so I got lots of time still. I'm in southern IL USDA zone 6 or 6A.

I've went by the old farmers almanac for many years and have had pretty good success depending on if the spring floods play nice... One year my garden was under a foot of water

Old Farmers Almanac planting calendar, just change to your zipcode.
https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/zipcode/62922

 

[CrealCritter]

Just an hour ago I could see grass. Forecast to drop to 14 degrees tonight ain't no weather for seed sowing, that's for sure.

 

[sumi]

From what I heard locally snow here in December is almost unheard of and some years it doesn't snow here at all, but we had quite a bit in December last year already. It makes me wonder what February and March has in store, as those are our coldest months Much as I love the snow, I'm starting to look forward to spring and summer more and more.

 

[baymule]

My tomatoes are UP!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I only sowed three flats of tomatoes and three flats of peppers this year.

ONLY? ONLY 3 flats of tomatoes and ONLY 3 flats of peppers!

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I totally missed the right time to prune. "Winter" was very short here this year. I still haven't pruned our three oldest fruit trees, and I'm not sure they've EVER been pruned. I did get the grapevines, fig tree, blackberry bushes, blueberry bushes and roses all pruned, although a bit late in the season.
Soon, very soon, I need to get my garden area fenced and planted, and rebuild the trellises for grapes. Soooo much to do, but exciting too!

 

[CrealCritter]

I totally missed the right time to prune. "Winter" was very short here this year. I still haven't pruned our three oldest fruit trees, and I'm not sure they've EVER been pruned. I did get the grapevines, fig tree, blackberry bushes, blueberry bushes and roses all pruned, although a bit late in the season.
Soon, very soon, I need to get my garden area fenced and planted, and rebuild the trellises for grapes. Soooo much to do, but exciting too!

Well if you enjoy what your doing - it doesn't really classify as work.

 

[CrealCritter]

Yep 1/2 as much as I usally sow. 72 plants will do two 50' rows or thereabouts.

Just like every other year, come the end of June, the tomatoes will be 6' tall and pretty (weather permitting)

Then in July they will be ready for the first picking and run into the end of September middle of October. Then frost will kill them.

Pretty much the same every year as long as no bad storms roll through and I can find time to tend to them.

I spray them weekly every Friday evening with need oil & Palmolive original dish washing detergent. Never really had much of a pest problem to speak of.

 

[CrealCritter]

Weather permitting... Tomatoes will get set into the garden the middle of April. I till in 3 lbs 12-12-12 and 1 lb of ammonia nitrate and about 1/2 lb of epsom salt per 50 row. Then when they get about 2' tall I till the same in-between the rows add the same amount of fertilizer plus 3 lbs of barn lime then mulch them in with a thick layer of hay. Seems to work well... My summer garden is low on nitrogen.