Say it with me folks. "Zones dont matter for annuals" temps do but zones don't. Im the same "zone" as Ben but I cant grow the same stuff as him. Zones are only important to perrenials not your annuals.
Hey there ....Celery....Not sure why...maybe I like it with peanut butter...Glad you're fairly close to my general zone(NO ZONE!!)....Oh sh..... We are 1 day ahead of you as far as temps go. I'm starting stuff the same time you are.
Celery can be very tough to germinate and you definitely have to stay up on the watering. Using the perlite on top really helps with the germination. I have a bunch still growing from summer here in WA. I should probably harvest soon because getting down to 32 isn't the best. They can survive but much colder they won't.
I'm a market gardener in Michigan. I am going to increase the amount of greens I grow. I need them ready for market by April/May, so I will use frost cloth and also a cold frame. Head lettuces, leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, mustards, romaines, etc. It gets too hot here around June/July to continue, so people go crazy for them first thing in the season. Zone 5-6.
Hi Ben, I'm in a colder region (north central AL) with a later frost date, so it is a bit too early for me to start seed starts. I figure I am about three weeks away. Fusarium Wilt (Yellow Head) and bolting were big issues for me this season, because of the warm fall weather. I might get two heads if red cabbage, if I am lucky. If not, the chickens will get more garden goodies to eat. I feel less guilty about spoiling them, as Bella and Goldie have started laying eggs, four eggs in two days. Yeah! Trixie and Ariel are still taking their sweet time with the egg laying thing. I think Trixie thinks she is a Speckled Sussex. Between her and Ariel, it is a slow race to see whose combs and waddles come in last. Trixie is a Rhode Island Red, and they should have been fully developed six weeks ago. They are developing, but are taking their sweet time doing it. Between the two, I am betting Ariel starts laying eggs first. I'm going to plant a more disease resistant and weather resistant cabbage this season, All Season Cabbage. If that doesn't work out for me, I'll move to planting F1 hybrid cabbage that is resistant to Fusarium Wilt. I have a few picked out. My space is limited to what I can fit in three 10x20 trays, so I do a lot of rotating as I get sprouts. I'll start with brassicas, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Then rotate in Romaine lettuce, Swiss Chard, Tokyo Bekana Mustard, Pak Choi, and assorted herbs, basil dill, and cilantro for sure. I already have spearmint, peppermint, chicory, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and parsley growing. Last, I'll do flowers. Mammoth Sunflowers, Alyssum, Cone Flowers, Cosmos, Zinnias, Bachelor Button, and Marigolds are on the flower list. I might try Straw Flower again, only because I have the seeds. Last year, I didn't get a single sprout. It took 19F to kill my Alyssum. I'm not sure they are dead, but they have a lot of freeze burn. I am going to add them to my compost bin, and replant in another area. In February I do a lot of direct sowing, carrots, turnips, golden beets, parsnips, shelling peas, snow peas, more lettuce, and radishes (Malaga and German Giant). Warm season crops don't go in the ground until after all chance of frost has passed, usually between April 6th and April 15th. Of course, I'll have more seedlings to start for them, cantaloupe, Sugar Baby Watermelon, and cucumbers. I think I am going to experiment with Armenian Yard-Long Cucumbers this year, for the chickens. I'll eat some, and sue some for pickles, but about mid season, I get sick of eating them. I grow too many.
Looking fwd to seeing if the napa cabbage works for you. I've started it in Sept and it bolts. I get excellent giant cabbages from Tropic Giant from Park Seed. I sow them mid to late Sept. Harvests June and excellent quality. - low desert of S. Calif. Same zone as you.
Say it with me folks. "Zones dont matter for annuals" temps do but zones don't. Im the same "zone" as Ben but I cant grow the same stuff as him. Zones are only important to perrenials not your annuals.
I plan on selling seedlings this spring, I very much enjoyed your last video about it. Thank you for these videos with seed starting etc.
Hey there ....Celery....Not sure why...maybe I like it with peanut butter...Glad you're fairly close to my general zone(NO ZONE!!)....Oh sh..... We are 1 day ahead of you as far as temps go. I'm starting stuff the same time you are.
Celery can be very tough to germinate and you definitely have to stay up on the watering. Using the perlite on top really helps with the germination. I have a bunch still growing from summer here in WA. I should probably harvest soon because getting down to 32 isn't the best. They can survive but much colder they won't.
there is nothing better than ants on a log!
I'm a market gardener in Michigan. I am going to increase the amount of greens I grow. I need them ready for market by April/May, so I will use frost cloth and also a cold frame. Head lettuces, leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, mustards, romaines, etc. It gets too hot here around June/July to continue, so people go crazy for them first thing in the season. Zone 5-6.
Sounds like you have a solid plan.
Hi Ben,
I'm in a colder region (north central AL) with a later frost date, so it is a bit too early for me to start seed starts. I figure I am about three weeks away. Fusarium Wilt (Yellow Head) and bolting were big issues for me this season, because of the warm fall weather. I might get two heads if red cabbage, if I am lucky. If not, the chickens will get more garden goodies to eat. I feel less guilty about spoiling them, as Bella and Goldie have started laying eggs, four eggs in two days. Yeah! Trixie and Ariel are still taking their sweet time with the egg laying thing. I think Trixie thinks she is a Speckled Sussex. Between her and Ariel, it is a slow race to see whose combs and waddles come in last. Trixie is a Rhode Island Red, and they should have been fully developed six weeks ago. They are developing, but are taking their sweet time doing it. Between the two, I am betting Ariel starts laying eggs first.
I'm going to plant a more disease resistant and weather resistant cabbage this season, All Season Cabbage. If that doesn't work out for me, I'll move to planting F1 hybrid cabbage that is resistant to Fusarium Wilt. I have a few picked out. My space is limited to what I can fit in three 10x20 trays, so I do a lot of rotating as I get sprouts. I'll start with brassicas, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Then rotate in Romaine lettuce, Swiss Chard, Tokyo Bekana Mustard, Pak Choi, and assorted herbs, basil dill, and cilantro for sure. I already have spearmint, peppermint, chicory, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and parsley growing. Last, I'll do flowers. Mammoth Sunflowers, Alyssum, Cone Flowers, Cosmos, Zinnias, Bachelor Button, and Marigolds are on the flower list. I might try Straw Flower again, only because I have the seeds. Last year, I didn't get a single sprout. It took 19F to kill my Alyssum. I'm not sure they are dead, but they have a lot of freeze burn. I am going to add them to my compost bin, and replant in another area.
In February I do a lot of direct sowing, carrots, turnips, golden beets, parsnips, shelling peas, snow peas, more lettuce, and radishes (Malaga and German Giant). Warm season crops don't go in the ground until after all chance of frost has passed, usually between April 6th and April 15th. Of course, I'll have more seedlings to start for them, cantaloupe, Sugar Baby Watermelon, and cucumbers. I think I am going to experiment with Armenian Yard-Long Cucumbers this year, for the chickens. I'll eat some, and sue some for pickles, but about mid season, I get sick of eating them. I grow too many.
Looking fwd to seeing if the napa cabbage works for you. I've started it in Sept and it bolts.
I get excellent giant cabbages from Tropic Giant from Park Seed. I sow them mid to late Sept. Harvests June and excellent quality.
- low desert of S. Calif. Same zone as you.
yeah our weather is totally different though. I will be starting some next week hopefully.
It's a little too early for me to start seeds yet. Watching you plant makes me antsy to start sowing though.
❤❤❤
RYAN HALL STATED TOMARROW STORMS WILL BE IN YOUR AREA.
I know that thank you