I'm in zone 5a and just started my onion and leek seeds yesterday (first for the onions from seed). I like to grow food for the year and with limited growing days its all about getting a lot done in a short time. I have a big back yard and its mostly gardens and fruit trees. I started a new garden at a friends house outside of town and that adds to what I can put up for the year. I can't imagine not having gardens, I grew up with hands in the dirt. I do need to be better about planning though. I have a lot of tomato products left from the last few years so I am planning on less, but that is hard for me, because tomatoes are just so good! Every year I try something new, last year was jicama, wow is it good fresh. Next month I'm leading a seed starting mini class for a local group I'm in, its always fun to grow. We ate sweet potatoes for dinner last night that I grew. It can be done but you need to be on top of timing. Oh and I actually put some potatoes in the ground in the fall just to see what happens.
Can I just say I have had a summer garden for years. I started with “store bought” starters. When things changed( aka the nursery burned down) people would change the tags to get cheaper prices! Sad but true, so be careful . It happened earlier this year ( new place, city, state) and it happened again and I ended up growing something I do NOT like growing.( as seedlings, a starter or new to gardening person would not know the difference !)I thought I purchased a beefsteak but ended up with cherry tomatoes). This year back to seed planting, where I KNOW what I am growing and preserving! Since I make my own tomato products, ( sauces, etc… cherry tomatoes are too small! ) Thank you so much for your information! Ha had to laugh as I have the same plastic containers ( for photos) that I put my seeds in! Woohoo! Great information
Can I just say I have had a summer garden for years. I started with “store bought” starters. When things changed( aka the nursery burned down) people would change the tags to get cheaper prices! Sad but true, so be careful . It happened earlier this year ( new place, city, state) and it happened again and I ended up growing something I do NOT like growing.( as seedlings, a starter or new to gardening person would not know the difference !)I thought I purchased a beefsteak but ended up with cherry tomatoes). This year back to seed planting, where I KNOW what I am growing and preserving! Since I make my own tomato products, ( sauces, etc… cherry tomatoes are too small! ) Thank you so much for your information!
Was hoping to see your planting map or chart. Good tips God bless Ps I planted green beans bush outside row of broccoli and no cabbage loppers and really healthy
I am in 8a. When doing seed shopping how do you know they r for your zone, if they r for high tunnel and d what does all that f1 hybrid mean? Can u do a video asap so I can order my seeds
Your zone only means the average cold temperatures that your area gets in the winter. Zone is more important for perennials like fruit trees that can survive only down to a certain temp. For example, I have a lemon tree but if it gets colder than 10 degrees, it will kill the tree. If I protect it from those cold temps, the tree will live and produce year after year. You mostly want to look at temperatures that vegetables will not survive in. Most of your summer crops - tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, melons, peppers - will not survive any temperature that could produce a frost or freeze. Your fall and spring crops like cabbage, broccoli, peas, carrots will tolerate frosts and some of the cabbage and broccoli will even survive a freeze. Try googling what it is you want to grow and asking the question " How cold can tomatoes tolerate?" In seed catalogs and online they will often tell you if a certain variety means that it is for a high tunnel. Just look at the description. A lot of high tunnel varieties will be self pollinated to allow for good production without bees, and insects needing to pollinate them. F1 hybrid is simply a seed that is produced by crossing 2 different parent plants of the same type. For instance, a seed company may cross a California wonder pepper and and emerald giant bell pepper. Perhaps they want the size of the emerald giant pepper but also want the high production of the California wonder pepper. The resulting seed would result in the best qualities of these 2 plants. I really like f1 hybrid tomatoes because they allow me to grow tomatoes with less disease that will continue to produce in the high summer temps here. Most heirloom tomatoes will die from disease and stop setting fruit when the temps get too hot. Hybrids give me the ability to grow and harvest more. Hope this helps!!!!
I'm in zone 5a and just started my onion and leek seeds yesterday (first for the onions from seed). I like to grow food for the year and with limited growing days its all about getting a lot done in a short time. I have a big back yard and its mostly gardens and fruit trees. I started a new garden at a friends house outside of town and that adds to what I can put up for the year. I can't imagine not having gardens, I grew up with hands in the dirt. I do need to be better about planning though. I have a lot of tomato products left from the last few years so I am planning on less, but that is hard for me, because tomatoes are just so good! Every year I try something new, last year was jicama, wow is it good fresh. Next month I'm leading a seed starting mini class for a local group I'm in, its always fun to grow. We ate sweet potatoes for dinner last night that I grew. It can be done but you need to be on top of timing. Oh and I actually put some potatoes in the ground in the fall just to see what happens.
I'm in 5a and also growing onions from seed for the first time. Wishing you a bountiful harvest!
Another video that’s chock full of well-organized, great information. Thank you for taking the time to put this together.💗🌻🌱🌷
❤
I so appreciate this video it just helps me be more excited thank you
Can I just say I have had a summer garden for years. I started with “store bought” starters. When things changed( aka the nursery burned down) people would change the tags to get cheaper prices! Sad but true, so be careful . It happened earlier this year ( new place, city, state) and it happened again and I ended up growing something I do NOT like growing.( as seedlings, a starter or new to gardening person would not know the difference !)I thought I purchased a beefsteak but ended up with cherry tomatoes).
This year back to seed planting, where I KNOW what I am growing and preserving!
Since I make my own tomato products, ( sauces, etc… cherry tomatoes are too small! )
Thank you so much for your information! Ha had to laugh as I have the same plastic containers ( for photos) that I put my seeds in! Woohoo! Great information
Can I just say I have had a summer garden for years. I started with “store bought” starters. When things changed( aka the nursery burned down) people would change the tags to get cheaper prices! Sad but true, so be careful . It happened earlier this year ( new place, city, state) and it happened again and I ended up growing something I do NOT like growing.( as seedlings, a starter or new to gardening person would not know the difference !)I thought I purchased a beefsteak but ended up with cherry tomatoes).
This year back to seed planting, where I KNOW what I am growing and preserving!
Since I make my own tomato products, ( sauces, etc… cherry tomatoes are too small! )
Thank you so much for your information!
Was hoping to see your planting map or chart. Good tips God bless
Ps I planted green beans bush outside row of broccoli and no cabbage loppers and really healthy
This was helpful for me to plan. This is my second year with a garden.
I love hearing that! I hope your garden is a success this year!
I am in 8a. When doing seed shopping how do you know they r for your zone, if they r for high tunnel and d what does all that f1 hybrid mean?
Can u do a video asap so I can order my seeds
Your zone only means the average cold temperatures that your area gets in the winter. Zone is more important for perennials like fruit trees that can survive only down to a certain temp. For example, I have a lemon tree but if it gets colder than 10 degrees, it will kill the tree. If I protect it from those cold temps, the tree will live and produce year after year.
You mostly want to look at temperatures that vegetables will not survive in. Most of your summer crops - tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, melons, peppers - will not survive any temperature that could produce a frost or freeze. Your fall and spring crops like cabbage, broccoli, peas, carrots will tolerate frosts and some of the cabbage and broccoli will even survive a freeze. Try googling what it is you want to grow and asking the question " How cold can tomatoes tolerate?"
In seed catalogs and online they will often tell you if a certain variety means that it is for a high tunnel. Just look at the description. A lot of high tunnel varieties will be self pollinated to allow for good production without bees, and insects needing to pollinate them.
F1 hybrid is simply a seed that is produced by crossing 2 different parent plants of the same type. For instance, a seed company may cross a California wonder pepper and and emerald giant bell pepper. Perhaps they want the size of the emerald giant pepper but also want the high production of the California wonder pepper. The resulting seed would result in the best qualities of these 2 plants.
I really like f1 hybrid tomatoes because they allow me to grow tomatoes with less disease that will continue to produce in the high summer temps here. Most heirloom tomatoes will die from disease and stop setting fruit when the temps get too hot. Hybrids give me the ability to grow and harvest more.
Hope this helps!!!!
@MorganHillFarms yes that helps alot. Thank you.