when are you sowing your garden this year?

[hollohas]

Yes please! I think that this is what was in my head, because I think there was a pic of your garden up somewhere here before. Could you perhaps do a close up or explain how you attached the plastic to your garden for ease of placing/removing? I was thinking about putting grommets or something on the double/tripled up plastic or something like that and some hooks of some kind.

Currently one side of the plastic has brass grommets installed through the end of the plastic that has been folded over itself 4-5 times giving it a thicker seam. The grommets hook to simple screws that are in the outside of the boards sticking out an inch. I tried using grommets on both sides but I found that the stress each day pulling it to cover/un-cover/hook, the grommets pulled out. So now I just use the grommets on one side and the spring clamps you see in the picture on the other side. This makes it very easy to pull back each day and it has weathered some pretty serious wind as well.

I don't have closeup pictures with me but will post some tonight.

[hollohas]

Screw the HoA.

My thoughts exactly. Mine hasn't given me trouble...yet. This is year two with the hoop houses on the garden.

[HoneyBadger]

so the noobs have all given up?

Nope, I'm still in! My bean sprouts are about 4 inches tall now.

Edit: It seems that I am MONTHS behind hollohas. I guess I should have started everything inside and transplanted it. I won't have any veggies until August at this rate...

[cofi]

Nope, I'm still in! My bean sprouts are about 4 inches tall now.

Edit: It seems that I am MONTHS behind hollohas. I guess I should have started everything inside and transplanted it. I won't have any veggies until August at this rate...

US too everything's only got a few leaves on em

Next year were going to start inside and run hoops

[hollohas]

Peas are taking off. Look close at the 2nd picture to see them. They'll be ready to pick on Thursday or Fri. However, my 4 year old can't wait so she picked a couple dozen and ate them this evening while I was out watering. She'd grab a few, then follow me around. When those few were gone, she ran back to get another few and this went on the whole time I was out working. The girl LOVES the garden.

[hollohas]

Next year were going to start inside and run hoops

I guess I should have started everything inside and transplanted it. I won't have any veggies until August at this rate...

The first time I started seeds inside I made a mistake and the plants didn't grow strong. I mounted the lights much too high. I've found that the most important thing is to keep the lights mere inches (1-2) above the plants. But not everything transplants well. Tomatoes, peppers, celery, onions, strawberries and herbs are what I start inside. Some people start lettuce, cucumbers, squash and beans inside but they grow fast enough I don't see the point in starting them inside. I had two zucchini plants last year and they produced twice as much as I could eat, so no need to start them early. Spaghetti squash? I had two plants and I still have 4 squash in the basement that need to be eaten...they were direct sowed outside last year. But that's one reason I LOVE winter squash...they last through the winter and spring in the cool basement. Something that's very important if food supplies were short.

Also, carrots do not transplant well at all...it makes them not grow straight for some reason.

I am still experimenting. I have a pretty small yard so I'm working on some methods for small spaces. This is my second year with a real garden of my own but my Dad kept a very large garden when I was growing up that I spent some time in and that has helped wonders. I hope to pass that on to my kiddos too.

[rbeau30]

I had two plants and I still have 4 squash in the basement that need to be eaten...they were direct sowed outside last year. But that's one reason I LOVE winter squash...they last through the winter and spring in the cool basement. Something that's very important if food supplies were short.

Do you have a thermometer in your basement? I have storage areas in my basement where I have the space to keep things like this. I can always can it, but fresh is nice too.

I think it stays pretty cool.

[Brian]

So I have well over half a 10x4 bed that's just bare soil right now, and several packets of seeds just sitting around (carrots, onions, peas, beans). I went ahead and started planting some of them tonight. Any chance I will see something I can eat by the end of the summer at this point?

[cofi]

So I have well over half a 10x4 bed that's just bare soil right now, and several packets of seeds just sitting around (carrots, onions, peas, beans). I went ahead and started planting some of them tonight. Any chance I will see something I can eat by the end of the summer at this point?

We direct sow last year in the middle of July and still pulled veggies

[hollohas]

So I have well over half a 10x4 bed that's just bare soil right now, and several packets of seeds just sitting around (carrots, onions, peas, beans). I went ahead and started planting some of them tonight. Any chance I will see something I can eat by the end of the summer at this point?

All of those veggies (except onion) are typically ready to harvest in 60-75 days depending on the variety. Carrots will be the on the longer side of that range. Peas usually prefer cooler spring weather so may not be as productive during the summer but if they stay strong they should give you a bigger harvest in the fall.

Onions however can be 100-120 days or more to harvest so they may be pushing it. However they can tolerate some cold so you may be good.

Plant them all and see what happens.