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Introduction
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Posted by rawb 5 shore of lake Er (My Page) on Tue, Feb 17, 09 at 7:42
| Hello folks! Rob here. I am on the south shore of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Oh. And a new gardener. I have been lurking for a few months posted a few questions, mostly in container forum.
I have a question! LoL I am planning on starting my seeds around the last week of March, as May 15 is my target date for setting plants out. Anyone here in this area or zone? Is that when you start your seeds?
Rob |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Introduction
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| Welcome, Rob. It depends on what you are planning to grow. I start hardening off my plants around May 5 or 10 so we are pretty close, zone-wise. I started some impatiens and petunias today. Allysums, eggplant and coleus in about two weeks. Zinnias, asters and a host of others in mid to late March. tj |
RE: Introduction
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- Posted by rawb 5 shore of lake Er (My Page) on
Fri, Feb 20, 09 at 6:29
| tsugajunkie Thanks for the welcome. I have to get my grow lights set up. Get my tomato's and peppers going. Still debating to start the marigolds indoors or direct sow. So many choices/decisions in this gardening biz... LoL problem is you have to wait a yr to try it again if you choose a wrong route. Rob |
RE: Introduction
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| I'd wait on the tomatoes. I used to start them mid-March but found 4-1 is better. Two things tomatoes hate are the cold and cramped roots. By starting them later it avoids a couple potting up steps (they're among the last to go outside) and they do just fine. The only marigold I grow is a taller variety called "Crackerjack" and I start it inside in mid-March. As for lights, I use simple fluorescent lights, half the bulbs warm white, half cool white and it is plenty of a light spectrum for the short time the plants are inside. Keep it a couple inches above the plants. On for 15-16 hours off for 8-9. Been doing it this way for about 20yrs now. Any questions, feel free to ask. Good luck. tj |
RE: Introduction
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| Hi I'm also from Cleveland, northeast side and this is my first attempt at gardening and posting too. I would like to have green beans, do you start those from seed indoors or right into the ground with the seed? When is a good time to do that? I guess I'm afraid to make a mistake because you do have to wait until the next year. I'm looking out my window and it's snowing like crazy...isn't spring just around the corner! TJ thanks for the tips on the tomatoe plant. Is there a way to volunteer at this stuff so you don't make costly mistakes? |
RE: Introduction
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- Posted by rawb 5 shore of lake Er (My Page) on
Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 18:31
| Katie, howzit out there in the lake? Waters cold isn't it? LoL. Anyways... you want to volunteer? http://cuyahoga.osu.edu/ ( ok don't know why it didn't hyperlink ) but that is the web address for the county extention office. Ran by Ohio State University. They offer Master Gardener class's. Once you take the course you have to volunteer for them for x amount of times. ( forget what it was ) They have a great faq on the site just about on every veg and flower. And if you are still in need of help can call them on Mondays and Thursdays. Or you can e-mail a Master Gardener with a question. Their there to help you with growing what ever it is that will grow in our area/county? Green beans I believe can/should be direct sowed in your garden or container ( if your a container gardener ) after the last frost and the ground warms up some. In our area probably want to use May 15 as our last frost date and take it from there! I am around the Brook Park and Broadview area ( southside ) I am curious though... since Cleveland is on the lake.... I didn't know there was a northside? But hey nice to meet you Katie. Got a question let me know I'll share what I know .... LoL isn't much, but I'll share it.. Later
Rob |
RE: Introduction
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| Memorial Day is generally when I plant beans outside and my last frost date is around May 1. As Rob mentioned, the ground needs to have warmed up first or the seeds may rot waiting to germinate. tj |
RE: Introduction
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- Posted by rawb 5 shore of lake Er (My Page) on
Mon, Feb 23, 09 at 10:18
| tj! I was planning on starting the maters and such around the last week of March. When I said getting my lights set up I meant buying them and getting the grow area set up and ready to go. 20 yrs! cool. Maybe you can give me an experianced answer to this? First I think I will explain ....
I am going to grow in the bottom part of an abandoned aquarium stand. 55 gal. Want to go with two 2 tube 2ft fixtures. One light to start some seed and the other to put them under, while I start a new batch under the other one. I plan on inclosing it with foil covered cardboard, hopefully to make it nice and bright. Now my question is this; Would a 2 tube fixture suffice? Or would the seedlings not directly under the light tube get leggy? That's why I was going to foil the side top and bottom to keep the light bouncing everywhere. My head says 4 tubes wide .... but my budget doesn't allow for that this yr.. So I am hoping 2 tube wide will do! Rob |
RE: Introduction
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| Well...ideally, it is best to to have the lights a couple of inches above the seedlings. Never tried the foil thing. How many tomatoes, peppers and eveything else do you hope to ultimately put under these two fixtures? tj |
RE: Introduction
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- Posted by rawb 5 shore of lake Er (My Page) on
Thu, Feb 26, 09 at 10:36
| tj, Yes. That is why I thinking two 2ft'ers. Raise the light accordingly as I start a new batch under the other light!maters and peppers I think will start in the bigger tomato peet pods. Everything else I am going to grow can be direct sowed. Marigolds? As stated still debating if I want to start a flat or two, or direct sow... |
RE: Introduction
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| hello, i'm down in akron area. try looking for zone buddies here on garden web. they can be searched by zip code. katie, its best to wait to plant beans when the ground is warm. also you you can keepl planting some every few weeks.
over time i've learned that bush beans will give one big harvest and then straggle along, but pole beans give a continuous harvest. so when i plant bush beans i plant every 2 weeks, then as the next batch comes in, i pull the old ones and plant other things or more beans. i've planted them at the end of july and still have gotten a crop before it frosts. But beans really like warm soil. 65 degrees or better. sweet peas like it cool. i've planted them as early as St. Pats day and then every week after. but you usually have better luck waiting until April 15. peas will stand a bit of frost. diggerb. |
RE: Introduction
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| I started onions and geraniums back in January. The cold crops in February. Long season flowers in early March. I just started some early tomatoes that will go out first under those water teepees when I plant the cold crops. I'll wait to start the peppers and most of the tomatoes until April. I have always regretted putting peppers out before June 1 here in Z5 Michigan (middle of the mitten). |
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