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Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R


My goal is to make my neighbors think I'm growing something other than tomatoes.

The peppers and tomatoes still have 6 more weeks to grow before they'll be safe outside, so I'm hoping this will sate them until then.

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Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

Videodrome posted:

Your setup looks just like my college apartment when I was growing something other than tomatoes. Those lights aren't going to cut it, especially for tomatoes.

It just has to keep seedlings *not dead* for 6 weeks. Keep in mind, the window does provide supplemental light during the day. I don't plan on keeping tomatoes happy and bearing fruit with that sort of light.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

jovial_cynic posted:

And the lack of sunlight isn't helping any of the plants I kept inside. I think that, without a grow light, I won't be able to keep many of my plants going for too long. Sad sad. I may hunt around for a grow light, but that may end up meaning that I'll grow fewer plants at a time until our "actual" growing season starts... which isn't until May, pretty much.

A big shop light is like $20 from home depot. The hardware to hang it above your plants should be less than $40 depending on what you have on hand. Florescent lamps grow seedlings just fine, in my limited experience. My tomatoes and peppers aren't dead yet, at any rate.

The way electricity costs are out here, my lamps cost me less than $0.10 a day to run.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
Hey guys, I'm having trouble getting some garden beans to sprout. This is the 4th time I've tried to plant them. At this point, I don't really care if I get a harvest out of them, I just want to solve the problem:

Each plant has thus far sprouted with completely devoured seed leaves, and thus died shortly after poking up. The few plants that have survived with enough leaf intact have continued on without any trouble, so there has to be something in the dirt devouring the leaves before they have a chance to see the light of day.

After a little bit of digging, I found large number of pill bugs in the bean box. After googling around, it seems like the only way to get rid of them is to remove the conditions that attract them in the first place. I can't really let the soil dry out (they breath through primitive "gills," to they have to live somewhere moist) without killing everything in the box already. There shouldn't be anything rotting in the box for them to munch on, but the boxes are made of wood.

So, in short: Are pill bugs killing my beans, and if so, how do I get rid of them?

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
The seed warming mats will generally raise the temperature about 10 degrees F. Optimal germinations takes place for most plants around 70F. Some plants germinate better a little higher, some a little lower, but there isn't much that won't germinate at 70F. See here: http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
Got my seeds from Fedco today. I think I might have over ordered a little. Most of this should last a couple years, at least, though.


Click here for the full 1500x650 image.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
There are many juglone tolerant plants which can act as "buffers." Many of these plants are also nitrogen fixing, as well. Among these are Hackberries, Wolfberries, Mulberry, Elderberry, and most members of the Eleaegnus family. Many of these plants are also good understory plants, as well, so plant as close to the tree as you'd like.

If you buffer your garden by planting these things near the dripline of the tree, you should be able to use the space immediately past the buffer for a garden without much issue. Provided you live anywhere that gets decent rain, you'll probably only suffer a couple of season of reduced harvest.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
Peaceful Valley sells crowns by the pound, like $7. I got ~40 crowns in my 1 lbs.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

El Bano posted:

Can I plant the garlic cloves from the garlic heads I buy in the grocery store?

Sometimes, sometimes not. Some garlic growers treat their garlic with something that reduces their ability to sprout (results in longer shelf life).

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

GD_American posted:

Growing tomatoes for the first time ever; I did a few topsy-turveys and a bunch in the ground. Can these plants go year to year, or do you have to come back with new tomato plants every year?

To answer one of your questions: Biologically, tomatoes are perennials, but unless you go to great lengths to keep them from freezing, or live in the tropics, they are cultivated as annuals.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

Lackadaisical posted:

Sounds do-able! Does the wood need to be treated or anything first? Will the water cause it to rot? Also, if I decide to make a standing box, is it just as easy? :) Thanks for all the advice!

Cedar fence pickets are super cheap, and reasonably rot-resistant. Here are some ideas for ultra cheap planter boxes: http://ana-white.com/2010/05/hack-natural-rustic-cedar-raised-beds.html

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

cheese eats mouse posted:

I was considering grow bags instead of plastic pots. Anyone have trouble with those? The price is way cheaper than plastic pots.

Landscaping companies will sometimes sell extra plastic pots for super, super cheap. Might be worth calling around.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R
Came across this the other day:

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/blaineo/2984552937/in/photostream/

Would this really be as simple as putting some hydroponic grow media in a gutter, and circulating a nutrient solution with a small pump? Or is there something I'm missing? Seems like this could be thrown together really inexpensively.

Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

cowofwar posted:

Yep, hydroponics is cool. Many people cut holes in PVC pipes. You have to be very careful with the water temperature, pH, and nutrient levels.

If you really want to have fun you can get in to aquaponics. It's the same thing as hydroponics but it incorporates a fish tank. The fish excrete ammonia as waste which is fixed by bacteria in the grow beds and turned in to nitrogen for the plants. This makes it so that you don't have to add nutrients to the water and you get fish to eat. It's great in warm climates in a green house with rapid growing fish.

Just search hydroponics or aquaponics on youtube, there are tons of videos. It's a huge, geek friendly culture.

Oh, I know it can get as complicated as I'd like it to get. I'm curious about the flaws in my brilliant plan to throw coconut coir into some recycle gutters, and circulate an off-the-shelf nutrient solution around it, since all these bits are very cheap at the local hydroponic supply store. I know nutrient levels, pH, and temperature are critical, but it still seems too simple.

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Zuph
Jul 24, 2003
Zupht0r 6000 Turbo Type-R

Breaky posted:

Sorry but what is EMT?

Electrical Metallic Tubing. Metal wire conduit.

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