Spring is in the air!

Warmer weather has been visiting the past week and it has been such a wonderful surprise.  Fingers crossed the arctic chill has left and we are on to sweaty summer days!  Tomato plants are coming along and spring garden vegetables will be planted soon.  What are you planning on growing this spring?

If you would like assistance planning your garden, this Saturday there is a workshop at Ten-Speed Greens in Tallahassee.  I have not attended a Ten-Sped Greens workshop, but would really like to.  Although I was originally planning on going, I am not sure if I am going to make it this time.  Additionally, they will have their market open with fresh veggies for sale.  Native Nursery  is also having a free Gardening 101 workshop Saturday.  I have attended this workshop a few times and it is great, if you are just starting out and the employees at Native Nursery are very friendly, helpful, and willing to answer any questions you may have.

This year, I am going to have a few varieties of heirloom tomatoes.  I like the selection at Native Nursery because they are regionally produced and do well in this area.  Additionally, I bought some seed that I am going to germinate.  My favorites are the grape and cherry tomatoes.  They are easier to grow than the larger producing tomatoes and they produce more fruits.  Last year, we did not harvest many tomatoes because the squirrels feasted on them.  Last fall, we built an enclosed raised bed with removable screened panels.  This year, we are going to grow tomatoes in there in hopes of salvaging some.

Picture from Ramcharan, C. 1999

One of my favorite plants that got hit really hard this past winter is Culantro.  For those not familiar with the plant, it is fantastic!  It tastes just like cilantro, but is a biennial herb, so you get the cilantro fresh and year round!  Culantro is rich in calcium, iron, carotene, and riboflavin.  Surprisingly, the three plants I have survived the frequent freezes this past winter, but are barely hanging in there. 

My winter lettuce greens are doing well and with the recent warmer weather have taken off.  I am considering moving my spinach and arugula to a lightly shaded bed in hopes of keeping it growing through spring.  Have you tried transplanting winter greens to keep them going through the spring?  How did it work for you?

Tomato crazy

Had the wonderful opportunity to attend a tomato workshop at the Native Nursery. Native Nursery is a small nursery that offers many workshops, most of which are free. This was the first workshop I attended and I was very happy I did. Not only was the workshop free, but it was very informative. In addition to discussing the various heirloom tomatoes that have proven to perform well in this area, the person leading the workshop informed the participants on how to best grow tomatoes in the ground and in containers. The information session was then followed by a demonstration of planting in a garden and in a container.

Some of the tips and things in the workshop included:

Determinate and Indeterminate. Did you know that tomato plants can produce for a long time? Indeterminate tomatoes can produce throughout spring, summer, and into the fall. During he hottest months, such as August, are too hot for the tomato plant flowers, but once the peak heat has passed, the plants will produce fruit until the temperatures get too cold. Determinate tomato plants have a shorter fruiting season and will not produce into the fall.

Planting Deep. Because tomato plants are vines, the deeper the plant is planted, the more roots will grow to support and nourish the plant. A deeper root system will also help the plant during the hot summer days, allow the plant to soak up more water from the soil.

Mushroom Compost. In addition to being a good fertilizer, mushroom compost inhibits fungal growth. A few handfuls of mushroom compost tossed in around the roots, when planting the young tomato plant was suggested, in addition to a handful of natural fertilizer.


Meet Dr. Marvel and Farmer Herman's Little Yeller, two of the heirloom varieties carried at Native Nursery. Both varieties were cultivated at Turkey Hill Farm, a local wholesale nursery. The Little Yeller is a tart, yellow, cherry tomato and the Dr. Marvel is a beefsteak tomato. Both varieties are supposed to start producing within 90-100 days and are indeterminate. Can't wait to watch them grow!

Distractions

As the semester closes in, I find myself looking feverishly for distractions. Why? I have no idea; they are the last thing I need, but none the less are what I am focusing on. So, I bought a fluorescent fixture and tubes to light the sun thirsty plants that must reside inside away from the freezing temperatures. Unfortunately, the two aloes look like they are not going to make it, as the cold over the past few nights has caused their succulent leaves to grow limp form the water freezing and expanding, bursting the cells.

However, being that the fixture was only $8 and the tubes were not much more, I decided it would a low cost hobby and would allow me to spend time learning something I have been wanting to do for ages anyway. So, I plan on buying some seeds and trying my hand at propagation and will hopefully have some little seedlings by the time winter break is over. Since I am going to be in Florida for about a week at the end of the month, I am going to start some seeds at the green house under the light benches there.

It is exciting! Just in trying to figure out what type of light and fixture to get, there was a plethora of information. Reading up and researching has always been my favorite part of learning something new. I just hope it does not increase the electric bill; that is the main reason I had not started growing plants inside before. What has changed my mind? Surely it is not the decrease in the price of nrg.... no, but the fluorescent lights are supposed to be good on nrg consumption and the way things are going, I felt like I needed something pleasant and rewarding that was not time consuming. So, in essence I'm being selfish; however, since I plan on sharing the plants, giving them to others, I feel that offsets the selfishness.