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They can get rather tall. Not a Bush type for sure. They tend to set fruit mostly at once, they are determinate. Our area is typically fairly moist, but I've never had and disease issues with them, nor has my dad who gorows them more than I do. We dont really make sauce, just can them whole or in pieces so i cant give any info on that.
 
I have been looking for asparagus seeds. I may order some online, although there is one more plant nursery that I am going to check. I have tried to plant asparagus before, but it has been many years ago. I plan to add mulch and manure to the area before I plant this year and to add a soaker hose to the garden bed for frequent watering.

I wasn't able to find the seeds yet, but I did buy a box of 3 asparagus plants. The directions say to plant when the ground is 50 degrees. Sometimes, by the time that happens, the plants have been out of water, etc. so long, they do not make it. I have had many things fail because of this. I plan on starting these in a pot until we get to 50 degree soil. I still want to start some asparagus seeds.

I bought 100 onion starts and will get them in the ground as soon as I can get the soil turned.

I also got new herb seeds to get started--chamomile, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, and basil.

I have lots of seeds that I need to go through and test or purge.

I planted seeds from 3 key limes last week. I want to plant some grapefruits, oranges, and regular limes as well.

The two lemons I started are growing, but slowly. They are about 4 to 5 inches, images shown. I will move them outside when it gets warm.
Lemen 2, Feb 25, 2019.jpg
 
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My onions arrived today. I ordered 2 bunches of slips, one White Bermuda, and 1 Red Torpedo. I broke the bundles open so the air could get to them so they won't rot. The bunches are advertized to be ~ 75 slips each. I counted 136 Whites and 228 red's. I think I got my moneys worth. They always send a few more to make up for any loses, but never this many. These are mostly gonna be for scallions this spring and summer.
Hopefully the ground will dry out before long. I want to plant these the weekend of March 22nd. The moon and signs are perfect for them
 
The trouble being this far north in a tropical climate is that your growing season is out of sync with the rest of the country.
Our growing season means it's full winter down south so when I want to get seed potatoes for my growing season they just aren't available
and when they are it's just too late to plant because of the heat.
If I want seed potatoes I have to buy organic potatoes and use them as seed.
Case in point if I want Pink Fir or Kipfler potatoes I'm going to have to pay $50 per 10 kilos Plus delivery for them.
If I want Russian Banana seed potatoes from the only Australian supplier I'll have to wait for their August release
and keep them in the crisper in the fridge for next season. I missed last season's release. I'm going to have to pay $10 per kilo Plus delivery for them.
I'm going for long season and short season fingerling potatoes because of their resistance to blight and scab and their ability to be productive under harsh conditions.
With the seasons we've been having here I'm really reluctant to set myself up for failure by growing a
less resilient variety.
 
Tank-Girl said:
The trouble being this far north in a tropical climate is that your growing season is out of sync with the rest of the country.
Our growing season means it's full winter down south so when I want to get seed potatoes for my growing season they just aren't available
and when they are it's just too late to plant because of the heat.
If I want seed potatoes I have to buy organic potatoes and use them as seed.
Case in point if I want Pink Fir or Kipfler potatoes I'm going to have to pay $50 per 10 kilos Plus delivery for them.
If I want Russian Banana seed potatoes from the only Australian supplier I'll have to wait for their August release
and keep them in the crisper in the fridge for next season. I missed last season's release. I'm going to have to pay $10 per kilo Plus delivery for them.
I'm going for long season and short season fingerling potatoes because of their resistance to blight and scab and their ability to be productive under harsh conditions.
With the seasons we've been having here I'm really reluctant to set myself up for failure by growing a
less resilient variety.
Click to expand...


We have that same problem here in the desert. The same when we lived in S Tx.
 
I've made up my mind I'm buying the concrete "reo" mesh panels and star pickets this pension.

It's still way too hot to even think about seed starting European vegetables yet but my
sense of unease is getting stronger and stronger.
Better to buy the big ticket expensive items now rather than wait.

I sprouted some home grown chilli seeds in a ziplock bag on moist paper towel and then
planted them out into seedling punnets.
I can't believe I ran out of chilli products and had to buy some in.
The result is dedicating more garden space to chillies.

I've decided that I'm going to try my hand at growing garlic so I'm going to have
to cold stratify the bulbs in the fridge first to give them a winter before planting them out
in what passes as our "winter".
Growing garlic successfully in this part of the world is very hard.

My fresh ginger will have to be harvested, sorted and new rhizomes planted into
amended beds for next years crop.
This years crop will be very small because the chickens got into the beds and scratched up and ate it.
Yeah....chickens like fresh ginger. Who knew?
 
I need to plant apples and berries to attract bears and deer. That will save a lot of money on the food bill.
 
SheepDog said:
I need to plant apples and berries to attract bears and deer. That will save a lot of money on the food bill.
Click to expand...
Don't let the Game Warden catch you baiting.
On the other hand you can always claim they were causing crop damage and get a deer or bear management permit. ;)
 
Exactly! if the animals eat my food, I eat the animals. :)
 
So today I brought my REO mesh panels and star pickets to make my tomato trellises.

They'll be delivered on Tuesday late after noon.
I'll use a pair of bolt cutters to cut the panels in half length ways.
It'll be a big job esp. considering my shoulders that dislocate at the drop of a hat.
Last time I did this I ended up with massive purple bruises on my hips as I brace
one handle against the inside of a hipbone and use both hands on the other handle to squeeze the
jaws of the bolt cutter shut.
It works after a fashion but there's a cost.
Dragging these panels is hard.
They're 6 meters long and 2.6 meters wide. They're heavy, and bulky.
Thank goodness the star pickets - which are coming in a bundle of 10, are easy enough to move in the singular.
Pounding them in is less traumatic than it could be because I have a heavy duty post dolly.
These tomatoes had better be worth it because I'm paying for them in
blood sweat and tears.
 
Today I cut up more plastic ice cream buckets and lids into seedling tags.
It's a very sturdy food-grade plastic and they last and last many seasons.
I use a alcohol based hand sanitizer to clean off last years names and use a sharpie to
write on the new on the older tags.
Little jobs that need doing to help me get my garden fix without prematurely seedling starting
before I should.
 
I have some old vinyl blinds. I cut them with a paper cutter into strips about 1" wide and 4" long. Then trim them to a point and use a sharpie to write on them. Works really well and it cost me nothing. I have an almost endless supply. You might be able to get the cutoffs from Lowes or Home depot window blind department.
 
backlash said:
I have some old vinyl blinds. I cut them with a paper cutter into strips about 1" wide and 4" long. Then trim them to a point and use a sharpie to write on them. Works really well and it cost me nothing. I have an almost endless supply. You might be able to get the cutoffs from Lowes or Home depot window blind department.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the hint but I live in Australia and there's no Lowes or Home Depot here but I'm sure the American members will be able to see if those stores have off cuts.
Looks like I'm stuck with cutting down ice cream buckets.
 
Tank-Girl said:
Thanks for the hint but I live in Australia and there's no Lowes or Home Depot here but I'm sure the American members will be able to see if those stores have off cuts.
Looks like I'm stuck with cutting down ice cream buckets.
Click to expand...
There must be someplace that sells mini blinds there.
This type of paper cutter makes short work of cutting plastic garden markers.
iu
 
I ordered another 4' grow mat and some heavy duty seed trays. I am going to buy a couple of 4' shop light holders today. I bought 2 cases of LED bulbs at Lowe's last year on closeout for $9 a case so I'm set for bulbs. It looks like the weather is starting to improve. We are forecast to get into the 40s in a couple of weeks so the snow will melt away and I can think about spring gardening. I am tired of cold and snow, it has been one of the longest winters ever.
 
I found out that the broccoli seeds I brought are for sprouting broccoli which has small heads and
not the large headed broccoli I wanted.
*sigh*
Back to the on-line seed store I go.
I successfully grew huge beautiful broccoli last winter for the first time ever and I got addicted to the
taste of garden fresh.
Nothing compares.
 
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