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Just got finished planting 2 beds of Yukon Golds spuds. I bought 8 lbs of seed taters, finished up with the best leftovers from last years crop. Here's a few pics of what going so far..
 

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After I pruned back my tomatoes, I was able to grow clones off the trimmings. This has me thinking about clones vs collecting 2nd and 3rd generation seeds. Today, most of the seeds are hybrids and collecting the seeds from their fruit may result in un-desirable traits, that get worse with each generation removed. So I'm wondering, would I be better off to only plant a few, and then make clones to get the total number of plants that I want? I know that cloning takes more time and that there are losses, but the questions remain, how long could you keep them going using this approach and what are the unforeseen/unexpected results?
 
After I pruned back my tomatoes, I was able to grow clones off the trimmings. This has me thinking about clones vs collecting 2nd and 3rd generation seeds. Today, most of the seeds are hybrids and collecting the seeds from their fruit may result in un-desirable traits, that get worse with each generation removed. So I'm wondering, would I be better off to only plant a few, and then make clones to get the total number of plants that I want? I know that cloning takes more time and that there are losses, but the questions remain, how long could you keep them going using this approach and what are the unforeseen/unexpected results?
As long as the cutting are taken while the plant is still in the vegetative state you could continue forever if the tomatoes act like cannabis.

At least that is what I was told.

Ben
 
B4 n After, Hmmmm, seems 2B bass ackwards, After then B4...!!!

015 n 016 are B4 and 006 n 007 are Afters Respectively :confused2:
 

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Apple Trees are getting there...
 

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Beautiful Sky to the East this afternoon...

and the Reason why I do what I do with this property :

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First off, I don't "garden". I play at raising plants that produce "something". I've done that for about 4 years & I've expanded slowly. The first 4 years I spent more that what I raised would cost to buy but I enjoyed it. The 4th year I was building on what I had learned & was doing well UNTIL we had 2 weeks or more of HOT weather (over 100 degrees every day). Everything I had died in that 2 week period. This year I've changed a few things like where I put my beds & I added sun screens over all the plants that I can have up or take down. I've also expanded our water barrels because we more or less live in a desert. Have I learned enough to withstand our heat here, time will tell.
 
I’m not much of a gardener but I do like to plant flowers. I usually just plant a couple tomato plants in a grow bag. But I’ll be planting tomatoes, creeping phlox, clematis, columbines, four o’clocks. I don’t compost, either, it I may start composting if I can decide on a good composting tumbler.

But, in the meantime, is there anything I can put in the hole when I plant anything? Coffee grounds, kombucha SCOBY, wilted lettuce, carrot or potato peels? Any suggestions from you experienced gardeners would be helpful.
 
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I’m my much of a gardener but I do like to plant flowers. I usually just plant a couple tomato plants in a grow bag. But I’ll be planting tomatoes, creeping phlox, clematis, columbines, four o’clocks. I don’t compost, either, it I may start composting if I can decide on a good composting tumbler.

But, in the meantime, is there anything I can put in the hole when I plant anything? Coffee grounds, kombucha SCOBY, wilted lettuce, carrot or potato peels? Any suggestions from you experienced gardeners would be helpful.
When planting, compost and appropriate fertilizer.

In advance of planting, yes organics should help. When the organics are breaking down they can inhibit the plants. After the worms have done their job and the microbes start to make nutrients soluble, then it can help the plants.

Ben
 
I transplanted some kale, green and red cabbage, beets and broccoli from pots to the garden yesterday. I know it will freeze again but I will just cover them up with a ton of old dog blankets and ripped sheets. I do this every year with good results, as long as it doesn't go below 20 which it shouldn't at this point
 
All my indoor growing stations now have irrigation installed. I tested one today and came to the conclusion that I need to pickup some timers with finer calibration, it took 45 seconds to completely fill all the trays... I found a couple of timers that have second capability that will hopefully answer the need.

Today, I had siphon break fittings arrive, I plan to install them before the filters on my outdoor irrigation system. If they work as expected, they will allow me to completely automate my garden watering system.

I looked at a sprinkler control system that had interesting capabilities, including a boost pump relay control, this could be a very good addition to my system. But, the cost is a little high, I figure about $350 in parts just to set it up.... It would let me irrigate different parts of the garden independently and I could even control it from my phone. Now that has so many ways to go wrong... :)
 
All my indoor growing stations now have irrigation installed. I tested one today and came to the conclusion that I need to pickup some timers with finer calibration, it took 45 seconds to completely fill all the trays... I found a couple of timers that have second capability that will hopefully answer the need.

Today, I had siphon break fittings arrive, I plan to install them before the filters on my outdoor irrigation system. If they work as expected, they will allow me to completely automate my garden watering system.

I looked at a sprinkler control system that had interesting capabilities, including a boost pump relay control, this could be a very good addition to my system. But, the cost is a little high, I figure about $350 in parts just to set it up.... It would let me irrigate different parts of the garden independently and I could even control it from my phone. Now that has so many ways to go wrong... :)
That would be $350 well spent, you would really enjoy it!! Wouldn't it be nice to water what you want to water WHEN you want to, home or not!?!
 
That would be $350 well spent, you would really enjoy it!! Wouldn't it be nice to water what you want to water WHEN you want to, home or not!?!
Yes, but I've already blown my allowance for the next 2 months, maybe next year... Hey it will give me something to think about next winter, unless I won the lottery... In that case I would replace everything, maybe someplace closer to @hashbrown and @Bacpacker ;)
 
Finished assembly of this year's raised bed.

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I still have to build the tip lip and cages for it. Although it came from same place as last year's, it differs in how the center is reinforced to prevent it from bowing out.

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While working I noticed this years pest control on the raspberry bushes.

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Praying Mantis egg cases.

It may be a week or so before I can load up the logs in the raised bed due rain.

A final note. I have 5 True Potato Seeds seedlings up now.

Ben
 
Has anyone planted potatoes today on Good Friday? Any notable results by doing so? I am going to plant a few although I am concerned of rot due to extreme amounts of rainfall with more to come next week. May only try a couple dozen.
I planted mine yesterday.
 
@Bacpacker, what's your spacing on your spuds? Is that 5 across in a 4ft wide bed? (love your beds btw) If I can get away with planting my spuds that close, that would be a huge help this year.
I shoot for 8-12", but I don't measure at all. I'm sure some are tighter than that. I grew them in a 3' be last year with 4 rows. I got 2 bushel from 2 3x12 beds. I was happy

Flatlander, I planted mine Wednesday this week. We used to plant a lot of stuff on Good Friday. But now days I try and go more by the planting signs. Plus this year I wanted to get some taters going early, so I can harvest around July 4th. If I can, I'll replant anything with a sprout to get a late harvest in October. Last year as an experiment I replanted in mid August and got half a bushel of smaller taters before frost in October. Another 3-4 weeks they would have made a good size.
 
I shoot for 8-12", but I don't measure at all. I'm sure some are tighter than that. I grew them in a 3' be last year with 4 rows. I got 2 bushel from 2 3x12 beds. I was happy

Flatlander, I planted mine Wednesday this week. We used to plant a lot of stuff on Good Friday. But now days I try and go more by the planting signs. Plus this year I wanted to get some taters going early, so I can harvest around July 4th. If I can, I'll replant anything with a sprout to get a late harvest in October. Last year as an experiment I replanted in mid August and got half a bushel of smaller taters before frost in October. Another 3-4 weeks they would have made a good size.
I just learned that spuds and corn can be planted together in small gardens. I just planted spuds and when the moon turns, I will plant corn right over the too of them. It’s an experiment so will have to see.
 
I just learned that spuds and corn can be planted together in small gardens. I just planted spuds and when the moon turns, I will plant corn right over the too of them. It’s an experiment so will have to see.
hmmmmm, CornTots...?!?
 

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