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The pumpkin is out, the corn is up (what the cutworms didn't get...dammit!). I should have done the corn indoors, but that's okay....what came up, got transplanted into "trio" hills and pumpkins are planted in between, throughout.
That is interesting! I didn't think of putting the Pumpkins/squash in between the corn. is that ok?? I feel the vine leaders will choke the corn.
Recognize the bottom right there? I had some luck starting corn inside then transplanting previous year so figure I get a jump start. Our growing season isn't long enough for corn here but they can grow fine.
LOL....yep, recognize those starts. To be honest with you, we still have time here, to start "short season" corn and if I'm feeling ambitious, I just might go ahead and start a bit more...I dunno...we'll see. I don't have enough room for what I've got right now...LOL and it will mean hitting another spot with the tiller, amending, fencing it off...we'll see. I still have some building to do, before I can commit.
One of the issues we have in the PNW are Symphylans...little white frickers who feast on root hairs, so incorporating woodchips into the soil and starting plants in the greenhouse is the only "insurance" that the seeds are going to get a good start. The area where I've planted the corn is "new" ground. I haven't had a veggie garden in that spot for probably over 10 years and it was LOADED with cut worms.....apparently! Silly me, I thought I could get away with direct seeding the corn....and although it germinated, upon inspection, 1/2 of the kernels had cutworms latched on to them. They're DEAD now. ...the cutworms that is! The surviving corn plants, as I said, got transplanted in trios, cutworms killed and a couple of applications of transplant solution put to them. They seem to be coming along nicely now. Little BUGGERS!
As for your pumpkins and corn? Yep, one of the three sisters. It's a "squash" and will shade out weeds in your corn. As long as they all have plenty of nutrients, you'll be just fine. The pumpkins take up the "wasted space" between corn plants, provide living mulch and help to shade out weeds. Again...as long as they're getting water and nutrients, you should be just fine.
Man time flys. So I don't see any more frosts here but I had to harden everything off right. It was tough during the stretch of 70s we had. Then we dropped into the 40s at night, then we had clouds, then wind, so I waited few more days...
Today I couldn't wait anymore. Funny the Squash, Pumpkins, Cukes, Peppers and Corn went in before the Tomatoes. LOL
Check this out...
Squash roots vs Cucumber planted at the same time. Cucumber has an amazing root system,
Cukes are in
Corn started in 16oz Red Costco cups. The other half I started with seeds. Have about 20 corns. Crossing fingers.
Peppers on left going on. Potatoes on right looking amazing! Leaves are dark green!
Holy CARP Cam, you grow a lot of varieties of tomatoes!!! LOL I started Rutgers, Bushsteak and Golden Nugget. Boy those GNs germinated poorly. Truth be told, I only wanted a few anyway.....but to plant and entire packet and end UP with only a few? Yeah...won't waste money on those again. I have several "mystery" tomatoes and one looks like it could be a "little husky" tomato. It's got that short, broad, blocky shape going on. They're all doing very well though and I've still got over 20 still waiting to be transplanted. (and more arriving each day!) HAHA....
but to plant and entire packet and end UP with only a few?
Not a good thing when they don't germinate. Last year I had an issue but was VERY strange since I usually get 90% germination. I attributed it to the seed starting soil. Maybe there was a bad old pallet.
I've talked to store managers about having and displaying seeds outside in direct sun or sheltered on a raining day(moisture!).
Maybe your packet of seeds was no good? I never tried (or heard of) Golden Nugget Tomatoes. I did for Peppers.
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I don't know what got into my Potatoes this year. . They aren't even in full sun! Maybe 4 hours at best. I remember sifting a ton of dirt and then added it to that area. Wow. If it's that then I think I know what I'll be doing in the fall.
You're absolutely right, Cam....about the possibility of the seeds being damaged, rendering them unviable. I did have a coworker drop in on me one day and she said that she'd had the same trouble with the exact same tomatoes. There were very few seeds to start with, but she got a better germination rate than I did! Yes, it's funny, because the soil for those tomatoes came from the same bag I used for all of the other toms and MAN did they germinate like mad! LOL
Your potatoes? Holy cow! Glad to know I'm not the only one seeing that abnormally FAST growth on the spuds this year. I can't believe it. I thought maybe it was the super-rich soil that I put the first transplants in, but no....I planted the others (a bit later) in some soil with a higher sand content and far less manure and they're taking off too. I can't keep the buggers covered!! I tell ya!
So far, the greenhouse is doing marvelously! Many of the tomatoes are at least 16" high and bushy as can be. Keeping the fans going in the greenhouse makes all the difference in the world. They're nearly as sturdy as outdoor plants.
Of course....it didn't hurt that I sounded reeeeally pitiful a few weeks back...about having to get up on the greenhouse and give the roof a good washing.......and hubby..... God I love that man!
Higher Cam......higher! Make those little buggers S-T-R-E-T-C-H!!!! I've always buried them right up to about 3" of the top. LOL
lol. I saw a youtube video last week this guy had the Potato plants in a cage and filled the cage with the hay all the way to top of plant. I figured I've had success with them not doing that so I didn't want to spend the extra money on more hay. But maybe I will try if it will give better results. I'm scared to suffocate them.
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