elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on May 10, 2021 9:49:34 GMT -5
Exciting week for me. After 10 days of hardening off outside, I get to transfer 6 types of beefsteak tomato plants from the sprout tray to Earthboxes. I'm also transferring some mini peppers, mini eggplants and cherry tomatoes. The eggplant and peppers are supposed to get only 2 feet tall and I figured I'd try them in an Earthbox before trying them in wintertime in the Aerogarden. Once the sprout tray is empty, it will be time to sanitize everything and start it fresh. It's a good thing because there is green algae over the top of every sprout sponge. I have some mini romaine lettuce I'd like to get going and lots of annual flower seed like vinca, zinnia, marigold and black-eyed Susan vine. It's also time to harvest lettuce to thin it.
My first Kracky jars are coming along. I know the difference between "air roots" and "water roots" now because the lettuce is the best place to learn that. I'm using an insert from a Ball planting kit for the chives because I put 4 of them in that jar. The ball kit has a wick to keep the chive roots moist and I haven't seen any roots grow down yet, much less reach the nutrient solution. Time will tell.
I followed this lady's method of hardening off and never noticed one bit of stress on the plants. Just just got stronger and stronger. (I never put the lettuce outside). ourlittlesuburbanfarmhouse.com/harden-off-seedlings/Day by day guide to harden off seedlings with gradual exposure Day One: Set your tray(s) out in the shade, in an area that protects them from wind and direct sun. Leave them for about 3 hours, then bring the tray(s) back inside. Day Two: Set your tray(s) out with access to a little sun, but mostly shade. Today leave them out for about 6 hours and then bring them back inside. Day Three: Set your tray(s) outside, yet again, but give them a bit more access to direct sunlight. Leave them out for 9 hours and then bring them in for the night. Day Four: Today is the day they get to experience a little bit of sun, but not too much! They can also be a little less sheltered from the wind today. They can stay out for 9 hours again today but they still need to come in at night. Day Five: Same as Day 4, but the 9 hours can include about 1-2 hours of direct sunlight (don’t lose track of time, set a timer!). Bring them back inside for the night. Day Six: This is a big day. It’s going to be the first time that you leave the babies out all night. During the day give them a bit more sun and as long as the temperature isn’t going to drop crazy low, leave them outside. Day Seven: Today let them have sun most of the day and leave them outside for the night. Day Eight: This is it, today is the day you plant your plants outside. It is best if today is a cloudy day, but you get whatever Mother Nature gives you. Just make sure to water well after planting. A great way to get the most from you space and seedlings is to use square foot gardening.  |
|
|
|
Post by lolo2202 on May 11, 2021 14:09:44 GMT -5
Looking forward to seeing your peppers and tomatoes grow.
What type of lettuce do you have on the back right corner with the reddish purplish looking leaves?
Do you have to harden tomatoes, before moving them outside? I'm learning about hardening by looking at your post.
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on May 11, 2021 14:27:24 GMT -5
Looking forward to seeing your peppers and tomatoes grow. What type of lettuce do you have on the back right corner with the reddish purplish looking leaves? Do you have to harden tomatoes, before moving them outside? I'm learning about hardening by looking at your post. When I bought the 24 farm XL, it came with the AG seed pod kit. Click "Details" and the link shows the various types of AG lettuce seeds sold.
I have two red-leaf types: Marvel of 4 Seasons toward back or Mesculin Mix toward the front.
All plants need "hardening off" before putting them out permanently. It's like never sunbathing and you sit in the sun all day. Get sunburned. Plants will too. The wind blowing makes stems stronger. From being raised in the AG without wind, they're pretty fragile. Hardening off just means gradually getting the plant accustomed to outdoor conditions. I was amazed how much the plants changed within a week.
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on May 26, 2021 8:29:54 GMT -5
Well, my first time raising tomato plants in the AeroGarden for later transplant to EarthBoxes was an adventure. My EarthBox garden is behind my business in an chicken-wire enclosure. I began the seeds 1 month before I expected to plant them outside. I began hardening them off on week 4 by taking the entire AeroGarden box outside. I had 4 Color Blend Patio peppers and 4 Patio Baby Eggplants in the tray as well. According to AccuWeather, an unexpected cold snap came and I had to keep hardening off for the 5th week. The plants were large and shading out one another. I was really worried because the plants were so big and seemed "very tender".  Planting time came on a partly cloudy day and I planted 12 (various varieties) and gave 8 plants to my to my sister. I almost had a heart attack when I checked the tomatoes later in the afternoon. Three of the plants were laying absolutely flat! I covered them with a box to protect them from the sun. The next few days were cloudy, so I removed the box. The plants perked right up. Success (so far). My sister said that her plants are doing okay too. This year, I'm trying a new trellis idea in my screened in EarthBox garden. My husband had a bunch of shelf brackets not being used and we mounted them at the top of the garden, so I can run garden twine through them and under the EarthBoxes. I plan to use these plastic clips that are designed to cling to twine. Brackets above:  Garden clips:  The cucumbers and melons are 4 to a box, so we just used screws in a fan-shape above the box.  So far, I have in the EarthBox garden, 1 Goliath determinate tomato (bought the plant) 3 Color Blend Peppers 3 Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes (bought the plants) 1 Long Keeper Tomato 2 Super Steak Tomato 2 Porterhouse Tomato 2 Abe Lincoln 2 Steakhouse Tomato 2 boxes of Patio Corn 4 Cucumbers, Straight Eight 4 Charentais Melon 4 Patio Baby Eggplant 1 EarthBox is rooted cuttings 2 empty EarthBoxes that were for edamame, but I changed my mind and have yet to decide what I want to plant in those two.
I read an ag extension guy's advice about adding 1 teaspoon calcium nitrate to each EarthBox water reservoir each week and 1 tablespoon Epsom salt twice per month. This is in addition to the regular EarthBox fertilizer strip. I've been doing that (for the peppers, cucumbers and melon too). The Golliath determinate tomato I bough early already has tomatoes and I haven't seen blossom end rot yet.
The adventure continues. |
|
maskedsonnet
AGA Farmer
Without the burden of comparison, everything is beautiful
Posts: 1,560
|
Post by maskedsonnet on May 26, 2021 9:18:05 GMT -5
Your garden looks great! Love the way you used the shelf brackets to trellis with, very cool!
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on May 26, 2021 9:25:50 GMT -5
Love the way you used the shelf brackets to trellis with, very cool! I was planning to use screws, but hubby never throws anything away. Necessity is the "Mother of Invention" I guess. Hubby was worried about the weight of the plant, vs the stability of the Earthbox, but I don't think it will be a problem. If it is, I can always clip to the chicken wire that is nearby.
Edited to say "Thank you"
|
|
Sher
AGA Farmer
Posts: 7,025
|
Post by Sher on May 26, 2021 11:49:15 GMT -5
Very impressive!
|
|
|
|
Post by lolo2202 on May 26, 2021 23:40:13 GMT -5
Amazing set up, I want to start an eathbox too now. I hardened my tomatoes gonna be officially transplanting tomorrow. Thanks on the hardening advice.
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on Jun 7, 2021 11:22:22 GMT -5
New to AG and everything I grow seems "very tender" - much more tender than anything grown outside. I raised 6 varieties of tomatoes from seed, hardened them off and planted them in EarthBoxes. I was very worried, but I'm glad to announce the tomato plants toughened-up nicely! They're growing like gangbusters and even caught up to a tomato plant I bought at the nursery! I also have several flower seeds sprouted and transferred to my flower garden. They're doing well also, even the zinnia (which most people say to direct-sow because they don't like transplanting). I transplanted the zinnia young and they're doing great too. Just can't beat an AG for seed sprouting, huh? I've never grown tomatoes from seed before. It's wonderful to try varieties I want, rather than being stuck with the plants I happen to find locally.
I'm very happy with my garden projects this year - very happy! Photo is two weeks after transplanting: |
|
Sher
AGA Farmer
Posts: 7,025
|
Post by Sher on Jun 7, 2021 11:46:52 GMT -5
You SHOULD be happy and proud!
Seed starting in the AG gives a whole new dimension to gardening! |
|
campingcorgis
AGA Farmer
🌴 I wet my plants. :-) 🌴
Posts: 3,113
|
Post by campingcorgis on Jun 7, 2021 15:21:33 GMT -5
I'm impressed! Nice job!  I think one of my favorite things about AG gardening is, like you've said, being able to grow from seed really opens up the possibilities! And makes it possible to try new and different things. |
|
Shawn
Administrator
Posts: 16,212 
|
Post by Shawn on Jun 8, 2021 9:12:05 GMT -5
Very very nice. Great job!
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on Jun 15, 2021 13:10:23 GMT -5
3 weeks from transplanting: Everything is doing great! We enjoyed our first tomato already. Has cement floor but have to kill that grass growing in a crack.  [/dPatio Baby Eggplant: Planted in AG and transferred to EarthBox to see if a good alternative for winter growing in the AG. Seems way too big for that?  Cucumbers: My first year using the greenhouse pruning methods. I think I like it. Much more manageable and already have cukes coming on.  Patio Corn: First year growing this. Had to string it in the middle to be sure a storm doesn't blow it down. The taste will be the true test. Planted another box 1 month later.  Bugs! Funny when my husband came to me quite worried that my cherry tomato has "bugs". Come see, he said -- so I did. It is ROOTS! ha ha  iv] |
|
Shawn
Administrator
Posts: 16,212
|
Post by Shawn on Jun 15, 2021 13:31:12 GMT -5
Everything is doing well and looks wonderful
|
|
Sher
AGA Farmer
Posts: 7,025
|
Post by Sher on Jun 15, 2021 14:01:17 GMT -5
You have a wonderful veggie garden. Everything looks so vibrant and healthy! I am especially intrigued by the patio corn.
You might have to settle for Fairytale eggplant in an Aerogarden. It's cute and good, though.
Or you might could grow the patio eggplant in a tote or bucket. Will be fun to see what you decide.  |
|
campingcorgis
AGA Farmer
🌴 I wet my plants. :-) 🌴
Posts: 3,113
|
Post by campingcorgis on Jun 15, 2021 16:42:30 GMT -5
Wow! Very nice garden. I hope you are very pleased! I'm a tad jealous too!
|
|
elainev
AGA Sprout
24 farm xl
Posts: 72
|
Post by elainev on Jun 16, 2021 7:32:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments. I think all "new gardens" look wonderful.
It's the dog days of summer (late July/August) where I live in the south that can devastate a garden. By then, the insects and diseases have had time to do their damage. This year, I plan to install a shade cloth about the end of July (for the first time) and see if that helps keep everything healthy. Also, for the first time, I'm also spraying every 10 days to change the ph of leaves and hopefully prevent many diseases, wilts, fungus, etc. -- like this idea: migardener.com/prevent-kill-blight-powdery-mildew-baking-soda/ |
|
Sher
AGA Farmer
Posts: 7,025
|
Post by Sher on Jun 16, 2021 7:40:12 GMT -5
A shade cloth should help a lot in the South.
I have something taking chunks out of my outdoor pepper leaves. I should start a regular spraying schedule, too
|
|
Sher
AGA Farmer
Posts: 7,025
|
Post by Sher on Jun 16, 2021 13:55:52 GMT -5
elainev, I saw somewhere today (maybe an image search) where someone had grown patio eggplant in an Aerogarden. They didn't show the picture of the plant, just the ripe fruits.
So you might be able to make it work after all!
|
|
Shawn
Administrator
Posts: 16,212
|
Post by Shawn on Jun 17, 2021 5:00:52 GMT -5
We have had a few members grow patio eggplants in the AG. Mary and jcosmos are just two. |
|
