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Professor Pangloss' grow blog

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ProfessorPangloss

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To answer your question, this time there wasn't any time for dirty jokes. That baby came fast.

So maybe we're professionals this time, but I was able to get outside and transplant more today, even though we just came home yesterday. My surviving tobacco seedlings seem to be doing much better after being put in 3" peat pots outside in the hutch. I finished transplanting the Catterton today, so I have 14 Perique and 16 Catterton in bigger pots. I have a few more seedlings, so I'm tempted to keep planting, but I won't have a ton of garden room. I'm sure I could squeeze in a few more...

I'll take pics tomorrow. I have a flat of about 65 heirloom Golden Giant corn plants and an equal number of Kentucky "greasy beans" going gangbusters. I also have a flat of California Wonder peppers, a bunch of Italian tomatoes, and two different kinds of sunflowers for the front of my house. And some marigolds. I also scored some heirloom Hickory Cane corn, which (I've heard) is great for roasting, polenta, moonshine, and making giant pipe-worthy cobs.

The neighbor's surveyors were out today and they found a border pin right where I'd hoped they would, so perhaps my baccy patch is safe. Still, to be safe, I commissioned my own survey to happen later this week.

I'm very happy about the way things are going, despite the adversity. I think this is what counts as having fun as a gardener.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Today I finally took the iPad outside and snagged a few pics. The following are salvaged from my tray of seedlings that damped off in large numbers. The Perique was transplanted a few days ahead of the Catterton and it shows. There's a little of what I think is sunburn on the smaller Catterton plants, but the good news is that the bigger leaves are fuzzy and bright(er) and better in general, I think.


The first pic is Perique. Second is Catterton, and third is a close-up of two Catterton plants - the closer of the two being a little sunburned, I think. Last one is the label of the fertilizer I've been using.


I've been using Alaska brand fish fertilizer, and I've been watering from the bottom and using a turkey baster to make sure the top is moist enough to keep the plant from dying as the pots dry out. Is that a stupid plan? I'm a rookie.
 

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ProfessorPangloss

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Well, its 5/28, about a week after the last update. I've been feeding fish emulsion and they seem to be doing better. Still a ways away from transplant.
 

Knucklehead

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They seem to have made it over the hump. The first year is rough for most folks. You'll be a pro next season and everything will go much more smoothly.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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I appreciate the vote of confidence. In the short time I've been on the forum, I've gotten really interested in the biodiversity and heirloom aspects of the hobby. Next year I'll want to try some far-out varieties and maybe grow out some obscure stuff in the name of preservation. Thanks for all the help!
 

Brown Thumb

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Make some Seaweed Tea. Buy the sheets of seaweed and put it in a gallon container and let it rot for a few days.
Cheap and works Great. I use it on my Veggie patch.
Baccy patch is too big.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Time for another update. We've had some heavy rain, so I've kept the plants under cover to better control the water they get. Looks like that was a good call. First pic is the Catterton; second is the Perique, and a bonus closeup. Astounding jump in size virtually overnight (look at my last post!). Fish fertilizer FTW!
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DGBAMA

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You are on the way well now. They are amazing to watch grow. My first grow I paid them too much attention, but I found it amazing that I could see them different literally every day. Fun stuff.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Well, quick update and then it's back to the grindstone. The places in my yard I planned to grow tobacco (including the contested 3" strip along the neighbor's drive) are - it turns out - not sunny enough. My tobacco plants have absolutely been on fire since my last post. There are 6" leaves all over. It's time to plant! What do I do?

Well, here's what I did. There's a small vacant lot at the end of my street. I looked up the owner, asked around, and learned that he's the manager of the farm store. Called him up and got permission to grow stuff on his land. He was glad of the offer to weed whack and clean up. He'd torn the cute 1920s bungalow down a couple years ago.

Now, I have small children, so 100% of my gardening happens from about 2-3:30pm when the boy sleeps. I went through that lot like a tornado yesterday, cutting vines and saplings, dragging to the street, and weed whacking down the tall grass. There's a good spot toward the back of this small lot. (I haven't really investigated the soil, but I'm against the wall at this point. A bad spot close to home is better than a good spot 15 minutes away). I can make 4 rows, 7 plants each, north-south, at about 4' spacing between rows, and still have room for a run of okra, collards, tomatoes, and a privacy screen of sunflowers three or four deep. And some neighbor kids want to grow sunflowers anyway, so I'm happy to help. I saved a huge box of seeds from the ones I grew last year.

I wish I had pictures of the lot before. I'll try to snap a few if I'm down there today, to enjoy the transformation. Other than the produce, that's the enjoyable part of gardening.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Well, thank you. I popped out back with iPad real quick to grab an updated shot. Here's the current crew. Perique is in the right side tray and Catterton is in the left.
 

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Knucklehead

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They look strong and healthy. Good luck with the planting. If there are slugs in your area go ahead and put out some Sluggo or generic after planting. The slugs are the first thing to hit them while they are small, and then will leave them alone as they get some size to them. You've had a couple of set backs but kept on going. Good job.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Thanks, all. Here's my new plot. It had a house, so there's all kinds of gravel in the soil, but it's basically serviceable. Not like my garden, but oh well. I jetted down there during nap time and carved up some rows. I measured 21' in length (for 7 plants/row) and spaced 4.5' apart on center. I'll probably put the plants like 2'8" apart.

These pics tell a tale of demolition. The "before" is actually after I cut down everything I could. The after is with using a pick-mattock to bust up the gravel, stones, and chunks of asphalt. There's a pile in the center of the second pic composed of picked rocks. It's large, for the four rows. Lastly, I put in some markers made from frost-killed crepe myrtle limbs (I never pay money for stakes), and scattered Sluggo in the evening.
 

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deluxestogie

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House foundations often alter the pH of the surrounding soil. You might want to send off a soil test, or get a cheap pH meter.

Bob
 

ProfessorPangloss

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I phoned in an emergency delivery of horse manure (got a former student to bring me two trash cans full for $20 - I need to buy a truck with my imaginary money). Early this morning, I hauled it down to the annex with a little help. I've been totally pinned down helping w/ baby and toddler and so forth, but maybe I can plant today. Hope springs eternal.
 

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Chicken

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it will be a big help... each one of my plants.. i remove the florida sand..

and put about 2 gallons worth of my own special manure mix,

every year i do this.. in about 15 years my garden 2' down will be a good potting soil.. worm breeding mixture,
 
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