2020 Garden Plans

[triffid]

I believe that blocking the plants is the secret to not damaging their root systems when transplanting them; and I'm hoping that's the secret to growing good sized roots. Let me know how your celeriac grows this year!

Thanks for the tips. Interesting insight regarding blocking the seedlings. Do you think module trays would be as effective or do you think the roots benefit from air pruning in the block method?

[Kim K.]

Hi Triffid,

Y'know I'd never considered 'air pruning' to be beneficial before. My whole thought on this is that celeriac is basically a root crop, so it's a miracle we can transplant it at all (carrots, beets, etc transplant extremely poorly.) The less disturbance of the root, the better formed and faster it will grow. By this way of thinking, module trays would work splendidly.

But hey, what's the thought behind air pruning? Are there any plants that do benefit from it?

[William S.]

I think especially in the 6 weeks or so till frost free planting time this covid 19 outbreak is going to alter some planting decisions for me.

[triffid]

Kim, as far as I know, nearly all plants to be transplanted benefit from air pruning. They develop a much more fibrous, robust root structure, that utilities all of the soil space, vs the twisting and congregation of roots at the bottom of a regular pot. Your method of slicing transplants into blocks reminds me of the method which uses a 'soil-blocker' mould gadget, except the blocks are formed before the seeds are planted. It reduces root disturbance and transplant shock, so it could be why your celeriac is successful from transplants when it would otherwise seem counter-intuitive for a root crop. Unless celeriac is a swollen stem.. I'm not entirely sure.
You mentioned beets transplanting poorly, interestingly enough it is possible to do it successfully https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPVHCh1cDMw

[William S.]

2020 garden plans:

When I think about it I have the following priorities

1.Commercial Contract Growouts a corn and a tomato.

2.Spec growouts, tomatoes, some things of Josephs that went missing in 2020 catalogues, and some things I'm hoping to pledge to OSSI and sell. Big Hill tomato, Hamsonita tomato, Lofthouse buttercup squash, exserted tiger tomato, orange hill tomato, Montana rainbow fava bean, 

3. Tomato Breeding F2 grow out of Big Hill x Wild and approximately 20 other tomato projects.

4. A packet of EFN seed I promised to grow for buckwheat project.

5. Chia project

6. Rice project

7. Purple wheat project


8. Autumns Choice Squash F2 Plus it crossed freely with Lofthouse and Thai Cross F2

Last year I pretty much just grew tomatoes. So some of these things have been neglected for years.

Someday I want to do a big corn grow out. Haven't grown flint types in a very long time.

Not sure how far down the list I will get.

Update in light of COVID 19

1. Commercial contracts still as planned

2. Spec growouts, dunno. Tomatoes already started so probably continue. Fava beans already planted.

3. Tomato breeding. What's already planred plus maybe one row direct seeded. So smaller.

4. Will still plant EFN buckwheat.

5. Chia project. Planted a tiny bit but won't plant a big area.

6. Rice project may still try to grow in greenhouse for fresh seed.

7. Purple wheat: planted tiny patchave for fresh seed. Plus a tiny patch mixed for landrace start.

8. Will plant the Autumn's choice F2 but probably other Moschata grex prioritized for potential quality- necked squash mothers preferred. Also maximas

9. Plant food in any unused areas

[Kim K.]

Kim, as far as I know, nearly all plants to be transplanted benefit from air pruning. They develop a much more fibrous, robust root structure, that utilities all of the soil space, vs the twisting and congregation of roots at the bottom of a regular pot. Your method of slicing transplants into blocks reminds me of the method which uses a 'soil-blocker' mould gadget, except the blocks are formed before the seeds are planted. It reduces root disturbance and transplant shock, so it could be why your celeriac is successful from transplants when it would otherwise seem counter-intuitive for a root crop. Unless celeriac is a swollen stem.. I'm not entirely sure.
You mentioned beets transplanting poorly, interestingly enough it is possible to do it successfully https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPVHCh1cDMw

Thank you for the explanation of air pruning Triffid, that's edifying! I do very, very few transplants, so don't have much experience with it other than solanums. Celeriac is the only othert vegetable besides tomatoes, eggplants and peppers that I start indoors, and I do because I have to; my frost free season is marginal for direct seeding, and the two times I've tried it, the seeds are so tiny I had very few plants actually sprout.

I looked it up, and it seems that celeriac root is indeed a swollen stem, at least the upper half. Which may account for why it transplants OK.

[Steph S]

My celeriac seed arrived and I planted it like I do for celery - in the co]ntainer button mushrooms come in.   They just started to sprout, so I have lots of time to move them to bigger digs I reckon - that is a very interesting method with the blocking.   Sounds practical on a large scale.   Not sure what I will manage due to space limitations and limited amount of potting soil. 
I also got some seeds of root parsely and wondered if I could pre start those as well.  The snow is still hanging on here so it won't be a long and lavish season.
Maybe I should just go ahead and start some, and compare with some direct seeded later. 

[William S.]

Mentally moving tomatoes around still. I burned off some grass around one of the isolation plots than rototilled it bigger. I think I'll put a bigger grow out there unless something changes, probably the one I have a contract for. Note to future self: burn first then rototill.

[triffid]

Steph, just the other day I read that parsnips can be transplanted as long as it is done before the taproot starts to develop. They're very similar to root parsley so the same method may be applicable.

[Steph S]

Thanks, Triffid!   
I will try it then.  It makes sense to me.   We've transplanted beets before and it didn't bother them either.   IDK why carrots are the fussy ones.

[Diane Whitehead]

I can remember a fad in the last century- the details are a bit hazy but I could probably find an article in an old RHS journal - presprouting carrot seeds in something goopy (cornstarch  made into something like custard, or wallpaper paste?) and then globbing it along a row in the garden.

I did it only once - I was always a victim of the carrot rust fly so didn't usually grow carrots.

OK.  I'll go look up my old journals.

[triffid]

I've heard that tip too, Diane. I even saw it being practiced in a youtube video. Was your experience successful? Some also use a strip of damp paper towel.

[Diane Whitehead]

My memory ceases with my putting glop and sprouted seeds into a plastic bag, snipping a bottom corner off, and squeezing the bag along a row. 

The only successful carrot harvest I remember was when I grew them under a net shelter (the kind of net used for ballet costumes).  This after lots of experiments involving interplanting with onions, spreading chopped onions, etc.

Now I just buy them.

[Steph S]

I've been reading about a quick sprout for carrots.   I got some Mokum which are supposed to be baby-sized ready in 35 days - I figure you could grow them in containers any time of year.  I had big trouble with aphids on carrots in the greenhouse though.
Some people pour boiling water over the seeds, then wait for them to sprout.
Some others soak them overnight and afterwards plant.
I've soaked other seed before and the finer it is, the harder it is to handle wet I thought.   I suppose spreading on a paper towel should help.
Anyway it's worth a try if the point is to make a carrot as fast as you can. 

I have other carrots for sowing outside though, and will have to sow direct - I don't think I could handle the extra bother of fumbling with wet seed. 

[William S.]

My mom always mixes in radishes with the carrot seed. Figures the radish break open the soil as they germinate giving the carrots a chance.