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Post by rowan on Jul 10, 2013 21:59:01 GMT -5
Mine are smaller. The pipe is cut 2.5m lengths which gives me a hoop that is 1m (3 feet) wide (all my beds are 1 m wide) and 1m high. If I were to try and cover two beds at a time I would put up support poles down the centre. The blue line poly pipe is firmer than ordinary irrigation poly pipe.
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 16, 2013 17:35:16 GMT -5
I haven't had a chance to fix the tunnels yet. I am doing Joseph's schedule of taking afternoons off while it is so hot. Been picking a lot here! A peck of snow peas, 1/2 bushel broccoli (lots of side shoots this year too), 1/2 bushel oops summer squashes (grew too big too fast), cabbage, green beans, first peppers, first eggplant, first ground cherries, last strawberries, still picking mulberries, all today; garlic and shallots will be pulled tomorrow and lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, rutabagas and kohlrabi will go in the beds. Planted the last 2 beds of corn on Saturday night. Melon area this year. taking up a lot of space   Last of the lettuce. Market customers enjoyed the nasturtium blossoms.  2 Bhut Jolokias in the blue tub and a Trindad Butch T that was only mostly dead after winter. It is growing well now. I hope I get a ripe pod this year. |
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Post by davida on Jul 17, 2013 20:09:22 GMT -5
LM,
You mentioned that you were disappointed that your sweet potato sprouts came early this year. For various reasons, we did not get to plant all of ours, as planned, With the roots wrapped tightly in newspaper and stored in a gallon bucket of water to cover the roots, the plants are still alive and bright green after 6 weeks. The ones planted after 2 to 4 weeks are growing as good as the ones planted immediately after purchase.
David
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 18, 2013 1:18:29 GMT -5
Wow Minnie, I haven't even got tomatoes yet, and you have eggplant. Lettuce, you are right, a pita +. It's never ready on picking day. I'm really thinking about just leaving it in trays and snipping it when I need it.
Oh my but is the NZ spinach going wild here! I didn't even plant it this year. Gotta love that.
I admire your nasty urchins!
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Post by steev on Jul 18, 2013 1:32:20 GMT -5
Someday I'll tell you my nasturtiums/scar story.
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 18, 2013 19:58:03 GMT -5
I still haven't fixed my low tunnel hoops. The plan is to cut them to fit over one bed. I will have to pull out half the rebar and repound it in, eck.  So hot and humid right now. Then I don't think I will try to return the 14 foot wide film and row cover. I think I should try the extra stiff 1 inch tubing OR get the bender for chain link fence top rail perhaps. I figure I have wasted so much money now I might as well spend more to get something out of all of it! LOL.  |
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 18, 2013 20:45:12 GMT -5
I took more photos.  Ambrosia to be picked at the end of next week but I leave town in 7 days! My mom will babysit.  Next 2 corn beds- Honey Select. 2 sowings because the seeds came up poorly the first time.  Last 2 corn beds of transplanted Ambrosia. Planted Saturday night. Gotta fertilize and water like crazy to produce before frost.  Really big squash flower!  |
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 18, 2013 20:48:21 GMT -5
 Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers. Tomatoes are the best looking ever. Only a few have only a few yellow bottom leaves!  Stupice still not ripe.  Mc Clintock's  |
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 18, 2013 20:53:27 GMT -5
 Taters. Some almost ready to dig. Rose Finn Apple is showing the most fungal problems. Magic Molly, Purple Viking and Russets show none.  Mammoth Melting snow peas, beans and beets. Mammoth Melting gives me 1 peck from the 2 rows 3 times a week. Some off types in the seed though. Gotta open and eat the peas because they are too tough to eat the pod after cooking.  Aren't edamame flowers pretty? No comments on the toes please.   Earlier eggplants this year than last when the aphids bothered them. |
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Post by steev on Jul 18, 2013 20:58:41 GMT -5
You might want to look into pvc tube, maybe with couplings to make corners, angles, whatever. In any event, think long-term, not what's cheapest today.
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Post by davida on Jul 18, 2013 22:50:56 GMT -5
LM,
Your garden is looking fantastic. Would you please share some information on your red tomato containers? I read that red plastic under tomatoes would help to ripen tomatoes earlier than black plastic. I assume that is the reason for the red? Did you purchase the containers or make them yourself?
Thanks,
David
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Post by steev on Jul 19, 2013 0:01:45 GMT -5
The idea is that the color you see is the color whatever doesn't absorb/use. So, one supposes that a green plant doesn't use green wavelengths, since it's reflecting them, but it does use red wavelengths, since it's not reflecting them. So if you put red plastic under your tomatoes, you will aid them to get more of the red that they need to grow until their fruit is mature (and mostly reflecting red).
I admit to thinking this is a tad tenuous.
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Post by davida on Jul 19, 2013 9:29:12 GMT -5
The idea is that the color you see is the color whatever doesn't absorb/use. So, one supposes that a green plant doesn't use green wavelengths, since it's reflecting them, but it does use red wavelengths, since it's not reflecting them. So if you put red plastic under your tomatoes, you will aid them to get more of the red that they need to grow until their fruit is mature (and mostly reflecting red). I admit to thinking this is a tad tenuous. Agree that the results would be weak in your and my summer climate but may be fun to try in the early spring and remove when the heat comes. We will add it to the other 787 (now 788) things to try. But it may be perfect for LM's climate and I am definitely interested in Little Minnie's results. www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7888-srm-red-mulch-4-x-100.aspx Increase marketable tomato yields up to 20%! Developed by the USDA & Clemson Univ., this 1.0 mil thick, durable red plastic film reflects far-red wavelengths into the plant's canopy, triggering photosynthesis and stimulating rapid growth and development. Penn State Univ. studies confirm that results are earlier, with 12% to 20% greater yields over black plastic. Also increases strawberry yields. Weed suppression and 4-6°F soil warming. Not recommended for southern states. |
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 19, 2013 20:32:23 GMT -5
These are what I am using. I used them for some early plants last year and bought enough for just about every plant this year. The red color to me is a bonus but the main thing is they make the plant grow way faster, stay in the cage, stay disease free, protect them from wind, and keep them warm in cold snaps. Then when they reach the top of the first cage I pull the bag down so I can start picking. I reuse them from year to year and they fade a little but still work. I have no disease/ fungal problems at all. Here's what I did today.  The three garlic beds are already replanted. Yeah! I am proud of myself this year for being on schedule. One bed got rutabaga and kohlrabi seeds on Wednesday right after the garlic was pulled. And the other 2 beds got fresh white plastic and lettuce plants in one and broccoli and cabbage in another. They have shade fabric over the top. I hope they do well. The broccoli and cabbage were ravaged by leafminers at my home. Many couldn't be planted. 
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Post by davida on Jul 20, 2013 16:12:38 GMT -5
These are what I am using. I used them for some early plants last year and bought enough for just about every plant this year. The red color to me is a bonus but the main thing is they make the plant grow way faster, stay in the cage, stay disease free, protect them from wind, and keep them warm in cold snaps. Then when they reach the top of the first cage I pull the bag down so I can start picking. I reuse them from year to year and they fade a little but still work. I have no disease/ fungal problems at all. Thanks so much. very interesting. |
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So hot and humid right now. Then I don't think I will try to return the 14 foot wide film and row cover. I think I should try the extra stiff 1 inch tubing OR get the bender for chain link fence top rail perhaps. I figure I have wasted so much money now I might as well spend more to get something out of all of it! LOL. 
