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Starting To Think About Cool-Season Gardening

8/7/2021

2 Comments

 
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Crocosmia
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orchid in full bloom
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Asclepias physocarpa "Family Jewels Tree" milkweed
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Euphorbia
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Figs 'a comin ! These Conadria stay turn more chartreuse and soft when ripe, so most critters don't know they're ripe until I've already picked 'em!
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Amarcrinum
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Fuji apple set. Carefully pluck off more than two per cluster to allow remaining ones to develop fully without touching.
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Russian Sage - Perovskia atriplicifolia - makes a nice cloud of light blue color, but root shoots appearing several feet away can be a problem if you don't want them.
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Russian Sage closeup
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Plumeria mostly bright yellow with white edges
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Pinky white with yellow eye
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Bright pink with orange and yellow
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Fuller white petals with yellow eyes
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Swirls of pink on white background with yellow centers
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Mostly-yellow and mostly-white on the same bloomstalk
     I’m afraid that I’ve already had enough of this heat, partly because my tomatoes and squash and beans are pretty dried-up and crispy, despite the lack of over-the-top torrid heat and having kept everyone’s roots sufficiently moist. They’ve just run their course, and we’ve eaten all that they provided.  I haven’t replanted new tomato plants in June for several years due to the drought – which in previous history these plants produced more tomatoes through fall.  So, not having these delicious orbs to continue looking forward to, I’ve had it with my hot-weather garden.  The three remaining delights are my blooming plumerias, the figs hurrying to ripen, and the promise of cool weather to come – which means sowing seeds for winter-through-spring eating!
 
Sorting through your old seed
Assuming that you’ve kept your open packets of seeds in a dark, dry, moderate-temperature (about 70 degrees) place, most seed will still be viable for 3 or 4 years, but you may have to sow a bit more thickly than if you’re purchasing the seed new.  Exceptions are leeks (2 years), onion (1 year), and parsley (1 year).
 
Purchasing new seed
Be sure to purchase from a vendor who keeps the seed display racks indoors in the shade – as close to that dark/dry/70-degree temperature place as possible.
 
Which to Sow, and Which to Transplant?
  • The general rule is to sow root crops like beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes -- directly where the crops will mature so roots can develop long straight roots. This applies also to peas, so root systems can develop deeply into soil where they’ll mature, instead of having to overcome transplant shock.
  • Others – like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard -- can be sown into seed trays or sixpacks to be later transplanted into larger containers once or twice before planting them into the garden where they’ll mature.  This allows you to monitor the plants so they’re more mature and well-formed when transplanted.  Because they tend to lean as they develop, you may need to bury the stem up to the first leaves to give them more stem support to grow straight; their hard cuticle will prevent any rotting.
  • Many seeds – like beets, kale, leek, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard -- will do fine whichever method you choose. 
 
Don’t soak seeds ahead of time. 
  • Rather than enabling quicker germination, this softens the delicate outer seed coat, which then can break as you sow the seed, potentially letting in diseases. 
  • Instead, thoroughly moisten the seedbed or row ahead of sowing, gently drop in the dry seed, pull soil over it, and water it in thoroughly.  This “melts” the soil closely to the seed, enabling the best possible germination. 
  • Once the seed sprout itself breaks through the seed coat, it’s developed sufficient energy and hormones to withstand any exterior disease elements.  
 
Keep Beds Moist
  • Keep seed beds or flats moist and shaded during the hottest portion of the day until the seeds germinate.
  • A light mulch helps keep the soil surface from crusting, especially over tiny seeds that take a while to germinate, like carrots and parsley.
 
Sow Consecutive Crops
Sow another batch of seeds every couple of weeks through October for a succession of tender crops through the winter.  Even if some seeds don’t seem to germinate, keep repeated sowing.  Last year, I resowed my peas 3 times, and then they ALL came up!
 
See August for More Tips and Tasks
 
2 Comments
Moritz- Mauricio Weibel
8/8/2021 07:41:56 am

I’m having the same experience with my tomatoes. I planted 4” pot seedlings in late March & early April. Their peak production occurred 3 weeks ago. I live in Silver Lake- we haven’t had a particularly hot Summer. In past Summers, the Sungold cherry tomatoes produce fruit well into September- this year they petered out by the end of July. I’m guessing my soil is the problem.

Reply
Yvonne Savio
8/8/2021 03:32:17 pm

Hi, Moritz-Mauricio -- 'Twas just the extent of the tomatoes' active life! I always forget to give more fertilizer when the blossoming begins, so I'm sure that all my watering flushed out the soil's fertilizer that should have gone to setting new fruit on the indeterminate varieties like Sungold.

Reply



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