cucumbers?

[Kiddoson]

I am not the best gardner (as my DH always reminds me) but I like it! Usually even I can grow cukes. last year I had the idea to start them inside. they never did much is it cause I started them early? What is good to start early? Broccoli? Something ate mine (and the cabbage) last year but I have neem oil this year! TIA

[lightheart]

cukes do not transplant well, it's doable, but have to be very careful not to mess with thir roots, might want to try them direct in the ground this year... when the ground is thoughly warm

mel bartholomew says to indoor seed 2 wks before last frost, transplant plants 2 wks after frost or direct seed 2 wks after frost.

start early? as in indoors, not real for sure, I direct seed what I can and buy plants for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, in the sping after frost from the greenhouse so I guess they start them early.

My neighbors said the farm store in town has their onion sets out for sell, so the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage should be showing up around here soon.

last frost around here is about April15, so we are about 6 weeks out.

If you have a wood stove, or know someone with one, save some ashes to put on your broccoli and cabbage, it might help with the bugs.

For in ground planting... early things are peas 6 wks before frost, the smooth seeded ones can be planted just a little earlier than the wrinkly ones.

4 weeks before frost, beets, lettuce, onion sets, spinach

2 weeks before last frost chard and radish

I've planted all of the above except the onion sets, but I'm a risk taker.

the neighbors, old time farmers, they usually seed a patch of their lettuce bed with tomatoes to transplant out, S. was out tonight putting in his lettuce, so I'm sure he was doing tomatoes too- that's the nicest thing about having folks who survived for many years eating out of their gardens and barn, they know what to do, and I just watch, and when they plant I plant

[Kiddoson]

Thanks for the info. I have always direct planted cukes so it was my attempt to start early that hung me! I am so glad, I love cukes! By early I meant ahead of time like you are saying. I think I will start all things outside from seed. seems easier and less risky... yes? thanks again! BTW anyone get ladybugs to keep the plant eating bugs away? they ate ALL my broccoli and cabbage last year... can the ashes sit a while and then use them? Do I mix it in the soil or spread on top?

[lightheart]

for the wood ashes, dust the plants after a rain or before the morning dew dries. The wood ashes can just sit, I usually pull out a bucket from the stove around this time, put a lid on it to keep it dry and keep it out under my little piece of tin that acts as a garden shed. When it washes away just dust the plants again. It really does wonders for the flea beatles that chew the tiny holes in eggplant.

I haven't ever done cabbage, but have done broccoli and dusted them with it, if you know you are going to be picking broc in the next little bit after dusting, then I try to keep the ashes off the little bunchs I will be cutting so that it doesn't take as long to wash it, any other time I will do the whole plant. Those green caterpillers, don't know their name attacked my broc, at first I was squirmish about plucking them off and squishing them (with a stick in a can) but after I cut that first spear and ate it myself, I was more than willing to squish. And they are sneaky too, they see you coming and hide up under the leaves and down where the leaves attach to the plant, good camaflouge!

Don't put the ashes on new seedlings... uh... don't know why, but that's what I've been told.

No ladybugs here except the imported ones that live in the walls and swarm all over the place in the spring.

I'm talky tonight, sorry... for the cukes, don't mess with the vines/leaves while they are wet, wait until the dry part of the day to pick them, more likely to spread disease, same with green beans too, don't pick while leaves are wet.

[Kiddoson]

thanks lightheart, didn't know that about vines when wet, thanks! I will get some ashes to put in the basement for later.