Gardening in ohio

**JessicaP** · 02-23-2010, 10:15 AM

I am reading all these posts about planting and here i am in northwest ohio with snow on the ground. I am wondering what other people in my area are up to.

**Trentt** · 02-23-2010, 10:18 AM

I'm in Wisconsin, NW of you, loads of snow on the ground too. I'm planting seeds for this year's garden. I winter-sow nearly everything.

**Russ** · 02-23-2010, 10:23 AM

Here in mid Michigan... Dreaming and planning even though we just got 7 inches of the white stuff.

The wife and I are going to bring in some top soil and compost and make another raised bed here soon. We have to do it before spring because once the ground thaws we won't be able to move the dirt with the tractor.

**lisaflex** · 02-23-2010, 03:37 PM

we plant in mid-may and hope there is not a freeze!

**craftypam** · 02-23-2010, 06:43 PM

I also live in MI and one year I planted peppers in January in the house because they are so slow growing and I got my best crop ever.
Trentt;
I am curious to know how you keep your plants from getting leggy. I tried planting tomatoes a little early and they got really tall and very sparse with leaves

Thanks

**lisaflex** · 02-23-2010, 07:34 PM

my husband stakes the tomatoes and puts those cone thingies on them....we had tons and tons last summer! crazy!

but boy were they good!

especially w// the frsh basil on them in salad!

i gotta stop thinkin about the garden! makin me hungry...and wishin for sun and much warmer temps, and, of course, flip flops in which to walk to the garden and cut whateve it is we are eating that night

last year our parsley got really really big at the end of the season and some of the parsley was not good. i think i left it on there too long...

we grow pumpkins
squash (yellow)
zucchini
heirloom tomatoes
grape tomates
some other tomatoes
cucumbers
basil
parsley
green beans (bunnies usually eat them)
green peppers (didnt do so well last year...tryin again)
so much cheaper than the grocery!

**Russ** · 02-23-2010, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by craftypam

I am curious to know how you keep your plants from getting leggy. I tried planting tomatoes a little early and they got really tall and very sparse with leaves

Thanks

Place your lights closer to the plants.

**Russ** · 02-25-2010, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by craftypam

I am curious to know how you keep your plants from getting leggy. I tried planting tomatoes a little early and they got really tall and very sparse with leaves

Thanks

I did a little more research Pam. This is more verbose, but says much the same thing.

When seedlings receive insufficient light they become tall and spindly or "leggy." Seedlings need a lot of light. Even if you have a window that receives full sun, you might need to supplement it with artificial light. If you are using only artificial light, you'll need a great deal of it. Because our visual system is so sophisticated, people rarely realize the incredible quantitative difference between natural and artificial light. It would be all but impossible to recreate the intensity of direct sunlight. To compensate, you'll need much longer growing days. Use bulbs that are specifically made for growing plants and place them just a foot or so above your seedlings. You'll want to keep these lights on at least 14 hours a day. Fluorescent tubes are ideal because they won't produce as much heat which can quickly dry out your seedlings.

Stolen from this site > http://www.gardenweb.com/sesbania/startsds.html

**Saule** · 02-25-2010, 11:09 PM

If your tomatoes are leggy, all is not lost. Prepare a planter that is deep enough to take the entire length of stem. Pluck off all the leaves except for the ones on the very top - yes, ALL OF THEM. Put the tomato in the planter (I find the cardboard milk/juice containers, esp the quart size, are perfect), and surround with your potting soil.

The tomato will grow roots all along the stem. More roots - more vigorous growth - more tomatoes.

If you are ready to plant outside, all is still ok. Pinch off all the leaves except the very top. Instead of digging a deep hole, dig trenches. Lay the tomato down, leaving just the leaves poking out. I put a clod of dirt under it to prop it up a bit. Again, it will grow roots all along that stem.

You have to remember where the stem/roots are while cultivating, and because it's more shallow, you need to be sure it does not dry out.

I have tomatoes before any of my neighbors do by using this method. I am probably the only person who looks for the slightly leggy ones when buying starter plants at the nursery.

**Trentt** · 03-03-2010, 08:30 AM

I winter-sow ... that is, plant nearly everything in transparent or translucent plastic containers retrofitted to become mini-greenhouses (milk jugs and soda bottles for example, holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, then cut open nearly all the way - leaving a "hinge" - about halfway up). Add dirt, seeds, cover if necessary, close it up, tape it shut, put it outdoors and let the seeds collaborate with the weather on when to germinate. The plants begin life outdoors so are not as tender. Later on, remove the tape (or lids if you use something such as the plastic containers that strawberries are sold in during the winter) so the plants have room, get exposure to the elements, and harden off quickly.

I use a 2-flat system, holes in the top and no holes in the bottom, bottom-water the containers, or lift the top one out if there's rain and they'd end up in standing water.

There might be a few nights when you have to haul everything indoors due to a late cold snap, but truthfully I've lost very little starting my garden this way.

The only plants I allow the luxury of indoor birth are very tender ones such as impatiens, coleus, lisianthus, a few others. Those I start under lights and harden off the traditional way.