I also have had over 3 months of harvest. The final green ones are ripening on the counter right now.

BTW: do you shred those leaves before using ? They should make nice soil amendments and invite lots of worms.

Sey

I thought season was over! lol

Onion family is cool crop. They can take the freezing cold. Of course you onion grew because you've had very mild weather up there

With the fall leave, crushed ones can be worked in better. But given time they all will break down either by the microbes or worms.

Sey

No actually the onions if left in ground will continue to live and grow and next season it will go to a seed stalk and the bulb will resemble more of a shallot or garlic, with bulb division. I find lost or forgotten onions all the time in the spring, since I don't till. It is very warm for winter here. Some carrots that I missed have resprouted. I have never seen that here.

Shredded leaves over Strawberries

Chilly out but plants were still green.

Can't wait to taste for first time!

I always thought tomato seedlings don't grow quickly unless the soil temperature is warm enough like 75*F so I wouldn't ever sow it in "frozen ground".

I put some organic seeds in mushroom compost in a seed tray and leave it under my AeroGarden LED lights, germination was 48hours.

I think the seeds quality is very important, and I don't even trust big companies to buy seeds from these day.

The frozen soil quickly warmed up :-)

Haven't been on this forum in along, long time so tonight was the first time I saw your thread, goodground. Read the whole thread and it was a delight. I couldn't plant my garden last year, but I'm chomping at the bit to start seedlings for this years, especially the tomatoes. This thread really made me wish I could start the seeds tomorrow, but I will be patient and wait. I love the heirloom tomatoes, but I like most open pollinated vegetables. I'm hoping to have the success this year that you've had. Good job! By the way, my husband had one of his bear adventures while hiking part of the AT a couple of years ago. Naturally, he left the can of bear spray I made him take a mile back to his campsite while he hiked out to get water. There was a confrontation, a charge by the bear, then a roll by the bear, then he got up and walked away, stopping once to look back at my husband. The outcome was good for both of them, but I call it pure luck!

Madonna

Hi Madonna. Sounds like too close for comfort. Glad it worked out for your hubby...and the bear :-)

Goodground, that is nice find.

I am also looking to buy Big Beef. I was in HD, 3 days ago but they did not have seeds rack up yet. I will check today or tomorrow again. They usually bring seeds after removing xmas and new year stuff.

BTW: This thread has grown real big , 274 posts with this one. Maybe you should start a 2016 version. Just a suggestion.

Sey

Hey Sey, you are right. My HD already had the seed rack out but Walmart was still selling the christmas stuff. I also want to see what varieties Wally will bring.

goodground, ...I just came back from HD. Nada. I asked a clrek whan are you going to sell seeds ? She said in April. haha. I asked another person, she said in 2 weeks. Much better. Our local Wally does not have a garden center and don't sell seeds. But there is a Lowes nearby.

Not to worry, I have plenty of time.

Sey

That's why there is mail order!! Lol hd round here doesn't put out seeds until at least April and they dont restock. It's hard to get any supplies for seed starting, so I stock up in season for the next spring and mail order.

I guess every company knows I buy mail order because I'm already getting at least one seed catalog per day. I'm not mad at all just hard to decide what I'm going to plant. I have a pretty good idea and I'm hold off on ordering until they offer free shipping.

Wow! 3 box stores near me put out seeds about 90 days BEFORE sow time. I find that a tad early...lol

Yeah. They know that people will order online from various vendors. This way people walking by the racks will pick them up. Plus notice how the prices are reasonable.

I picked about 4 varieties off of Ferry Morse rack:

--BIG BEEF , BETTER BOY, BIG BOY and OREGON SPRING.

The prices were right @ $1.59 per pack. The OREGON SPRING was an impulse purchase. Now I promised myself not to go near where the seed racks are. hehe

Talking about sowing, I will do it in about 5 weeks from today. That'll be some Quick Start. lol

Sey

I just can't help myself :)

Is there a Trader Joes nearby ?

They taste very good, slightly tangy, very juicy. @ $2.70/lb it is a good deal.

I get similar on the vine from my local supermarket but they are far from very good and tasty in my area.

Trying to grow Popeye muscles...

I hate supermarket tomatoes. They taste horrible. I just use my canned tomatoes out of season until I get some homegrown. I can't wait to eat a salad and a sandwich with my first yummy tomato!! Come on spring!!!

F11's in cottage cheese container.

Brandy Boy F11 ??

Why don't you just call it BB (OP) .

My seedlings are 33 days old already. , growing under lights. A week from now they are going outside to face the world. hehe

Sey

Actually, i just call them Brandy Boy

I just sowed the seeds...

Those are beautiful beds.I just turned under leaves and sowed peas and crimson clover. Its warming up here but still frosty most nights. I haven't started any tomato seeds yet. I ordered some but they haven't come yet.

I sowed then neglected. lol

Meanwhile outside...

Baby tomatoes. Got high hopes for these babies, the only tomatoes I started and it's late too.

goodground , .. Are you growing just one variety ?

Sey

Plus Cherokee purple black krim brandywine and beefsteak

I couldn't get the new big dwarf seeds, unless I ordered them from another place which also meant another shipping charge so maybe next year for big dwarf.

Wow gardenlady. I haven't grown any from that list of 13.

Sey,

I like planting different colors...

Brandy Boy, Pink Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Kelloggs Breakfast, Big Beef, Black Krim, Rutgers, Aunt Gerties Gold

My tomatoes are already planted. Some in ground some in root pouch pots. It was warm then cold. Hopefully it will stay warm now.

Crazy weather. While hardening off...

They should be pretty tough now. Crazy for real, we had frost night before last, yes may 14th frost!! It has been pretty chilly here.

After wind, hail & sunburn. Tough!!

After visiting Portugal's river of gold,

I was surprised to pick 4 cups of blues from one plant.

Net allowed blackcaps to ripen,

while keeping the birds away!

This year i decided not use any support on my 40 tomato plants. Not a single stake. Just let them sprawl.

What did i learn? (Well, i learned that even if they did produce less, i was able to share with friends and family, the freezer is getting full and eating about 3-6 per day.) I learned that i need to plant more in the same amount of space to avoid sunscald on fruit. Around 60 plants may do the trick. My goal is to do less and less during the growing season. Just plant and pick. I did not water after transplanting and did not spray or fertilize :-)

I have been eating so many,

Are you serious? You didn't water or fertilize? That is excellent? Did you mulch? With what and how thick? It wasn't a dry year by you?

After your post, i watered a little for fun. I mulch heavy with leaves (see above pics) to fight weeds. I also add compost (kitchen scraps) at end of season. Here are some Brandy Boys on Sept 3rd making a 2nd push:

Picked today...

5 of these growing wild...