Happy new year!

I used to start my onions and leeks from seed on new year's day but now I just buy Dixondale starts for onions and haven't grown leeks for a couple years.

Interesting Jack, I started Walla Walla sweet onions and planted in the fall of 2021 so that I could harvest them last year. Then when I went to the farm store we like there were bundles of starts there for 3 bucks which will be my way from now on.

January Gardening,What? This is my time off, nyuk, but not really. Between Xmas & Feb 20th is my only 2 month break from working the soil and indoor seed starting. That recent cold blast (8F was the lowest here) finally put the garden to bed. My fall planted spinach (3 rows in pic below) is coming along nicely and is dormant now. Each row was planted 2 weeks apart starting on Oct 20th with the right row. I'll see which timing works best by mid March for an early harvest after I clean them up in late Feb. The next 2 months will be devoted to fruit tree pruning and Spring garden planning.

I usually start my tomato and squash seedling around January 10. Hopefully I can at least get some tomato seeds started around then

I was going through some seeds and opened a container of saved sugar snap pea seeds. That lid went right back on, bugs were trying to find a way out. Those seeds went into the freezer! Pea seed beetles ( commonly called weevils), I read this about them: They are able to fly up to 3 miles (5 km) which makes them challenging to control.

Len, I always look for those bundles of onion starts, so much easier than starting from seed.

Peas with holes, and dead beetles

leah My daughter used to work at a pest control place. We got weevils and she said to dump everything from the pantry, wash every container and wipe down all of the shelves with a 10% bleach solution! Worked for us! A few extra bucks to re-stock the basics, but it was done!

nancyjane-the beetles didn't get out of my saved garden seeds-thankfully. I have dealt with the grain moths before so I know the drill, it's a pain. I have also found that the sticky traps that you can buy really work and help to identify when there's a problem.

^^^ It's so cruel to make me drool ;-) A Very Nice harvest RD

Thanks vgkg. The red tomatoes (Brandy Boy, Big Beef, George Detsika, Celebrity, and Druzba), are much better in the winter harvests- the black and purple tomatoes have a mushy texture, only the Cherokee Purple, Paul Robeson, and Dark Shekel were fairly firm in texture. Cindy I am going to try the Medium Rare tomatoes tomorrow and I will give you a report on taste and texture.

I got the blueberry bushes pruned today and have topped off 2 pear trees too. The 2 plum trees are about 20 years old now but I try to keep them in shape though they are huge now. The 2 figs seemed to have handled the cold wave ok. Another pear tree to go along with 3 semi dwarf apple trees. Will have to wait until spring to see if the pomegranate is ok.

It's January 8,2023 and here's a picture of my lettuce taken today. This is in Pittsburgh Pa; Zone 6a

This is Landis Winter two weeks after temps of -5° F during the big Christmas Freeze. There was no winter protection at all. No row covers, no hoop house. There's more than what's in the picture. What you see is what I planted from seed purchased at the link until I used it all up. But there's more that self seeded from what I let grow for seed. That was in the shade and too much was out of focus so I took the picture as shown.

You've got to grow this lettuce.

I picked some of the lettuce and we had a salad with dinner. DW tasted a leaf without any dressing and thought it was slightly bitter. My opinion was it tasted fine with Creamy Poppyseed dressing. This lettuce always grows out with a thicker, green leaf than most lettuce leaves. The leaves are about 3" diameter max and crinkled. I grew this as a spring and again as a fall crop along with 4 other lettuce varieties. We dropped one of the others because while it had good taste it got stemmy early..It's my opinion that the leaves I harvested today may have have regrown after the deep freeze; as they/re mostly an inch and a half in diameter.

Kevin - If you're still reading this thread and want to taste this lettuce; I'm open to that. This lettuce was sowed in mid August and can be sowed later and also sowed for a spring crop. While we had an abnormally warm winter you have the hoop houses.

I found this article on growing winter lettuce late last summer:Grow Great Lettuce in Winter By Pam Dawling.

I need to try that lettuce next winter.

That's a good article you posted.

Got any ideas about winter cabbage ( or any other brassica or greens)

I've tried Tundra and January King. Didn't work for me.

I'm interested in any Savory cabbage types for winter growing.

Okie HU

Happy New(ish) Year!

Yesterday it was quite pleasant here so I dragged a hose out to my compost bins and gave them a good drink.

Cindy, the Medium Rare tomato is about as tasty as almost any red tomato. Probably tastes the most like Druzba-stronger and more acidic than Big Beef and Brandy Boy. I was a little surprised at the smaller size-Druzba or Celebrity sized tomatoes, as Burpee claimed they were 16-18 ounces. They also claimed they had a smoky flavor which I did not taste at all-I have never gotten a smoky flavor off any red, pink, or orange tomato I have tasted.

Another pleasent day here in Va, did some more fruit tree pruning while the temp was near 60F, it will turn cooler over the weekend. Several of these fruit trees have out grown me in being able to keep up with them, nyuk. Their tops are now out of my reach when using an 8 ft ladder and 12 ft pole pruner. The 3 mature pears are the worst at controlling as they love to shoot straight up and can grow another 8' when ya not looking. Last Spring a double whammy late freezing event descimated all of their blooms, got zero pears this past season. I'm hoping they make up for it this year hoping that no weather surprises punch them in the nose. I hope that we all avoid weather surprises of all kinds.

The dark tomatoes, which ripened through milder weather were better tasting and not mushy inside. Hopefully this new cold snap won’t negatively affect the tomatoes

Vgkg - I need to do some serious pruning on one of my peach trees. As you described, it likes to grow straight up. Last year during harvest I found myself standing on the top of an 8’ ladder, reaching as far as my arms would allow (while steadying myself by holding a nearby branch). Not advisable for anyone.

Richard - Your tomatoes look great! It’s nice to see that someone here is getting some fresh veggies.

John - Your lettuce looks quite happy! I never would have dreames it possible to grow it through the dead of winter.

Margi that tree needs some serious discipline. No standing on top of ladders please! My old one armed peach tree finally went over the rainbow bridge this winter. The new one will probably bear a few peaches this year.

Richard the Costco tomatoes on the counter (no photo) are better than the canned and frozen ones for a salad but that is as much as I can say for them. It is a month before I start any seeds here so you are giving us hope!

We had a salad a couple of times this week with greens from the garden. Lettuce, mostly red, tiny spinach leaves and mizuna which has become a favorite. These are growing in hoop house and a little (over the bed) 3'x8' plastic greenhouse that I bought from a lady that was moving away. I waited too long to plant these in hoop house so just now getting productive...had to get tomatoes out of the way first and they kept going into fall.

Len, those Dark Shekel tomatoes (got the seeds from Cindy) have been awesome. Great taste-1/2 of the charasteristics of a great red beefsteak and 1/2 of the black and the best producers of all. Margi’s Celebrity tomatoes are also great producers-about 25.

Another typically cold Jan day here, the sun was blazing so that helped with the cold breeze while continuing to prune some fruit trees. Long range forecast is hinting at a warmer than normal 2nd half of Jan. I'm janking out the old deadish collard plants now and into the compost pile they go. It's a pretty boring time of the year for a gardeningaholic, nyuk, but the break is welcome.

The Pruden's Purple tomato weighed the most at 11.5 ounces, with the Chocolate Stripes close behind (11.3 ounces). The George Detsikas were all big also and I might have forgotten to weigh the biggest one (too busy eating it).

I need to get serious about ordering seeds! Have the rest of you already done this?

My son/daughter-in-law grew chocolate cherry tomato last year and shared a few with us. My husband (and they) give it a 2 thumbs up rating. Has anyone else grow it?

Margi, I have grown chocolate cherry tomatoes before and really liked them. They are pretty sweet and I would give them 2 thumbs up too. Seems like the skin was a little thick, but not too bad.

Margi, after trying quite a few i now Only grow two different cherry tomatoes, sun gold and chocolate cherry, which we find to be delicious and very prolific. I have saved plenty of chocolate cherry seeds and you are welcome to some of mine,

I swore I wasn't going to buy any seeds this year And then I got ready to start some leeks. Uh Oh Baker to the rescue!

I may try out a chocolate cherry tomato plant this year if I can find transplants locally. My only cherry tomato has been Sungold which has a habit of splitting open too easily esp after a rain. The thicker skinned chocolate one sounds like it may not split open as easily but I do prefer thin skins.

I finally wrapped up fruit tree pruning yesterday, the 2 fig trees were out of control so they were given a really good shearing. Now it's on to spring garden plot planning, will need to downsize this coming season but still grow all the same veggies as before just more closely spaced and timed right for more overlapping of plantings. The result will be a few less tomato plants, less corn, and less melons this year for space saving measures. We're getting off to a good start as our mini-drought has come to an end and soil moisture has been replenished by recent rains and with more to come.

eta - our daffodils are up about 2" now.

I started thinking about starting some peppers today. So I hauled out the seeds and of course there are some missing. Then I remember to check the overwintering peppers in the garage. All in all they look pretty good with over half of them showing green when I scratch the stem. So I'm guessing I maybe have 10 survivors, But It is still only January.

So there will be another seed order for shishitos and whatever else my DW decides she wants.

VGKG want some Chocolate Cherry seeds...got lots!

Thanks so much Len for that kind offer of seed but my indoor seed starting days are behind me, my local nursery carries cherry transplants of all types so will pick up a cell pack when I buy the Sungolds, Cherokee Purples and a few others. Trying to cut back here this year, I got my marching orders, nyuk. Very Nice looking pepper plants! Spring is sneaking up on us, my spinach wants to wake up too. Got another 3/4" of rain today and no frigid temps below 30F are in sight....right now!

The newest Chocolate Stripes is the biggest tomato of the season at 13.2 ounces. Seeds and Such has free delivery on all seeds until Monday.

Richard Chocolate stripes is one of my favorites! A BLT sound heavenly to me with temps in the 20's coming next week! Wouldn't you know I just ordered a few seeds from Territorial.

Here is a shout out to Triple Divide Organic Seeds. I had a batch of (rare) Glacier Rose Shallot seeds from them that failed to germinate. When I let them know they acknowledged the failure of that year's seed crop and sent me new tested seeds.

A few days ago I started putting some twine around the bed where my broad beans are challenging the winter weather. Yesterday it was down in 3 places and appeared to be cut or chewed through...the beans were not harmed. What would do that?

My first batch of pepper seeds are in a germination chamber (Plastic bag with damp paper towels on heat mat)

It was the twine that was cut?? How high was it. If a 4 legged critter/bird cut the twine I would guess there was something on the twine. Say you had honey dripped on the twine; even a bear might have helped hisself.

I ordered seeds from both Johnny's and Baker Creek. Mostly lettuce and small leafed spinach. BC's shipping was free so went back and added dill seed before checking out.

Hey John,

Yes it was twine, and it was low to the ground because I want to support those fava beans when the start to grow a bit more. Surprised me that it broke with sharp ends in 3 places. I went down there today and restrung it, adding a higher run with some survey tape to keep my dogs out of there. It is a good think that I'm doing this for a hobby, a serious farmer would not invest all of this effort in a marginal crop!

Len - Chocolate Stripes IS my favorite beefsteak tomato. Period!!

Wessel's is my favorite paste tomato.

Len, I am going to guess it was a rabbit(s). Around here they bite through twine like hot butter-especially in the winter or for any chance at food. You have more exotic critters up there where you live, so it could be something else, but rabbits have razor sharp front teeth, especially the cottontails-not quite as bad as a squirrel-but close.

Cindy, I am going to get busy fermenting those seeds-I was trying to wait for a warm snap, but don’t want to wait forever. Supposed to have highs in the 50s and 60s for the next 3 days. Should have them ready within a week or less. Chocolate Stripes is in my top 2 tomatoes of all time of any type-these were the biggest I have ever grown, so it will be great to have some seeds from them.

Len, Cindy, Richard - Is Chocolate Stripes your favorite because of taste? If so I have to add another tomato plant.

John, it is definitely because of the taste. They are a little harder to grow around here and not as productive as some, but the ones that grow to maturity are awesome. I can send you some seeds, when I send Cindy’s. If anyone else needs some let me know-they are from Cindy’s stock and are the best Chocolate Stripes I have ever tasted.

John, agree with Richard about taste, and grows well for me as well.

John - I find it to be one of the best tasting tomatoes ever. And it is very productive for me.

Len - What is your other top tasting tomato?

OK Cindy this is your fault. Now you made me get out tomato seeds. Report will follow since it is drizzling outside and I'm avoiding going out there to cover things for cold snap in the way.

Thanks to all of you the Chocolate Stripes taste reports. I'm going to want to try this one. So Richard I'd appreciate 8-10 seeds only. If you need my address again I'll PM it.

The last day of Jan and it's a gloomy one here with a cloudy cool drizzle. Yesterday I went to Home Depo and they now have multiple seed racks up so I bought some more lettuce, carrot, squash, and crenshaw melon seeds for direct seeding in the Spring. The overwintered spinach is looking good, some is almost pickable. I noticed that a critter was chewing on the end of one spinach row which was exposed (hoop fence was a bit short to cover it all). I thought it was either a rabbit or deer but did not see any tracks. Joke was on me, it was my lone hen that I caught in the act pecking at the spinach. I can't be too upset since this hen is now laying eggs again after a 9 month hiatus.

Link to February thread:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6344525/veggie-tales-feburary-2023#n=3