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  • ICMag with help from Phlizon, Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest for Christmas! You can check it here. Prizes are: full spectrum led light, seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!

We grow vegetable gardens too! Post your Garden pics here

Green Squall

Well-known member
Veteran
Cat watching Lettuce grow.

View Image

View Image

The cat's fur is warm, like he's been laying in the sun.

This is the same cat that had the sore throat, mostly recovered.

The LED guys say I can remove the white plastic globes to get more light, but for now I like it the way it is.

It's a mix of Warm (2700K color temp, 15.5 watts) and Cool (5000K, 13.5 watts & 15.5 watts) bulbs.


I had a helluva time removing the plastic globes from my LED bulbs.
I ended up using some heavy duty scissors since they just wouldn't budge.
It you have a vice, it should be pretty easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYBDjbzQ4JQ
 

St. Phatty

Active member
I had a helluva time removing the plastic globes from my LED bulbs.
I ended up using some heavy duty scissors since they just wouldn't budge.
It you have a vice, it should be pretty easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYBDjbzQ4JQ

The last 2 years I ran a 1000 or 2000 watts of grow light during the cold winter months.

House has electric heat, so using it via grow light doesn't cost any more.

I actually don't mind the inefficiency of the SIL LED's, since I'm now back to using electric heat. I don't think the plastic covers rob more than 10% of the light.

Really glad for the LED tech. With window light, I can turn a spare bedroom into a legit greenhouse.
 

Big Nasty

Active member
winter garden

winter garden

Planted a bit too late but now the veggies are enjoying the warmth of mid-winter sun:
Roman broccoli
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Tuscany cabbage,very good production this season
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purple broccoli
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cauliflower
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Brussels sprouts,i love this stuff
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rod58

Active member
i haven't grown any chillis over the past 3 years as i dry most of them and turn it into powder for sprinkling over food . i'm out now so these should top up my supplies a bit .
the first of the carolina reapers , then one i don't have a name for .
its a bit hot but tastes bloody wonderful !
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Betterhaff

Well-known member
Veteran
Hey rod, was that no name pepper from seeds taken from a pepper you grew? Chilies hybridize quite easily, kind of looks like it has some habanero or Caribbean red in it.

My chocolate habaneros are up, surprisingly they beat the cayennes.
 

rod58

Active member
hey betterhaff , i got the seeds from a mate years ago and they have been consistent since . no variations at all . i grew one plant that lasted four years and got to head height .
i can eat a whole one though every now and then you'll get one that scorches your mouth , live your own little private hell for a while ! hahaha .
 

Rico Swazi

Active member
growing asparagus in 4 containers for the first time
this is the 3rd year for the roots and we finally get to take a few
any tips tricks and pointers much appreciated :tiphat:


 

Rico Swazi

Active member
I thought I lost these pics from last year



thin wispy little spears on 2nd year old root
Bigger than my index finger this year





cat loves the sun as much as the asparagus




The five gal bucket has been up-canned to a tote over the winter
Had to put sticks everywhere to discourage squatters


and a couple broccoli pics


 

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
asparagus is pretty easy to grow, haven't done it in pots yet but as long as it doesn't freeezes in winter should be ok. give it nutes once the foliage starts to grow after harvest. it will help with next years harvest. also harvest every time a spike is about 20 cm long, no matter what thickness (the thin ones are even nicer taste than the big ones, they are so good you can eat them fresh on the spot, as they are very sweet when harvested.). harvest for 2-3 weeks at most when plants are in year 3-4, or just till all the spikes that break ground are thin. once the plant is estabilished you can harvest for over 1 month most of the time, or till the spikes are all thin.
 

Rico Swazi

Active member
Thanks exploziv appreciate the help! Spikes/spears are just over 15 cm as of today. Nearly triple in size in a couple days!
I dodged a few raindrops and took a pic



Clumsy oaf that I am broke a spear off while moving the mulch around.... so I ate it right then. It was good and sweeet just like you say.

My concern is over harvesting and hurting next years growth so I will heed your advice at only doing a 2 to 3 week harvest this year at most.

I believe the females are the thinner ones? I have some red berry like seeds from one female plant and will try to propagate them later this year. We purchased these year old roots but if i can get a perpetual harvest of first year roots, I would be even happier.

It is my understanding that asparagus in containers have a 5 to 7 year life span while double that in the ground.

anything else you or anyone else can correct or add to about asparagus container growing , please chime in.
 

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
Keep in mind those berries are poisonous and toxic even if juices in them are touched. And yes, black seeds contained in them should yeld plants.
Most of the times, female plants will have the thinner stems, but a plant that has less energy stored will try to survive by throwing thin spears. Also, new growth will have thinner spears at first, compared to the well estabilished central root. When overharvested, the places that used to yeld thick stems will have them thinner in order to conserve energy. Take that as an indicator that you harvested enaugh and plant needs those new spears to catch sunrays to be ready for overwintering and next year's harvest. Don't stress too much, they are hard to kill. I even had to dig them up and replanted them by splitting each root system into 4 smaller pieces, and I only managed to kill one in the process. I mean i just got 3 plants instead of 4 from one of the old roots. The other 7 all yelded 4 out of 4.
 

Rico Swazi

Active member
Don't stress too much
Easy for you! lol, for years my wife and I have relied on a neighbors kindness letting us pick from their garden but they sold their property last year. Made me ill to see it all bulldozed to put up a pole building. On a fixed budget here, tender sweet asparagus in the store is just too expensive for us to buy. Shame 'cause we love 'em so much. ergo the stress, lol!

Can't find a link but you are right on the berries being toxic. I read that letting them dry on the plant mitigates those toxins somewhat but you still can't/shouldn't eat them.




What varieties are you growing exploziv ?[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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I have Jersey Giant and Purple Passion varieties along with an heirloom called Mary Washington.

Not the link I was looking for but informative

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/asparagus/varieties-of-asparagus.htm
 

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
From what I remember I am growing Connovers Colossal and Precoce D'Argentuil.
Also, use gloves and don't breathe the fine dust when working with those berries. Dried or not, you should limit exposure. And for sure don't eat any part of the plant other than the young spikes.
 
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