OT: Frost on garden

Richard G. · Apr 14, 2012

Had to cover the potatoes for two nights. Used very cheap painters plastic. Only got a little burn on the leaves touching the plastic. A few corn plants show damage, but not enough to bother.
The reason I plant so early is to get the potatoes made before it starts getting so hot. As the nights get warm, the potatoes stop putting on size. I hope to can at least 150 pounds this year.
The row on the right is just coming up. My son wanted some to can as well, so I planted some later for him.
Richard in NW SC

Tom in TN · Apr 14, 2012

Richard,

We had below freezing temperatures for two days here in southern Middle Tennessee. My wife and I had set out some tomatoes, cabbage, squash, lettuce, peppers, and probably something else that I can't think of.

We covered them with plastic milk jugs and old flower pots. It looks like they survived but I guess we won't know for sure for a few days.

We planted too early, but those 80 degree days just took our good sense away.

Tom in TN

Richard G. · Apr 14, 2012

Tom, I haven't planted anything but potatoes and corn. Will plant things like green beans and maybe a few tomatoes next week. Our average last frost date here is April 15.
I do the potatoes in February because I can keep hilling them as they pop through.
Richard

SouthernFarmall · Apr 14, 2012

Our average last frost date here is April 11, but I planted squash, field peas, corn, and tomatoes between March 15 and March 30. I covered 1/2 of the squash, the tomatoes, and 1/3 of the field peas the other night. It didn't get as cold as I expected, so I wasted my time, but I guess that is a positive. Squash is getting its third set of leaves and the field peas are on their first.

SF

Nate V. IA · Apr 14, 2012

Tom,
I had planted some old tomato seeds in Jan with the intent to check and see if the seeds were still good, they were from 2008. They came up so I put them in the kitchen window and they out grew the pots they were in, it was still to early to plant them here in Central Iowa so I decided to plant them in buckets with a milk jug covering them. We had two nights in the twenties this week, they were both in the shed that is open to the south. I checked them today, one of them had just one leaf out the top of the jug and it was deader than a doornail. The other one was not quite as big and was still all the way in the jug and it is doing just fine. I guess I learned my lesson on that didn't I.

Nate

JDseller · Apr 14, 2012

Richard, if you have to cover plants again it is easy to make hoops to hold the plastic off of the plants. Just take #9 wire and cut it about three feet long. Then bend it into a "U" shape. stick each end down into the ground 6-8 inches. Put them every 3-4 feet down the row. This will hold the plastic up off of the plants. I have also done this to help early plants germinate earlier too. Just like a little green house.

Richard G. · Apr 15, 2012

Someone asked me about canning taters in an email.
I can these soon after harvest. Wash in the shop sink, usually just scrub them with a brush. Cut them into chunks. Can according to directions found on the Presto Canner website. They make great soup, good in green beans, or the can be drained and sliced and fried in oil.
Richard in NW SC

Mashbox · Apr 15, 2012

Nothing beats a jar of canned taters. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a cast iron pan, drain taters and put into the pan, cutting them up into small pieces. Add Emeril's seasoning to taste and cook until crispy. I don't eat this often, cause of the butter and salt, but it's sure good.

OT: Frost on garden

Richard G.

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Tom in TN

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Richard G.

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SouthernFarmall

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Nate V. IA

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JDseller

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Richard G.

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Mashbox

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