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Not sure how much this works but
NT Gardeners Thread
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by DCAllAfrican,
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My baby cilantro and my baby lavender are growing.
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cs02132
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DCAllAfrican
how did your indoor plants end up doing? Mine ended up being a dud 
definitely needed a light. they got like 1.5 inches tall and stopped I’m just gonna wait like 2 more weeks then start everything over. Peppers, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, lemon and lime basil for now. should be nice enough to leave them outside 24/7
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cs02132
The seeds I placed in trays never did anything.
I did "direct" sow some in some planters that are doing fine though. (Pumpkin, Cucumber, Squash, Zucchini, Peppers).
I went on and bought 2 Tomato Plants and a Red Bell Pepper PLant.
Like you and
hennessy
said, I skipped over the "dome" part. Next go round I will put a covering on them so they can germinate at a higher rate.I still feel like I am behind this season but it is just May.
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My zucchini is out of control...messing up my bell peppers... Hasnt produced anything yet though...build another raised bed so I will transfer them soon...cilantro at the bottom left...use that daily
Black tomato
Black tomato
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Yea you gotta put squash/zucchini/pumpkin/cucumbers in cages and give them their space. They will sprawl all over the place.
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Yeah its my first time with that plant...didnt realize it was a "vine"...bout to buy a tomato cage for it and see how it does...
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cs02132
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Finally warm enough to leave peppers out overnight so I started everything today
jalapeños
Cayenne
Fresno peppers
Spinach
Romaine
Green leaf lettuce
Cucumbers
Green beans
Oregano
Lemon and lime basil
have the urge to do more but not sure what else
I wanna grow some fruit. Growing a watermelon would be cool
jalapeños
Cayenne
Fresno peppers
Spinach
Romaine
Green leaf lettuce
Cucumbers
Green beans
Oregano
Lemon and lime basil
have the urge to do more but not sure what else
I wanna grow some fruit. Growing a watermelon would be cool
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Never even HEARD of LIME Basil.
But yea, do some melons man. Make sure you have something for those vines to climb.
But yea, do some melons man. Make sure you have something for those vines to climb.
cs02132
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You gotta get some they smell amazing
www.burpee.com
Same with lemon verbena. Smells so good
my basils from last year
Lemon Basil Seeds and Plants, Growing Herb Gardens at Burpee.com
Lemony aroma and flavor. Burpee
Same with lemon verbena. Smells so good
my basils from last year
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Yea I threw some Lemon Basil in the soil a few days ago.
Still is looking good so far.
Make sure you prune your pepper plant too.
Still is looking good so far.
Make sure you prune your pepper plant too.
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Growing Popcorn? It’s Easier Than You Think - Farmers’ Almanac
Growing Your Own Popcorn
farmersalmanac.com/growing-popcorn-34687
April 4, 2019
Home » Gardening
Ever wanted to try growing your own popcorn? It just takes a little extra space in your garden and some patience but it's totally worth the effort. Get started now!
by Janine Pineo Updated: March 25, 2021
What has a hard shell, a soft and starchy heart that explodes when heated, and tastes great with a generous drizzle of melted butter and a sprinkle of salt? It must be that wild grass called popcorn. If you love popcorn and ever wondered what it would take to grow your own, keep reading. The good news is you don’t have to live in the Corn Belt to grow it. All you do need is the proper seed, favorable conditions, and patience—lots of patience. Home-grown popcorn tastes delicious and makes the extra effort worth it.
Popcorn Basics
Not all corn pops, so variety matters. Popcorn is a special variety of corn, the scientific name being Zea mays everta, and is one of four main types of corn, with dent, flint, and sweet rounding out the list. The kernels have two shapes: the more elongated rice shape and the rounder pearl shape.
Check your favorite vegetable seed sources for their selection of popcorns, taking into account your growing season length and amount of space available. Many popcorns grow 8 to 9 feet tall and produce 7-inch-long ears, although there are some popcorn offerings that run to miniature sizes, with 4-foot stalks and 3-inch ears.
Popcorn takes longer to mature, too, generally between 90 and 120 days. Like other corns, popcorns dislike cold soil and won’t germinate well, which means is best to wait until the soil warms to at least 60º F.
Planting Popcorn
Because corn is wind-pollinated, it pays to plant in blocks of four rows, following the sowing instructions for depth and spacing. Compared to other corn, popcorn is slower to germinate, taking about 10 days to shoot up, and slower to grow. Corn is a heavy feeder of nutrients, which means an initial round of nitrogen-rich fertilizer when the seeds are planted will help establish the plants, followed by another side application of fertilizer when the plants are about a foot tall.
If you want to grow another type of corn, such as sweet corn, keep in mind that wind-pollinated trait. In a small garden, the varieties will cross-pollinate and the popcorn will not attain its maximum yield. Recommendations vary from growing only popcorn to isolating the rows of popcorn by as much distance as possible. If a garden is located near commercial cornfields, it may be impossible to avoid the pollen drift.
Keeping Your Popcorn Pest- and Disease-Free
Popcorn is susceptible to the usual varmints and diseases of other corns, and the same methods can be used to mitigate those problems. Crop rotation can help with troubles like corn **** and corn borers by moving the rows of corn far from the previous year’s location. As for raccoons, well, good luck distracting them from convenient snacks.
If the plants survive to their maturation date, the ears can be left on the stalk to dry, although this isn’t great if raccoons are plaguing the plants. A light frost only hurts immature ears, although a hard freeze can affect the popping rate of drying kernels, depending on the amount of moisture remaining inside.
Harvesting Popcorn
To avoid those particular pitfalls, harvest the mature ears and husk them. The ears need to dry, either by spreading them on a clean surface or hanging the ears in a mesh bag in a space with good air circulation.
How do you know the popcorn is dry enough? The amount of moisture inside a kernel for a perfect pop falls between 13 and 14 percent, but that’s not something you can test on the kitchen counter.
The best way is to scrape some kernels off the cob and heat them in the microwave or hot-air popper. A perfect pop will be light and crunchy. A partial pop or one that’s tough to chew indicates too much moisture, and then it’s back to waiting a few more days.
Prepping for Popping
Once a test indicates the popcorn is ready, kernels can be popped right on the cob by placing it inside a paper bag and cooking it in the microwave. But you can remove the kernels from the cob first. Just use your thumbs to push the kernels free into a container. Clean garden gloves with added grip in the fingertips such as rubber or nitrile will protect the skin and give extra leverage.
Store dried kernels in an airtight container to keep the popcorn from losing too much moisture. When the craving comes, add two tablespoons of kernels and use your favorite method for popping!
Once you serve up your homegrown popcorn at your next movie night, you and your family might never want store-bought again!
Read to Garden By The Moon? When is a good time to plant corn? Find out here!
Janine Pineo
Janine Pineo has been gardening all her life in Maine and writing about it for more than two decades. More of her writing can be found on her website, GardenMaine.com.
Keep Exploring
Do you need male and female plants to pollinate to get the popcorn? How do you know if a plant is going to be male or female?
Hi Andrew, corn has both male and female flowers. The male flowers are the tassels at the top of the stalk. The female flowers are the silk on the ears. The silk must be completely pollinated by the tassels to produce the kernels on each ear. Incomplete pollination will result in incomplete ears. You can help it along by walking along the rows and shaking the tassels which will release the pollen to fall on the silk in the ears. Hope that was helpful.
great info.how can l get some kernels of two or three varieties to multiply for next years planting. Am highly interested and excited
my address Mike odilison, Flat 3 No 12 Massana street Zone 1, Wuse Abuja ,FCT
www.farmersalmanac.com
Growing Your Own Popcorn
farmersalmanac.com/growing-popcorn-34687
April 4, 2019
Home » Gardening
Ever wanted to try growing your own popcorn? It just takes a little extra space in your garden and some patience but it's totally worth the effort. Get started now!
by Janine Pineo Updated: March 25, 2021
What has a hard shell, a soft and starchy heart that explodes when heated, and tastes great with a generous drizzle of melted butter and a sprinkle of salt? It must be that wild grass called popcorn. If you love popcorn and ever wondered what it would take to grow your own, keep reading. The good news is you don’t have to live in the Corn Belt to grow it. All you do need is the proper seed, favorable conditions, and patience—lots of patience. Home-grown popcorn tastes delicious and makes the extra effort worth it.
Popcorn Basics
Not all corn pops, so variety matters. Popcorn is a special variety of corn, the scientific name being Zea mays everta, and is one of four main types of corn, with dent, flint, and sweet rounding out the list. The kernels have two shapes: the more elongated rice shape and the rounder pearl shape.
Check your favorite vegetable seed sources for their selection of popcorns, taking into account your growing season length and amount of space available. Many popcorns grow 8 to 9 feet tall and produce 7-inch-long ears, although there are some popcorn offerings that run to miniature sizes, with 4-foot stalks and 3-inch ears.
Popcorn takes longer to mature, too, generally between 90 and 120 days. Like other corns, popcorns dislike cold soil and won’t germinate well, which means is best to wait until the soil warms to at least 60º F.
Planting Popcorn
Because corn is wind-pollinated, it pays to plant in blocks of four rows, following the sowing instructions for depth and spacing. Compared to other corn, popcorn is slower to germinate, taking about 10 days to shoot up, and slower to grow. Corn is a heavy feeder of nutrients, which means an initial round of nitrogen-rich fertilizer when the seeds are planted will help establish the plants, followed by another side application of fertilizer when the plants are about a foot tall.
If you want to grow another type of corn, such as sweet corn, keep in mind that wind-pollinated trait. In a small garden, the varieties will cross-pollinate and the popcorn will not attain its maximum yield. Recommendations vary from growing only popcorn to isolating the rows of popcorn by as much distance as possible. If a garden is located near commercial cornfields, it may be impossible to avoid the pollen drift.
Keeping Your Popcorn Pest- and Disease-Free
Popcorn is susceptible to the usual varmints and diseases of other corns, and the same methods can be used to mitigate those problems. Crop rotation can help with troubles like corn **** and corn borers by moving the rows of corn far from the previous year’s location. As for raccoons, well, good luck distracting them from convenient snacks.
If the plants survive to their maturation date, the ears can be left on the stalk to dry, although this isn’t great if raccoons are plaguing the plants. A light frost only hurts immature ears, although a hard freeze can affect the popping rate of drying kernels, depending on the amount of moisture remaining inside.
Harvesting Popcorn
To avoid those particular pitfalls, harvest the mature ears and husk them. The ears need to dry, either by spreading them on a clean surface or hanging the ears in a mesh bag in a space with good air circulation.
How do you know the popcorn is dry enough? The amount of moisture inside a kernel for a perfect pop falls between 13 and 14 percent, but that’s not something you can test on the kitchen counter.
The best way is to scrape some kernels off the cob and heat them in the microwave or hot-air popper. A perfect pop will be light and crunchy. A partial pop or one that’s tough to chew indicates too much moisture, and then it’s back to waiting a few more days.
Prepping for Popping
Once a test indicates the popcorn is ready, kernels can be popped right on the cob by placing it inside a paper bag and cooking it in the microwave. But you can remove the kernels from the cob first. Just use your thumbs to push the kernels free into a container. Clean garden gloves with added grip in the fingertips such as rubber or nitrile will protect the skin and give extra leverage.
Store dried kernels in an airtight container to keep the popcorn from losing too much moisture. When the craving comes, add two tablespoons of kernels and use your favorite method for popping!
Once you serve up your homegrown popcorn at your next movie night, you and your family might never want store-bought again!
Read to Garden By The Moon? When is a good time to plant corn? Find out here!
Janine Pineo
Janine Pineo has been gardening all her life in Maine and writing about it for more than two decades. More of her writing can be found on her website, GardenMaine.com.
Keep Exploring
Do you need male and female plants to pollinate to get the popcorn? How do you know if a plant is going to be male or female?
Hi Andrew, corn has both male and female flowers. The male flowers are the tassels at the top of the stalk. The female flowers are the silk on the ears. The silk must be completely pollinated by the tassels to produce the kernels on each ear. Incomplete pollination will result in incomplete ears. You can help it along by walking along the rows and shaking the tassels which will release the pollen to fall on the silk in the ears. Hope that was helpful.
great info.how can l get some kernels of two or three varieties to multiply for next years planting. Am highly interested and excited
my address Mike odilison, Flat 3 No 12 Massana street Zone 1, Wuse Abuja ,FCT
Growing Your Own Popcorn
Ever wanted to try growing your own popcorn? It just takes a little extra space in your garden and some patience but it's totally worth the effort. Get started now!
www.farmersalmanac.com
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Bought a Cajun Bell pepper plant like 1-2 months ago...been watering it and keeping it in the sun. I checked today and the little peppers are starting to grow, but 1 has holes in it (see bottom right of pic) Also I noticed some black spots on the stem of the plant.
Am I leaving it on the sun too much? I never tried to grow **** before, so someone help me out
Am I leaving it on the sun too much? I never tried to grow **** before, so someone help me out
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Bought a Cajun Bell pepper plant like 1-2 months ago...been watering it and keeping it in the sun. I checked today and the little peppers are starting to grow, but 1 has holes in it (see bottom right of pic) Also I noticed some black spots on the stem of the plant.
Am I leaving it on the sun too much? I never tried to grow **** before, so someone help me out
you might be watering it too much. did you use fertilizer or anything...?
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My uncle gave me a tomato plant yesterday. Already have some Cali-Magic... but I might try the potassium banana peel thing.
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I would say to make sure you don't over do it. Once every 15 or so days is enough for water soluble fertilizers.
moe200069
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posting just to subscribe to this thread. i got a lot of yard and work ahead of me this summer. look forward to sharing in the journey with the green thumbs in here
cs02132
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First flower of the season. Came pretty early, I didn’t even switch it to a bigger pot
On a “sweet heat” seedling, never tried this pepper before
Huge lettuce
Gave a seedling to my mom and she planted it. Neither of us like this variety of lettuce (so bitter) so it’s just growing it’s probably 8-10 inches tall
On a “sweet heat” seedling, never tried this pepper before
Huge lettuce
Gave a seedling to my mom and she planted it. Neither of us like this variety of lettuce (so bitter) so it’s just growing
it’s probably 8-10 inches tall
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Yea, get that Pepper plant into the ground/bigger container. I get it though, sometimes you just don't feel like it. But those Summer days are limited.
But those Summer days are limited. 
