Posted on 09/26/2014 12:43:51 PM PDT by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks.
No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. There is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.
tob2 ; I don't know what climate zone you are in, nor your geographic location, anyways ,.. here goes ..
The DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A "COLD FRAME" versus a "HOT FRAME"
A Cold Frame is a surface mounted box, basicly aimed to the south to collect maximum sunlight, and covered with Glass, or a translucent material to increase sunlight and warmth.
A Cold frame will extend your growing season by 30 - 40 days, and uses the sun as a heat source.
A HOT FRAME is generally a sunken insulated mounted box, aimed to the South for maximum sunlight,covered with glass,
whereby heat is generated by "HOT MANURE" and sunlight.
HOT MANURE is FRESH HORSE , or FRESH CHICKEN MANURE which is high in Nitrogen, and gives off heat as it oxydizes and breaks down(like compost); cow manure is not hot (nitrogen) enough.
Due to cold snaps, frequently it requires a blanket/ comforter placed over the glass on cold nights to keep the warmth inside (ie: additional insulation).
With the HOT FRAME you can extend your growing season by 40-80 days, depending on nightime temperatures,insultion, and willingness to put the extra effort of blankets at night.
This is how the early colonialists extended their growing season, as at that time horses were used as draft annimals and for personal transportation.
The invention of the gasoline /diesel tractor, and the automobile, has eliminated the need for horses, and much of history has already been forgotten .
Hmmm, now I’m thinking of starting that corn a couple weeks earlier than I’d planned. I have a ‘honey do’ project now.
LMAO !!
HOT FRAMES can be used to extend growing season , or start earlier plantings outdoors for early spring.
You just have to be aware of daytime temperatures and available sunlight so that you don't 'steam' the new seedlings. A vent is as simple as a stick .
Both Cold frames and Hot frames are best if angled southward and higher in the back so they catch (Winter) maximum sunlight, and less sunlight reflectivity.
I don’t see his postings this week...
No gardening for me over the weekend. Went to the sprint car races in Wheatland. Took the WhinnyBago and camped at the track Friday and Saturday nights.
Got home around 1:30 yesterday afternoon. Unpacked and cleaned up the trailer then spent several hours in the pond with Nanner. I’ve made some good progress on that job over the past couple weeks.
Thanks for the information. I already knew about cold frames having used them in the past when living up north. Did not know about, because of having never heard of them, the hot frame. At any rate, I will do what I can to let the eggplants mature. Living in an apartment complex and being allowed to have gardening pots only is limiting but I am grateful the landlord even lets me have them! I’m amazed at how much can be grown in them and with mostly bright indirect light.
I might be able to make a mini-greenhouse for them and will give that a try.
I hope your van continues to run. This SUV has a third row of seats in it which we don’t need so will keep those folded down to have more room in the back for hauling whatever. I think the first trip to break in the new car will be to Bossier City, Louisiana, to a casino there.
I envy your ability to grow food in the winter and especially in your house. If I can get that one type tomato to grow in the house, I will be amazed, but I didn’t think I could grow anything at all to start with on this venture, and growing a plant from a seed was miraculous.
Annnnnd, 4w4d after I planted it, my corn is silking beautifully. I didn’t wander out there for a few days as I was busy in the other part of the yard but I checked on it around lunch today. Each stalk has 2 or 3 ears. I guess it really does like chicken poop.
His garden is pretty much kaput for the season, and his job interferes with posting on the thread too.
JFR, do you think you could post some pics for Eric, if he sent you an email? Pretty Please?
Sounds like a good weekend. Rest, Relaxation, exciting races, and a few hours of hard labor.LOL
Good luck. I am hoping it works here too.
Maybe another garden poster ?
I hope it continues a while longer too. With oil prices up I was hoping they would come out with another one that got good mileage, with out the electric stuff. I have no interest in an electric car.
No need for envy. I have many failures, but enough successes to keep me in the game.LOL
I imagine it does like chicken poop, as do many other plants.
I know there are some others that can and probably will, but I can’t remember exactly who. I’ll ask the question again on Friday if we don’t hear anything from JFR by then.
/johnny
Didn’t realize that you were restricted totally to a tablet.
Thanks for responding.
http://www.rural-revolution.com/2014/09/harvesting-corn.html
Lots of pics and info.
One caveat though. She should have left the corn on the stalks until it was dry in order to save it for seed. When you pick it to eat as sweet corn it’s not fully mature as a seed just yet.
Thanks for the link. I’ll have to look into that corn.
I didn’t like the Golden bantam, but that may be because hubby let it grow longer than it should have.
I don’t usually plant until first of June, either, but we do have until Oct. 15 for growth to maturity.
The one I had best luck with was Sunglow - a good tasting early variety with 50 DTM. I would like to succession plant about 2 weeks apart, so that we don’t have so much to harvest at once.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.