Forcing Bulbs - Part 1 - Cold Treatment

While at a local discount store the other day, I bought some spring bulbs with the intent of forcing them inside.

After finishing my speech on lasagna gardening at the monthly meeting of my garden club, I ask for their suggestions and observations on forcing bulbs.  Everyone agreed that I needed to refrigerate them - however, there was no agreement on how long.

When I googled forcing bulbs, the University of Minnesota Extension Service suggested refrigerating them October 1st for 12-13 weeks.  Click here for their website.  Hit the left arrow to return.

As I didn't get them into cold storage until several weeks late (October 24), I hope they are forgiving.  I chose the refrigerator rather than the garage as the bulbs will not survive if they freeze, and I couldn't guarantee that.

Since I have multiple bulbs, I will mark my calendar for the day after Christmas to start rotating them out of cold storage.  We will see how the experiment goes...

Zone4 Magazine and Website

A year or so ago, I subscribed to Zone4, a gardening magazine about "LIVING in the high country WEST."  Their subscription advertisement said "ZONE4's expert contributors offer advice on everything you need to know to be a successful gardener in the short, dry growing seasons of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Idaho."  It should have mentioned "high altitude," too.

"Plus," they continue, "Q & A with Montana State University's top horticulturist Dr. Bob Gough, sustainable sources of local foods, recipes, farmers markets, flowers on MainStreet, outdoor art, and more."

The price is $24 a/year or $40 for 2 years.  It is published four times a year.   It is expensive to publish a beautiful, slick magazine like this, and I knew I needed to put my money where my mouth was.

When I first saw this magazine, I was low-water ideas deprived:  not only did I order up a two-year subscription, but I sprung for back issues as well.

The 2011 Fall Edition is out, and I am awaiting their 2011Winter Edition.

Meanwhile I watch them online.  Click here to view their website. Click the back arrow to return.  Highlights of their website include their issue back-issues index, videos, store (everyone has a gardener on their Christmas gift) and a recipe corner.

Tomato Guy - Part IV - Tomato Plants

More from Tomato Guy.

After the last frost next spring, it will be time to populate the tubs.

The Tomato Guy buys his stock from nine different retailers hoping to find a variety of different growers.  He reasons that if one plant is diseased his whole crop is not ruined and the summer's growing season is not lost.

It will be interesting to see when I check back with him in the spring the answers to the following questions about the planting and care of his tomato transplants:

• how deep; vertical or horizontal 
• how close to the last-frost date
• how to protect tender plants 

Tomato Guy - Part III - Soil and Mulch

More from Tomato Guy.

When he fills his orange tubs, he puts five or six inches of mulch in the bottom.  Then he puts a weed barrier.  Then he puts Miracle Grow garden soil.  From the looks of his containers, he puts enough Miracle Grow so that the soil line comes within a couple of inches of the rim.

mulch

potting soil

When he disassembles his tubs in the fall, he doesn't reuse his mulch for tomatoes.  He puts it around other plants in his yard.

The Miracle grow is another story.  He screens it using chicken wire to get rid of any tomato roots.  These roots can cause diseases harmful to his next tomato crop, he says.   When he empties the soil, he puts it in a pile in the backyard awaiting spring.

Before next spring he will buy a couple of bags of small to medium mulch for the bottom layer, put a new layer of weed barrier, add his recycled Miracle Grow and top off his tubs with new Miracle Grow garden soil.

Each fall, the Tomato Guy does as many gardening chores as possible as he is very busy in the spring.

To be continued...

Random Acts of Gardening

Bumper sticker.

The Tomato Guy - Part II - Containers

More from the Tomato Guy.

He uses orange dunking-apple tubs with handles that he got in an after-Halloween sale at Wal-Mart last year.  Below is a photo of the label from this year's stock.  He chose orange rather than black or another dark color as he thought the lighter color would absorb the less heat and be gentler on the tomato plant's sensitive root system.

The Tomato Guy pokes a couple holes in the bottom of each tub for drainage.

He likes the rope handles as he easily hauls them into the garage when hail or other bad weather threatens.  They are not heavy as he uses a layer of soil and mulch mixture.

To be continued...

Giant Sunflowers near Superior

No water, fertilizer required.

giant sunflowers