Dalorean? I forgot to mention since I deal with it, but last summer reminded me forcibly...I am in zone 8b/9a and our winter sun barely clears the pine tree tops making my plants zero in on daylight hours. Before you fill your beds! those vines you plan on planting are going to be crawling toward the setting sun-even if you rearrange them. So set your beds to run lengthwise north to south so they can do their crawl toward that setting sun better. You can Google each of the plants you plan to grow and find an average amount of days for fruits to ripen, for the avg length of that plants vines as well and give them enough space to fill. Of Course, IF I had access to a pickup, I would buy me a 16' cattle panel for trellis for cukes & maters-those vines get HEAVY.

I'm sorry you have this root problem. I hope I don't. I want to buy 2 maple trees for our front lawn but am worried of a crazy dangerous root system. I've never thought about this stuff before. And @kittriana your garden is so sexy!!! I love everything about it! I might steal some of your concepts if that's ok! And doodle and ms warbeast look like awesome garden buddies!!! Looks like marigolds back there?? Those are my first flowers I've grown from seeds. They are beautiful and grow well. Well I'm sorry but my beds are already set and filled!! They are facing East/west length wise. It just fit better that way along the fence line.

Running east/west, chuckl, my son in law has threatened to dismantle that garden- says what was put together can come apart. Grow your garden, you will pick up what you need and necessity will show you how to do it. After all, that running your rows from north to south is older wisdom than even my 88 yr old dad...Kinda like having the head of your bed at the rising sun helps your day start right, chuckl. I never knew why it was done, until last year when I was fighting monster vines to grow against their will...they crawl toward the setting sun. I understood corn- you plant it in a hole so you can throw more dirt on it after it gets so big-because it is trying to tiptoe and crawl out of the ground to reach the sun...

Update on the plants. Most of what was planted in the 6 packs got big so moved up to the 4" pots. I don't know how big the plants can get in them, I went with if plant is same height as the 6 pack then to transplant. I'm learning I do NOT like those little starter 6 packs. Too much transplanting going on and with 100 or so plants.



These still in the artificial light tent. They're growing fast and have to move a lot to the greenhouse prematurely(for my taste, still getting in 40s, the 30s past couple nights)




Here are some pepper I started way before the official garden planting. They outgrew the pots they were in inside the greenhouse so we said screw it let's get them in the beds!! It might be early but they have nowhere else to go and I think there growth stopped anyways from being in the small pots. So we will see what happens!!!

Nice! In my experience, the peppers will pout until the soil warms up. Tomatoes do the same. All will be be fine as long as there is no frost. When conditions are right, they will take off.

Kittriana I have never heard of or noticed the vines traveling west. I will watch for that. Thanks!

If you ever cruise other sites for the grins, some of them tell you that in our deep south areas, we need to plant with the beds able to get as much of our lower southern hanging sun as our sun starved short day plants can get (and plants will angle toward the south) - my Sago at the porch even angles its head south. Kinda gives me a way to find north here in the pines. And it also cues the plants.
Dalorean- not sure what peppers you are planting- I thought maybe you were sprouting some of those to gift or sell locally- you do know to give them 18" apart? at least. The plants can handle 38* safely, and if the roots are thick and well rooted out there, you can have them safe at 34*... my grandparents kept old cans with the bottoms opened but not removed- we kids would watch and open lids in the mornings- but the cans were old coffee tins and protected from wind and cold on those nights that were bad. Those plants are looking really good. I doubt they stopped growing because of pot size- what happens when they slow growth is that they are putting their energy into growing roots. In deep sun in the garden they will seem to wilt as they get bigger. It is better if you avoid doing anything to them after 10 am- that wilt is the plant sending its energy to the root to strengthen the plant. It is hard not to water every day- but then you would be growing hydroponics and the dirt would get soggy.

Good tip on the watering. I always wait till morning and if the leaves are still drooping, I will soak early morning before the sun gets on them fully.

Uh oh. No I didn't know about the spacing of the peppers. I read they get a couple feet tall so I figured they could be somewhat close together. I'm thinking about preserving space in the beds too for future plants. Live and learn right? Thanks for that info on spacing and watering. I agree it's hard to not water frequently. I'll just leave them alone. It's the greenhouse I'm having trouble with. With all the vents and door open it still gets super hot during the day with these warmer days. One big fan in there it helps it's still getting in the high 90s. How long can plants stay in those little 4" pots? I fear root bound. @pod @kittriana have you started anything for this year yet?

Greenhouse temps are tough from now through summer. I will be moving my tropical plants out soon. I am preparing the area to set them.

As I said above I use raised beds for vegetables. The beds are small ~ 3x6. Last year I planted an assortment of pepper plants in one bed. They grew up close together and produced well. I think the difference between mine and Kittrianas' pepper experiences is that mine are in full afternoon sun. I'm thinking she has more shade. I found that packing the peppers closely in the bed provided the needed shade. A few peppers exposed to the evening sun were scalded. That was when I put up shade cloth. I had read that pepper plants like to stand shoulder to shoulder so was inspired to try it. I will do so again this year.

I think the bottom line is you will learn by trial and error as to what works for you @Dalorean.

I have only started my maters so far ~ two dozen. I don't get in a hurry to start the peppers as they languish till the ground and air temps suit them. They will produce all through summer for me. I also have started some herbs. I will start some cucumbers later but they grow quickly so am not pressured.

I would normally be rooting sweet potato sets but wanted a smaller plant that will be suited for the raised beds so have ordered the starts.

I do still have a bed of snow peas, one of garlic/onions, one with lettuce, chard and mustard so not hurried on the seed starting. That takes the edge off of the spring fever.

This is a Lunchbox Orange sweet pepper- 2 plants in a 5 gal pot- I had a hard time keeping air and water to those plants, but the 4' tomato cage was big enough for them

This is ONE Tabasco pepper plant in a 50 gal horse trough by summers end.


Below are my Ruby Crush tomato sprouts direct seeded Feb7 in a raised bed. I didn't start any seeds in Dec as usual this year, and then Feb has been the coldest spell we have had. Those 2 peppers are why we ask WHICH peppers you are growing, chuckl

How did you plant the potatoes? Are those good in raised beds or would buckets or large tubs be better for potatoes? Ya that's how I will learn is by trial and error. I could read all day every day and it wouldn't settle in my brain near as good as actually learning from experience. Well spring is pretty much here! Everything's blooming and it's super exciting!!
@kittriana those peppers are looking amazing!!! Do they constantly produce or do they produce once then die off? Tabasco is an actual pepper? I thought it was a brand name Troff...brilliant! Look at them cute little tomato plants awe so young, I love it! I'm growing bell peppers. I couldn't tell you which color they are we got the seeds from inside peppers we bought at the store I'm surprised they actually grew. I heard store bought produce are genetically made the seeds don't germinate..or they don't produce, I don't know if it's true or not

Hands on is definitely the best experience.

I cut potatoes leaving an eye or two on each cut piece. That I let them sit to air dry the fresh cuts. Then will dig a trough (about 8-10 inches deep). I plant with the eyes pointing upward, covering with soil and mounding it a bit. I do mine in a raised bed but they would work in a tub as well. Again, you could ask 20 people and get 20 different ways of growing potatoes.

In my experience, your bell peppers will start life green and if left on the plant long enough, they will ripen to red usually. The red peppers taste better to me and also have more beneficial nutrients. Good going on your pepper plants from store seeds.

Store bought seeds have a chance of being irradiated depending on the veggie since it helps extend shelf life- can't trust them to grow. Also, most bell pepper seeds aren't ripe if you get a green bell pepper and seeds have to be ripe to grow. You did good. Another reason store bought veggies might not grow is because you have a hybrid plant, sterile. I don't trust store bought tomato seeds because of grafting practices on tomatoes, and sometimes that fruit will not produce true to the veg you planted. F1 on a seed packet/plant indicates a living true producing fruit. I threw my tater eyes out- decided not to bother with them, but you need a hill approximately 1' high to plant the eye of a tomato in a flat garden. In a bucket, those taters will spread out 2' from the the plant and at least up to18"deep. Don't plant them next to tomatoes- they share their viruses.
Yes, french marigolds and I just stuck seeds in the beds today from those - deer supposedly don't like to be stinky and so avoid eating them- that is also why I have peppermint scattered in that bed. It grows like a weed so I just yank it out every so often. Marigolds draw spiders that eat aphids and bugs and is a source of natural poison for some bugs. I also, chuckle, use a tiny bit of self rising flour to help control snails and slugs. Is better than beer -the flour is candy and the yeast is the poison.

I'll remember the self rising flour.... that is one I've not heard.

I had resisted the comment on potato planting that an elderly gentleman here always spread wood ash in the holes he dug for potatoes. He said is added minerals but also deterred ants and rot. I do it and haven't proved him wrong yet.

Another tip he used that I do religiously is sprinkle cheap powdered milk in the holes where I plant my tomatoes. That helps prevent blossom end rot. I'll swear that one works!

First signs of produce!!! I'm sooooo excited!!!!!!! It's working!!!!!!! Been super busy in the garden, built 4 more raised beds, been transplanting everything from the greenhouse and grow tent due to the hot temps inside them, a lot of the squash plants look yellow, not sure why but they are growing




so plant marigolds and peppermint in with the veggies? What other herbs work in there? We have lemon, mint, basil, chamomile, dill, catnip, and lavender going. We're starting a bunch of flowers too for decorating the house beds. This addiction keeps us in the yard all day long. Been trying to grow grass as well. Haven't done anything with potatoes yet.

Wow! I am jealous. Even starting to produce. You are doing good to get such an early jump on it.

I have fireants in my burn pile, at least up to the edge of it, probably depends on his soil type as well, as the wood ash can act like a lime to help nutrients uptake in hard soils. My first hummingbird- a dark ruby throat male showed up at the feeder today- he is thirsty. I need to switch to cell phone for pics, but I believe my freezes are gone and the heat is going up

here's an update with the garden, everything has just been exploding! Not sure if I'm doing things right or wrong but the growth has been phenomenal vegetative wise, most of the peppers aren't taking and the flower part just falls off instead of making peppers. The same with some of the Squash and zucchini. Hoping it's just not pollinating and things will take soon, but it's still early in the season so I'm being patient. But I'm thoroughly enjoying this! No bug problems other then the occasional ants trying to move in and some small white bug under leaves on the okra. Greenhouse and grow tent are no longer in use due to heat and the fact that spring is here and anything else we grow we just put straight into the beds. Boy isn't it wonderful having spring here!

Dalorean

Everything is looking nice.i really like those raised beds.What is the height of the beds?

@Dalorean squash blooms make 7 male flowers before you ever see a female flower. The male flowers are battered and fried and eaten by folks more patient than I. Squash is also a vine, and as the fruit grows down the stem the leaves will die near the stem at the ground.
My peppers are making buds, but still dropping many as well- several reasons, need more heat and less humidity. My cherry tomatoes are making babies and I am waiting patiently on them. My cukes are up now, and getting their 2nd set of leaves. 53* today and it rained here. Don't forget to fertilize maybe once every 3 weeks? Your beds are looking really good