Robncars 2024 Thread

[Robncars]

I decided to cut back the amounts I tried to start. I haven't been successful at raising more than a few plants every year- at least compared to what I start out with. My transplant kill rate seems outrageous and I'm thinking if I reduce my starts to 3 1020 trays I'll be able to harden them off better. I still struggle with available time in moving them in and out. I have a large greenhouse but I don't have automatic ventilation yet and I know it gets hot in there- even at 20⁰F it was 80⁰F+ inside there when the sun was out.
I did 32 each of Small Stalk Black Mammoth and Baiano.
Then only 8 each of-
American 63

Dang forgot. But same 6 as last year.
I got some good leaf last year after I got hailed out.
Picture is Baiano almost 2 months old now

 

[deluxestogie]

Vent Opener Automatic

Bob

 

[Robncars]

Vent Opener Automatic

Bob

I have an attic fan with temp controller that I'm planning to use. It's just a stretch to run power out there and I'm thinking of the baffles.
Side note I'm also not fond of paying retail for everything so I'll sit on a project waiting to find cheap materials to build with.

However that does look pretty good.

 

[Robncars]

I got the attic fan in. Still too cold at night for the greenhouse last week but I think this week overnight temps should keep above 40.
Most of my starts are looking good. Lost a few baiano to cat walking on them so I had enough and built a cage around it.

 

[Robncars]

Temp was 25⁰F last night so still too cold at night.

1 frame of honey bees during inspection yesterday (just because)

 

[GreenDragon]

Lost a few baiano to cat walking on them so I had enough and built a cage around it.

LOL been there, done that! They are nosey little creatures. Probably thought you made him a new litter box.

 

[Robncars]

LOL been there, done that! They are nosey little creatures. Probably thought you made him a new litter box.

Didn't use it for a litter box but made sure to step on half of them. Rotten cat. Not as bad as my kids cat. I have a potted orange tree and a dwarf Grapefruit and his cat decided to dig in those pots to move the trees and lay down. (Only about 8" tall) I was so mad

 

[Robncars]

I moved everything from 1020 trays into 2" square pots and the roots are way better. The 15 baiano I transplanted into the garden have a 100% survival so far. They spent 2+ weeks in the greenhouse. I did not harden them off like usual but they are surviving

 

[manfisher]

LOL been there, done that! They are nosey little creatures. Probably thought you made him a new litter box.

And they all seem to be suicidal too. Had both of my cats eat at least three of my plants a couple of weeks ago. Amazingly, they didn't die or even get sick for that matter.

 

[Robncars]

I have 79 in the ground. They survived the high winds and heavy rain last night. No hail hit though. Got to look at expanding my wind wall

 

[Robncars]

Got hit with a little hail but not as bad as last year (yet). Still looking pretty good. I got some hail protection up now.

 

[Robncars]

Ok so I got a question. If you leave 1 sucker started right before you top the main Stalk does that effect in any real capacity the quality of the main leaves.

 

[Robncars]

This one is a sucker that got pretty big before the main Stalk flowered so I let it stay and proceeded with topping the main and harvesting

 

[Robncars]

These are the biggest suckers since after harvest.
I know they are not the best quality compared to the first cutting but they are good for experiments.

 

[Skafidr]

Ok so I got a question. If you leave 1 sucker started right before you top the main Stalk does that effect in any real capacity the quality of the main leaves.

I don't have first hand experience with this, but AFAI read around, yes; the main leaves will likely get less "energy" from the plant and will grow smaller and thinner than if you had removed the sucker.

Maybe I'll test this just for fun next year!