The first group of seedlings has made their way from the seed incubator to the greenhouse. Among the seedlings are collards, spinach, kale, and sugar snaps. They will continue to grow there until they can be transplanted outdoors here at the Veggie-Bed. The next group is not far behind.
Writer: Tom Myrick
Here at the Veggie-Bed, the seed germination incubator is running full throttle. The first flat of collard seedlings was moved from the incubator to the greenhouse to harden off and continue growing. The young plants will be kept in the greenhouse until they can be planted in the ground or sold. New seeds are placed in the incubator for germinating. This process is running 24/7.
Writer: Tom Myrick
The first flat of seeds for this season was placed in the seed germination incubator. Seeds that were planted are broccoli, collards, kale, and spinach. They will remain in the incubator at an average temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and 16 hours of light daily, and moisture is applied as needed. When the seedlings have 1-2 sets of true leaves, they will be hardened off by gradually introducing them to the outdoor greenhouse during the day and bringing back to the incubator at night. This process takes about one week before the plants are ready to go into the garden.
Writer: Tom Myrick
With the second full moon of the fall season upon us at the Veggie-Bed, marks the end of our traditional growing season. Folklore has it that the northern and eastern Native American Algonquin tribes (the indigenous peoples of the Americas) so-called the full moon of November the Beaver Moon. Beavers are mainly nocturnal and become active building their winter dams under the light of the full moon, from which the name was derived.
Writer: Tom Myrick
Root vegetables are the underground plant parts that we eat. This season a variety of root vegetables were grown at the ‘Veggie-Bed.’
Next season we will plant legumes where the root vegetables grew as part of our crop rotation cycle.
The legumes replace nitrogen in the soil used by root vegetables.
Writer: Tom Myrick
Belonging to the Capsicum annuum species, the banana pepper produced a high yielding ‘fruit vegetable‘ this growing season at the Veggie-Bed located in the Southeastern United States.
This bowl of banana peppers (also known as yellow wax peppers or banana chilis) is the last of the harvest. They are medium-sized chili peppers that have a mild, tangy taste. While typically bright yellow, it is possible for them to change to green, red, or orange as they ripen.
Different varieties of Capsicum annuum do well at the Veggie-Bed. One such variety is the cow-horn pepper.
Both banana peppers and cow-horn peppers are a hot-weather crop. Requiring full sun and a well-drained, nutrient-rich soil they flourish during the growing season.
Writer: Tom Myrick
The Veggie-Bed’s 2019 Growing Season Overview
At the Veggie-Bed this 2019 growing season, we decided to group vegetables that have similar nutritional requirements in the same garden plots. The groups were designated to the following categories:
In the new raised rows, a mixture of manure and compost for increasing the nitrogen level, along with potash (potassium) and colloidal phosphate (phosphorus) was worked into the ground. Now since the growing season is over, pine needles are applied between the raised rows to control winter weeds. Organic compost will be worked into the raised rows throughout the winter.
At the beginning of the next growing season in 2020, we will test the soil and amend it as needed. The vegetable groups will rotate in the following order:
Leaf Crops → Legume Crops → Root Crops → Fruit-vegetables Crops → Leaf Crops
This creates a four-year crop rotation cycle that will help prevent the spread of plant diseases and reduce insect infestations.
Writer: Tom Myrick
