Well, top of the morning to everybody. We hope all are fine and have enjoyed your weekend. Guess what…we had some rain. Only about a quarter of an inch, but good night it was appreciated. We have been bone dry.
We’ll be settin out a few plants today, more Beefsteak tomatoes, and settin cucumbers out too. Although this time we’re goin in the ground with seeds.
I know the sun scalded our first cucumber plants and Beefsteaks, but we’d set them straight out of the greenhouse into the direct sun. This, we found out…is a no-no! At first I thought it was our compost was just “too hot,” and brought in topsoil to mix and possibly “cool the compost” down some.
We found at later, through good advice from “our friends” who watch our videos that, this was probably not the problem, but once again, we just were not hardening the plants up first. Still I’m glad I added the topsoil, as this will work out good for us, too.
Here’s a comment from our good friend Bobby. Bobby lives in Virginia and is one fine gardener. He’s a heck of a great guy, husband, Father, and good Christian man. Bobby has a couple greenhouses, and he takes care of 5 large gardens on his place as well.
Here’s his comments involving “hardening” your plants prior to settin them out in full sun, after having started them in the greenhouse.
“I found out about the hardening off deal last year, first hand. I didn't lose any plants, but they sure did look rough for a while. Being inside under plastic is just so protective they aren't strong enough to face the elements all at once. Lots to learn, but you're doing good.”
This from another good friend, Bernard, who I believe lives in Virginia as well. Bernard is also a “master gardener,” not just by name, but by trade.
“The sunlight the plants get in a greenhouse is different from direct sunlight. They need to be shielded from the sun and exposed a little more each day for about a week.”
The main reason tomato leaves turn white is that the plants were not hardened off before being planted in full sunlight. They curl because there is no water left in the leaf. Plants will get sunburn if they are moved from a shaded place into direct sun. When I take my plants out of my greenhouse I have to cover them or they will be sunburned even though they have been exposed to the sun. I use a tarp over a frame and expose them at little more each day for about a week and then I remove the tarp. On cloudy days I do not cover them. When bad storms are in the area I cover them to prevent damage.
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‘Ridin Out The Recession With Dub and Deb in “Miz Judi’s Kitchen’!
Note to Readers: There are a few things that Dub doesn’t know but one thing he does know is that the word ‘Riding’ (as in Riding Out the Recession) is spelled with a ‘g’ at the end. But Dub not only walks the walk, but speaks like he is: down home, true blue, and plain speakin’ country folk.
Dub and Deb are both native Floridians, live in Central Florida, and run a small business as well. They have five children, and seven grandchildren.
Both love to cook, love to laugh, grow a garden, and generally try to “aggravate” most anyone around them basically…all in good fun, of course!
