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Seed Savers Lettuce, Tomatoes, Okra, and Buttercup Squash Trial

Grow log by maskedsonnet · Original thread

11 visual updates22 photos57 replies
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CropLettuce, tomato, winter squash, okra, cilantro, parsley
VarietyLaitue de St Antoine lettuce, Batavia Laura lettuce, German Pink tomato, Vogliotti tomato, Pappenfus tomato, Cipolla's Pride tomato, Lillian's Red Kansas Paste tomato, Willie's Garden tomato, Banquet buttercup squash, Oregon buttercup squash, Mrs. Rice buttercup squash, Clemson Spineless okra, Langston Longhorn okra, Crow okra
MethodKratky hydroponics, outdoor soil growing, indoor seed starting
Equipmentsmall glass Kratky bottles, five-gallon buckets, bucket lids, hanging grow lights, AeroGarden Sprout
Plants-
AudienceAdvanced

What you can learnA high-value mixed-method diary showing staged Kratky transplanting, equipment preparation, seed-starting logistics, cold-weather losses, and a documented lettuce harvest.

Actions:3 Equipment2 Planting2 Transplant1 Nutrients1 Harvest
Useful practices
  • starting lettuce in small Kratky bottles before bucket transplant
  • preparing five-gallon bucket lids and hanging lights in advance
  • transplanting lettuce into nutrient-filled buckets
  • moving seedlings to an AeroGarden Sprout during a cold snap
  • rearranging pods to prevent shading
  • harvesting lettuce heads sequentially for variety comparison
Problems encountered
  • squash seedlings shaded neighbouring pods
  • low germination among some tomato and okra seeds
  • most outdoor transplants died after temperatures fell into the 20s
  • large mixed project created substantial workload

*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.

Day 115
UPDATE#11
Grower update

Update #11

M By maskedsonnet

So pretty much everything but the winter squash died after transplant, because we had a night in the 20s at the END of April. Which is pretty much unheard of in this area. BUT the squash plants are doing really good and I have a photo of a nicely developing buttercup squash!!After coffee I'm going to have to mow the horror story in the background. It's become a weekly thing :|There are also lots of flowers on the squash plants!!Here's from the front of the box, where the cilantro is happily bolting, getting ready to spread its seed and make itself even more at home. I love how easily cilantro spreads outdoors, it's pretty and delicious! Same with the parsley, which I didn't get a shot of, happily spreading itself beneath this bed.
Conversation
S
Shawn

Your thumb is green for sure. With all those flowers I hope you get that many fruits from it.

M
maskedsonnet

Thank you! I'm pretty excited to try these, I've never had buttercup squash! Hopefully I like them if they end up producing a lot lol!!

S
Sher

I love butternut squash! At least the yummiest crop was spared the freeze. We had an April 28 frost that wiped out everything I had planted, too. Our last frost date is supposed to be April 30, but it had been so warm for so long I was sure we would be okay. Not so!

C
campingcorgis

I use butternut squash quite a bit. Especially since the markets now carry is already cut! Buttercup squash is more like acorn squash. But of them require a cleaver and a mallet for me to cut up. Or even a small saw that is food safe, for kitchen only. Learned those tricks from one cooking show or another? Used to ask Mikey for help, but he struggled the same as I do. Once you get them cut up, it is great for cooking! And roasting....

M
maskedsonnet

I do love acorn squash, if buttercup is similar I bet I'll like it too! The only time I've had butternut squash it was frozen, and I didn't really like it, but not all veggies freeze well. Maybe that's one of them? It didn't have much flavor and I didn't care for the texture. Maybe someday I'll try it fresh and love it!

C
campingcorgis

Roasted is likely very different. I think roasting brings out the sugars in veggies? But, my favorite thing to do with butternut squash is to make my version of the traditional Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. May sound odd, but I think it really works! That's likely what we'll have for lunch of dinner today, as I have all the fixings, Mikey likes it, and Mikey can eat it too, right now!

S
Sher

I love to simply cut it in half, put butter and brown sugar in the cavity and microwave it -- when I'm too lazy to use the oven.

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campingcorgis

Sounds yummy, but I don't find anything simple about cutting winter squash!

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Sher

I put it on a big cutting board, bang a chef's knife into it, then push the end of the knife down, sometimes pick up the knife and the squash comes up with it, then slam the whole thing down on the cutting board as needed. Nope, it isn't easy!

C
campingcorgis

I want a sous chef!

M
maskedsonnet

I agree it’s never easy cutting into a winter squash! Helps to have a super sharp knife

C
campingcorgis

Ever do that with peaches? You don't even need the butter, just the brown sugar. Like a little bite of Heaven!

Day 54
UPDATE#10
Grower update

Update #10

Actions taken

HarvestHarvested one head of Batavia Laura lettuce.

M By maskedsonnet

Harvested one of the heads of "Laura" today. Very tasty!! I'm looking forward to one of the "Saint Antoine" tomorrow - going to be eating all four of these over the next four days and starting off variety #3: "Blonde"!
Conversation
S
Sher

It looks beautiful, and delicious, maskedsonnet!

C
campingcorgis

Can't wait to here the reviews!

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Shawn

YUM.... I look forward to all the reviews.

Day 41
UPDATE#9
Grower update

Update #9

M By maskedsonnet

The lettuce look tastier every day!! It's doing really well in the bucketsAs for the outdoor plants, I had a mass die-off. 4 of the buttercup squash plants and 1 tomato plant are ALL that survived of the starts (the established container plants that got moved were all fine). The rest of the tomatoes and the 2 okra are dead. And I'm honestly pretty baffled, I've never had that happen before - I hardened the plants off for a few days like I always do and the soil stayed nice and moist - we did have the temp jump up to 90 then plummet back to the 40s the day after I planted everything, so that may have shocked them? Anyways, when I wake up this afternoon I'm going to run down the street to the Ace to pick up some starter plants to fill out the containers that died. Bleh.
Conversation
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Sher

I bet it was the cold. So sorry, maskedsonnet.

M
maskedsonnet

Ah well, I knew it was a risk planting in April, but I can never seem to resist! The growing season seems so short if you don't, we've had hard freezes as early as mid-October and as late as the last day of April. I know that's nearly 6 months, but I always feel like my garden is really getting GOOD by then. I like it best when the weather holds off until early November, when everything is perfectly ripe and harvested and I'm not having to leave things on the counter to ripen up - but it's been a couple years since I've gotten that lucky. Maybe winter will do me a solid and be mild this year!

S
Shawn

Sorry some of your plants died off. Will you replant?

M
maskedsonnet

I will, but it’ll be with store-bought plants, it’s a bit too late to start over with seeds.

C
campingcorgis

Oh dear, I'm so sorry maskedsonnet! But I'm glad you are able to bounce back quickly and replant! Yesterday, we visited a nursery that we've not visited before. In the PNW most nurseries are only open a few months of the year. This one, we forget about until it is too late. So, yesterday, we made a point to just go and walk thru it. I thought is was a tiny place, and they seemed to specialize in pansies. But, surprise! There are a number of green house buildings that aren't visible from the street and they have just about everything and anything that will grow in the PNW! If you have any of those "family" places around, maybe check one out? They can be fun!

M
maskedsonnet

There is a little family-type place that sells plants here, but every time I go they don't have any vegetable plants. They do mostly ornamental plants and lawn decor, lots of cool stuff in there!

C
campingcorgis

That's too bad about the veggie plants at the nursery! They had at least 2 huge greenhouses with all kinds of veggies. The 2nd building had many, many tomato plants. Some of the hanging plants already had tomatoes on them. Green, but still, tomatoes almost ready for the table! I was quite surprised and the prices were decent too. But, they didn't have anything that screamed, "I would make a great Mother's Day gift!" So, we didn't buy anything. Mom loves plants and she's very good with them too. Very green thumb!

M
maskedsonnet

Sounds like an amazing store! Places like that make me homesick, Lubbock has lots of cool places with all sorts of veggie plants, but I’m never up for a 2 hour drive just to get plants, I have to already be visiting my parents to get plants there lol

C
campingcorgis

Keep your eyes and ears open! There are a lot of family nurseries that are literally in the family home! It is true up here and was true in Los Angeles, CA...our closest one there was "Andy the succulent guy" about 5 doors down from us. He also picked up newspapers for recycle, back before we had recycle pick-up. After he passed, there was an article in the...NEWSPAPER...that he was a millionaire! Who knew! You should have seen his truck...LOL. So, I'm betting there are some in or around your area of New Mexico too! Word of mouth, or be on the look-out for "plant sale" signs. We've met some wonderful people that run a nursery of some sort, just to keep busy in their retirement years. There's the "Big Plant Sale" couple over about 2 miles from here...and then there's the "Dalia Tubers -->" place about 5 miles from here...and a few we haven't yet visited. Most of these are open about 3 days a week for 2 or 3 months of the year. But, what treasures they have...and they ARE!

Day 30
UPDATE#8
Grower update

Update #8

Actions taken

TransplantMoved three seedlings into an AeroGarden Sprout during a late cold snap.
EquipmentRepositioned squash seedlings and pods to prevent shading.

M By maskedsonnet

Had to move some of these guys around, the squash plants were shading some of the pods so they weren't getting enough light! Moved three of them to the sprout to wait out this last little cold snap:And shifted around the wanna-be squash plants so they won't shade anything when they finish breaking free of the seeds! Only 1 tomato seed pod hasn't germinated (Cipolla's Pride), but I'm still holding out hope for it. Of the 6 okra seeds planted only 2 have germinated (both longhorn, which is what my Dad grows. It does well in this region). I have no idea how long okra usually takes, as I've never grown it on my own - just helped harvest and eat what Dad grows!
Day 29
UPDATE#7
Grower update

Update #7

M By maskedsonnet

Lettuce is getting bigger!And most of the seeds have come up for the outdoor garden!
Conversation
S
Sher

Looks great! Your green thumb is showing!

Day 20
UPDATE#6
Grower update

Update #6

Actions taken

PlantingPlanted named tomato, buttercup squash, and okra varieties for the outdoor garden.

M By maskedsonnet

Started the rest of my Seed Savers projects, which will be outdoor plants!!Planted:Slicing Tomatoes:1 German Pink Tomato1 Vogliotti Tomato1 Pappenfus TomatoPaste Tomatoes:1 Cipolla's Pride1 Lillian's Red Kansas Paste1 Willie's GardenButtercup Winter Squash:2 Banquet2 Oregon2 Mrs. RiceOkra:2 Clemson Spineless2 Langston Longhorn2 CrowHopefully I didn't take on more than I can handle lol. I'm looking forward to this year's garden!
Conversation
S
Sher

You will be busy! Hope it's a happy, very satisfying busy!

M
maskedsonnet

Me too!! I was very sick at the beginning of 2020, which gave me some breathing and stamina problems (which resulted in a much-neglected and unsuccessful outdoor garden last year). Even over a year later I still don’t quite have my wind back, though I’m doing a lot better. So I got started early in prepping the outdoor area, a little at a time! I’m hoping if I adopt a “do a little everyday” type schedule instead of the weekend warrior style I used to have I’ll be able to keep up.

S
Sher

I am simply aging and can't do the weekend warrior thing anymore. Unfortunately, I am spending so much time and energy on my indoor projects that the outdoor plans are getting neglected. I plan to grow all my cool season crops that can't survive summer heat and humidity indoors this year -- mainly Chinese veggies and lettuce. I must get flowers, peppers and tomatoes going outdoors, at least!

S
Shawn

Get those outdoor stuff growing.

C
campingcorgis

I'm sorry to hear that 2020 started out with you being sick! Glad that is behind you, mostly! I use "Tasks" on my computer for many, many tasks! LOL. Let's face it, life can get busy! Good, bad or otherwise. And, I know we talked about "reminders" in the past...LOL. A number of years back, I switched from house slippers to shoes that serve a similar purpose. Why? After a couple of times of being out and about & looking down to discover I was still wearing my slippers, I figured I need to do something different! LOL. At least this way, if I forget to change to shoes, no one but me realizes the error? There's no way to use a "reminder" to change shoes...but you can use them for lots of other useful things, to stay on top of things! I'm sure you know that...just a reminder.

M
maskedsonnet

Oh yeah, I love being able to set alarms on my phone!! Much easier to keep up with than the old days of having a daily planner to write things down in, because the planner never made a noise at me when it was time to do something!I don’t like being barefoot but I also don’t like the way slippers feel when I walk so I have a pair of flats to wear around the house, and occasionally wander out of the house in. Funny how easy it is to forgot what’s on your feet until you’re driving down the road wondering why the gas pedal feels like it’s in the wrong spot!

S
Sher

I've done that, too. I've also left the house without a bra and had to make a quick run back to the house!

M
maskedsonnet

Lol same, but at least in those cases I’ve only gotten as far as the garage before realizing I’m not fully dressed!

C
campingcorgis

Uh, oh...we might need to switch this to a "true confession" thread... Glad I'm not the only one! And, when I ask my hubby, "why didn't you tell me!?" He says, "What? You're always wearing those!"

Day 17
UPDATE#5
Grower update

Update #5

Actions taken

TransplantTransplanted the four lettuce plants from small Kratky bottles into five-gallon buckets.
NutrientsAdded 25 millilitres of AeroGarden nutrients to each bucket.

M By maskedsonnet

Today I transplanted to the buckets! Added 25mL AG nutrients to each bucket.
Conversation
S
Sher

And they are off and running!

Day 13
UPDATE#4
Grower update

Update #4

M By maskedsonnet

The lettuce is doing well. Soon it will be time to move them to the buckets!
Conversation
S
Sher

Looks good! The lettuce should explode with growth when it gets into the larger containers with full strength nutes!

Day 7
UPDATE#3
Grower update

Update #3

Actions taken

EquipmentInstalled eye hooks, hung lights, and secured power cords for the bucket setup.

M By maskedsonnet

Finished up the setup for when the lettuce gets bigger. Dilled eye-hooks into the shelves above the buckets to hang the lights from, taped the cords up to the wall to keep them out of the way. Eventually I'll replace the string that the lights are hanging from with chains.
Conversation
C
campingcorgis

Very cool!

Day 4
UPDATE#2
Grower update

Update #2

M By maskedsonnet

All 4 pods have sprouted
Conversation
S
Sher

Yay!!!

G
gsaxon

Do you transplant the lettuce from the bottles, or do you allow it to grow to maturity to harvest? Also, is it hard to top off the water when the lettuce is growing?

S
Shawn

Lettuce is pretty fast to germinate.

M
maskedsonnet

I am planning to transplant to buckets when they get bigger. I’ve grown herbs in these bottles before, and they did good but were very hard to refill without making a huge mess. But the bottles are a really easy and convenient way to sprout things for transplant, especially when I don’t want to free up an AG to do it.

Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update

Update #1

Actions taken

PlantingStarted two pods each of Laitue de St Antoine and Batavia Laura, with two seeds per pod.
EquipmentCut planting holes in the five-gallon bucket lids.

M By maskedsonnet

Finally got started on my Seed Savers (seeds showed up last week), been a busy week!! Starting two pods each of Laitue de St Antoine and Batavia Laura. Two seeds per pod. Sprouting in small Kratky bottles, to be moved to 5 gallon buckets when I get some good root growth. Just got done cutting the holes in my bucket lids so they'll be ready to go!
Conversation
S
Sher

Sounds like a great growing adventure! Good luck!

C
campingcorgis

This will be fun to follow! Nice looking group of growlers... May they be bountiful!

M
maskedsonnet

I love going to get beer fill-ups at the breweries here, the grocery store never has anything as interesting! But the little growlers here never got any use, I always fill the big growlers and felt guilty seeing these nice glass bottles sitting around not getting any use. I'm glad this forum introduced me to the Kratky method so I could finally use these for something!

C
campingcorgis

Try some ciders? There's a place D's Wicked Cider over in Kennewick, WA. Whenever we stop over in the Tri-Cities area, we visit D's. It is tiny, but they have some great ciders and some great ideas for mixing same. I can't remember the name of the "mix," but my favorite is 50/50 with Baked Apple Cider and Irish Death Ale. The small growlers have a job, for now, anyway. Oh, you might find D's Wicked Ciders in bottles at Costco. At least our Costcos usually have it. And Irish Death too, but that's probably easier to find anyway.

M
maskedsonnet

I love ciders! My two favorite places have a “revolving door” cider that’s a different flavor every time I go, and one of them started putting them in clear growlers so you can see it. Last week it had blueberry, which gave it a lovely purple tinge. It’s always fun to go see what they’ve got, my favorite so far was mango, very tasty!

C
campingcorgis

Ask them if they have a recommended mix? Sometimes, ciders can be a tad sweet, depends on mood?

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