OSU Extension: Have you checked the temp of your garden soil lately?
Warmer spring temperatures, will no doubt bring lots of gardeners out into the sunshine. The calendar tells us we could be planting early spring crops in the garden but what does the soil thermometer tell us. If you have never thought about the use of the soil thermometer you should! Have you ever had crops that you planted in your garden that just “set” there and did not take off? Perhaps you planted them in wet soils and perhaps you planted them when the soils were just too cold.
Soil temperature plays an important role in seed germination. Adequate soil temperatures for germination range widely for different crops. For example, spinach needs a soil temperature of at least 38 degrees to germinate while lettuces, onions and peas like a 42-43-degree soil temperature. Potatoes do best at 45 degrees, even though legend suggests St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect day for planting ‘taters. And those tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins prefer soil temperatures in the 58-60 degree soil temperature range.
So how can you learn about the soil temperature in your garden? You could purchase a soil thermometer or you could attend the Tomato Planting and Care Clinic slated from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, March 31, at the Fairfield County Ag Center, 831 College Avenue . Dr. Tim McDermott of OSU Extension in Franklin County will be on hand to answer all of your tomato planting and care questions. Cost: $10*, includes an AM Leonard soil thermometer Registration: go.osu.edu/tomatoclinic. If you have questions please call OSU Extension in Fairfield County at 740-653-5419.
If want to learn more about growing conditions in our area, take a minute and check out the CFAES Weather System https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weather1/
If you scroll down the left column of the page you will see precipitation and soil temperature total, click on the link and for most of us Columbus will be the site you will use.
This handy tool is just one click away. Start your growing season off right. Check soil temperatures before opening your first packet of seeds to plant in your garden. Happy Gardening!!!
Source: Connie Smith, Program Assistant, Master Gardener Coordinator-Fairfield County
Seed starting basics
Spring weather is finally here, and it’s time to start planting seeds. Starting seeds at home doesn’t need to be expensive, fancy or difficult. In general, now is a great time to start seeding your cool-season crops like lettuce and Brassicas, and it’s best to wait until early April to start seeding warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers.
A pre-mixed seed starting soil specifically designed for seedlings is usually the best option for starting seeds. Seeds need to grow in soil that drains well to prevent damping off. These mixes have an optimal blend of sand, silt, clay and other materials such as peat, coconut coir and vermiculite. Pre-made mixes also have enough fertilizer to support seedlings until you’re ready to transplant them into the garden. However, these mixes do not have enough fertilizer to support plants to maturity.
There are five basic requirements for starting seeds successfully indoors. These requirements are light, warmth, containers, water and humidity.
All plants require light to grow. In the short term, a very sunny window is sufficient to start your seedlings. This can work well if you plan to transplant your seedlings within 3 to 4 weeks of germination. For most home gardeners, starting seeds in a window works well, and supplemental lighting is not required. If you plan to start your seedlings more than a month or so ahead of time, or you lack a sunny, south-facing window, grow lights may be necessary.
If your plants do not have enough light, they can get “leggy.” This happens when they stretch to reach towards a light source and can result in thin stems that are not strong enough to support the plant.
Most seedlings germinate best in warm soil. For cool-season crops like lettuce, broccoli, kale and pak choi, soil around 50 degrees F is optimal. For warm-season crops like peppers and tomatoes, soil around 65 degrees F is ideal. When the soil is cool, your newly sprouted seeds are more likely to experience damping off. Keeping your soil warm allows for quick growth and healthier plants.
If you have a south-facing window and an area near it that gets quite warm during the day, this is likely sufficient for your garden seeds. For gardeners who lack a warm window, or for serious gardeners who want to grow quite a few transplants, investing in a heating mat may be a good idea. Heating mats are electrically powered and sit underneath your germination trays to heat your soil from the bottom.
An efficient way to start seedlings is to buy plastic trays with numerous cells already molded into the tray. These trays come with various cell sizes, ranging from 128 cells per tray (very small cells for herbs, things you plan to transplant quickly, or things that will eventually be transplanted to larger pots) all the way to 50 cells per tray. Trays range in quality; some are disposable and use cheap, thin plastic, and others are re-usable with sturdier plastic. They tend to be space-efficient, allowing you to grow many plants at once without having to deal with so many pots. Or tink about reusing some of those pots you have stored in your garage from previous years plantings. Any time you reuse a pot from year to year, make sure to clean and sanitize it first to prevent the spread of pathogens.
One of the most common mistakes that new gardeners make is overwatering. It is important to maintain consistent moisture, so don’t wait until the soil is bone dry, but if it’s moist, wait until it’s just barely damp before watering again. Signs that you’re overwatering might include crusty algal growth on the top of your soil, yellow leaves, or rotting seedlings.
While plants need plenty of airflow after they’ve fully germinated, there’s a short period of time when they require ample humidity to sprout. You can achieve a mini-greenhouse effect by placing a plastic lid on your germination trays (you can often buy pre-made germination kits that include a lid). You can also take the DIY approach and use plastic wrap, a bowl, or another item to create a dome over your seeds. Once your seedlings have successfully germinated, you can move them out of this super humid environment and think about moving your seeds to cover porch to harden off before planting.
2023 Goat, Barrow and Lamb MQP Entry Information
Entries for the 2023 Fairfield County Jr. Fair Goat, Barrow, and Lamb MQP programs are now being accepted. Again this year all MQP entries will be accepted online.
To be considered for a spot in any of these programs, a completed application must be received on-line by the end of day on May 1, 2023. As in the past, the Barrow and Lamb MQP applications will also include submitting an essay. Returning this year to the scoring for Barrow MQP will be a performance component that requires the barrows be weighed at the beginning of the contest. Barrows will be harvested and processed at Bay Packing in Fairfield County at the conclusion. In order to accommodate such a large harvest and process the pork in a timely fashion, participants or those who have purchased the freezer pork from the participants, must agree to pick up their fresh/frozen pork prior to the Fair at a time to be announced. Cured product, such as bacon or ham, will be available for pick-up at a time yet to be determined after the fair.
Lambs will also be harvested at Bay Packing. Likewise with the freezer pork, in order to be able to accommodate such a large harvest and process the lamb in a timely fashion, participants or those who have purchased the freezer lamb from the participants must agree to pick up their fresh/frozen lamb prior to the Fair at a time yet to be announced.
The Goat MQP program will conclude with harvest at Bay Packing in late August. Similar to the barrow and lamp programs, the processed goats must be picked up at Bay Packing in a timely fashion after processing is complete. The application process being required that includes an essay for the Barrow and Lamb MQPprojects is intended to allow the Show Committees the opportunity to clearly communicate in a timely fashion to participants where they rank on the participant list. The subjective and age appropriate evaluation of the Barrow and Lamp MQP essays by several ‘judges’ will serve as the basis for that ranking that will be completed and announced by May 15 or as soon as possible. This year, Goat MQP participants are not asked for an essay. The Fairfield County’s Barrow, Lamb, and Goat MQP programs will operate under the following guidelines:
Applications for the 2023 Barrow, Lamb, Goat MQP program must be received through the on-line portal by the end of the day on May 1. The online application links are available on the Fairfield County OSU Extension website under livestock forms at go.osu.edu/mqp.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: OSU Extension: Have you checked the temp of your garden soil lately?
