Are you growing onions for 2024?

Bri, Something you might be interested in; Where I live we have a severe problem with squash bugs, but my wife had heard if you grow radishes where the squash plants are that will deter the squash bugs. So we tried it for the 23 season. Up till last year we had never had a zuchinni plant make it till the frost hit. In the past we would usually loose the plant in July. Since we love zuchinni we would do succesion planting. That worked great, but in 23 our zuchinni plants produced all the way till the 1st frost. We live in Michigan and usually any extra zuchinnis would be long gone by now, but we still have some in the basement. We probably had 8 or 9 zuchinni and yellow squash plants in a 6 x 8 bed and they all lasted to the very end of fall. The radishes were never used. We just grew them till the end.

I 💚 how much attention Poblanos seem to be getting this year (MIGardener was totally sold out). I've been growing them for years and they're one of our favorites. Very versatile! We enjoy them stuffed, but also like to mix them with sweet peppers for fajitas, and they can even be allowed to turn red and then dried for Ancho powder.

To stop the Squash Vine Borer, you can use transplants and loosely wrap the stem with aluminum foil when transplanting. Ensure that the foil covers the stem from below the soil surface up to about 5-6 inches of the stem above ground. This prevents the vine borer moth from laying eggs on the stem of the squash plant. If you don't protect the stem, the eggs will turn into the borer grub and devastate the squash plant from the inside out. Companion or sacrificial plants are ineffective at preventing Vine Borers.

You're getting me so excited for the 2024 garden, Bre!

For your vine borer issue, try to wrap the stem from just below the soil line up the stem for a couple inches in self adhering medical tape. It is very elastic so it will grow with the plant. It worked amazing for me this year! no borer issues.

“Say-Shells” beans! This will be my third year growing them and I love not only are they great producers, they can up nicely and taste great even if they get too big

It feels good to be out of the experimental phase and fill the garden with reliable favorites and add just a few new things.

Poblanos are delicious! Roasted and skinned have a light heat and a wonderful smoky flavor that is great in salsa, sauces, soups, quesadillas, enchiladas,; I even chop them and toss in beef stew to add a rich smoky flavor. So good! Save your potato beds for growing regular potatoes. If you have a small growing area with a trellis behind it, you can grow sweet potatoes in the back row and train the vines vertically. Then grow spring onions or radish in the front of the bed. Won't be a giant sweet potato harvest but getting more than one crop in one bed is always good.

so proud to see our spice paprika seed in your collection 😊😊 greetings from Hungary!

So glad to see you back.

'Say-shells' is how you pronounce the pole beans (like the islands). And they are a great producer here in NC.

I grew those snapdragons last season! Super easy to grow and beautiful. I grew them in 5gal pots! They don't need a ton of space. Loved them so much, I'm growing them again this year! Good luck!

I did a lunchbox pepper year before last and it did really well.

'Seychelles' are one of my favorite pole beans! Pretty sure the name is French, so its pronounced say-SHELLS.

Oh my gosh so I planted cosmos in one tiny corner of one my flower beds a few years ago, and let me tell you they spread soo so quickly! It’s honestly impressive how little their seeds need to germinate! Just be careful if you don’t want them to take over your whole garden!

Used insect netting after watching Susans in the Garden, on my squash and no damage. It’s not terribly expensive, reusable, and was able to take it off when the fruiting started as it needs to be pollinated. Knowing the life cycle of squash bugs in your area is also key. Love your video and watching your soil blocking technique.

I live in central Kansas and I love having someone that is in my area sharing information. Thank you

Happy New Year Bre!🎉🎉🎉

I have had issues with vine borers with squash and pumpkins and have small harvests. I will try netting this year.

This video is so timely! I just got my seeds in the mail yesterday and am thinking about starting the onions soon! I'm in KS as well so I'm enjoying watching along with your progress.

I have never used a soil blovk. I can't wait to see an update on your onions. I ❤ Botanical Interest seeds!

Hi Bre! It’s so exciting when your seed order arrives. I get that way too 😂 I grew Zucchino Rampicante last year, (From Baker Creek). They’re crazy long zucchini and resistant against squash vine borer. Of course they should be on a trellis… As a bonus you can leave them to change color and they can be eaten like a butternut squash. When I say crazy long I’m talking about 3 feet long and maybe 4 inches in diameter. The best part is that the seeds are only in the bulbous section at the bottom and the entire section leading to that is solid. They store pretty well. I still have some piled in the corner. I found lavender to be difficult to start from seed. I was unsuccessful - even with stratification. At the end of the season you might try overwintering your good pepper plants. I have a few jalapeño and Tabasco that will have a head start for the season! I’m very interested in that pepper you use for paprika. I’ll have to hunt that one down.

so exciting ❤

Bright light cosmos are gonna do so well for you! they grow so easy and the seeds save so well. easy to keep for the next yea, give to friends or let them all drop and it'll come back year after year. :)

I grew those pole beans in 23 and they did great! Produced until frost and very tasty. Zone 6b Virginia

Hi Ellis! Have you made a video on your process of planning seed starting?

My snap dragons ended up being one of my favorite flowers I grew last year! And I actually still have a few in bloom 😳 (central coast of CA, 9b). I got mine from Floret and they are this incredible blend of fiery red/orange. Also learned this year that snap dragons are edible! Thanks for sharing your seed excitement, I feel it too this month:) And glad to know onion growing isn’t so simple, because I tried this year and was not very successful

Hello and Happy new year from Thailand 🇹🇭🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️🎉🎉🎉

Hello Bre, good morning and a very happy and productive new year. The correct way to pronounce the Seychelles pole beans is like this. (SAY SHELLS POLE BEAN) just like the country thats located in the Indian Ocean. Love your channel and keep growing. Nuff love from a hobby backyard farmer from Montreal, Canada.🇨🇦

This was lovely :) Omg, the soil blocks look like forbidden brownies

thank you for sharing

I mostly grow paste tomatoes and tried Supremo last year. They were the very first to succumb to disease but I did get a harvest from them. I had bought them for their advertised disease resistant as we have a lot of humidity here in MI. I'm trying 10 Fingers of Naples along with Roma this year.

Yes, year two trying from seed. I moved last summer so never got to see the end result of how mine did from seed 😢 I planted bulbs in the garden to grow over winter. I live in central Alabama area so they have done well over winter. The year before last I grew onion bulbs in ground and they did awesome. We went through them super quick though 😂 we go through about 3-4 a week usually lol

If you want your onions even bigger go check out MIgardener’s onion video. His biggest tip is to cut the tops back mid season to force the bulbs to grow bigger. He used to work on an onion farm & learned all his tips & tricks there. Can’t wait to see more of your gardening videos

I grew 4 types of hibiscus, 3 for tea, in 2023 and the Renee's Garden Zinger hibiscus was one of them!

I like your presentation. Please do a video on your culinary poppy. I have seeds called giganthemum but have no idea how to sow them. Perhaps you can help?

Hi Bri. Are you going to show how you’re going to categorize all your seeds? Like when to start them inside.

So excited for the new growing season. Got my seeds on the 2nd 😂😂 its never too soon right??

Do the squash vine borers not bother your luffa or melons? Also, if you want lavender that stands up to the harshest cold, stick with intermedia varieties only, but look for Phenomenal in particular. It's also the most forgiving in terms of soil types. For rosemary, Arp is currently the most cold-tolerant, and it's pretty prolific.

Nice mix of seeds. I hope that the pile bean varieties that you selected grow well for you. But if you continue to have trouble with pole beans not seting fruit in the heat check out Renee's Garden tri color pole beans. They produce well for me in the hot, humid climate of Washington, DC.

In the same growing area as you; always super excited by your luffa plants! When do you start those?

What would you recommend for someone just starting to garden who wants to start seeds this winter along with you? I’d like to start onion seeds too and whatever else needs to be started indoors. What do I need other than the soil and soil blocker and trays? What kind of heat? What kind of lights? Thanks!!

I grow potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots in containers like large totes and it works crazy good.

Hi Bre, can you please list items used for your grow tent set up? Do you use a fan as well?

So excited for the 2024 season! What day is your expected last frost? I’m also in 6B

question what kind of grow lights are you using in your setup. looking to start my first setup for my seeds

Bre! I'm in 6B, growing loofah for the first time. I see other gardener's starting loofah now. When are you starting them?

Such a fun video! Two questions for you! Do you trim your onion seedlings indoors? I know you mentioned in a previous video that you don't trim them outside. And if you did start them from seed outdoors (which I know you don't), would you just let them be and not trim them? Thanks!

it would be nice to know when your last frost date is - so we can start accordingly !!!

when do you put the onions under grow lights? i've just bought my first growlight and onion seeds but i am not so sure if i need to put them under the growlight untill they sprout.

I'd love to see links to the seed companies your shared in the video (maybe I'm over looking it)

I inject BT into stems of zucchini every 10 days. I had more issues with the squash bugs and having to pick them off.

Hey Bre. I'm a new sub because you inspire. I require a lot of inspiration during these cold dreary days. I love your enthusiasm and outlook. TY A couple gift tips from me if you like input like I do..... Johnny's Bolero pelleted storage carrot is a show off. I love them. I like Hight mowing Claytonia winter greens to add to salads. They grow so crazy here in zone 7/8 that I gave them to the feathered girls and they went craaaaazy over them. It's also very nutritious for both kinds of us chicks. And lastly.... I've decided to sow squash in June and plant out in July since mid to end of July is the last hurrah for the vine borer beasts to lay down their evil. We'll see on that. But I'm gonna try the Honey Nut you recommended too. Happy sowing!

Bre - Watch Luke’s (MI Gardener) post from yesterday on cold stratifying lavender & rosemary 👍🏼💚

Are the heat mats turned on for your onion starts?

noooo Bree what have you done to me ; ; I was being good, told myself no more seeds this year as I did not plant everything i bough last year.... and now.. now the catalogs arrived just in time with your video. Really want to try onions but i don't have the space for curing them later on

Cantaloupe do cross-pollinate with honeydew.

Bri how do you grow your poppy seeds? Having hard time!!

Bre, there is a bush variety of sugar baby watermelons.

I hope bootstrap partners with you & gives us a coupon code. Sure would help with supplies

I'm new here, what is your growing zone? Super helpful video 😊

where and how did you store your onions and garlic?

Saw your jalapeno seeds and you totoally reminded me that I need to grow nadapenos this year. I want to can some cowboy candy but Im not a spicy person.

Hi ellis! Are you making another video about your temperature blanket? I would be very happy❤

I have seeds to start as well

Sounds like you have a huge space. How big is your garden? BTW...those pole beans are pronounced "say-shells".

commenting for the al;g

Where did you get your high yield hybrid varieties last year?

Hey I love this channel but I watch so many during this season that I have to ask what region are you in?

Cold and rainy here in North Florida, but I'll be planting some seeds tonight, as well. Hopefully, they'll be ready to go in the ground by the end of February. Happy New Year!

Those seeds are digital-organic in matrix.

Whats your growing zone?

It's pronounced "say shellz"

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You might want to whitewash your grow-room 😅