Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Melons & Beans
I just started my watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew, and pole lima beans in peat pots yesterday evening. Can't wait to see them take off. But hopefully not too much before it's time for them to go outside. :)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tomatoes and More
Both batches of tomato seedlings got so big so fast that the first was starting to wilt and the second was almost as big but not yet wilting. I decided I needed to start another batch just in case, and plant my tomato plants in the garden way early. So Sunday I started some more tomato and eggplant seedlings, as well as some basil and oregano seedlings. I also transplanted some lettuce Ann gave me, and filled in some gaps in the rows of peas with fresh seed.
Then yesterday evening, I planted a dozen tomato plants in the garden. I've filled some milk cartons with water and sat them near the plants to act as a heat sink to collect heat during the day and release it at night. I'm collecting more milk cartons so that if a frost is coming I can cover each tomato plant, and I need to get tomato stakes soon.
It has just gotten to be time I could start my melons, but now I'm paranoid about starting seedlings too early, so I'll probably wait a bit.
Then yesterday evening, I planted a dozen tomato plants in the garden. I've filled some milk cartons with water and sat them near the plants to act as a heat sink to collect heat during the day and release it at night. I'm collecting more milk cartons so that if a frost is coming I can cover each tomato plant, and I need to get tomato stakes soon.
It has just gotten to be time I could start my melons, but now I'm paranoid about starting seedlings too early, so I'll probably wait a bit.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spring Gardening Update
On Friday, March 19, I re-tilled a row in the garden (did it myself - what a workout!), laid a soaker hose, planted peas and spinach along the soaker hose, and installed the same pea supports I used last year - nylon mesh supported with rebar and plastic ties.
Then on Saturday, March 20, I repotted a bunch of eggplant and tomato seedlings from teeny pots to 3" peat pots. In peat pots now I have a dozen tomatoes and half a dozen eggplants. Plus some extras still in the small pots as backups until I need the space under the grow light. And some to give to Ann.
Today I repotted the parsley that have sprouted into slightly larger pots, and separated a few that came up with multiples in the same pot. I now have 8 parsley seedlings.
Besides maintaining what's already been planted, my next step will be to start some watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew seedlings directly in peat pots sometime between April 10 and May 1.
I'm debating whether to start basil, oregano, marigolds, and nasturtium inside or whether to directly sow into the garden. While all four can be directly sown outside, I had intended to start some inside, but it's looking like there may not be room under the grow light for them what with tomatoes, eggplant, parsley, and melons taking up all the space. To be determined.
Then on Saturday, March 20, I repotted a bunch of eggplant and tomato seedlings from teeny pots to 3" peat pots. In peat pots now I have a dozen tomatoes and half a dozen eggplants. Plus some extras still in the small pots as backups until I need the space under the grow light. And some to give to Ann.
Today I repotted the parsley that have sprouted into slightly larger pots, and separated a few that came up with multiples in the same pot. I now have 8 parsley seedlings.
Besides maintaining what's already been planted, my next step will be to start some watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew seedlings directly in peat pots sometime between April 10 and May 1.
I'm debating whether to start basil, oregano, marigolds, and nasturtium inside or whether to directly sow into the garden. While all four can be directly sown outside, I had intended to start some inside, but it's looking like there may not be room under the grow light for them what with tomatoes, eggplant, parsley, and melons taking up all the space. To be determined.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Seeds and Seedlings
We took the pilgrimage to Rohrer Seeds in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. I picked up all the seeds I wanted. Ann and I will share her packet of zucchini seeds and my packet of Italian tomato seeds.
That morning, I decided to add pole beans to the roster. I'll split a row between herbs and pole beans after the peas and spinach clear out.
I also decided to grow Melody Hybrid Spinach instead of Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach because I prefer the kind that is more smooth and less ruffled. The pictures on the packets made this clearer than the descriptions did.
Instead of Amish Paste tomatoes, I decided to go with San Marzano tomatoes, described as the original Italian paste variety. The authenticity appeals to me for making spaghetti sauce. I've been really enjoying the homemade spaghetti sauce I canned last year. Inconveniently most of my batches of spaghetti seem to take 1.5 quarts instead of an even 1 or 2. I'm considering making batches of pints this year instead so it'll take an even 3 jars.
On the trip, I also bought 2 dozen purple pansies to line the front walkway. I'm gradually hardening them off between the garage at night and outdoors in the sunlight during parts of the day.
This afternoon, during Matthew's naptime, I started some seedlings: 27 tomatoes, 9 eggplant, and 9 parsley. Some of the tomatoes I'll share with Ann, and some are extras in case they don't all sprout. I'm using a plastic Jiffy Greenhouse that has 72 tiny cells, probably an inch across each. Because they're so small, I'll need to transplant the plants to other pots later, probably peat pots. But in the case of the tomatoes at least, that'll make for stronger plants, because I can bury some of the stem each time they get transplanted and produce more roots.
It should be time to plant peas and spinach in a few weeks, but I heard today the Farmer's Almanac is calling for a worse March than January and February. That would be impressive considering the blizzards we've had already this year. We shall see.
All in all, a good week for the garden so far. Total seed price: $43.95
That morning, I decided to add pole beans to the roster. I'll split a row between herbs and pole beans after the peas and spinach clear out.
I also decided to grow Melody Hybrid Spinach instead of Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach because I prefer the kind that is more smooth and less ruffled. The pictures on the packets made this clearer than the descriptions did.
Instead of Amish Paste tomatoes, I decided to go with San Marzano tomatoes, described as the original Italian paste variety. The authenticity appeals to me for making spaghetti sauce. I've been really enjoying the homemade spaghetti sauce I canned last year. Inconveniently most of my batches of spaghetti seem to take 1.5 quarts instead of an even 1 or 2. I'm considering making batches of pints this year instead so it'll take an even 3 jars.
On the trip, I also bought 2 dozen purple pansies to line the front walkway. I'm gradually hardening them off between the garage at night and outdoors in the sunlight during parts of the day.
This afternoon, during Matthew's naptime, I started some seedlings: 27 tomatoes, 9 eggplant, and 9 parsley. Some of the tomatoes I'll share with Ann, and some are extras in case they don't all sprout. I'm using a plastic Jiffy Greenhouse that has 72 tiny cells, probably an inch across each. Because they're so small, I'll need to transplant the plants to other pots later, probably peat pots. But in the case of the tomatoes at least, that'll make for stronger plants, because I can bury some of the stem each time they get transplanted and produce more roots.
It should be time to plant peas and spinach in a few weeks, but I heard today the Farmer's Almanac is calling for a worse March than January and February. That would be impressive considering the blizzards we've had already this year. We shall see.
All in all, a good week for the garden so far. Total seed price: $43.95
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Seed Shopping List
I've been scouring the Rohrer Seed catalog in anticipation of the annual pilgrimage to their shop in Pennsylvania. Following is my current shopping list. All the seeds I need for the 2010 garden with the exception of the basil, oregano, and parsley seeds I've already bought from Lowes.
From Lowes I already bought Ferry-Morse Oregano, Sweet Basil, and Plain or Single Parsley. I've started some indoors under my new grow light. Perhaps I'll be able to harvest some before the outdoor garden even gets started and freeze it in ice cube trays with a little water or oil for use in spaghetti sauce later. I've seen recommendations of 2 Tbsp olive oil to 1 cup of herbs. I'll grow some of these herbs in the garden too.
Edit 3/4/2010: I changed my mind about the varieties of Spinach and Tomatoes, and decided to add Pole Beans to the garden. The edits have been added to the table above.
| Corn | 1/4 pound | Seneca Snowshoe | $5.79 |
| 1/4 pound | Argent | $4.59 | |
| Melons | pkt | Ambrosia | $2.99 |
| pkt | Earli-Dew | $2.99 | |
| pkt | Bush Jubilee | $0.99 | |
| Squash | pkt | Black Beauty Zucchini | $0.99 |
| Eggplants | pkt | Long Purple | $1.69 |
| Peas | 1 pound | Early Frosty | $4.99 |
| Spinach | 1 oz | Melody Hybrid | |
| Tomatoes | pkt | San Marzano | |
| Nasturtium | 1/2 oz | Whirly Bird | $5.99 |
| Marigolds | pkt | Spry Boy | $1.99 |
| Turnips | pkt | Purple Top White Globe | $0.99 |
| Beets | pkt | Baby Ball | $2.79 |
| Pole Beans | 2 oz | King of the Garden | $1.99 |
From Lowes I already bought Ferry-Morse Oregano, Sweet Basil, and Plain or Single Parsley. I've started some indoors under my new grow light. Perhaps I'll be able to harvest some before the outdoor garden even gets started and freeze it in ice cube trays with a little water or oil for use in spaghetti sauce later. I've seen recommendations of 2 Tbsp olive oil to 1 cup of herbs. I'll grow some of these herbs in the garden too.
Edit 3/4/2010: I changed my mind about the varieties of Spinach and Tomatoes, and decided to add Pole Beans to the garden. The edits have been added to the table above.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Planning the Garden Schedule & Layout for 2010
Here's a rough outline of things to do for the garden and when to do them:
Note: I chose 8 rows because I can water all 8 rows with a hose splitter at the garden spigot connected to two hoses carrying water to the garden. At the garden, each of the two hoses is split with a hose splitter and connected to two drip hoses long enough to water two rows each. More rows would complicate irrigation. Fewer would limit the varieties I can grow.
- Till the cover crop under - ideally mid-February, but definitely no later than mid-April. If you wait until planting time to till it under, the rotting plant matter will inhibit germination of the seeds. The mid-February target gives 4 weeks of rotting time before the peas and spinach get planted in mid-March. If the snowy weather prevents this, tilling it all up when I plant the peas and spinach should give plenty of rotting time before the warmer season veggies get planted.
- Start tomatoes & eggplants indoors - March 1 - April 1 suits both plants. Eggplant can get started as early as 2/15.
- Plant peas and spinach - March 15 - May 1, aiming early around St. Patrick's Day so I can reuse the row for herbs and bug-deterring flowers.
- Start melons, herbs & flowers inside - April 10 - May 1.
- Sow Corn May 15 - June 1.
- Sow warm season veggies (eggplants, tomatoes, melons, zucchini, herbs & flowers) outside - May 20 - June 20.
- Edit: Sow lima beans outside - June 1 - July 15.
- Fall turnips and beets - July 20 - August 15.
- 4 rows corn with an early variety near the house and a later variety further away; the early variety may be replaced with turnips & beets in the fall. Because of the arrangement of the irrigation hoses, it'd be easier to re-till the closer part of the rows without disturbing the hoses too much than the further part.
- A row of cantaloupe, honeydew, and bush watermelon. I should be able to fit 4 of each type in a row.
- A row of zucchini and eggplants, possibly interplanted with herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and bug-deterring flowers (marigolds and nasturtium).
- A row of peas and spinach to be replaced by herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and bug-deterring flowers (marigolds and nasturtium) when done producing.
- Italian tomatoes for making sauce - 12 plants.
Note: I chose 8 rows because I can water all 8 rows with a hose splitter at the garden spigot connected to two hoses carrying water to the garden. At the garden, each of the two hoses is split with a hose splitter and connected to two drip hoses long enough to water two rows each. More rows would complicate irrigation. Fewer would limit the varieties I can grow.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
End of the Season
Yesterday Dave and I prepared the garden for winter. We removed the fence, hoses, supports, and weed control fabric and mowed the weeds. Then we added maybe a dozen bags total of compost, humus, and manure to increase the organic content of the soil. We also added half a bag of pelleted lime (20 lbs) to raise the pH of the soil because last spring's soil test suggested that and we never got around to it before. Next, we tilled it all in, going over everything twice to mix it well, and raked a bunch of remaining weeds out with a grate pulled by a tractor. Finally we spread a bag of "Garden Blanket" over everything and watered the whole area. Garden blanket is a mix of enough crimson clover and alpowa wheat seed for a 3,000 square foot area. It's designed as a cover crop. I got it at Kingstown garden store for around $10. The clover will fix nitrogen as it grows and both clover and wheat will help aerate the ground and keep wind and rain from washing away my good topsoil over the winter. Then in spring, I'll till it all under, providing extra organic matter for the growing season. I need to read up to double check how early I need to till it under so the decaying organic matter doesn't inhibit germination, but on whole it should really help improve the soil.
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