Winter Update

I planted radishes over i think 6 week intervals this fall, either weekly or bi-weekly. Still have some in the ground. I went out on a limb by starting things so early - seemed to work out. the broccoli was not in the stores until October, so the first harvest was about 2 weeks ago. What I have ready that otherwise would have waited till spring is the cabbage and carrots. Will probably pull the first head of cabbage for slaw this weekend. The lettuces, arugula, and spinach have all been at the ready for 2 months now. About 3 weeks ago it got down to about 17-18 and that hit the lettuces but not fatally. I did not cover them.

Back in November I pruned the berries, stuck some of the cuttings in the ground and gave the rest to a colleague.

Currently overloaded with arugula and cilantro for those who may want some.

This picture was from 2 weeks ago. The spinach was blanched w/ garlic.

Planting results

Seems most everything germinated over the last week. The heat concerned me but I kept it damp daily, and apparently not too hot s soil temp.

I did it

Tilled up the garden - watering did the trick. Bought lettuce and cabbage transplants and stuck them in the ground. Planted garli cloves. Also planted from seed carrots, arugula, cilantro, more lettuce, spinach. We'll see what comes. Was afraid maybe te heat would be too much, but thinking the germination will be after the midweek heat, so i'm taking a shot nonetheless. I will water twice daily.

End of the heat.....??????

OK. I've been asked to update now that everything is dead and brown. I pulled the remnants of what was still alive over the weekend, and broke out the tiller. The small sectionn by the house was tilled, and I went to attack the larger section. It was very hard, and would have been quite an effort to get it tilled. Plan B is to soak it well 2 days from now and give it a whirl this weekend.

In the section that did get tilled, I did plant some radishes from seed. Those are easy.

Next - the cabbages, broccoli, and lettuces from starter plants. Garlic from whole cloves. Maybe this weekend.

From seed will go more lettuces, arugula, spinach. Maybe do some this weekend and hold off the rest for a week or two.

Stay tuned.

Early Summer Update

All planting done - melons starting to show some life finally - not sure what the deal is. Spinach is done. Winter lettuce is done - Heatwave blend still doing well. Pulled the spring carrot crop last weekend - another 20 pounds. radishes done (too hot). Onions and garlic - tops falling over - almost ready to harvest. Blueberries about done. Boysenberries did not ripen w/ the blackberries this year, and they are done - will be giving cuttings to a co-worker who has a daughter w/ cystic fibrosis - the berries are good for her health. Blackberries just starting - yum!!!! Have harvested lots of cherry tomatoes and a couple of larger fruits. Peppers starting to fruit well. Cucumbers finally starting to fruit. Green beans have been regularly harvested the last couple of weeks. Herbs are plentiful. Yellow squash and zucchini - overgrown and exploding in number. Broccoli is done. Spring cabbages almost ready for harvest. Strawberries are in second bloom.

Right now I focus on regular harvesting, weeding as needed, watered yesterday for the first time in a while. For bug control I spray insecticidal soap on the squash/melons every 14 days and alternate same with neem oil every 14 days. Both are organic, and I dont spray the leaf veggies or berries with them.

It got quickly hot and dry. Focus is on watering sparingly but as needed, weed control (by hand), and insect control.

Squash love this weather, as does the melons. The blackberries ripen quickly (I have to go out almost every day. Tomato fruit set will not happen any more with the heat. The green beans will not set any more either, but will double in size over night. Same with the zucchini. Crazy fast!!!

2011 Firsts

Picked the first tomato, first blueberries, first boysenberries. Sorry, no pictures - no evidence left.

On a side note - looks like the hail last week knocked the blackberries pretty good as they were in full bloom. Im thinking the prolific harvest of last year is a thing of the past - at least for another year......

Carrots

Planted by seed last September.

Tax Update

Everything chugging along - melons and cukes are slow to take off, spinach is starting to bolt (come all for spinach!!, pulled some more carrots - i might have 50 pounds in the ground!!!!! Regular harvest of the greens and radishes. Planted my last group of beans. Berries are coming alive - lots of flowers!!!. Strawberries have come into harvest the last week - this is the third harvest in the last week. Yummmmmmm.

Todays harvest.... and a thought....

Thinking of a massive garden expansion, and have a co-op with family/friends - shared labor, shared bounty.


The photo is what I picked this morning. Melons have been slow but everything is chugging along. Arugula and spinach is starting to bolt - getting towards done. Planted second round of beaans and radishes last week. One more round of beans to go next weekend and then plnating is done for the spring.

More sprouts

More cukes, some squash, some beans sprouted overnight. I also saw one melon sprouted.

I anticipate lots more in the next 24 hours.

Cukes

One cucumber sprout up (6 1/2 days)

Update

radishes sprouted.

Foolish or not?

Last year we had 6 weeks of growing season. This year, we had one freeze in the last 2 weeks, and none even close to forcasting any more until....fall?

Out in the garden yesterday, the ground felt warm. It was still cool, but for mid march it was warm. That was my sign. By seed, into the ground went the following:

cantaloupe (2 types)
crenshaw melon
santa claus melon
3 types of zucchini (from different packets, blended)
more radishes
3 types of yellow squash (different packets also)
cucumber
2 types of bush beans

Table scraps

One of the multitude of followers asked me about coffee grounds.

I have in the past collected them in an old coffee can and kept it in the freezer, to be used on the garden. No problems - actually good for the alkaline soil. In fact, any organic matter is best tossed in the garden for natural composting. Unfortunately, without a bin these scraps (e.g. melon rinds) are food for the nocturnal critters. I think that bad habit attracted the opossums, which then failed to notice that the other melons were still attached to vines. I think they'll end up in a trap later this spring - they have been habituated.

Look out for a new blog about trapping and cooking nocturnal critters. Just kidding.

Fool's errand

I bought and planted my tomatoes this evening. I think the 29 degrees this morning was the last freeze of the year. Stuck in peppers also.

Spring 2011 Planting - Update 1

Yeah to my Ffollowers!!!!

Two weeks ago I planted carrots, radishes, mesculin lettuce mix, and a heatwave lettuce mix, all from seed (lettuces from Burpee website). All are up, slowly. The radishes took about a week, the lettuce 10 days, and the carrots almost 2 weeks. The radishes are a good bellweather of soil temperature. Perfect conditions (soil temps)result in the radishes sprouting in 3 days. So this tells me the soil is still on the cool side.

For dinner we had salad made with the arugula from last fall (still good but starting to bolt) spinach planted from seed last year, spinach I bought as plants last month, and 4 types of lettuces (red leaf, green leaf, buttercrunch, and romaine). We also had radishes - these were planted in the fall and barely sprouted, but overwintered and are now making a few radishes. Finally in the salad was some puprple cabbage planted last fall and harvensted 2 weeks ago.

Also for dinner was some fresh spinach blanched with some fresh garlic, a little salt, and a little pepper.

We have had several rounds of feresh cole slaw made from the cabbage.

Today in the garden we weeded and planted nothing. Tempted to put in peppers and tomatoes, but will wait I think. Also, by the time I got around to run errands yesterday everything was well picked over. Next 10 days looks good but I want to wait one more week. Will wait another 2-3 weeks to put in the melons, cukes, and beans by seed - i dont think the soil is quite warm enough but this week will help.

More in a week.

Winter Thaw Update

Everything survived.....

Spinach was burned but is okay. Cilantro same. The lettuce and cabbages I covered are fine.

Several weeks ago I bought some newer plants but kept them inside for the most part. Today I planted red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, butter crunch lettuce, red and green cabbage, broccoli, red and white onions (from small plant sets) spinach (plants from Lowe's), and arugula.

Winter Chill update

Everything survived so far - the covers worked. I have everything recovered but I'm not sure if we'll make it. if we had the snow cover i'd feel better, but.......8 degrees is cold.

Winter Update

The Walmart gourmet greens have been productive and plentiful all winter so far. There was some freezing 2 weeks ago when I was out of town (mid teens) and did not cover them. I bought some new stuff a week ago but not planted yet since I heard it was going to get cold again - good thing otherwise they'd be toast. The cilantro I planted is productive.

Everything is covered except the rosemary and thyme. I covered the carrots, cabbages, and salad greens. Spinach is uncovered except by snow. Supposed to be a low of 6 tonight. Hopefully the covering is enough to insulate, but the long duration may be the coup de grace.