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.