I just realized that I never finished this draft from back on April 17th. I'm going to publish as is, unfinished.....
This year I decided to try and sprout the majority of my plants from seeds. It's much cheaper to buy the seed pack and you can save the seeds you didn't plant in a ziploc bag in a dark place for planting another year.
My first tray was an experiment that I learned quickly from. It's pellets and I planted leek and romaine lettuce. After I discovered the pale, stringy looking romaine I researched and realized that even though I have a bright room, the seedlings weren't getting enough direct light. I think the leeks will survive this but the romaine may not. I also decided that I didn't like the pellets.
Fortunately I learned quickly and got deeper trays to add potting soil too and took my curtains off the windows to get more direct sunlight. I started one tray of 72 with:
- Roma Tomato
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Eggplant
- Basil
- Parsley
- PattyPan Squash
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
So excited!!!!
I am so excited, the garden is growing fast and furious and the money that I invested this year really seems to be paying off.
The tomatoes, that I was sure were fried and lost, are now almost 2ft high.
The tomatillos are still an experiment but growing quickly and fast going to bloom.
Every other day I'm pulling the plants back into the cages so that they grow straight up. They're growing fast and furious and trying to go every direction.
The 3 basil plants I put in around the tomatoes are doing extremely well. That is my oldest (was the only for about a decade), best fertiziled bed and they are loving it! The other 4 basils are in my herb bed that was built 3 years ago. They are not doing quite as well because the soil is not as well established but still doing quite nicely.
The oregano I planted 3 years ago in my herb bed is a monster! I dug half out before the plant really started growing and still had to whack back the plant this week cause it was threatening to smother my other herbs. I took a grocery bag full of oregano to work to give away and still have tonnes left in the garden! I foresee a huge batch of oregano pesto in my future (if I have the patience to pick off all those tiny leaves).
The sad pathetic romaine lettuce that I started from seed this year (my first seed expirement) were really leggy but I buried deep and they are growing amazing in my part shade bed. I'm so excited! I should be able to harvest nicely before the end of the month.
The potatoes seems to have recovered from our +100F weather which caused them to fall over, they are all upright and healthy looking now. Note to self, despite the full sun directions plant in part shade next year.
Looking back on my debates about investing in a CSA this year, I'm glad I decided to invest that money into expanding my garden instead. It's so sad to see the destruction to the crop fields that the flooding of the Missouri is causing. I will find other ways to help but I'm glad I'm not losing the garden/veggie funds.
Stay tuned, I'm yet to lose my mind with all the harvesting soon....
The tomatoes, that I was sure were fried and lost, are now almost 2ft high.
The tomatillos are still an experiment but growing quickly and fast going to bloom.
Every other day I'm pulling the plants back into the cages so that they grow straight up. They're growing fast and furious and trying to go every direction.
The 3 basil plants I put in around the tomatoes are doing extremely well. That is my oldest (was the only for about a decade), best fertiziled bed and they are loving it! The other 4 basils are in my herb bed that was built 3 years ago. They are not doing quite as well because the soil is not as well established but still doing quite nicely.
The oregano I planted 3 years ago in my herb bed is a monster! I dug half out before the plant really started growing and still had to whack back the plant this week cause it was threatening to smother my other herbs. I took a grocery bag full of oregano to work to give away and still have tonnes left in the garden! I foresee a huge batch of oregano pesto in my future (if I have the patience to pick off all those tiny leaves).
The sad pathetic romaine lettuce that I started from seed this year (my first seed expirement) were really leggy but I buried deep and they are growing amazing in my part shade bed. I'm so excited! I should be able to harvest nicely before the end of the month.
The potatoes seems to have recovered from our +100F weather which caused them to fall over, they are all upright and healthy looking now. Note to self, despite the full sun directions plant in part shade next year.
Looking back on my debates about investing in a CSA this year, I'm glad I decided to invest that money into expanding my garden instead. It's so sad to see the destruction to the crop fields that the flooding of the Missouri is causing. I will find other ways to help but I'm glad I'm not losing the garden/veggie funds.
Stay tuned, I'm yet to lose my mind with all the harvesting soon....
Monday, June 6, 2011
Finally weeded!
It's been a busy spring because we doubled the size of the garden with new beds. Now, a couple weeks after seeding, I can tell the difference between what was intentionally planted and what is not. 2 & 1/5 hours of weeding later on Saturday, I now (at least temporarily) have lovely garden beds. I took pictures because in about a month it'll be a tropical jungle....
To show off the new beds, this one has Tomatillo, 4 different Peppers (Jalepano, Yellow Banana, Poblano, & Sweet Red) along with Eggplant, Patty Pan Squash and Zucchini. I've snuck a Rosemary plant in this bed near the Zucchini, hopefully it doesn't get smothered. All but the Zucchini and Eggplant and new adventures for me this year.
In all of the beds I have planted random Marigolds to try and keep away the pests.
In this new bed is Parsley, Romaine, Little Finger Carrots, more Romaine that I started indoors, Leeks, Celery, and Summer Savory. Cellery and Summer Savory are new adventures this year and I'm considering the Romaine a new adventure because last year the Zucchini smothered it so I wasn't able to harvest. Made sure they are in separate beds this year.
Then there's the new bed from last year. This is where I planted the Asparagus roots, Garlic, Kaleidoscope Carrots, Kale, more Eggplant, pickling Cukes and Burpless Cucumbers. The Asparagus and Garlic are new adventures.
In this existing bed I planted Caribe Potatoes because they are supposed to be drought resistant, Broccoli, Blue Wonder Green Beans (Kentucky Wonder/Blue Lake cross) and Peas. The Potatoes and Broccoli are going to be some real adventures! New ones :)
In the first of these two beds is the Tomatoes that I started from seed and that got fried but still planted the best of. They are growing nicely and I hope to have the Roma's and Beefsteaks I planted. I also have the Green Beans behind these too and Basil hiding in around the front. Then the farther is the beastly bed. The Oregano I planted years ago grows like a weed and so does that darn, darn Peppermint. I pull the Peppermint out every year but it's impossible to get rid of. Also returning is the Thyme and the Sage I planted last year. In the space you can't see in the middle I've planted Basil and Dill. I'm going to have to keep the Oregano whacked back though to allow them room to grow.
These pictures were taken two days ago. We've had a lot of amazing sun/heat since then and boys has everything jumped up in just two days!
To show off the new beds, this one has Tomatillo, 4 different Peppers (Jalepano, Yellow Banana, Poblano, & Sweet Red) along with Eggplant, Patty Pan Squash and Zucchini. I've snuck a Rosemary plant in this bed near the Zucchini, hopefully it doesn't get smothered. All but the Zucchini and Eggplant and new adventures for me this year.
In all of the beds I have planted random Marigolds to try and keep away the pests.
In this new bed is Parsley, Romaine, Little Finger Carrots, more Romaine that I started indoors, Leeks, Celery, and Summer Savory. Cellery and Summer Savory are new adventures this year and I'm considering the Romaine a new adventure because last year the Zucchini smothered it so I wasn't able to harvest. Made sure they are in separate beds this year.
Then there's the new bed from last year. This is where I planted the Asparagus roots, Garlic, Kaleidoscope Carrots, Kale, more Eggplant, pickling Cukes and Burpless Cucumbers. The Asparagus and Garlic are new adventures.
In this existing bed I planted Caribe Potatoes because they are supposed to be drought resistant, Broccoli, Blue Wonder Green Beans (Kentucky Wonder/Blue Lake cross) and Peas. The Potatoes and Broccoli are going to be some real adventures! New ones :)
In the first of these two beds is the Tomatoes that I started from seed and that got fried but still planted the best of. They are growing nicely and I hope to have the Roma's and Beefsteaks I planted. I also have the Green Beans behind these too and Basil hiding in around the front. Then the farther is the beastly bed. The Oregano I planted years ago grows like a weed and so does that darn, darn Peppermint. I pull the Peppermint out every year but it's impossible to get rid of. Also returning is the Thyme and the Sage I planted last year. In the space you can't see in the middle I've planted Basil and Dill. I'm going to have to keep the Oregano whacked back though to allow them room to grow.
These pictures were taken two days ago. We've had a lot of amazing sun/heat since then and boys has everything jumped up in just two days!
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