Sunday, April 29, 2012

In Maine, the traditional "mostly safe" date to start a garden is Memorial Day.   Of course, some folks start "cool" loving things earlier, like spinach, or put in things early that won't sprout for awhile, such as potatoes.   We've had a mild winter and an early spring.   I'll probably put some seedlings out for sale a bit early.

But, we'll probably follow the usual schedule and aim for Memorial Day, for getting the garden in.   That usually gives us a long enough growing season for what we need.

In the March 17th post, there is a picture of some of the vegetable beds, clear of snow.   I wanted to post a picture of one of the beds now, to show the difference in color. 

Vegetable bed #3, planted to winter rye, late April

The light green area is Bed #3, planted with winter rye (a green manure).   The darker green is lawn.   We plant in fairly small beds (this one is about 15 x 50) because of the heavy clay soils and drainage swales.   We need to "fit" the beds in between swales, and build the beds up with organic matter.  This provides better soil for the veggies, and allows for buffers around the beds to reduce the risk of erosion problems.

If we simply opened up 3 acres or so, we'd have erosion gullies forming all over the place, which would be bad for both the soil and water quality.

I started a new "little" bed last year, in addition to a couple of large beds.  George and I just picked up blueberry plants for the little bed!   I need to work in some cow manure and phosphorous, then put in the high bush blueberry plants.   

The little blueberry bed looks "brown" around the edges in the picture.  The brown is just the remains of grass cuttings I put there last fall, to mark the bed, in case I had trouble finding it in the spring.  Beds have a way of hiding.

High bush blueberries

Yet to be turned-over blueberry bed

The blueberry plants were mostly paid for with a birthday gift from my mother-in-law, Dorothy.

Thanks, Dorothy!!

Seedlings

Broccoli seedlings in the greenhouse

I put up some new grow lights in the basement yesterday; we always seem to run short of space for seedlings.  We've been fiddling with the temperature in the small greenhouse, opening it up to cool during the day, and using the heater for warmth at night.

The broccoli seedlings growing in the basement and greenhouse were planted the same day, but look quite different, with the greenhouse plants looking happier.  It is quite a bit warmer in the greenhouse during the day, and there is more light.  But, the ones in the basement will be fine too, based on experience.

We'll need more seedlings each year, with the gradually expanding vegetable beds.  Also, I expect to have a few of the following seedlings for sale this year:  brocolli, onions, table tomatoes (red and yellow), heirloom tomatoes (a mix), maybe some Amish paste tomatoes, and cucumbers.

We also start various squash from seedlings, to give the squash a better chance against the bugs.  But, squash is easy to start from seed, so we only grow enough seedlings for the garden here.

Some people came by last year looking for seedlings for table tomatoes and cucumbers, so we are growing a few extra of those.   As usual, if they don't sell, we'll try to find room in the garden for them.

Last year, we ended up planting a lot of left-over broccoli seedlings.  But, I just cooked the last package of blanched summer broccoli from the freezer this week so, none of the broccoli went to waste!

And, now I know to plant lots of broccoli this year.   I like to make a big pile of broccoli with melted cheddar cheese on top for lunch in the winter.   I also use broccoli in beef stir fry, with onions from the cellar, although sometimes I substitute blanched and frozen string beans or carrots for the broccoli, for variety.  Yum.    The blanched and frozen vegetables taste better than the frozen vegetables from the store.   Not sure why, but they really do.

Onions seedlings in the greenhouse

Counting the signs

The robins came back last week.  The spring peepers (frogs) started singing this week, at night.      I think I saw the first barn swallow this morning, returned from South America.  The forsythia bloomed today.

George said he'd like it if I started writing these things down, when they happen, so we could keep track from year to year.

Later edition:
4/19/2012:  first dandelions

April: seedlings and sinking

Last year, I tried using a small greenhouse on the property for some seedlings, but they didn't get enough light and did poorly.  I hadn't thought much more about using the greenhouse since.  Then, I read somewhere that one could add lights.  Not sure why it took me so long to figure this out.

Now we have some lights in the greenhouse, and I'm enjoying trying to figure out how to add more.   The onion seedlings have been moved there, and seem quite happy.  The broccoli seedlings may go out there soon too.

The tomatoes have been started.   The picture above is of some of the seedling flat labels that I've been making on the kitchen table.

On the "uh oh" side of things, our tiller is slowly sinking.   We parked it in a new location last winter, and put it up on blocks as usual.  Unfortunately, the ground has shifted with the frost, and gone soft, so that the tiller is sinking pretty dramatically, and turning over gradually.  I don't want to try to move it yet, given how soft the ground is so...I check it from time to time and worry over it.

Our old truck went in for inspection and needs LOTS of work.   If it isn't one thing, it is another.  Pretty labels though, huh?  Got to like those labels.   Lining them up gives me a sense of control.   :)

Later added note:  George came home toward the end of the day, and I asked him for a second opinion on the tiller.   He said he isn't worried.