4/20/2023 – First Perennial in Bloom – Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

4/20/2023 – First Perennial in Bloom – Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)The spring bulbs have mostly faded away and the first … Continue reading 4/20/2023 – First Perennial in Bloom – Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

03-31 Greenhouse Complete

03-31 Greenhouse Complete
The winter’s project of building a greenhouse to grow early and late vegetable crops is finally complete with the covering of the structure with plastic. I used construction grade plastic, so I hope it lasts two or three seasons. The man at the hardware store told me they had covered a greenhouse for his father four or five years ago and it was still in use, so I used it. Covering the structure is quite a project, especially as I did it myself. An extra set of hands would have been nice, but it is what it is. At the bottom I installed some removable panels which I can take off for watering, maintenance and ventilation.
I don’t plan on heating this structure, I just want to use it to grow early and late crops like lettuce, cabbage, kale and other members of the cabbage family. After cultivating the soil with a Ryobi cultivator I covered the bed with a mulch of shredded leaves, grass clippings and shredded paper which I composted last summer. The bed is ready to plant. Continue reading 03-31 Greenhouse Complete

Transplanting the First Seedlings

Two weeks after planting the seeds in seed flats, the first batch of seedlings were ready for transplant. Not all of them were, as some seeds germinate slower that others and some grow slowly. The lettuce, mescaline, brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, etc.), spinach and snow peas were. Many of the perennials were ready, as well. The strawberries, peppers and chamomile had germinated, but were still too small. Continue reading Transplanting the First Seedlings

Pick Your Dinner

Pick Your Dinner
We have reached the stage in the garden season where I can go out in the garden and pick our dinner. The spring lettuce has been harvested two or three weeks ago. The winter squash and pumpkins have taken their place in the garden. The peas have already found their way to the compost heap, after yielding a good crop of both shelling and snap peas. Continue reading Pick Your Dinner