Blisters on Both Thumbs, Yep, It Was a Good Day in the Garden

Retilled and hilled a few rows today.  On the last row and second to last row, I planted the first five steps with Candy Corn Sweet Corn.   And I planted the last five steps on the first row with Painted Mountain Ornamental Corn and the last five steps on the second row with Earth Tones Dent Ornamental Corn.  In the middle of the I planted Silver Queen Sweet Corn.   And then,,,,,,,,,I remembered I had planted the first row with potatoes.  Awe, poop.  After a bit of laughing at myself, and a little web research, I found that I can find interplanting corn and potatoes is not unheard of.   I had planned on interplanting beans anyway, so this is a slightly different variation on the plan, right, still laughing.

So, I went ahead and planted the middle of the second to last row with Silver Queen corn as well.  And that row, I will interplant with beans, after the corn is 12 to 18 inches tall.

So tomorrow, I think I'll put down my first Cucumbers, and maybe a Melon or two.

Oops

Good day in the garden. Planted the corn. Sat back, thinking about my succession planting, then I realized. I planted my corn right over the top of my row of potatoes. Awe poop. Planting another row of corn was easy, Weeding the corn out of my potatoes, well. Still laughing at myself over a glass of wine.

A Little Me Time in the Garden

Beautiful weather today prompted me to get out in the garden.  My neighbor had already done the heavy tilling with his tractor, so normally, I would just pull out the mantis to assist in building the rows.  But the Mantis is in the shop, so I pulled out Old Nellie.  In spite of the fact that Old Nellie is a thousand years old and rescued from my old bosses junk pile, she did an admirable job.  Anyway, I hilled up the corn row.  But after looking at the long range forecast, I am ready to pronouce winter over, so I am going to start putting the Cucumbers and Tomatoes too.   Of course, I'll keep some backup seedings in reserve, just in case.

Well, it's late, but maybe another update tomorrow with pictures.

Veggies Go In

Time for bed, got to wake up and plant. Was only gonna plant corn tomorrow, but with the date and long range weather forecast, I am going for it. Tomatoes and Cucumbers are going in the ground tomorrow. But I'll keep some backup seedlings in reserve too, just in case.

Seedlings, Seedlings Everywhere, But Not a Vegetable to Eat,,,,,Yet

The Egg Plant seedlings started to pop up today.

And I seedling a propagator full of melons today, as well,

Propagator – Melons

1. Midyat Melon - ebay
2. Sun Jewel Melon – Gotreaux Farms
3. Mexican Melon – Gotreaux Farms
4. Ogen Melon - Rons-Seed-Store, ebay
5. Charentais Melon - Rons-Seed-Store, ebay
6. Rich Sweetness 305 Asian Melon – Baker Creek
7. Rocky Ford Melon – Rons-Seed-Store, ebay
8. Delicious 51 American Melon – Baker Creek
9. Tigger Melon – Baker Creek
10. Hales Best Jumbo Canteloupe – True Value
11. Petit Gris de Rennes Canteloupe – Baker Creek
12. Ambrosia Hybrid Canteloupe – Martha Stewart, 2004 Seedlot

Only thing left to go in propagators now, are the Squashs.  I hope to get to that tomorrow.

But God, I Don't Like Grass

God checked out my seedlings, and said, “You don't need those, I plant the garden for you.” “Well, God, I just haven’t developed a taste for grass,” I replied. God then added “Sorry about that. I gave the best taste buds to the cows you know, but I did slip some into a few vegans as an experiment.” I asked, “so, how’s that working.” He chuckled, “Well, the cows are happy about it”.

Soak Up the Sun

The Tomato seedlings are now hardened off, thanks to this moderate weather, and are spending full days in the sun.

The Bell Peppers spent their first full day with the propagator hood off and got a couple of hours of evening sun.  Over the next three days, I'll work them up to full sun as well.

I'll do the same with my little Artichoke seedlings too.

Another Tray of Seeds Goes Into a Propagator

Another Seed Propagator Tray (Very Experimental)*

1 – Lemon Cucumber (from plant that has volunteered here for several years, seeds likely came from Maria, NorCal.)
2 – Giant Cucumbers (came from fall garden in 2010, do not remember origin)
3 – Tomato (Rafe wedding)**
4 – Cucumber (Rafe wedding)**
5 – Banana Pepper (Rafe wedding)**
6 – Fanfare Cucumber (TruValue)
7 – Longfellow Cucumber (Freedom Seeds)
8 – Sugar Crunch Hybrid Cucumber (Martha Stewart, 2003 lot)

*These reused cells were very old, and didn’t expand enough to completely refill the tray sockets. The seeds were place on top of the cells and the final quarter inch on top was fill with “Compost and Cow Manure” from the local store. Not the sterile environment typically recommended for seed starting, but it they make it, the seedling should be much healthier.

**At a friend’s son’s wedding reception, small containers of seeds were offered as a parting gift. I took one of the three different kinds. These are those seeds. Should they make it, it would be cool to send them a basket of vegetables from those seeds.

Potatoes Are In, Corn Coming Up Next

The ground is still a little wetter than optimum, but not bad.  I was running late on the potatoes, I so I hand raked a 60 foot row and got them down today.   I still have a dozen or so seed potatoes left, maybe I'll stick them in one of those raised beds, since I don't have a clue what to do with those beds anyway.

Tomato seedlings got a taste of real sun yesterday and today, thanks to the moderating weather.  It'll be good all week, it looks like so they'll appreciate that, for sure.   The Bell Pepper seeds are all up as well, so I'll start hardening them off as well.

Tomatoes Saw Their First Sun, Egg Plant Seeds Saw Their First Soil

Temps moderated today with a high of 60 and sunny skies, so I put the tomato seedling out at noon and let them enjoy their first taste of real sun for nearly 5 hours.  I have to think they are feeling a bit satisfied tonight.

On the seedling side, I did a tray of 40 Egg Plant seeds today.  Here is the layout.

1. Burpee Hybrid, Martha Stewart, Seedlot 2002/2003
2. Pandora Striped Rose, Baker Creek , Seedlot 2011
3. Cookstown Organ, Baker Creek, Seedlot 2011
4. Rosa Bianca, Freedom Seeds, Seedlot 2010
5. Turkish Orange, Rons-Seeds-Store on ebay
6. Black Beauty, Top Notch Seeds, Seedlot 2009
7. White Egg, Martha Steward, Seedlot 2002
8. Black, Gotreaux Farms, 2010
 
It will be fun to see how these shape up, especially those old seedlots. 

Seedlings

The Tomato seedlings have been thinned to one per cell.  Tomorrow, they'll even get their first taste of real unfiltered through glass sun. 

The Bell Peppers are almost all awake in their propagator as well.  This weekend I'll seed the Eggplant.  Next week, the Melons and Cucumbers go into the propagator.  We are well on our way for spring in 4 weeks.  I have started more than enough seedlings to plant in the garden, survive a late frosts, and still have many to give away to friends.  Now that is gardening at its finest.

I am still designing the layout of the seven 60 foot rows of this years garden.  And the three 8x15 foot raised beds, and the vegetables that will be interspersed into the ornamental beds. And, whatever I have yet to dream up.

Does God Get Cold

God was out in the garden this evening. “Where have you been, it has been a while?” I asked. “I’m here every night, you just having been in the right frame of mind to see me” he replied. We just sat for a while, and then I said “It is pretty cold out here tonight, so I guess I’ll be going inside now.” “Right behind you,” God chuckled.

I Took the Back Roads Today

Say hello to the world, little tomatoes.

My one attempt at catching the effect of the frozen icy mist on the trees this morning. Kind of a ghostly, almost twilight zone look.

Tomatoes Anyone?

Tomatoes seedlings are popping up around here like popcorn in a microwave.  Well over half of them are up and awake.   Unfortunately, this is reminiscent of last year.   Last year they popped up, but winter and overcast days lingered on, and I have tall stringy weak seedlings.

Sure as I put these in we have an uncharacterisically late cold snap, days of overcast skies, and another cold week predicted next week as well.   Thankfully, I started them late, after seeing what happened last year.  Hopefully, I can keep them strong this year.

Another Seedling Tray - This time the BellPeppers, etc.

Tray 1 - Bell Peppers (save two) (old seed playbox)
Carnival Mix Bell Pepper - Burpee 2010 (from Bill in Fl.)
Red Ruffled Bell Pepper - Territorial Seed Company 2011
Flavorburst Hybrid Bell Pepper - Park Seed 2011 (Holland)
Habanero - Martha Stewart 2003
California Wonder Bell Pepper - Martha Stewart 2003
Big Dipper Bell Pepper - Martha Stewart 2004
Cubanelle Sweet Pepper - Martha Steward 2002
Carnival Mix Belle Pepper - Martha Stewart 2003
Peter Pepper - Top Notch Seed

Winter's Last Fling, or At Least I Hope So.

Looks like an early February arctic blast is coming through.  Dropping from a high in the mid-60s today, down to a low of 26 and a very chilly next 4 days with lows below freezing 3 of the 4 nights.  Fortunately it has been cool winter, so nothing out there has attempted an early awakening for spring.  Things are nice and hardened off, so this should be no biggie in the plant world, or at least in my plant world.

Late on the Potatoes, Just Right on the Tomatoes

I am two weeks late planting the potatoes, and that will likely extend another week or two, with the cold and rains. 

But I planted out the Tomato seed trays tonight, right on schedule for planting at 6 weeks old.  Here is the layout for 2011.

2011 Seedlings


Tray 1 - Tomatoes (fun tray)
Wild Everglades – Bill in Florida
Cherokee Purple – Bill in Florida
Black Krim – Ferry Morse Heirloom Seeds
Pruden’s Purple – Ferry Morse Heirloom Seeds
German Pink – Seed Savers Exchange
Amelia Hydbrid – Top Notch Seed
Chocolate Strips Purple – Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Giant Delicious “World Record Variety” – Weeks Seed Company
Dixie Golden Giant - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Ultimate Giant - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Cosmonaut Volkov Slicing – High Mowing Organic Seeds
Brandywine – High Mowing Organic Seeds
Giant Oxheart - Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection
Giant II – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Giant Collection

Tray 2 (fun tray)
Hillbilly Gary – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Box Car Willie – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Garden Peach – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Black Zebra – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Brandywine OTV – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Paul Robeson – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Orange Strawberry – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Blondkophchen – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Costuluto Genovese – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Julia Child – Gary Isben’s TomatoFest Gourmet Collection
Ugly Ripe Tomato – Bill from Florida
Plum Lemon Tomato – Bill for Florida
June Flame Tomato – Bill for Florida
Big Rainbow Tomato – Burpee
Mortgage Lifter Tomato – Burpee
Black Truffle Hybrid – Burpee
Burpee’s Supersteak Hybrid VFM – Burpee
Big Rainbow Tomato – Park Seed
Rutger’s Tomato – Ferry Morse

So, what does fun tray mean.  First it means that these seed plugs were used last year and that means that there are other seeds from last year still in the plugs alongside the new Tomato seeds.  Now, by all accounts those seeds were duds, but sometimes they surprise you and pop up a year later after having been allowed to go completely dry.  No doubt some surprise things will pop up.   Second, they are not central to the 2011 Tomato crop which will be more proven hybrids.  In other words these seedlings are for fun and pleasant surprises, both Tomato and non-Tomato.

Hmmm, Something Looks Different. Gonna Be Some Happy Earthworms Tonigh

My neighbor showed up with the tractor and made short work of tilling in the remains of the winter crops.  There is a ton of organic matter in that soil.  I suppose it will be an Earthworm paradise, till I do it again in about 5 weeks, till it up again, and hill it.