Cold and Wet Weather Continues

The weather has continued cold and wetter than normal. The ground just started to dry a bit and then it rained again. Oh well, not much one can do about the weather. I have all my seedlings in the cold frame now with the exception of the Green Ice lettuce. One older packet of seeds said light was required for germination, and another did not. Well, light is required for germination, so I had to replant.

Gardening activity is starting to get going for me. I am going to try to plant some Sugar Ann snap peas today. This is a new pea variety for me this year. I am hopeful that the soil is warm enough for germination. I am also going to put up my bean trellis today. I should be receiving my onion plants in the mail early next week!!

I have had a few e-mails inquiring about the garden hoops that I use in the garden. These easy to use hoops are a very easy to use and are an excellent way to extend the garden season, both in the spring and the fall (see picture below of a hoop in use in my garden in April 2006).



If you purchase the garden clips, they will come with instructions for use. Essentially, the medium garden clips are for use with either 1/2 inch white PVC pipe or 1/2 inch black poly pipe. I recommend the 1/2 inch poly pipe because it is flexible and easier to bend. For a small hoop (3' x 5'), which is what I use, you will need 3, 5' lengths of poly pipe and a 4' x 8' piece of cover material (I use ordinary and cheap clear to slightly opaque drop cloth plastic which you can buy in rolls from any home improvement or hardware store). The great thing about these hoops is that once you are finished with them, you just pull them up and store them. The pipe just pushes into the existing soil about six inches or so. You can also use these hoops to hold shade netting, or a row cover. The poly pipe can be somewhat hard to find, but I found mine at a local Tractor Supply store.

Here are some useful links for hoop house materials:

Garden Clips, Medium
Garden Clips, Large
4x8 Hoop House

Floating Row Covers

Happy Spring Gardening!!

Waiting for Spring, Lots of Rain

The Calendar says March 21st, but the weather has been more like February 21st. Received lots of rain the last few days, so the soil is really wet and cold right now. A sure sign of spring is the walking/topsetting onions are starting to get some visible green growth on them(see picture to the left). It looks like most of the topsets I planted last fall survived the winter. I did have to push some back into the ground as the freezing and thawing cycles have caused some to heave out of the ground. I should be receiving my candy and stockton red onion plants from Dixondale on or around March 31st.

My seed planting is well underway. Here is what I planted indoors since my last blog entry:

Cabbage - March 15

Brussels Sprouts - March 15

Park Seed Whopper Green Pepper - March 15

I must admit I have gotten a little lazy over the years and have stopped starting seeds for Roma tomatoes and hot peppers since I have been able to find the transplants at a local nursery. Besides, my cold frame has started to get very crowed over the last few springs, so room was an issue. Most of my earlier started lettuce seeds have germinated and are now in the cold frame. Also in the cold frame now is celery, broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. I put up a hoop up last weekend where the lettuce will be planted. I like to do this ahead of planting to help warm the soil and keep it drier. I am hoping that warmer and drier weather arrives soon!!

Lettuce Seeds Started, More Snow

Well, I should have known that right after I set up my cold frame that it would snow. Received about 4 inches of snow yesterday. It has been very cold for this time of year. I delayed seed planting until March 7th. I currently have all of my early lettuce seeds started. They are currently germinating under florescent lights on my converted bookshelf (see picture). I also have a seed warmer under the two half flats (you can order this seed warmer mat here: Electric Grow Mat Park Seed). This set up seems to work well for me. Once the seeds germinate, I move them to the cold frame. The lights keep the sprouts from getting too spindly after germination. I usually check the seeds twice a day, but sometimes they sprout before I get the chance to move them out into the cold frame.

I will be starting seeds of broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, celery, and fennel either today or tomorrow and seeds of warm weather plants in another week or so. The forecast is for warmer weather next week......HOORAY!!

Cold Frame is Up, Still Waiting for Warmer Weather

The Juwel cold frame went up yesterday over a portion of one of my garden beds. The soil was still half frozen in the garden, which made it a little difficult to level. I highly recommend getting one, especially if you like starting your own seeds. Also a must is the automatic solar vent. If you use this cold frame, you must make sure that you securely pin it down into the soil, or the wind might carry it away to you neighbor's yard. You must also place a few small bricks or rocks over the top piece that is not attached to the solar vent, because the wind will have a tendency to lift it off. I line the bottom of the frame with two large black plastic trash bags and then place plastic milk jugs filled with water and wrapped with black duct tape around the interior walls of the cold frame for extra warmth.

You can purchase one of these cold frames here:
Cold Frame: Juwel 1000 Basic Unit


You can also purchase an automatic solar vent here:
Cold Frame: Automatic Opener Arm


I am still waiting for the weather to warm up. It has been cold here for the last two weeks. The weather forecast is for rain turning to snow......what else is new. I am hopeful to be able to start some lettuce seeds indoors maybe in four or five days.