Turning the soil

We turned over the soil this morning. There's some life in there already. Lots of worms, grass blades on bulbs and most importantly, chives. The chives are already on their way back. I thought swiss chard was the toughest garden plant, but these chives have just impressed me. I wonder when we will have enough to eat.

I am planning to put our onions out, as it sounds like it's not too early. They will be in a new spot between the rose bushes against the house, where they will get all day sun.

Research does suggest that I plant my seeds in a starter mix rather than soil. I guess I wonder why that's important if sowing them outside would be in soil? It will be Sunday most likely before I get out to grab starter mix, but that will still leave plenty of time for things to get started.

I'll get some pictures when I'm out later this afternoon.

Grow It Eat It

I'm on the Maryland State Cooperative Extension website this morning. They have a campaign called "Grow It Eat It" through which their vision is to support 1 million Marylanders in growing and eating their own food. You can join the network as well. I'll keep an eye out for a master gardener class in our area. http://extension.umd.edu/gardening/index.cfm

This weekend was beautiful. It feels like the ground is thawed and I'm hoping it stays warm and I can start turning things over.

I bought some seed starting pots--100 to be exact. I am planning to start my stuff next week. According to the Cooperative Extension, April 11 would be and early frost free goal--still a 10% chance of a frost. I think the local wisdom is Mothers Day--but that's May 9th. I will keep an eye out starting mid-April.

The extension said that we could work in compost and fertilizer now and that onions could be started outside as early as now.

My question is, what about all the stuff from last year? Till it in? I think if I do that this week it will provide some time for breaking down before I add the new stuff.

My other ah ha is that I shouldn't start seeds in soil? They should go into a mixture. I'll do some more looking into that. I had planned to plop some leftover potting soil into my little starter pots. I'll "dig around" and post back.

Other growers: tell me about salad tables.

Greens

So I started some chard, kale, spinach and lettuce about a month ago.

Last weekend I moved the little seed starter pods into some containers inside at a kitchen window that gets the most direct sunlight in the house. I turned off the radiator underneath so they wouldn't bake.

Our beloved 3 year old pulled one spinach seedling. He received an incomprehensible, angry lecture about food being precious and a lengthy time out.

The others are not thriving, really. I suppose I can really only hope that they live to produce more quickly outdoors in a month than newly planted seeds. I think the soil is not as loose and well draining as they want and the plants know they are not in the great outdoors.

Foolish daydreams of fresh windowsill greens.

Monday January 18, 2010

I have just placed my seed order. I actually still have some seeds left from last season and I'm hoping there is life in them yet. I ordered the same varieties I ordered last year plus radishes, celery and snap peas.

I have plans to expand the garden a few feet. I am also toying with creating a hoop or frame system in order to grow in the off season. That would be something we could build in the fall. If anyone knows anyone who knows about these things, I'd appreciate being put in touch.

The garden is resting now but seeds are about to be started indoor for greens.

Happy plotting.

August 3rd

I've always found that come August, I crave October. It looks a bit like the garden is too. Our once dark green and sprawling squash are light green and yellow. The cucumbers desperately need a trim and trellis. Oh but the good is so good. The tomatoes are producing more than we can eat. The green beans and cucumbers are more crisp than I've ever found at the grocery store. The chard is, well good for us and is easily hidden in eggs and pasta.

Here are some updates.
Here's our wimpy squash. My friend has summer squash that has beaten a retreat recently as well, so I'm assuming that it's time for that. The acorn, however, is supposed to grow until October. Judging by the looks of it today, it may be time to say goodbye to the acorn squash.

Once it was the tomato block. Then patch. Now jungle. There are 6 in cages, then volunteers all around. I allowed the multitude of volunteers because I really wanted the prized Juliet Jelly Beans (the little yellow ones below). They are exquisite. And snack worthy.

This is what I grabbed while taking pictures this afternoon. Grabbed as many tomatoes, a cucumber and two handfuls of green beans this weekend. I'm very grateful to our Earth for its gifts to our table.

June 13th

Rainbow chard, flanked by beans on the left and squash on the right. This very chard made its way along with some spinach and herbs into our eggs this morning. I don't think I've ever felt better about something I cooked than that frittata.

Roma paste tomatoes. This plant came from the BUGS after school program at the Living Classrooms Foundation. It proves that it's not necessarily Wal-Mart that makes for an early fruit.

Those would be the first tomatoes that showed up a couple weeks ago. Bush Goliath, courtesy of Wal-Mart. At the base you will see some strands of baby onions and little volunteer tomatoes from last years' seeds.

Can you see them? Tiny, fuzzy little beans the pretty white flowers of future beans.

The largest squash plant in the front left, zucchini I believe, could easily take up the entire corner of the garden. I do believe it will be growing into the lawn. Soon.

So. There it is, the garden is under way. I have used lots of the herbs and it's already feeding us chard. It is a very low maintenance garden; the only things I have done are thinning and weeding. I casually weed once a week, but have learned to be careful doing this in front of the children. When small people see big people pulling up plants from their roots from the soil patch they tend to think it looks really fun. And that's how we lose our squash.

Lessons learned? Marigolds are natural pest fighters, and it is great to pop them into the beds or nearby. I think I should be trimming off any sick looking leaves to keep whatever that is from spreading. I'm not actually doing that, but will probably get to that this week.

Questions? Should I be fertilizing and with what?

Not that I'm the most faithful (or interesting, gracious, I read this all back when I need to sleep!) blogger, but I will mention that I'm going to be leaving the garden to the neighbor for a couple weeks and will be back with pictures the week following the 4th of July weekend. I'm hoping to start harvesting early tomatoes and beans at that point, but that is simply hope as I have no experience or research to tell me if that is realistic.

Happy gardening all.

June 12th

There are tiny beans growing on my bean plants. I wonder if I should be doing anything to help the plants along?

Also, my chard is looking much more like the bunches I buy. I am planning to lop off quite a bit for dinner tonight and eggs tomorrow.

Tiny roma tomatoes are starting to develop on my second tomatoe plant.

Did I mention in May 30ths blog that due to heavy rain one of my tomatoes broke? Well, my mom was in town and she replanted it with one leave spot below ground and it has rerooted and looks promising now.

Squash does not reroot.

I'm going to go look for several more basil plants this weekend and put them in a pot so I can make lots of pesto this summer for the freezer.

I read a nice article on canning. I would love to learn this over the summer, but I think to be realistic, I will plan to start this two summers from now once I get a little more comfortable with the growing part.

I'll try to get more photos today. It's a jungle out there.