This morning after cruising the internet I got the idea that I needed to try some more onion starts. Seems sets is the way to go with onions, and I don't think the ones I have languishing in vermiculite outside in the dry cold weather are going to cut it. So my son and I just went out to the garage and sprinkled my potting Mel's Mix I've got made up into Jiffy Peat trays, put one onion seed in each and then sprinkled a think layer of mix over the top. Then I soaked them down and threw them on top of the fridge. This time I think instead of trying my window sill, they'll just go outside once they sprout. Now it's just trial and error. I've read so much on the internet that my head's spinning. I don't know what's right and what's wrong. We shall see.
Wow, what an afternoon. After my wife and son got back from the birthday party, I ran out and started moving the stack of wood to the front yard sidewalk. It was fun, my eldest son helped load the wheelbarrow and even carried one to the pile. It was a race.
(Note the "S" shape cinder block rock wall in the background. That's my blueberry bed with the mature rosemary plant at the far end. In the forground is the apple tree we planted last year for my youngest son. Eventually it may shade the area too much for the potato bins but not for a few years.)
After that, I asked my wife to put the cedar wood pile on Craigslist. Then I set out to pick axe the area between two of my cedar tree stumps against the fence. It was hard work to dig down 6 inches or so to remove all the weeds. Then I set the boxes on the ground over the holes and added a bag of Mel's Mix to each of the bins.
The mix came right about one inch up the 2x6s so I'll plant the seed potatoes in the mix and then have just about 3 feet of growing room. By the time I was smoothing out the mix, there was a truck out front loading up the wood. They were great. They live "off-the-grid" and use wood to exclusively heat their home. Great for them! By the way, the wood "nobody wanted" got us three emails in the first ten minutes and several after we had posted the wood was gone. Wow!
Not bad for a few hours work! I was wearing my heart-rate monitor and burned 900 calories, so I think we'll have steak, baked potato and a nice salad for dinner... Can't wait until it's my potatoes and salad fixings to go with a nice steak.
Now I'll update my Build-As-You-Grow bins page and post a new link on Ft2Garden.com.
Your potato bins look awesome! I can't wait until you get some sprouts planted and we begin to watch them grow. I think that this is the best system by far.
ReplyDeleteWow -- that was fast getting the wood given away. I haven't been on Craigslist but maybe once. I don't know if it's that popular down here in the south. Maybe I need to check it out more often. I do have a membership with FreeCycle and get emails about things that go up there.
Got to get ready for work this morning. I will check out your potato bin page while I'm at work today. Hope you have a good week.