So true to my word, here is a status report on my To-Do list for the weekend...
-Cut off the peat pot tops. I actually did one better, while I was using an exacto knife to cut the tops off the peat pots, they started to come up. Sure enough, nothing was holding them down. So I transplanted them to the spot where the onions were supposed to go. Let's hope they like it there.
-Re-seed the blank spots. Done.
-Succession plant more Spinach, Lettuce, Onions, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots and Radishes. I planted more Spinach (one SF plus filling in where the onions were), one SF each of lettuce, filled in the square of onions, and one square of carrots.
-Plant Beans and start corn. (note these need to be pre-soaked, not sure how long, overnight is my guess). I started the corn Friday and it's germinating on the fridge. The beans are soaking on the fridge as well, right along with the replantings of peas that are currently soaking for planting tomorrow.
-Label my squares with plastic knives. Done. I didn't have puff paint so I just used permanent market. Hope they hold up.
-Reconnoiter about building my deck in the next month or two. Done. Now that's a story. In order to build a deck, I need at minimum 7 inches of clearance below my threshold (a 2x6 and the 1 inch decking). Seems I have several places that barely give me 4 inches once we hung a string with a level on it. Drat and double drat! Now it seems the only solution is to remove my entire 12x25 patio, dig holes and sink pilings to hang the 2x6s.
Apparently there are companies that recycle concrete for free. Now I just need some help breaking up the patio and moving it to the front of my house. Any takers? hehe :(
-Build a trellis for my peas, 30 inches high to accommodate all three varieties of pea I’m growing. The rain held off so I scavenged the wood from my broken coldframe and used it to build a 36" trellis for my peas. I used garden twine rather than a cool metal fence like GardenGirl did, because I simply used what I had on hand (like she did). It should work. If not I can always get something else.
-Possibly build a SWC or two. I'm not sure why I'm surprised, but my dad was skeptical about this. He came up with the same concern I had. Tomatoes get big and bushy. How can you fit two big bushes into one SWC? I'm looking at an 18 gallon Rubermaid container and the opening is only about 2 feet by 18 inches. That's not very big. Maybe I'll seach on the internet for pics of tomatoes at harvest time in SWCs. It really would be nice to be able to plant more carrots and pole beans where my tomatoes would have gone...
Another interesting thing that happened today was that my son's wheat grass is in full bloom. After seeing it at a juice kiosk in my building for $2 a shot, I though, hmm, we've got it growing. So I checked on the internet and it's actually very healthy for you, filled with antioxidants and fiber. Low and behold, my little picky eater decided he wanted to TRY his wheat grass. Amazingly enough, he liked it. Then my wife and I tried (yes, after my kid), and it tasted like a salad green. As the peat pot it was in was sprouting roots, I decided to pot it up into a sour creme container. Now it's ready to continue growing and letting my son eat it whenever he wants. hehe. Of course while I'm typing this he's telling me that he doesn't like it anymore. Kids.
Hold off planting those beans. They're a warm weather crop... it's still way too cold outside. They won't germinate properly in this weather, they'll rot or deform. If you're lucky, the weather will switch from unseasonably cold to unseasonably warm, but I wouldn't count on it. But then again, you can always replant in May if it doesn't work out. And if it does, you'll have earlier beans.
ReplyDeleteThis year I might try starting my pole beans indoors, moving them to the cold frame and then into the garden in mid May. Even with that plan, it's almost too early for planting.
Love the plant labels made from plastic knifes! I will have to try that instead of buying these expensive plastic ones that I have been getting. Thanks!
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