Creation in the Spring

 Onions and Radishes Started



Radishes and Onions started in the greenhouse

     During the third quarter of the moon last week, the time for planting root crops, I started some onions in the house, and some radishes and bunching onions in boxes in the green house.  The boxes have chicken wire stapled to the bottoms and a layer of straw under the soil, so they can be moved outside when I'm more certain of higher temperatures.  I've found boxes 2 foot by 1 foot a good size to be easily moved. 

Chores in the Chicken Coop

Sturdy new bed for my friends in the coop

Remains of the Old Roost

     Our chickens must have gained weight over the winter, as my make-shift chicken roost made out of tree branches collapsed Friday night.  On Saturday I bought five  2 by 3's, and started building a new, stronger roost.  As the battery on my drill gave out before I finished, I ended up tacking it together so the chickens would have a place to sleep for the night.  Luckily it held up for the night, and the next day I finished screwing it all together good and tight.  Barring an earthquake, this one should stay together for at least 50 years.

     Fourth quarter is for clean-up and tilling among other things, so after I finished the chicken roost on Sunday, I started doing the spring clean-out of the coop.  After hauling about 10 or 12 wheelbarrow loads of manure out and spreading new straw in the cleaned half, I decided I could finish the rest on Monday.  Before the new moon comes on Thursday, when it's time to plant the lettuces, broccoli and cabbage, the coop will be cleaned, and I'll have a small area tilled for early outside planting.  Hopefully some of the other clean-up chores will also get done.  Did I say anything about the mountains of dog poop in the yard?

     In case you are wondering about my references to moon phases, clicking on lunar guide on the right side of this page under labels will give a brief explanation.  As the song says, "there is a time for every purpose under heaven."

     Well, Monday did come around, and I did finish cleaning out the rest of the chicken house.  Never put off until the day after tomorrow what you can put off until tomorrow.  And on Tuesday I picked up 500 pounds of layer mash for the chickens.  Much cheaper than buying 50 pounds at a time.

Starting Plants in the Dining Room

 

These lonely onions will soon be joined by other plants.

       I also hung my grow light over a table in the dining room that I'm using for starting plants this year.  I only have the onions I started last week on the table now, but in the next two weeks it will start to fill up with greens and herbs in the first quarter and tomatoes and peppers, maybe squashes, cucumbers and melons in the second quarter.  I'm using the dining room instead of the basement this year because it's warmer, and the plants should get a better start.

The Canvas of Earth is Being Prepared



Last year's Radish House and this year's Central Garden ready to start anew.

     In this view of the Central and East Garden, you can see the Radish house that failed last fall.  I'm going to use it for a cold frame this spring, but I don't yet know what will go into it.  Way in the   back on the right hand side are the conduit semi-circles that will soon make another mini-greenhouse for early plant starting.

    

Some of the Crew going to work to prepare the South Garden for this year.

      In the lower picture, the gate is open between the chicken yard and the South Garden, so the chickens can help me with spring soil preparation.  Of course the sun is helping me along, gently warming the soil, rising a little earlier each morning and going higher in the sky each day. 

 

     The gardens are now like a canvas with a black and brown base coat of soils.  Soon the greens of new plants and weeds will be added, followed by the greens, yellows and browns of mulches.  Then comes the multiplicity of colors in the fruits and flowers of this year's production, until it's all covered with a final coat of white this winter, resting before next year's creation begins anew. 

 





Wake Up! It's Spring!

Granary with attached poultry shed

     Last week it was 29 below at night, and only in the teens F above 0 during the day.  Last night's low was 26 F above 0, and today is predicted to go into the High 40's.  From this photo of the guinea shed, you can see the snow is beginning to melt.  There wasn't a bare spot in the whole yard 3 days ago.

One brave adventurer

    This was the first day I let the guineas out this year.  They're a little leary about it, but one brave soul is checking it out.  The others will soon follow.  All 6 of the guineas made it through the winter, but sadly we lost our 4 peafowl. Life goes on.

Enjoying the Spring weather

      The chickens seem to be enjoying this spring weather too.  Although I gave them no extra light or heat through the winter, they all made it through and kept supplying us with some eggs into January.  They stopped laying completely for the month of February, but we had enough for the family to last until now.  We only have 2 eggs left in the fridge, so they better get started again.

New nesting boxes

     Yesterday, I made five new nesting boxes with plastic bowls from the Dollar store.  Below them are the four old nesting boxes made from old dresser drawers.  Of course I put in new clean bedding for them.  I'm trying sawdust for bedding instead of using straw like I did last year.

     Being plastic they'll be easier to clean.  The bowls are screwed onto a wooden removeable platform so that I can take the whole unit outside to clean it.  I can see that when I give the coop a thorough cleaning this spring, I'll have to whitewash the whole inside of the building.  Maybe I should hang a picture or two to make it a little homier.  Any suggestions for the pictures?  I'm NOT doing curtains!

INTRODUCING SADIE, MY NEW HELPER

     Last fall I got a new helper.  Half Chou and half Shepherd, she's become acquainted with the poultry, and encouraged me to go out and do chores this winter when I felt like staying in the warm house.  Hopefully she'll continue to encourage me through this spring and summer to with the myriad of projects yet to be completed.  Whatever gets done, I know we'll have a good time doing it.

Plant your taters on Good Friday

     As you can see, I won't be getting the potatoes in real soon.  When I learned that adage,  I lived in the St. Paul area.  Have you guys down there got your potatoes in yet?  Maybe this year you have to be in Texas to get potatoes in this soon.

     I did, however, get a chance to start some root crops inside today.

Onion    Ferry-Morse Sweet Spanish Yellow Utah Jumbo   Germ-10-12 days   Harvest-115 days
Carrot    Burpee          Nantes 1/2 long                                Germ-14-21 days   Harvest-70 days

     Except for one time in the 1970's, I've always grown my onions from sets.  I've never started carrots from seed before, nor have I heard of anyone else doing it. Don't know if they trans-plant well or not, but it's worth a try.  We don't have any carrots left from last year, and we're very fond of carrots here.
     I was going to plant some radishes in the green-house, but they're still predicting nights down to 0 degrees F in the next week or so.  Besides, I don't have any greens to go with them.  I am planning to start some greens in the green-house at the next new moon in two weeks, and my radishes at the next full moon in about 4 weeks.  That way they should come in at the same time, about the end of May.

Poultry 

    Two weeks ago, the ladies in the hen house were giving me an egg every third day or so.  Now it's one almost every day.  That should mean 5 or 6 a day within the next two weeks.  In spite of last year's failure, I'll probably let one or two setty hens try hatching some out again this year after I get a new rooster.

     'Til next time, may your seeds germinate and may your flowers bloom.  And may your chickens be smiling.

Planting 2013, 25 March - 2nd Moon, Waxing Gibbous

First Planting in the house on March 25.  All from seed on hand.

Brand             Plant Name     Days to        Days to    Comments
                                               Germination Harvest
                        WATERMELON
Am Seed         Crimson Sw       3-10            60-65         Round, striped, 20-25 lbs
                        CANTELOPE
Am Seed          Imperial 45        5-10              87
                        CUCUMBER
Burpee             Pick-a-lot hybrid 7-14            54             Pickling
Ferry-Morse    Straight 8             8                 60            Pickling & slicing
                        PUMPKIN
Ferry-Morse    Jack-o-lantern   10-15        100-115       Last year turned orange about Oct 15
           ?                    ?             SEED SAVED 2010       Productive, did very well in 2010
                        SQUASH
Ferry-Morse     Acorn, Table Q 7-10          58-75
        ?               Acorn, Table Q  SEED SAVED 2010   Good quality and quantity in 2010
                         PEPPERS
Northrup King  Calif wonder     10-12            75
Cal wonder sw  Burpee              10-21            75
                         TOMATO
Am Seed           Rutgers             15-20          55-60
Am Seed           Beefsteak          15-20          55-60
Am Seed           Red cherry        15-20          55-60       

Planting time

     It's the first quarter of the second lunar month.  Time to plant, inside of course, the fruits that bear above the ground. Like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and melons.  So I checked on the seeds that  I should have inventoried during the winter, and I had what I needed.  Then I realized my planting pots and such were in the garden shed.  A 50 foot run through a little over 2 feet of snow separated them from me.  3 fifteen minute sessions of shoveling got me to my recycled pots and potting soil.


50 feet of snow 'twixt me and the gardening supplies

     After washing the pots with soapy water and rinsing them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water to 1/4 cup of bleach, I was ready for planting.  I didn't want to repeat last year's error of not cleaning them well enough, and watching my tomatoes wilt in their starting pots. 



This year they're sterilized
 

     Supper's ready.  Lasagna, m-m.  Planting will wait 'til tomorrow.



Spinach, lettuce, dill and laying mash

     In Missouri planted Burpee Black seeded Simpson lettuce in the south 3 feet, what was left of last years FM black seeded Simpson in the SE 1 foot of row.  Next 6 feet FM Bloomsdale long standing Spinach from last year's seed,  Next 5 feet Dill seed saved in 2010.  4 feet at the end of the bed not planted yet.
     Started feeding chickens the new 18% protien3-4% calcium, 0,7% phosphorus laying mash.  Cost $12.50 per 50 pounds.  The old mash cost $11.00/50 lbs and was 16% protein, 3.7-3.9% calcium and 0.45% phosphorus.  Don't see how we can improve on the 7 eggs most days with 8 hens, but we'll see.

Broccoli and cabbage started

     3rd day after the new moon.  Last night temps in the 20's, highs today in the 30's.  Wind 10-15 from the north.  Planted Burpee Waltham 29 broccoli in orange flats and Amer Seed early golden acre cabbage in white and black flats inside.
     2pm, still only in the mid 30's, still a cold breeze from the north.  The chives, strawberries and irises are showing some growth, but no other perennials.  2nd year carrots and garlic planted last fall haven't shown yet either.  I was going to plant lettuce and spinach outside, but I think I'll wait a few days.  At least the chickens seem happy.  It was a 7 egg day today.

4 eggs and 3 beds tilled

     Fourth day of the fourth quarter.  Partly cloudy today with light winds 10-15mph from the south.  High of 70 degrees with lows at night in the 50's.  From 4 to 5 pm, I tilled up Missouri for lettuce and spinach, (click on "Garden map and  US geography" above for locations) Montana for peas, and Iowa for carrots and potatoes.  Greens will be planted first quarter, peas the second quarter, carrots and potatoes the third.
     No chickens jumped my new 7 foot fence into the garden, and we got 4 eggs today!  I guess I can put my ax away.

Pigeon poop and poultry escapes

     Happy St Pat's day.  3rd day of the 4th quarter, Temps in the 70's and overcast.  Today was manure spreading day.  I worked from about noon to 5pm, but took lots of breaks.  Manure hauling is heavy work.  I got pigeon manure from our hayloft, and spread it on the asparagus, herbs, strawberries, garlic and the beds where I'll be planting the lettuce, spinach, peas and some of the carrots and potatoes.  I also raised the height of the fence between the garden and the chicken yard from about 5 feet to 7 feet.  If this doesn't keep the chickens out of the garden, I'll have to stand guard with a chicken hook and an ax.  (Don't tell the chickens I'm not serious about it, even though we only got one egg today..)

Garden Review 2011

     This was my garden in 2011.  Although there are still some problems with my drawing, I hope it's easier to read than the previous one.  From east to west, (top to bottom), it's about 90 feet.  From north to south,(left to right) it's about 40 feet.  The paths between beds are about 30 inches, and the beds, with some variation, are about 30 inches wide.  Although it may seem like a waste of space, it makes for easy access for weeding and planting, and is more pleasing to my eyes.  I usually have a table and a chair or two sitting on the northeast corner of the garden shed, where I can sip on my gin and tonic, and talk or sing to my plants.  The chickens are right behind me, so they often get in on the conversation.
   
     The U shaped bed in the NW corner had Russet Potatoes planted under straw.  Didn't work out that well.
     The 3 beds next to that were corn, acorn squash and string beans.  We got 2 meals of sweet corn, and the  squash did all right, but the beans were a bust.  The east end of the southern bed was carrot seed.  Did fine.
     The 2 beds east of that on the north edge of the garden were sunflowers, corn and dill, plus some volunteer kennebec potatoes from the year before.  The potatoes, sunflowers and dill did very well, and the corn was part of our 2 meals of sweet corn.
     The 6 beds just south of that, starting from the furthest east; bed 1 was corn, acorn squash and beans.  The beans did just fine, except for the ones with the corn and squash.  The squash also did OK.
     Bed 2 was California Wonder green peppers and Rutgers tomatoes.  We got a few nice green peppers, but I've never had good luck with green peppers.  I keep trying.  The tomatoes were OK, but nothing to write home about.
     Bed 3 is my perennial bed of asparagus, chives and thyme.  Never get that much asparagus, but the chives and thyme were fine.  Nothing planted in the south end of that bed.
     Bed 4 was peas.  Had 2 or 3 meals and froze 3 quarts.
     Bed 5 was carrots and onions.  Carrots always do well for me, Onions, so-so.
     Bed 6 was red potatoes.  So-so, but not as good as other years.
     The bed south of that was better boy tomatoes and cucumbers.  Cucumbers and tomatoes both did fine.  We ate many tomatoes through the summer, and with the rutgers tomatoes, we canned 8 or 10 quarts.
     The June bearing strawberry bed just east of that was in its second year.  Only got about 2 quarts, maybe better next year.
     The bed in the NW corner was carrot seed, (last years carrots) and green cabbage.  Got plenty of carrot seed for this year.  The cabbage was ok, but had some cabbage moth problems.  I'll do a better job of spraying with my garlic, red pepper, soap spray this year.
     In the 4 beds just south of that, the first 2 were russet potatoes.  Remind me not to plant russet potatoes again.  Extremely poor yield, compared to my kennebecs and yukon gold of the year before.
     Bed 3 was spinach, black seeded simpson lettuce, and peas.  Early crop was fine, but the later crops didn't do so well.
     Bed 4 was broccoli and spinach.  so-so.  Someday I'll raise a good crop of broccoli.
     We had radishes interplanted with something, but I don't remember where.  Radishes always do well, and I especially love the French breakfast radishes.  Saved some seed.
     A review of last year is necessary for this year's planning.  Wish me luck for 2012.

Spring preparation

     Happy St Urho's day!  2nd day of the 4th quarter.  Sunny, and the temerature has been in the 60's during the day, and the 30's at night.  The only snow left is on the north side of buildings and trees.  3 eggs from the hens today.  6 total since they strted laying this spring.
     From 6 to 7 pm I cleaned the mulch off the strawberries, carrot seed patch, the perennials, and the garlic I planted last fall.  In the next couple of days I'll clean up more and get prepared for planting lettuce and spinach in the first quarter, peas in the 2nd quarter, and potatoes, onions and carrots in the 3rd quarter.  Gardening by moon phases seems to work for me.  At least it keeps me on schedule.

Onions and eggs

     3rd day of the 3rd quarter.  Sunny, breeze of 5-10 mph, Low temp this morning about 28F.  at 3 pm it's 55.  Started a pot of onions from seeds saved from last years onions.
     My 8 hens got the winter off from laying, but yesterday I cleaned out their nests and put in new straw.  I also extended their day by turning the light on in the coop in late afternoon, and leave it on til 8 or 9 pm.  I'll run out of corn tomorrow, but have some of last year's laying mash which I'll start.  My efforts were rewarded by a blue egg this afternoon!  I don't expect more than 2 or 3 eggs a day, 'cause they're all in their 3rd to 5th year.  They also seem to enjoy being outside, even though their yard is covered by a foot of snow.

Tomatoes and peppers started

     I'm a little late, today is the first day of the full moon, and I should have started during the second quarter, but I've started 18 pots of FM Rutgers tomatoes in orange pots, 18 Burpees Super beefsteak in black, 8 pots of Burpee Calif wonder green peppers, 6 pots of last year's NK California Wonder seeds.
     It's 25 F degrees at 4pm, and a 10-15 mph wind. It snowed a little less than 1/2 inch today.  Overall snow cover is about 12 inches.
     I began this blog because my past garden records are sketchy.  I'm disorganized and tend to lose my notes.  Sometimes I lose my whole notebook.  It's worth a try to keep it on the www..