Greens, herbs and flowers in the snow

     After predictions of 7 to 12 inches of snow, winter storm Xerxes left us with just a little over 2 inches last night.  Last week when I wrote "One last taste of winter,"  I guess I was premature.  Now they're talking about winter storm Yogi coming.  Nevertheless, I planted the spinach and lettuce in the greenhouse last Saturday, and started flowers and herbs in the house today.

Lettuce and Spinach in these boxes

     The planting boxes pictured above are 2x6 pine boards nailed together with chicken wire stapled to the bottom.  A layer of dry grass on top of the chicken wire  holds in the soil above it, while cardboard dividers separate different types of plants.


Snow slides of the steep roof as planned

     The greens listed below were planted in the greenhouse on Saturday, April 13.
                                                       Days to            Days to
Brand     Plant name               Germination       Harvest       Comments
                Lettuce
Burpee    Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2007
NK          Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2012
Amer seed  Grand Rapids                10-14              40-60          seed bought 2010
Burpee     Green Ice                         7-10                   45             seed bought 2010
                 Spinach
NK           Correnta Hybrid              7-14                   45             seed bought 2010

        Today, Monday, I started the following flowers and herbs in the house.

                  Flowers
Burpee      Phlox                               11-21          spring bloom
Burpee      impatiens (hybrid)           18-28         summer bloom
Amer Ch  babys breath                        10              quick bloom
Am Seed  petunia                                  ?                                       mixed colors
Am Seed  zinnia                                 6-10           continu bloom  dwarf, mixed color
saved seed  marigold                                                                      seed saved 2010
Am Seed   marigold, lemondrop         7-10
Am Seed   marigold, crackerjack        7-10                                    mixed color
Am Seed   daisy, Alaska Shasta         15-21                                   white, perennial
Am Seed   cosmos, mixed color         10-15
                  Herbs
saved seed  basil                                                                             seed saved in 2010
Am Seed    parsley, moss curled            14               70-75
NK             dill, ducat                          21-25     
Burpee       Fennel, Florence                                      60-90
Burpee       Rosemary                          14-21             90-400
Burpee       oregano                             10-21             90-200

      As I continue to prepare for the time when the soil is warm, I will keep looking for spring's first greening, as she bravely struggles up through the snow.  If you see her before I do, tell her I'm here waiting.

One last taste of Winter

     Another inch or so of heavy, wet snow to add to the inch or so we got 2 nights ago.  I know everybody in the northern half of the country is tired of snow, but ain't it perdy when it clings to the spruce trees and that crabapple tree in the foreground?  Those black spruce were planted a little over a hundred years ago, when this place was originally homesteaded.  They go almost all the way around the house, and make a picturesque backdrop for the farmstead.

     The onions sprouted 2 days ago, and a few carrots are just starting to sprout.  They're inside of course, but I'm still going to plant some greens out in the greenhouse by the end of the week. 
     I'll have to talk to the chickens as there's been no eggs for the last two days.  They shouldn't feel so gloomy just because the sky's been overcast for a while.  Maybe I should sing to them.  Anybody know any good chicken songs?
     Enjoy the snow, but keep your feet dry and watch your step on those icy sidewalks.

Chickens outside and seeds sprouting inside

 

 Poultry Picnic Time

     The chickens have been going outside for the last few days in these balmy 30 to 40 degree temperatures.  They didn't go out before that because the snow was up against their door.  Now there's a narrow path of mud and dry grass next to their house.  Hopefully a few bugs or worms are hiding just below the surface.

"I think I saw a stinkbug down there."

Spring is sprung, the sprouts is riz; I wonder where the grubworms iz.

     The two tan containers on the right contain squash and pumpkin.  The sprouts are from seeds I saved from the 2010 crop, and the cells on the right that haven't sprouted are from seed packets purchased in 2010.  The black containers on the left are tomatoes.  If they all look a little pale and spindly, it's because I just got them out of their dark sprouting place.  A few days in the light will do them a world of good.  The cucumbers, peppers and melons haven't sprouted yet.

     After the long winter's sleep, I am renewed each spring when I see the first signs of rebirth.  Every season of the year has wonderful gifts for us, and spring's first gift is the promise of life's continuity.

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.



Late Winter

     It's a 50 meter trek from the steps of the house to the little red chicken coop in the background of this photo.  Although it's difficult to see, there is a narrow path laboriously shoveled from the house  through the 2 feet of snow to the coop.  I take this path every day to visit with the 8 chickens while they eat their lunch.  I bought another 100 pounds of corn in January that will last until they start laying again in March or so. They also get leftover vegetables, rice and potatoes from the house to provide a little variety in their winter diet.  Except for a fluke, when one of our hens laid 3 eggs the last week of January, which were frozen by the time I picked them, there's been no egg production since November.  Those lovely hens are, however, producing fertilizer that along with the pigeon poop from the barn, will help produce next year's vegetables.



THE LONG TREK

 WE BECKON THEE, OH SPRING!

     The only thing we've got left in the larder from last year's garden is a couple of squash, and some canned tomatoes, and a few jars of wild plum jelly.  I hope to do a little better next year.  The year before we had carrots and frozen green beans until the new crop started coming in.  And the potatoes lasted until January, instead of just until November.  With the new greenhouse for starting plants, I eagerly await thee oh spring.  With the days lengthening, and the temperatures coming up to almost freezing during the day, I can just about taste those first stalks of asparagus.  Each year is a re-birth with hope springing eternal.