Today I got all the seed mats planted (today being Monday the 9th). Well, I did skip one row of radishes to give the other veggies a bit more room, but at least all the carrots, beets and spinach fit into this 4' x 2' bed.
I almost ran out of soil for covering the seeds! I want to plant a few more pots, so I'll definitely have to make another trip into town for potting mix. I didn't finish stapling the plastic fencing around the garden yet, so I'm hoping nothing digs in it tonight!
The radishes are growing in garden bed #1 now and, although it's not visible in the photo, three of the four varieties of lettuce have sprouted. The buttercrunch is being a bit slow.Next weekend is Founder's Day and the town-wide yard sale, so I'll be out hunting for large pots or buckets in which to plant. I scored a couple of really nice ones last year, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my luck is as good this time.
You know on your last post I was going to say something about crazy old ladies and toilet paper, but I restrained myself.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your pot search. Hmm that doesn't sound good either.
Hey Granny! This might be my first comment on your blog but I've been reading for a little while now.
ReplyDeleteI'm also in AZ (full time but in the far east valley) Just wanted to give you a heads up about Baker's Nursery in Phoenix. You'll find much better plants and such there than you will at WalMart and Lowes. Probably much cheaper too.
Daphne, that's why I love you...we so often think alike. I feel like you are my neighboring pea in the pod ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe kind of pot I'm looking for happens to be legal, LOL!
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Hannah, thank you. I'll sure keep this in mind for next year's plants, although I would prefer to find a place on the west side of Phoenix. I'm not comfortable with the traffic once I'm past Avondale! My friend Esther will drive anywhere, though. She's 74 and drives her RV, towing her car, to the east coast and back every summer! Alone!
As long as you're not crocheting those horrid covers for your toilet paper, I say you go, girl!
ReplyDeleteYour friend is one of the reasons I'm glad I'm no longer in the Tempe area! We had crazy kids driving all summer and crazy retirees all winter! I had a little scooter and a bike and was always afraid I was going to get creamed.
I do miss the amazing growing seasons a teensy bit.
Stefaneener, I hear you about the crazy retirees, but let me assure you my friend isn't one of them. She's fast and fearless! I'm also one who usually drives a bit over the speed limit, but Mr. H just drives me nuts when he's at the wheel. He'll swear at others driving too slowly, then turn right around and do the same thing himself. He'll have fits about the "speeders" passing him, until I point out he's driving 55 in a 60. That's why I do most of the driving now ;-) And knock on wood...I've never had a traffic ticket in 54 years of driving.
ReplyDeleteHope you didn't jinx yourself with the ticket now!!
ReplyDeleteBut I hear you on the men driving tooooo slow. I got one of my own. He won't let me drive but I swear at times I could WALK FASTER. Eesh!
Granny, you're weird. heh. But hey! It definitely works. I'm still not doin' it. Nyah.....
ReplyDeleteSue, I hope not, too! One shouldn't brag :-(
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EG, I know I am, but what are you? ;-)
It's a good method to use on these tiny boxes, as I can only work in them from one side. They sit on a very unstable mound of sand that was used to build up the area around the mobile home, and if I step around to the back, I slide right into the alley! It's hard to reach clear across the 3' width of the first box to place seeds in the squares, but easy to roll out the seed mats. I have a really perfect spot for a winter garden, on the south side of the carport, but Mr. H won't go for my gardening on a grander scale than I already am. It would have to be completely screened in to rabbit proof it.
Gran - out of curiously, where do you buy that plastic fencing? I need to get a hold of some.
ReplyDeleteI love your seed mats. They are the best thing since sliced bread. I though you normally covered them with compost and vermiculite>
Finally, I think I'm gonna buy a water bath canner and some jars online tomorrow. I can't seem to find a local place that sells them. I just posted a ton of canning questions on my blog and would appreciate any advice you have!
Thomas, I got a roll of it at Wal-Mart. It's real cheap, easy to use. I stapled this, but usually I just put in a few nails or hooks and loop the plastic over them for easy removal. It's 3 or 4' high and I think 50' in a roll.
ReplyDeleteI do use vermiculite when it's available, but I couldn't find any here. What I bought was Omni Compost and Seed Cover. It seems to work fine, all the radishes and most of the lettuce are up now. It's only $4.17 for 1-1/2 cubic feet, and I used three bags of that mixed with three 99-cent bags of composted manure in the two gardens. I just used straight Omni for covering the seeds.
If you have a smooth top stove, rather than individual burners, read up on using a regular canner on it. Large stock pots work well, smooth stove tops require smooth pot bottoms. Wal-Mart sells both kinds, or you can buy them on line with a Google search.
Your winter homestead garden is coming along nicely! I think the tissue cropping idea is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteKitsapFG, this week is the first we didn't have to drive to town for any greens for the rabbit. The pots are near his cage, and he gets freshly cut lettuce from pot to cage every evening. With the cool nights, by 10 o'clock it's lovely and crisp...and I have extra refrigerator space now that it isn't filled with bunny greens!
ReplyDeleteThe TP garden took about ten minutes to rake the seed bed, lay out the tissues, cover, tamp and water. Easy as pie!
You're going to have a really nice garden this winter. Next spring I am definitely trying your seed mats, such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteDan, if I can keep us and the rabbit in salads this winter, I'll be happy. I wish I could have a REAL garden, though!
ReplyDeleteHope the seeds all come through. Found you through Blotanical - will be back.
ReplyDeleteSue Swift, welcome to my blog! I hope you looked back to busier months and a much larger garden. I'm afraid gardening in this tiny spot doesn't get very exciting.
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm getting near 100% germination from the radishes and three varieties of lettuce. The only one that is doing nothing is the buttercrunch lettuce, so it must be some bad/old seed. I over planted the others though, so I can use the buttercrunch space for moving in some transplants when I do thin.