March 7-8, 2010: First Day in the Garden & Harvest Monday

Sunday:

It was a lovely, sunny day today, so I finally made it out to the garden. I prepped and fertilized (alfalfa pellets) the small beds #4 and #6, then moved the pot of cilantro to bed #4 and gave it a good shot of fish emulsion. I moved 14 shallots to bed #6 and also fertilized them with the fish emulsion. They didn't look very good, the tops were green, but the bulbs were mushy, so I only used the best looking ones. I also fertilized the potted rosemary with fish emulsion, and will move it to its permanent place as soon as I get that bed prepped.



Son John wired my new 2’ grow light with a grounded plug, so I can now safely plug it in. This will fit in the laundry room window, or hang on hooks along side the mini greenhouse for seedlings that can stand cooler temps. He also cut and installed another permanent shelf for the mini greenhouse, giving me two 2’x4’ shelves. I'll go to Lowe's tomorrow to buy two more 4' shop lights to add to the two I bought last year. Planting time is getting close!

I killed a squash bug on the patio today. I never saw any at all last year, so I hope this doesn't mean I'll have an infestation this summer.

I picked 3 ounces of over wintered spinach, just enough to steam for Mr. H's dinner. I find the winter spinach a bit tough for salads, but it's very good when cooked.

Which brings me to Harvest Monday!



If you had a harvest last week, join us for Harvest Monday at Daphne's Dandelions!

25 comments:

  1. Grounded plugs are a good thing :-) The spinach looks good. I should look for something to harvest today, maybe in the day light....

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  2. Dan, I had an ungrounded extension cord sitting there for him to use, and he said absolutely not. He found a grounded one to install.

    I have some really nice chives to clip this week. Of course, I'm still "harvesting" lettuce from the bag in the refrigerator.

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  3. Reaslly!? Squash bugs already? I quit. Eg, however, will be right over. I'm sure he's itching for some bug death by now.

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  4. I finally called it quits with my winter spinach, and let the chickens loose in my hoop house to have at 'em.

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  5. I don't know Granny. Somehow it isn't fair that you have a harvest already. You've only been in that house for a short time and already you are picking. Your garden really is the garden of miracles.

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  6. Your son wnats to keep you safe - that's why he installed the grounded one. It only takes 1/10th of an ampere to kill someone....

    Squashbugs! Oh, there are more - just wait and see. You want EG to come squish them for ya?

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  7. That spinach looks great Gran! It must be nice to have an electrician in the family.

    It sounds like everyone was blessed with nice weather this weekend. Hopefully, it will last! I can't wait to see your seed starting skills in action!

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  8. The spinach looks quite yum! Glad you got the wiring established for the light and are in business now.

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  9. Sounds like the garden chaos has officially started for you AG, nice spinach!

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  10. Hi Granny, nothing to harvest yet but I do have some mild mesclun up a couple of inches and radishes and spinach are through the soil outside. Diluted fish emulsion is my choice of fertilizer.. just wish they could do something about the 'fragrance'. :) Spring is here!

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  11. Ribbit, I'd gladly leave that task to EG. It got stomped on the cement with my foot, but I don't think I could handle squishing something that large between my fingers! I did pinch-annihilate an ugly medium sized unknown critter, though.

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    Jennifer, the days are numbered on my spinach. Onions are getting planted in that bed in just a few days. It was nice to get at least one picking, though.

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    Daphne, I was surprised to see such nice spinach. Last year's overwintered, but it looked ragged. This bed was awfully dry, and several plants had already wilted and succumbed.

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    EG, I guess John doesn't want his inheritance too soon ;-) I'm glad he loves his Mom enough to think of things like that. That squash bug wasn't even near the (last year's) squash patch. It was on a pot of something dead that was sitting on the step....I can't even remember what was planted in it.

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    Thomas, the spinach does look pretty! Yes, I'm lucky to have John to help me, as Mr. H isn't real great around the garden ;-)

    Tonight our temp is supposed to plunge way below freezing, but daytime temps look pretty good.

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    Kitsap, hopefully I'll get my other lights and all my block making mixes today, and maybe even a load of compost. Things are taking shape, albeit a bit too slowly for me.

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    Kelly, I'm getting ready to swing into full gear....let's get some gardening done around here!

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    Di, that is some horrid, stinky stuff! I try to stand upwind from it and hold my breath, but.....

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  12. It is so nice to see you nicely situated back home and working in your garden. I would love to have some shallots growing in my garden...

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  13. Noell, I'm a bit concerned about those shallots (they were planted in October, and moved yesterday because the bed needed to be amended with additional soil & compost). I think I kept some bulbs unplanted, if so I'll try a spring planting to see what happens. I usually use the shallots fresh, rather than dried, anyway.

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  14. Hi Granny Vagabond, welcome back to serious gardening. We still have about 6" of snow on top of the beds but it wont be long. If i get my apple trees pruned this week, I will be starting my seeds next week. John

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  15. John, I'm not going to start my seeds until next week, but today I got my mix for making the soil blocks, so that will keep me busy for a few days. I doubled my space in the mini-greenhouse, so I can plant more of the stuff I don't need ;-)

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  16. Welcome home Granny! I am sure it will be fun to play in the dirt for a few days. Beautiful overwintered spinach.

    I am glad that your son, John fixed you up right. I wouldn't want Granny to get zapped by a badly wired light fixture.

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  17. Rachel, I have my bagged "dirt" purchased and ready to play with! I can't hardly wait to start on my soil blocks :-) Got the mini-greenhouse all set up today, and I sure have a lot of space for starting seedlings!

    My John takes good care of his Mom ;-)

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  18. Bring on the spinach. I sure am enjoying reading about all this infusion of green into you southerners' diets. I'm hoping to join you shortly!

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  19. LOL, Ottawa Gardener, I'm really not that far south of you now. I'm still a long way from going green in my northern garden!

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  20. I noticed that our shallots did not overwinter very well either...hope that some of them pull through. I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us.:)

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  21. Mr. H., I dried a bunch last year, and I don't think I planted them all...I forgot to look out in the garden shed today! If there are still some out there, I'll try a spring planting. You know, I never did plant my garlic in the fall until I began reading these blogs a couple years ago! I always planted it in the spring, when I planted onions.

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  22. Mmmmmm, shallots. So very very good to make a base for soup. Glad the spinach was waiting for you sucessfully. That has to feel good.

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  23. Stefaneener, Mr. H developed a liking for shallots in his salads, the rest of us love them sauteed with fresh green beans.

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  24. I made your bun recipe this afternoon, they were excellent! I have a photo up on the blog.

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  25. I saw that, Dan! I want your baked potato wedges with rosemary recipe ;-)

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