It warmed up into the low 60s today, and the wind wasn't relentless as it has been the past few days. A storm was predicted for the afternoon, so I worked as fast as I could. I got another eight feet of the east garden done, and two more beds (a 2' x 7' onion bed and a 3' x 7' potato bed) prepped, measured, staked and raked smooth. I tromped down and raked 18" paths around the two beds.
I was planning on waiting until after Sunday, when I'll be getting a load of composted manure, to plant these beds, but I just had to take advantage of the decent weather. I planted this bed with 68 Walla Walla sweet onion plants, spacing them every 6". I'll just have to top dress them with the compost after I get it. That's what I did with last year's onions, and they were gorgeous.
I had a bit of compost left from last year, so I amended this bed and transplanted my entire dozen celery plants. I hope they aren't being put out too early! I've never grown celery before. I spaced them 10" apart in the row.
A short row (5 plants) of Parris Island Cos was added to the lettuce bed. That makes 14 plants total so far. It's covered with plastic mesh to keep it from being eaten by birds.
Since I had prepped this 4' x4' bed for peas last week, then found I had too few seeds to fill it, I decided to put in a few spinach seedlings (7), the puny little onion seedlings that didn't grow well for me at all (31 plants out of about 180 seeds planted!), and some of the beet seedlings (17). I'll not be starting beets in the house again, I think they do much better direct seeded. There is still enough room for a few more spinach seedlings, but they are too small to go out just yet.
With only 35 Lincoln pea seeds to plant, I decided to erect a tepee for them and put them in the spot I have planned for a future summer squash plant. I used an upside down tomato cage, and strung it with some green yarn I had laying around. The peas were planted in a circle around the base.
It's nearly dinner time now, and the rain never did come. The ground was really dry from all the wind we've had this week, so I had to hook up a hose to the house water to give the newly planted seeds and seedlings a quick drink. I'm hoping for a good day tomorrow, as I have snap peas and sweet peas to plant, as well as another Walla Walla sweet onion bed and 40 hills of potatoes.
Oh! a lot of work! and I am reading every sentence very slowly to learn. Please continue your lessons! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDina, thank you for reading, I'll continue writing as long as I'm able!
Deletelove your pea teepee! may your harvest be bountiful this season, granny.=)
ReplyDeleteKelli, would that be a PTP for short? LOL!
DeleteAnnie! You are a veggie growing machine. I was just talking to Belle about putting our onions out now. We really need the room they're taking up under the lights. You've motivated us to go for it.
ReplyDeleteJody, I checked last year and March 14 was the planting date for my onions. I think I've had them in as early as March 10.
DeleteYou are really getting a lot into the garden! It looks good. I planted some seeds today. Onions go out next week.
ReplyDeleteGardener, the only seeds I've planted are radishes and peas. Carrots, beets and turnips will be in soon!
DeleteMy goodness Granny, you are really going to town on your garden! I don't plant my celery outside until mid April. But, yours are nice and big and they do fine in the cold. I think that they will be OK. I have 3 celery plants that overwintered in the cold frame beds.
ReplyDeleteAt the rate you are going, I'm going to be a month behind you! I did put the Arugula, Kale and Collards in the ground today. Hopefully we will get some rain tomorrow. The ground is so dry. Hope you had a nice dinner!
Robin, I worried about putting the celery out this early, as my book says not until the nights are 50F, or they can bolt to seed early. Kitsap talked me into it, so if they fail, it's all her fault, LOL! Dinner was leftovers. I bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco yesterday, and it was way too big for one meal. I worked it into a Chinese dinner last night, with rice and veggies and egg rolls, tonight it was in gravy over toast, and we'll get a third meal of chicken and noodles. Not bad for $4.99, huh?
DeleteYou have been productive!
ReplyDeleteVanessa, I have been tired! After a day like this in the garden, I'm out of a hot bath and in bed by nine! Of course, I'm awake and watching TV by 3 A.M. :-(
DeleteYour garden is looking great. I'll be waiting for your reports on the celery, something I've never grown.
ReplyDeleteNow I feel guilty that I began chitting my peas yesterday, six varieties- 3 shelling, 2 snap and 1 snow.
I still have nothing in the ground. The temps here have been in the upper 70's all week and next week should be no different. I was actually thinking that maybe I should skip the peas and plant my beans instead...
Ed, Mr. Granny actually showed some enthusiasm about the garden when I told him that was celery. He brightened right up and informed me "Finally, something I like!".
DeleteWow, that warm at your place? I hope I get my snap peas in tomorrow, as well as sweet peas (flowers). I won't be planting beans until around April 25.
I won't be planting beans just yet, I know how things work for me. If I planted them it would snow :)
DeleteGreat minds do think alike! I have been pre-sprouting my sweet peas this week. When I went through the seed stash I only dug out a few interesting varieties.
Wow, time are a changing with Mr. Granny showing some enthusiasm for the garden...
Ed, I just can't make up my mind where to plant the sweet peas! I think I'd like to run them up the corner post of the now gateless kennel, so I'm trying to figure out how to attach some netting to an iron post. I think some long bamboo sticks might be involved. I'll figure out something.
DeleteWow, your garden is going to be HUGE! I have serious space envy. O wonder you can grow a thousand lbs of food.
ReplyDeleteLou Murray, that thousand pounds must have been "new garden luck", as it never happened again. I think it was the straight compost I had to use to fill the raised beds that year! I did actually add about 400 square feet to the garden this spring, but it's not all plantable area. The area where roots were just too large to remove will be a squash patch, which will take up a lot of the extra room. It does give me room for potatoes and corn though.
DeleteOh dear! I see I am going to be held responsible for the success or failure of those celery plants! LOL! I hope they don't let you (or me) down. :D
ReplyDeleteYou are in a planting frenzy! I am similarly getting ramped up on planting as well. Have onions, potatoes, broccoli, and other cold hard items to all go in the ground over the next several weeks. I also have a bunch of tomatoes to pot up - had to work late every night this week, so they did not get done in the evenings like I had intended. (sigh)
Yep, Kitsap, it all falls on your shoulders ;-) I decided I might as well plant the entire dozen, as they've been living out on the patio for the past week.
DeleteI will be in another frenzy today, so I may not be moving well by tomorrow! I must get the onions, potatoes and peas planted. Today!
Is it me or are you going to have much more area under cultivation?
ReplyDeleteDavid, I added just over 400 square feet to the garden. about 12' x 35' to be exact. One large area will only be good for a winter squash patch though, due to large roots that couldn't be removed. It will be a good spot for the vines to cover.
Deletewow, you're kicking butt! I am going to post office today if it kills me to get the fortex's to you.
ReplyDeleteThe packet is 2oz from territorial seed company so plan accordingly! Going to have to order a few things so will just get more for myself. Too cold here to put them in yet. Maybe not there soon though. Also, if the weather tanks on you, maybe cover the smaller plants with some soda bottles with bottoms cut off and lid off. That protects our plants from many evils at the start of their lives outside.
We even use cranberry juice bottles (bigger and squarish shape) side by side over the bean starts to protect them if they're shorter rows. I use them for bush beans and Reemay for longer rows to protect peas and beans from birds. Last yr the birds dug up a whole row of peas and I learned the hard way! Ahh the lessons we learn by nature's teaching! lol
Your onions look great too! For some reason I've had horrible luck growing spinach here. Not sure if it's timing (planted a bit late last yr but in shade) or soil or ? I gave up on spinach and am sticking with chard and kale.
No hurry on the beans, Amy. I won't be planting them until after April 25.
DeleteLooking good Granny! It was 68f here today and it is suppose to stay in that range for the next 7 days. Pea planting time! Did you have any luck finding the dog?
ReplyDeleteIt was in the 60s here today too. Lovely weather after all the cold windy days we've had lately.
DeleteNo, unfortunately Kobe hasn't been found. I made fliers in both Spanish and English, and they printed out 500 of each and handed them out all over town....nothing. I doubt they ever see their little guy again. So sad.