Tuesday, February 28, 2012

What's Growing on at the end of February

The sun is shining and spring is just around the corner! Well, almost.....we are supposed to get a wintery mix tomorrow. 

There are some seedlings growing in the basement. 

These are the first soil blocks that I planted.
I am finding that there is a learning curve to growing in the soil blocks. I am sure I will master it sooner or later.

I did a little experiment and sowed the same seeds in these soil blocks as I did in the containers below.

As you can see, the containers are doing much better then the blocks right now.

The carrots that I planted in the big container in the basement.
They are coming along nicely. I had to re-sow some of them because I ripped the seedlings out when I removed the burlap. This time I put little pieces of cardboard over the seed mats instead of the burlap.

This is the Left Cold Frame. 
The Kale and Collards are really taking off. There is a celery plant in the back and it made it through the winter. This should give us some early celery.

This is the Right Cold Frame. 
The Kale in the back is doing well and the rest of this Tatsoi will be harvested on Friday after the weather calms down. There are also a couple of celery plants in here too. I think that I am going to remove the cold frame tops this Saturday. There are aphids in the left cold frame and I need to get them under control.

The over-wintered spinach is doing well. 
I have been harvesting a little here and there. I will probably throw some more seeds in this bed soon. That is the only way I can get spinach to grow. Just throw a bunch of seeds on the ground and forget about them!

The Music garlic is peaking through the straw at the other end of the bed where the spinach is planted. It's not easy to see in this picture though.

The balance of the garlic is Silverskin and is planted in another bed which is heavily protected from the squirrels. This variety is growing much faster.

That's what's growing on around here! What's growing on around your place???

27 comments:

  1. Yay, I can subscribe to your comments again!

    You have a lot going on! My overwintered spinach is so tough and bitter it's practically inedible. I have some really big garlic growing right where I want to sod the old section of garden. I wonder if I dare move it? I did that with shallots a couple of years ago, and they transplanted just fine. It's worth a try, I can always harvest and use the green garlic if it doesn't take to transplanting well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Granny, I like the comments this way. Yes, I do have a lot going on. I am going to start my 4 early tomatoes tomorrow and probably the broccoli & cauliflower for here at the house. I guess that I should start some for the plots too, just in case and also some cabbage.

      If you need to move the garlic, then move it. I'm sure it will do fine. Time will tell!

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Yes, there is a lot growing on! Just wait a couple of months! It will be crazy!

      Delete
  3. Spinach is such a pain to get up and growing. I've never tried just tossing the seed on the soil and hoping. It works for all those self sown things in my garden that do well. I might work for spinach.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daphne, I always have such a hard time growing spinach. So, I just throw a bunch of seeds in the spot and forget about them. Then they seem to grow. It's the passive gardening approach.

      Delete
  4. Love the new look! Seeing the flowers at the top made me smile. I've never had tatsoi? Sounds good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks 1stMan! The blog and I both needed a Spring pick me up!

      Delete
  5. My crocuses are up and blooming too! I planted my seeds yesterday: 6 varieties of tomatoes and peppers and basil.

    Got to get something into the ground soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marcia, I guess the bunnies didn't find these crocuses! I need to get out there and spray them with pepper spray or they will eat each and every flower.

      I've gotta get going on some seeds tomorrow.

      Delete
  6. Nice to see some veggies growing outdoors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey there Stranger! Nice to see you! Yes, the cold frames have been doing very well this year.

      Delete
  7. Everything growing well.You will have a good start of spring harvest.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i couldnt wait any longer and so i planted some 'taters, some radishes, and some kale. whoot!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OFG, That patience thing is a bit tough for us gardeners!! I'm sure your plantings will do well since the weather has been so mild!

      Delete
  9. What is the reason for the cardboard Robin?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue, Like a lot of gardeners, I cover my carrots until they germinate. When planted outside, I use boards and on occasion burlap. This keeps the seeds damp and helps them germinate. Since I had a problem with the burlap, I put little pieces of cardboard over the newly sown areas to help keep them damp.

      Delete
  10. you have a lot going on for this time of year! Looks good :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Erin, I need to get some other stuff going!

      Delete
  11. Love the new look, too (oh -- it's the same template as mine!). Good tip on the carrots -- we've never been able to grow them successfully. I like the idea of interplanting them. What will you do about the aphids? Too early for ladybugs, which was my control of choice last year, but only had them in the flower garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tricia, I don't know what I'm going to do about the aphids. I am going to take the tops off the cold frames in hopes of freezing them out!

      Delete
  12. Great photos Robin. Will the carrots stay in the pot or will you transplant? This will be my 3rd year to try to grow carrots.... no success so far. Didn't know about those squirrels-eating-garlic ... I'm going right out and cover my Elephant garlic with wire mesh. What is sprinkled on top of your container seedlings? Do those little containers sit in water or do they have something to raise them above the water.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have very limited space here at the house and plant carrots in 3 large pots. I am going to move that pot back outside when the weather permits.

      The squirrels won't eat the garlic. They will just dig it up and toss it! I really hate them!

      That is some vermiculite on the top. I bottom water my seedlings when they need it.

      Delete
  13. Robin, your seedlings look amazing! I have not even started yet. I am always behind the curve. :( Still doing my garden planning, but with any luck I will get some seeds started today. Got to clean off that plant cart that always ends up with storage items over the winter.
    Happy gardening!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lorie, I have the same problem with things ending up in the way. I think the Gremlins do it :)

      Delete

Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment!