Spring is in the air
This time of the year can both be frustrating and exciting. Hints of spring are everywhere. Wildflowers are popping everywhere. The winter crops, especially lettuce, Boc Choi, and chard have snapped out of their slow growth slumber and are rapidly starting to grow. But the favas steal the show. These guys came up in December/January (depending on when I planted them), have managed a mere two to three inches of growth over the past two months, but now seem to grow that much in one week. They will soon be 4 ft tall and loaded with beans.
Frustration sets in when unusually cold or hot spells cause setbacks. We had an unusual cold spell last week which caused serious damage to my peas and some freshly set out cauliflower. Heat waves can come this time of year too and can burn sensitive big leaf winter crops. But it's all just a warmup to what I call the "magic of June" when everything comes alive with produce and the garden turns into a jungle of rapidly growing summer crops full of produce. Can't wait! Remember, in this game the patient and persistent ones collect the spoils of success.
The peas are in full production. However, as I said above, they suffered a big setback last week when we had a couple of hard freezes. The peas are edible but pods are seriously discolored. Sure glad I don't have to market these guys. But for our dinner table, they are fine.
And the Brassicas, the most reliable garden producers, just keep marching along. I harvest around three to four large cauliflower a week as I set out six plants every two weeks. Kohlrabis sit low with nice six inch purple bulbs. I still am harvesting last years' brocolli. I get nice broccoli sprouts off 5' tall bushy plants. They will, however, all be gone by the first of March. But... twenty, six inch tall new Packman broccoli plants are just about ready to be set out from the greenhouse. These will be the first of around 50 plants which will comprise the 2006 crop. Some of these plants will still be producing next year at this time. Another 30 or so plants are in various stages of growth from just coming up to six inches tall. These include Early Dividend and Waltham. My spring kales are up now. I plant a wild kale mix along with a "palm" kale. This guy gets tall with long palm like delicious green leaves. I've never seen them at a farmers market here, but I was surprised to find them for sale in Cambridge, UK last fall when I visited on a business trip. This kale has become one of my favorite crops because of its wonderful produce and good looks - a beautiful plant. Last years' palm kales are just now going to seed after almost a year of producing. They are five to six ft. tall with a cluster of long leaves at the top much like a brussel sprout. My brussel sprouts (bs) did ok. I have a hard time with bs because even though the plants are super healthy with beautiful thick foilage, they don't produce hard sprouts of any size. I have the best luck with a purple variety called Rubine. Last years' plants are just now finishing. They are four to six ft tall. New ones are coming up in the greenhouse. They will be set out in early March. I keep trying to find the right formula for a good crop. It has aluded me so far but I keep plugging away at it - trying new things.
Onions are the problem this year. I lost all of my seedlings from last fall's greenhouse planting to either damping off or white rot. Not sure which. I usually set these out in early February. I did start a few over again in January in six packs. These are doing well and will be set out this weekend. I've also planted some red onions from bulbs. So the onion corner is somewhat lonely this year. Every year, the white rot keeps getting worse. It could be that it took over my greenhouse last winter. To combat it, I am trying different varieties and also trying bunching onions instead of the bulbing Walla Walla and Stockton red. The leeks struggled with pink rot last fall. However, they have recovered and we are harvesting beauties four ft. long. They respond well to compost feeding and I smothered them in compost. I'll keep updating this page on how the onion saga unfolds.
I have awesome Rutabaga this year. Nice 10 lb fruits are so tasty. I also set these out in batches between September and January. Just started my first Turnips in the greenhouse.
Daikon radishes have been producing all winter. I planted the last batch directly in the ground in January.
And... finally, the Chinese cabbage (Joi Choi and Bak Choi) has been producing nicely. I set this out in batches and also plant some directly in the ground. The last batch went out in January.
Planting focus is quickly switching to spring. Tomatoes (Brandywine and Early Girl), along with home grown pepper seedlings, and soon eggplant will dominate planting activity in the greenhouse. In two weeks, I will start the first summer squash in the greenhouse - black zucchini first followed by several other varieties. The black zucchini serve two purposes. They provide the first summer squash production in May and, equally important, they are an attractor for squash bugs before I plant winter squash. When the zucchini start producing, I check them daily for squash bug pairs which can easily be found mating on the fruit. I smash them on site. That releases an aroma which attracts more bugs. By the time I plant the winter squash in May, most of them are gone. Squash bugs do serious damage to winter squash and pumpkins.
A word of caution. When that warm weather hits in early March, don't be tempted to plant that summer garden just yet even though the nurseries will be selling all sorts of summer plants in six packs. I don't plant summer crops in the ground until around the first of May. Since our soil is so heavy, it take several weeks for it to warm. Planting a summer crop in cold soil in warm weather is a recipie for disaster. Wait till May.
I probably forgot something. I will try to post again soon with more pictures. If anyone actually reads this blog, please leave a brief comment so I know that someone is reading.
Frustration sets in when unusually cold or hot spells cause setbacks. We had an unusual cold spell last week which caused serious damage to my peas and some freshly set out cauliflower. Heat waves can come this time of year too and can burn sensitive big leaf winter crops. But it's all just a warmup to what I call the "magic of June" when everything comes alive with produce and the garden turns into a jungle of rapidly growing summer crops full of produce. Can't wait! Remember, in this game the patient and persistent ones collect the spoils of success.
The peas are in full production. However, as I said above, they suffered a big setback last week when we had a couple of hard freezes. The peas are edible but pods are seriously discolored. Sure glad I don't have to market these guys. But for our dinner table, they are fine.
And the Brassicas, the most reliable garden producers, just keep marching along. I harvest around three to four large cauliflower a week as I set out six plants every two weeks. Kohlrabis sit low with nice six inch purple bulbs. I still am harvesting last years' brocolli. I get nice broccoli sprouts off 5' tall bushy plants. They will, however, all be gone by the first of March. But... twenty, six inch tall new Packman broccoli plants are just about ready to be set out from the greenhouse. These will be the first of around 50 plants which will comprise the 2006 crop. Some of these plants will still be producing next year at this time. Another 30 or so plants are in various stages of growth from just coming up to six inches tall. These include Early Dividend and Waltham. My spring kales are up now. I plant a wild kale mix along with a "palm" kale. This guy gets tall with long palm like delicious green leaves. I've never seen them at a farmers market here, but I was surprised to find them for sale in Cambridge, UK last fall when I visited on a business trip. This kale has become one of my favorite crops because of its wonderful produce and good looks - a beautiful plant. Last years' palm kales are just now going to seed after almost a year of producing. They are five to six ft. tall with a cluster of long leaves at the top much like a brussel sprout. My brussel sprouts (bs) did ok. I have a hard time with bs because even though the plants are super healthy with beautiful thick foilage, they don't produce hard sprouts of any size. I have the best luck with a purple variety called Rubine. Last years' plants are just now finishing. They are four to six ft tall. New ones are coming up in the greenhouse. They will be set out in early March. I keep trying to find the right formula for a good crop. It has aluded me so far but I keep plugging away at it - trying new things.
Onions are the problem this year. I lost all of my seedlings from last fall's greenhouse planting to either damping off or white rot. Not sure which. I usually set these out in early February. I did start a few over again in January in six packs. These are doing well and will be set out this weekend. I've also planted some red onions from bulbs. So the onion corner is somewhat lonely this year. Every year, the white rot keeps getting worse. It could be that it took over my greenhouse last winter. To combat it, I am trying different varieties and also trying bunching onions instead of the bulbing Walla Walla and Stockton red. The leeks struggled with pink rot last fall. However, they have recovered and we are harvesting beauties four ft. long. They respond well to compost feeding and I smothered them in compost. I'll keep updating this page on how the onion saga unfolds.
I have awesome Rutabaga this year. Nice 10 lb fruits are so tasty. I also set these out in batches between September and January. Just started my first Turnips in the greenhouse.
Daikon radishes have been producing all winter. I planted the last batch directly in the ground in January.
And... finally, the Chinese cabbage (Joi Choi and Bak Choi) has been producing nicely. I set this out in batches and also plant some directly in the ground. The last batch went out in January.
Planting focus is quickly switching to spring. Tomatoes (Brandywine and Early Girl), along with home grown pepper seedlings, and soon eggplant will dominate planting activity in the greenhouse. In two weeks, I will start the first summer squash in the greenhouse - black zucchini first followed by several other varieties. The black zucchini serve two purposes. They provide the first summer squash production in May and, equally important, they are an attractor for squash bugs before I plant winter squash. When the zucchini start producing, I check them daily for squash bug pairs which can easily be found mating on the fruit. I smash them on site. That releases an aroma which attracts more bugs. By the time I plant the winter squash in May, most of them are gone. Squash bugs do serious damage to winter squash and pumpkins.
A word of caution. When that warm weather hits in early March, don't be tempted to plant that summer garden just yet even though the nurseries will be selling all sorts of summer plants in six packs. I don't plant summer crops in the ground until around the first of May. Since our soil is so heavy, it take several weeks for it to warm. Planting a summer crop in cold soil in warm weather is a recipie for disaster. Wait till May.
I probably forgot something. I will try to post again soon with more pictures. If anyone actually reads this blog, please leave a brief comment so I know that someone is reading.
posted by danh at
3:52 PM
|
2 comments
