LysmachiaMoon's blog: Veg garden is coming along

Posted on Mar 14, 2024 1:14 PM

Gradually, I'm turning my attention from the Borders and ornamentals to the veg. I already have my first carrots and parsnips in from February. This week I got my peas in. On Tuesday I turned over one of the square beds (the one nearest the greenhouse). I'm going to plant my onions at one end, under a cage and with a fleece cover tightly in place. I also worked wood ashes into the soil. All to protect against the allium leaf miner. Before I plant the sets, I'm going to dunk them into the spinosad (organic pesticide) and then water them in with more of the same.

My cabbages, brassicas, cauliflower, and shasta daisies are in the greenhouse and doing good. I had to bring everything back into the house a few nights ago because the temps dipped to near freezing and we had snow. I never completely trust the weather forecasts for low temps because I'm in a cold spot and I decided not to take chances. One year I lost two entire flats of cabbages because I thought it would be ok to leave them in the greenhouse, well covered, when the overnite temps went to 28F. Well, it went down to more like 24F and they froze solid and did not recover.

Indoors, I've got a flat of tiny yarrow going, my celery is finally germinated, and fennel seeds are up and coming along. I'm trying again with the red cabbage. I originally planted 4-6 seeds and only 2 germinated. One plant has died. So I'm giving it another try. I suspect these are not fully viable seeds; maybe this is why they were on sale! I'm also trying again with the Pink Muhly grass, but I have doubts. After a week nothing at all. I tried these self-collected seeds last fall and got nowhere too. I also have a big pot of basil started (no head in the pot).

Out in the greenhouse, I've got a flat of Cleome and a flat of penstemon; instructions said they needed some cool temps to get them started so that's what they are getting. I've got liatrus and something else in the freezer for a month of stratification (chilling before planting). Crossing Fingers!

I want to get my marigolds, zinnias, and sunflowers started soon, but I'm holding off until the temps stabilize outside. I really don't want to have even more flats crowding up the kitchen. Once some of the stuff I've got growing is a bit bigger I can move them to the cooler office and bedrooms, but for now the babies need to be in the warmer kitchen.
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Got the Virtual Koi Pond cleaned out (raked out leaves and debris) and my concrete virtual koi in place. The funny thing is that even though there is NO WATER in the virtual pond (hence, "virtual") I found myself balancing on the edge and trying not to step into it while I worked. D'Oh! I think I might sprinkle some more of that crushed glass over the surface of the gravel. It really looks nice and sparkles like water.

Got all the pots set up in the Pot Corral and most of them are partially filled with garden compost now. I'll top them off with good potting soil before I plant them. There's a lot of them! I've got to sit down and sketch up a plan for each pot. A nice exercise while having a cup of tea!

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