Growing Challenge July 15 2009 Update

Despite challenging timelines to finish the raised beds so the seeds could be planted, we managed it, and then turned our attention to completing the paths between the raised beds. Left to the sun and rain, the seeds have been growing, and there are many plants ready to eat now!  I have had radishes, spinach, red lettuce, green buttercup lettuce (very tender and yummy!) and chives so far.  Tomorrow I am making a “spinach” pie with the many lettuce leaves and salad greens because there is no way I can eat them all before they become too old and tough.  I can freeze the spinach pie after baking it. The sunflowers are about 6 inches high now, and the bush beans are starting to look like small bushes! 

There are a lot of weeds and grass growing between the rows, and I believe I could have prevented this by using the square foot gardening method as well as a mulch of straw. Next year, I will take these steps! I did notice that ants are using one particular type of weed as a feeding ground for their aphids, and not touching my veggies at all so I left quite a few of those plants in place when weeding. I will have to find out what they are called as they are proving to be quite effective at controlling aphids!

It is interesting to observe the success or lack thereof of each raised bed, in terms of when I was able to plant\ the seeds in each. It seems like the middle weeks I planted in were the optimum time, allowing the seeds to germinate early enough to compete with the weeds and late enough not to rot. Again, noted for next year!

Plant Lady

Growing Challenge – June 12 Update

There are now some recognizably green bits in the first beds we completed – last week they were partially wishful thinking  :)

I am amazed at how quickly the sunflowers have sprouted! I planted a section of them for a friend’s young son, another large area for the birds. 

I planted a bunch of oats, not really sure of the results because I just took a handful of my horse’s grain to obtain the seeds.  Apparently I spilled some oats beside the bed, and while the pampered ones in the bed are slowly emerging, the ones that fell on hard packed clay beside a board that would shade them are luxurious and full, growing happily where they aren’t supposed to in the middle of the path!  Isn’t that always the way with a garden? I can’t bring myself to just cover the silly geese over with the path….so now I’ll have to dig up the unauthorized oats and move them. 

It looked like someone was rooting about where I planted the Appaloosa bush beans and maybe even stole a few but without digging them all up it’s hard to be sure.  Some critter definitely made off with one of the potato cuttings or I can’t count. But somehow it seems like a blessing that the critter who did that sees my garden as edible! Thanks for the vote of confidence, furry friend!

Plant Lady

Growing Challenge May 13 Update

The rain keeps coming, and the ground is still waiting to be prepared for the veggies. But my seeds are actually sprouting in the flats inside the house! Now I am worried they will damp off, something that has stopped any seed growing I’ve tried in the past. I’ve removed the lids where the seeds have sprouted and will move them nearer to the windows so they can get more sunlight. I also only planted a portion of the seeds I have into flats – this way I have another chance to get them growing outside too and am not depending upon one method to start my seeds. That thinking is a spill over from my 9-5 life in computer software, disaster recovery planning!

Strangely, I feel these wee seedlings are some sort of children, and I am the protective mom fussing over them. If they turn into unruly teenagers we will have an interesting summer I’m sure.

The Plant Lady