Snap Peas and More

With my garden taking a slow start getting in the ground... I finally took the time to till the ground and put in the sugar snap peas. Without a doubt one of the things I'm most excited about growing. Last year I only planted about three... and it wasn't nearly enough. i support this years plants with stakes, and am eager to see them produce their fruit.

In addition, my blueberry bushes are taking off! They are budding like crazy and I'm so eager for the fruit to burst out so that Jude and I can pick our morning fruit fresh from the garden.

I still have a good bit of tilling and clearing to do before I can get my spinach and onions in the ground, but we're getting there.

Broccoli in the ground

The other day I took some time to transplant broccoli. Broccoli is without a doubt one of my family's primary veggies of choice. It's something we can all agree on and that's pretty simple to prepare. So, this was one of my priorities. Last year's broccoli was essentially a flop. I produced a couple of small heads that were sufficient enough for a meal forone, let a lone three, so I had to mix it in with a few other veggies that I store bought... Never fully experiencing my own home grown goodness.

I think I can attribute the lack of success to planting too late... Too little water and too much heat. Hence the reason for wanting an early spring planting. Already they seem to be taking off, rooting firmly on the ground after transplanting and hopefully they will be a success!

In addition, the lettuce I transplanted on St. Patrick's day took to the ground nicely. A couple more weeks and I hope to be pulling bits of each out of the ground for meals.

Next on my planting list are my sugar snap peas, spinach and onions.

Speaking of onions! Last year I planted some garlic... Which was fairly unsuccessful. This year, when takin my trip out to the garden, the cloves that were in the ground have already decided to take off on their own. I'm hopeful to be able to harvest, dry and store garlic this fall for the winter!

Transplanting and Buds

Yesterday was another glorious St Patrick's Day and also an opportunity for me to get a little more done in the way of gardening. I started the effort by taking a walk around my front yard. I was using this as a chance for me to show Jude all of the fun things we were growing. I pointed out our peach tree, grape vines, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry bushes and we talked about the sprouts that were taking place in our mini-greenhouses. While using this as a learning experience, it was also time for me to see what the transition to spring was bringing us. I was excited to find that buds were starting to form on a number of my plants (specifically the blueberries and peach tree were taking off). In addition the array of daffodils that liter our lawn are either in bloom or on the cusp of bursting open.

After a little bit of procrastination, I took the time to begin transplanting my lettuce. I designated one of my smaller raised beds as the lettuce bed and got to work. I started by tilling up the soil a little bit. Then staggered the lettuce to maximize space. I would have planted more, but Jude was making it a little difficult.

Last year, the greenhouses I used had little cardboard 'pots' that you broke apart and planted the whole thing into the ground. This year the individual 'pots' were made out of plastic. This proved to make things more difficult. The soil basically crumbled in my fingers as I was pulling each plant out making it increasingly difficult to transplant quickly. I did what I could to keep the roots in tact, and I'm interested to see how they will catch. I'm pretty sure before warm weather plants get pre-planted I'll be buying the decomposing pots.

Onion and Pea Sprouts

I noticed today that some of my peas and onions began to sprout! There are only a couple of each, but it's progress! So, currently I have been successful in starting all of my cold weather plants. I'll be keeping an eye on the weather the next couple days/weeks and hopefully transplanting them to the ground when I have the opportunity!

More Sprouts

Over the past two or three days, many of my indoor herbs and cold weather plants have sprouted! In addition to my one type of lettuce and oregano, I now have Basil, Parsley, Spinach, my second variety of lettuce (so I now have leafy lettuce and romaine) and Broccoli.

Unlike the first sprouts, these sprouts seem to be all growing in at different times. Instead of all 18 planted seeds popping through the soil on relatively the same day, I have a handful that are just peaking, others that have already grown some nice stems and others that haven't quite gotten much height, but their leaves have opened up to embrace the warm sun. There are still a handful of each variety that haven't popped through yet, so I'm just hoping they aren't duds.

Lettuce Sprouts

After seeing that the Oregano had taken flight, I decided to check in on my cold weather plants out front. We have been experiencing unusually warm weather, that gave way to colder and windier weather, so I wasn't sure how the delicate seeds would react to it. at one point the strong winds blew the covers off of the greenhouses, which I also wasn't sure about.

But, all concerns aside - we had sprouts!



I planted these Sunday night, so we can say that it took just under a week for them to get going.

I planted two varieties of lettuce and sadly, I can't remember which was planted where, so I'm not sure which variety this is.

Oregano Sprouts

Today, I checked my herb pots on my kitchen window sill not expecting to see anything. I was pleasantly surprised to find OREGANO had sprouted!



I planted my Oregano last Saturday night, so in pretty much exactly 1 week the seeds have began growing.

I was (and still am) slightly concerned that my kitchen window doesn't get enough direct sunlight (our kitchen window faces the back of the house and the sun mostly hits the front of our house), but the fact that things are happening is promising.

Pseudo Rainforest

I planted and watered my cold weather plants a few days ago and have been eagerly waiting for something sprout every since. Jude and I go outside and check in on the plants at least once a day and he's constantly poking and prodding at whatever might be hiding under the soil.

The coolest part is watching the mini-ecosystem at work. Essentially, by having plants inside of the tiny greenhouse, you're creating your own little ecosystem. The water can't escape, the sun light comes through the plastic roof and the heat gets trapped inside causing the water to evaporate and collect on the cover. Once the water gets heavy on the cover it falls back on to the plants. Jude likes to play God and tap the roof to make the water drop.

With the unseasonably warm weather we've been having, it's creating almost a hot and humid rain forest-like atmosphere for the plants to thrive in.

This whole creating life thing is pretty sweet.

Beginning of Cold Weather Planting - 2011

Tonight, I began my cold weather planting for early spring 2011. I am starting all of these plants in Jiffy Greenhouses. Each are being planted according to seed packaging directions. All are being planted in Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix.

Weather: Currently there is snow remaining on the ground and days are averaging somewhere around 30-35 degrees. This week promises a warmer weather averaging 45-50, but approaching the 60's at the end of the week.

Peas - Super Sugar Snap - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 24

Planting Depth: about 2"

Growing Season: March-October

Seedlings: expected in 7-14 days

First Harvest: expected in 64 days

Onion - Spanish Gold Hybrid - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 18

Planting Depth: about 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March-October

Seedlings: expected in 7-14 days

First Harvest: expected in 105 days

Broccoli - Majestic Crown Hybrid - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 18

Planting Depth: 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 10-21 days

First Harvest: expected in 90 days

Spinach - Double Choice Hybrid - Burpee Signature (suitable for baby spinach or mature harvest)

Number of Plants: 18

Planting Depth: about 1/2"

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 7-14 days

First Harvest: expected in 35 days

Lettuce - Caesar's Favorite - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 18

Planting Depth: about 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 7-10 days

First Harvest: expected in 83 days

Lettuce - Salad Bowl - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 18

Planting Depth: about 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 7-10 days

First Harvest: expected in 45 days

I plan to put the Jiffy Greenhouses outside tomorrow in direct sunlight. Once the seedlings have sprouted, I will transplant to my raised beds.

Indoor Herbs - Pre-Spring 2011

Today, I planted my herbs indoors. Last summer I grew herbs outside and was very successful, however I had a hard time starting the basil from seeds and had to resort to buying pre-grown seedlings (parsley and oregano however, I had no problems with). I determined that last year I put my seedlings outside too soon and they were unable to prosper during the chilly nights. In addition, I don't think I gave them a chance to mature indoors in a temperature controlled environment before throwing them outside.

As a result, this year I wanted to start them indoors earlier in larger window pots instead of in the Jiffy Greenhouses. I figured by doing this I could enjoy the herbs for a longer period of time and if they were really successful, I could always keep these indoors and split the plants and take some outside as well in my larger pots.

These seeds were all planted in the herb pots linked above with Miracle Gro Organic Potting Mix.

Basil - Mammoth - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 1 pot with about 10 seeds

Planting Depth: about 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 7-14 days

First Harvest: when leaves begin to form

Parsley - Big Italy - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 1 pot with about 10 seeds

Planting Depth: about 1/4" - just below the surface

Growing Season: March - October

Seedlings: expected in 14-21 days

First Harvest: when leaves begin to form

Oregano - Mediterranean - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 1 pot with about 10 seeds

Planting Depth: just below the surface - barely covered

Seedlings: expected 10-21 days

First Harvest: when leaves begin to form

True Lavender - Lavendula Angustifolia - Burpee Signature

Number of Plants: 1 pot with about 10 seeds

Planting Depth: just below the surface - barely covered

Seedlings: expected in 14-28 days

First Harvest: I don't intend to harvest this currently. I may try to derive some essential oils from it, but currently my plan is just to have it smell pretty :)