Progress report

I didn't want to write anything until I was sure that our seedlings would recover, but a week after we started our seedlings for the Winter garden, they were washed out by an intense rain storm (Aug 13). I had to recreate all of the seed blocks and replant the seedlings. They have all recovered, but I think they would be further along without this mishap. The beets that were planted directly in grow boxes are much further along (though the carrots didn't sprout). Also, the washed out seedlings were all jumbled so I have lost track to some extent of what is what. However, the kale, choi, parsley and lettuce are fairly easy to tell apart (based on experience).

About August 20, I transplanted some of the seedlings into grow box containers (~25 where the carrots did not sprout). Today, I transplanted more of them into the same containers. Though the spacing is tight, I think they are better there than continuing in the trays. Two more grow boxes are being prepared. The snap peas are more than a foot tall, but only half of them sprouted (15).

This evening, I broadcast arugula and five varieties of lettuce in a tray of vermiculite. These will be planted directly into a garden frame after sprouting.

Preparing the winter garden

Last Wednesday (Aug 6), youngest and I started some seeds for our winter garden. We planted beets (32), carrots (64), and peas (30) directly in grow box containers; mizuna (20), cress (40), lettuce (80), kale (40), arugula (20), corn salad (20), cabbage (20) and choi (40) in miniature seed blocks. Everything has sprouted except the lettuce, cabbage, and corn salad. The greens sprouted within a couple of days; the peas, carrots and beets began to appear on Sunday. We transplanted most of what sprouted into 2" inch blocks on Sunday (started with 3/4" blocks).