Tuesday, June 28, 2016

New frame

Last night I was able to fill another 4'x4' frame and transplant 12 cabbage plants that have been hanging out on trays in frame 2-3. I used (8) 40lb bags of potting soil, mushroom compost, leaf compost, Bumper Crop, peat moss and perlite to fill the frame made of 2x8's. After filling and transplanting, I covered the plants with ag-cloth to keep the cabbage moths out and to provide some shade.

The peas that were flowering last week are now ready for eating. Also, we picked 5 ripe raspberries yesterday evening.

I tested the drip irrigation harnesses on three frames. It seemed like there was not quite enough pressure to run them as they should. I will have to add valves to the main distribution line to separate the garden into watering zones receiving available pressure at different times.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Drip irrigation

Several garden frames received drip irrigation harnesses this weekend, though they are not yet operational because I need to separate the front yard from the backyard loop and I am not sure yet whether I can run all frames at once. The sprinklers that I am using are definitely sensitive to pressure variation.

The tomatoes and peppers that were transferred to containers are growing quickly and the basil is ready for a first harvest. The leaf lettuce in frame 2-1 will be ready for harvest by the time we finish the last of the romaine. Squash and cucumbers are following the peas up the trellis in frames 1-3 and 2-3.

Flax and Queen Anne's Lace are blooming

Also, Daisies, Black-Eyed Susan, Easter Lilies, Common Lilies, and almost Thistle. Peonies, Iris and Poppy are finished blooming.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Final romaine and spinach harvest

I harvested the last of the romaine lettuce and the spinach.

The spinach was started April 6 and planted outside April 19. I started harvesting May 28, so the time from seed to harvest was 52 days lasting to 77 days.

The lettuce was started March 15 and planted outside April 12. I started harvesting May 21, so the time from seed to harvest was 67 days lasting to 99 days.

The leaf lettuce that was planted last September had bolted by about June 11.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Final pea harvest

I harvested the last of the peas today. We had about 12' planted (~ 60 plants) and harvested about 5 quarts of peas over two weeks. The first batch was planted from seed March 14 and the second batch March 27. The first batch was planted outside on March 27 two weeks after soaking. The first flowers appeared on May 26 and the first harvest of about a cup of peas on June 8. The entire harvest window for two succession plantings two weeks apart was June 8 to Jun 21 (13 days).

That was 96 days from seed to the end of harvest for half of the first batch which grew in a container in full sun (pulled out to make room for tomato plants on Saturday, June 18 and turning yellow), 100 days for the other half that was part of the final harvest and grew in significant shade in the middle of the day. The second batch came in at 87 days, still green but obviously at the end of production and also in full sun.

We enjoyed the peas very much. They were so sweet we liked to call them "candy balls". I will be starting a new batch for the fall very soon. If I get them started this weekend, 100 days will land October 3 which is after our average first frost date, but still leaves a month of potential growing for a cold-tolerant crop like peas, so I will want to start more seeds several weeks apart. It always surprises me when I remember that by the end of August, the sun will be setting by 7:40pm, significantly reducing the amount of sun that growing crops will receive.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

The mulberry feast that wasn't

I was joyfully anticipating harvesting mulberries this morning, but when I went looking for the mulberries they were gone. I suspect that some birds had the same idea and beat me to it. Let this blog entry be a reminder to cover the mulberry bush with netting when the fruit starts to set in early June in coming years.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Inflection point

We have most of the garden real estate in production at this time (6 - 4'x4' frames and 9' of grow boxes), but are nearing an inflection point where some crops will be rotated out such as peas and overwintered lettuce, opening up space for new plantings. We will need another flat of lettuce to be started indoors, but I think it is too early to start fall crops. It would be nice to have another crop of spinach and tatsoi. Maybe I will try growing them under shade cloth (they are susceptible to bolting). I will also be adding two new frames this weekend and planting anything that hasn't made it out of the flats yet (cabbage, broccoli, squash, pepper, basil and tomatoes). Time to add some fertilizer as well.

We have easily saved more than $200 in groceries from the garden so far this year with the greatest savings to come with the harvest of tomatoes and peppers.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Late Spring Update

Where has the time gone? I can't believe my last post was May 21. A lot has happened in the meantime and I hope to backdate some entries with photos after I get this out, but the peas began flowering shortly after the last post and we harvested some last weekend (about a cup). Our next harvest will be much larger. We started eating strawberries this week, have been harvesting kale, spinach and tatsoi (almost gone); the lettuce that was started in April was planted in frame 2-1, and 20 more lettuce seeds started indoors are about 1 inch tall. The lettuce that was planted last September has all bolted at this point, but the next crop will be ready in days. The romaine lettuce started in April is also being harvested. Two more garden frames and three grow box containers are ready with sweet peppers and basil planted in two of the grow boxes. I watered almost every day since May 21 except that we finally got some rain and cooler temperatures beginning last weekend, so I am enjoying a break.