Winter garden update

I would say that the winter garden has done very well in spite of a difficult start. We have harvested a large number of greens on three occasions about 2 weeks apart (2+ gallons each time). So the garden has been at peak production since about October 11. That is about 70 days from planting. This weekend we harvested all of the Joi Choi in one of the garden containers, a large head of lettuce and some cress and arugula. I harvested a large handful of peas several days ago and there are still many flowers yet to bear fruit. Our raspberries are also still ripening and being harvested as quickly as they turn a nice deep red. The few kale plants that survived are doing well, though one has been attacked by something. The funny thing is that I didn't even notice what it was until I looked closely at the photo that my daughter took. See if you can find the culprits in the photo.

I will soon plant corn salad and some other things that I would like to see get a head start next spring and will be covering the gardens once deep frost is forecast.

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).

Spring is springing, finally...

It is my favorite time of year color-wise on our quarter-acre. The intense red of quince flowers with blue forget-me-nots at their feet. Yellow forsythia surrounded by violet vinca flowers; daffodils, tulips and grape hyacinth; and peach, pear and apple blossoms.

The spring has been much too busy for starting vegetables, but I am hoping to plant some greens, herbs and roots before it gets too warm.