Planting the rest

Saturday March 22
Tomatoes: Grandma Mary's Paste, Aunt Ruby's German Green (Amazing), Gardner's Delight Cherry, Spicy Fiesta Hybrid, Pink Brandywine, Black Price, Heinz Paste
Tomatillos
Eggplant: Rosita and Diamond
Peppers:Early Jalapeno, Czech Black, King of the North Sweet, Hot Cherry, Peace Work Sweet, Hot Portugal, Bulgarian Carrot Chili, Hinkelhats
Herbs: Lemon Basil, Cinnamon Boys Basil, Thai Basil, Sweet Basil, Parsley
Flowers: Cosmos, Zinnias

The first day of Spring was March 20th; snow still on the ground, cold freezing temperatures, and a wood stove cooking like it has all winter.  Last year we started are tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers all a month earlier than now. Based on having such leggy tomatoes that had to be re-potted twice and peppers with flowers and baby fruit, we delayed the planting this year. Not to mention spring has yet to show itself. Plus there is a potential snow storm this coming week. Ugh, I don't think I have ever wanted winter to end more than ever before. I am craving the warmer weather to get outside for walks, hikes, and some serious swing set time with the kids.
If you have the opportunity to grow Aunt Ruby's German Green tomatoes- you should mostly definitely do it! Last year we did not do so well with the labeling of our different varieties ( I think it was the multiple re-potting) so we completely forgot that we grew green tomatoes.  We just kept waiting for these huge green tomatoes to ripen. Then we discovered the "green tomatoes" were actually ripe and wow they were so delicious and unlike any other tomato I have ever had.

What is your favorite tomato variety?

Hair cut

Since germination rates are not 100% with seeds, we plant more than one seed per each block. This insures at least one plant per block.  In the past, we try to separate the two plants in each block and replant the other one. This resulted in way too many plants.  Instead we now asses which plant looks stronger/healthier and cut the other plant. The roots of the stronger plant are not disturbed and now has plenty of non-competing room to grow.

Spinach and Broccoli

Onions

 

Onions

Rosalie's excited for gardening 

Onion, leeks, broccoli, and spinach germination

 Onions and Leeks have germinated

Spinach germinated either the 9th or 10th and is looking great. 

Broccoli also came up either the 9th or 10th along with the other varieties of cabbage. I think the extra heat from the floor really gave it a boost.

Germination

 Just four days the lettuce and cabbage seeds have germinated! They are little, but still there. Now the lights come on and we wait for our onion, leeks, and spinach to make their appearance. Also we just turned on the in-floor heating system today which should speed things up a bit.
Once the snow melts enough, the lights(glass covers) will go back on our cold frames, so we can re-plant our lettuce and spinach directly into the ground without any worry of frost.

Cabbage

Lettuce

Hello Spring.... are you here?

2014: A new year and another chance at a great garden. I am hoping to keep better track blogging our garden this season. I can't make any promises with our newest addition Vincent, but I will try. It's a great resource to look at for: when to start plants, what varieties we loved/hated, pests to control, and what to do or not do next year. For example we started our eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes way too early last year. Our tomatoes were ridiculously leggy and had to be re-potted twice! Our pepper not only had flowers but actual baby peppers on them. Lesson learned. Do not start plants too early, especially when we our having a super cold snowy spring.

March 8th
Onions, Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce, Spinach

What is even cooler this year for starting plants is our new mudroom/laundry room. Chris converted part of our farmers porch into a new space for our home. Crazily we started it in Sept/October (after doing a new roof) and Vincent came early (Nov 23). It's not finished, but the floor is tiled, washer/dryer are moved in, and the plant stand is in it's new home (next to the washer).

Can't wait for Spring!