Winter has arrived - sort of.

The temperatures have taken a decidely turn towards winter this weekend.  While most of the week we had highs in the mid-50's, the highs have dropped into the mid 30's today.  Right now, here in balmy Baltimore, we are currently at 36.  I am hoping for a snow or two before March in order to allow for the natural eradication of pests and bacteria.  Mind you, I don't want 2 or 3 feet.  I would settle for maybe 6 inches of the frozen stuff.

Even though the temps have dropped, my little garden has continued to grow steadily.  As can be seen from the photo below, every plant seems to be thriving against the odds.  While it is 36 out with a moderate wind, it is 48 inside the structure.  That means that the structure plus the 2 other layers have raised the effective garden zone inside to probably at least 1 to 1 1/2 south.  That puts it in the same zone as South Carolina or Georgia.  Not too bad for a makeshift attempt.  

It's just about time to pick the gourmet blen leaf lettuce.  I will wait until next weekend to give it another week of growth.  The other three lettuces seem to be growing at a quicker pace now but that is probably attributable to the warm weather we had last week.  All the other vegetables will continue to grow.

While the outside veggies are growing, I also have my early start veggies under lights now.  They are doing ok so far but there is a long time to go before they can be hardened off and planted outside.  As you can see, they are growing quite well and now that they are under the lights, should continue to do so.  In about a week or so, I will begin giving them half strength fertilizer to boost their growth and health.  It's half strength to insure that they do not grow too fast and become leggy but have the necessary nutrients to produce helpful plants.

      

I will have to continue to monitor these seedlings and the plants outside during the next week.  The season is beginning to ramp up whether people do their own seed starts or not.  As I have said in several posts, we have had a relatively mild winter so far.  Given what happens in February, there may be an opportunity to start the season earlier with some accomodations.  Just a thought but one worth entertaining.  One that I will work out as the weeks go by and things become more certain.
Well, that's all for now.  Have a great week and Happy Gardening!       

Is this winter?

It's just refusing to act like winter in these parts of the Mid-Atlantic.  Temperatures have been 10-20 degrees above normal for the last week and are forecasted to stay about there untile the end of this week.  Several of my plants are responding to the warmer than normal weather by putting on buds. Hopefully, that won't affect their growth in the summer.  It has, however, been a boon to my vegetables which I will gladly accept.  As can be seen in the pictures below, all the plants have grown quite a lot since my last check in last week.
Here is my Gourmet Blend cut and come again lettuce.  I will be checking this about mid-week as it shouldn't be allowed to grow too much more or it will stunt future growth.  It will also affect the taste as it goes beyond prime picking time.

I also have some Black Seeded Simpson lettuce that is showing signs of life recently.  It's still a longshot but who knows?

I have Lolla Rosa lettuce that is also responding favorably to the season.  It's the square in the upper right part of the bed.

The middle three rows are spinach plants which are showing robust leaf growth this past week.  They may be ready for picking by the end of this week if the temps stay as forecasted.  Only time will tell.

The top left bed has carrots and the middle top bed has onions, both of which are showing growth.

So, for it being the middle of winter here, the beds are doing much better than I even imagined. Granted, there's been a much milder span of very mild weather, but that's the beauty of gardening. Sometimes, the seasons work against you and at other times, like this period, they work for you. Nothing is guaranteed in gardening.  You just have to roll with what God gives you.  

I have started my Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower seeds in my seed starting area this weekend.  

It's hard to believe we are less than 12 weeks out from planting the early Spring plants.  I goofed last year and failed to get them started on time so I ended up buying some plants - which didn't work out too well.  It was one of those failures that taught me a lesson.  Gardening does that to you if you aren't paying attention.  

I will take pictures of the plants when they emerge.  That's all I have for this week.  Can't wait to see if I have lettuce to harvest this week.  That would be a huge bonus.  Until next time, Happy Gardening!    

Update

We returned to normal weather for the last 3 days.  We were supposed to get snow/ice on Saturday but it amounted to nothing.  One of these times, I do believe we will actually get what the forecast is calling for us to get.  There really isn't a whole lot to do at this point in the garden.  I have been keeping my small winter garden growing.  I went out today to peek in given it was in the 40"s.
The plants seem to be doing better than I expected given the colder temps we have been having.  I am actually quite excited that the lettuce plants have had a resurgence.  I may even get to eat a salad in the near future which would be a really cool treat.  As can be seen in the picture, the Mesclun mix in the bottom right square is really growing well.  The spinach in the middle and the carrots and onions in the top rows have shown more progress this week than the previous weeks.  All in all, the vegetables are doing much better than I even thought possible.  The next couple of weeks should be the deciding factor.

Besides maintaining this bed, I have been busy cleaning my seed starting equipment to get the early
plants started.  I clean them even though I did that at the end of last season to insure there is no disease or bacteria present.  It's not the easiest to grow your own plants but it allows me to have the selection of plants I like.  It takes a constant vigilance to make sure everything is progressing as needed.
Well, that's all for this Sunday.  I don't know about anyone else, but I am starting to get a little excited about the upcoming season for new reasons.  I will elaborate on my reasons in a subsequent post.  So, until next time, happy gardening everyone!

Spring is in the air?

So, this week we have had quite the little swing to spring.  After a cold Sunday, we woke up to frigid temps and some wind on Monday.  It was about 15 degrees when I started my car.  It begrudgingly did start after a little hesitation.  It was frigid for the day as temps did not get much above 26 around this area.  Yesterday was a little better as we broke into the mid 30's.  And today, it was in the mid 40's..  The high for tomorrow should top out at about 60 which will seem downright balmy compared to Monday.  But, tomorrow will be the end of the unseasonable warm weather.  By Saturday, if the weather forecasts are to be believed, we should be back in the 30's with a possibility of snow.  Such is life in the mid-atlantic region.  Swings of this sort are common place during winter. 
I took advantage of the temps today to check on the winter garden.  I didn't know exactly what to expect given the unevenness of our weather.  But, much to my surprise, it looked pretty good all in all. 

 

While the lettuce looks worse for the wear from the temperatures, the spinach, onions and carrots look pretty hardy at this point.  According to what I have read, this seems to be the result that I should be seeing at this time.  I have hope that this will continue and it just might if the weather stays on the

warmer side of normal for this region.  Only time will tell but again, I am pleased with the progress

at this point.  I watered the plants and covered them back up having taken the opportunity to water before the cold temps set in for the weekend. 

It hardly seems time to begin starting plants for the garden but I will be finishing the set up for starting plants in my basement this weekend.  I plan on starting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower(maybe).  I also have to find some good seed starting mix so I will have to do some research and see what most people believe is the best.  I tried an organic mix last year and I wasn't exactly happy with the way it ponded water on the surface.  That, and the fact that the soil seemed to stay way too moist

seemed to hinder the seedlings growth.  Once I transplanted them and got them into the garden, they took off.  But, by that time, they were delayed and just seemed to be unable to catch up.  I learned a lesson that weak seedlings beget weak production.  It's all part of the experience of gardening.

Well, that's about it here in Baltimore.  Just taking one day at a time and waiting for the gardening season to commence.  Hope you and your families are all doing well and that you are enjoying reading these posts.  Until next time, happy gardening everyone!   

New Year!!

Here's hoping everyone had a great News Years Eve and this finds everyone well.  As the new year begins, there are a few things that one needs to attend to in order ensure a great beginning of the garden season.
But, before I get into that, I went out yesterday to check my winter garden.  I was very surprised at the results I have gotten to this point.  As can be seen from the picture below, the lettuces that I had my doubts about have actually grown at a pretty good rate this week and they have greened up.  That means that the sunny days have been good enough to allow the plants to grow while being covered. The other plants of carrots, onions and spinach have also shown an appreciable rate of growth too.  I have some hope of getting some winter lettuce but that will depend on the temps and precipitation we do get.

At this time of the season, there are several steps that you want to take that may seem trivial but are essential to your gardens' outcome in the coming new season.  The first step is to plan out your garden and what crops you want to grow.  As I have alluded to in earlier posts, I have thought about the number and mix of crops I grow.  I have repeatedly over grown tomatoes and peppers despite the fact that my family really doesn't eat many of them.  I love a fresh tomato but do I really need to grow 18 different varieties?  The answer is a resounding no.  Same goes for the peppers.
Given this and the fact that I have expanded my garden plots last fall, I will need and want to grow other vegetables that make more sense.  I have already planned to grow cabbage, broccoli and peas this year.  Last year I planted the cabbage and broccoli late and got less than desirable results.  This year will be different.
The other activity I need to do is to inventory my seeds that I have stored.  I noticed that the various big stores are already putting out their seeds so that is one true sign it is time to augment my stores of seeds.  One thing to be careful about is to be sure that the seeds in these stores are for this year.  I know that the seeds will survive for years if properly stored, but why buy last years stock?  That is, why buy last years seeds at full price?  I will be travelling to a seed store in Baltimore city that I prefer as they sell varieties that are suited for this region.  I prefer theirs over the big selections in the other stores for that reason.  I will be going there in the next week or two.
The other activity that escapes attention at this time of the year is to do general maintenance of your tools.  Other than cleaning them up, oiling them and sharpening the various bladed tools, one has to look at whether the tool needs to be replaced.  Tools wear out over time.  If the tool doesn't effectively do the job it is for and can't be fixed, then it's time to discard it.
I have always viewed tools as an investment. You should be cautious about buying the cheaper tool. My experience is that it is far cheaper to buy a tool that is a little more expensive over the long run.  I actually have found some real nice tools at various antique stores.  They are older and sometimes a bit rusty, but you can't beat the workmanship of the tool.  And there is just something about buying a used tool as they are broken in and just have that "feel" in your hand.  You can see and experience the quality that went into it many decades ago.  They were made to last.
Given we are possibly going to have our first snow of the season with lower temperatures this week, there is nothing that can be done in the actual garden this week.  Much of the activities are the above referenced ones.  I will be watching my winter garden but, if the weather is as predicted, it will be better for me to stay away and let it alone.  Sometimes, that's the best tactic.
So, there you have it.  As always, Happy Gardening everyone!