Challenges of winter

Having never attempted to grow plants through the winter, I just really had no idea what to expect. I did have some preconceived notions but those were just coming from what I have read in the past. At first, there was success and admittedly, a real uptick in hope. So I expanded the experiment to see if I cold replicate the nascent results of my initial foray into winter/greenhouse gardening.
Sadly, at this point, the newly planted seeds have yet to show themselves. I am not yet ready to throw in the towel as I believe there still is a good chance that they will come to fruition. I say that because, when it comes to vegetable gardening, I have developed a strong understanding that not everything works on our timetables. Additionally, the recent weather is much more wintery than when I planted the first crops. Our lows have been into the mid 20's the last few nights as has been the temperature in the greenhouse given it is unheated. I am relying on the fact that the seeds "know" what to do and are usually pretty resilient.
The established plants seem to be pretty hardy and are making progress albeit at a slower pace. I believe this is the pace they set during winter. As can be seen below, the lettuce plants seem the most vibrant as the spinach plants are just really struggling. The spinach seems to have started to grow again in the last couple of days so I will just hope they have rebounded.
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Additionally, even though the temps are lower now, the newly planted pots are continuing to dry out so I am having to water them frequently(as seen below). And, the pots that are in the northwest corner of the greenhouse seem to dry out much faster than even the ones right next to them. I can rule out a soil difference as they all had the same soil mix. It most likely has something to do with the amount of sun they receive as these pots would get a little more sun on a clear day. It's just something I have to deal with and keep an eye on. 

As spring approaches, I have been looking for ways to make the most of what areas I have. I have the greenhouse, the 226 sq. ft. of garden plots and the structure I have left unplanted. As I grow most of my own seedlings and augment with heirloom plants from a few select nurseries, I have been contemplating how I can increase my seedlings this year. And, it hit me. I have a garage that is detached and unheated. I have been tracking the current temps in it and it seems to be a little warmer than the greenhouse. No big surprise there. But, in about a month, the sun will be stronger and the garage probably will be warmer. So I have begun to clear the area on one of the south facing shelves. I put clear plastic over the two windows above the shelf to stop the wind coming through. It probably will have enough warmth to get the seedlings started so I can transfer them into the greenhouse to harden them off. It's a new project that should keep me even busier.
On a side note, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit one of my favorite seed stores in Maryland. It's called Meyer Seeds and is close to downtown Baltimore. They have been around for a very long time. When you go in the store, you take a big step back in time. The decor reminds me of pictures of stores in the 1950's. I had the pleasure to speak with a gentleman who was able to point me to an almost fail safe cucumber given it is self pollinating and who then pointed out that my problem was most likely the cucumber beetle. He gave me a fix for that to boot! He also assured me that they have stock in all seeds as I questioned him about that given reports that some seed companies were expecting some spot shortages this year. He then sold me peas and beans in bulk and advised I use an inoculant before planting the peas.
It was a great visit there and I look forward to going back there during planting season to get organic based sprays they have. It's always a treat to speak to someone else who knows your passion and problems. They rate high on my list on both.
Well, that's all I have for now. Hopefully, you are starting to get the bug to plant. It certainly wont be long now. Until next time, Happy Gardening!

Winter doldrums

With the 29" of snow we received last weekend, I have not been able to really do much of anything in my backyard.  But, that doesn't mean there aren't any activities that don't have to be completed right now.  As experienced gardeners know all too well, the growing season will soon be upon us.  So, before you get caught flatfooted, you have to attend to those items that can certainly sneak up on you.
My first priority is to make sure that my seed starting area is primed to begin the processes.  That means I need to check the grow lights, fixtures and to be sure I have enough seed starting mixture to get the plants off to a good start. I also have to clean the area around the grow area to insure that it doesn't affect the plants in any way.  My area is a combination seed starting bench and tool area. That means I have to clear the bench of any non-garden related item and basically clean the surfaces off.
I also will be cleaning the grow lamp beds and the seed starter unit I have.
Once I get that cleaned up and hopefully the snow has melted so that I can get into my shed, I will have to clean the various tools I have with a bleach and water mixture.  I do this in order to kill off any fungus or bacteria that may have grown on the tools over the winter.  It's precautionary but yet another practice that is one of many that help the garden produce at it's best.
The next item of business will be to thoroughly clean my rain barrels and move them to their new spots.  I will have two in the gardens this year, one at the end of each bed.  I will then install a spigot on each of them.  I haven't decided if I am going to install a regular hose or try soaker hoses.  I probably will experiment and do one each way in the two beds to see which is easiest.  After all, ease of use is always a consideration in most gardens.
This will keep me busy for a few weeks if the weather holds and, if we get another snowstorm, a little longer.  Not really much else is out there to do as I am basically in a holding pattern for now.  Such is the life of a Mid-Atlantic gardener.  Until next time everyone, happy gardening!