I got a lot of planting done today. With this batch, I have just about everything that can be put out pre-final frost in the ground.
The Amish Snap Peas are sprouting well. Of the 32 planted, about 17 are already above ground level.
That bean that I showed in an earlier post looked so awesome, I decided to try and transplant it. I know that beans and peas don't usually like being moved (see my Great Pea Failure), but it is still so early in the season, I thought I'd just try and give it a shot. This is all about experimenting and learning anyway.
So, first thing this morning, I planted the two beans that were doing well from indoors. One was the one pictured. The second was one that was starting to open, and looked like it would pop up any day now.
The photo of the bean shown here is the same plant as the one talked about here yesterday. You can see the growth in the size of the leaves, and the height is slightly taller. That's like, 14 hours of growth.
So, first thing this morning, I planted the two beans that were doing well from indoors. One was the one pictured. The second was one that was starting to open, and looked like it would pop up any day now.
The photo of the bean shown here is the same plant as the one talked about here yesterday. You can see the growth in the size of the leaves, and the height is slightly taller. That's like, 14 hours of growth.
The Lacinato Kale (planted five days ago) poked it's heads up today. I dropped a few seeds in each hole, and it looks like most of them took. Once they're a bit more established, I'll thin them down to the strongest plants from each spot.
This is garlic. While there are obviously garlic seeds, most garlic is grown asexually from garlic cloves, resulting in genetic clones of the mother clove. I ordered seed garlic, and received two whole bulbs. I separated all the cloves (most of which already had leaves growing out of the top anyway), and chose the nine that looked the healthiest. You poke a hole with your finger and plant the cloves about an inch down, When you cover it up, the exposed leaves look like little garden sharks.
I also planted three broccoli starts and a cauliflower start from indoors. Also, since I had extras, I planted one Brandywine tomato start. My tomatoes seem to be growing strong, so I figured it could handle a week before final frost.
Home Depot was actually having a great sale this weekend that they call their Spring Black Friday Sale. Lots of plants were greatly reduced.
My green onions growing indoors were growing very poorly, so I decided to just grab a bundle of the same onions already started. Planting these out was pretty easy- you just poke it down in the ground. The stats seem small, but I'm not sure how large they'll get.
My green onions growing indoors were growing very poorly, so I decided to just grab a bundle of the same onions already started. Planting these out was pretty easy- you just poke it down in the ground. The stats seem small, but I'm not sure how large they'll get.
My indoor chives were also pitiful, small, and shriveled, so I grabbed a bundle of Bonnie Chives from Home Depot. These look like they were blanket-seeded, with all the roots entangled. I gently separated them into individual plants and placed them into their designated square foot.
Late this week, I also decided that I wanted more berries, so I bought a blackberry bush start. Blackberries are indigenous to this region, but I wanted a new plant that I could put into a pot and keep at a manageable size. They're actually fascinating, and I'll do a separate post on blackberries later on this spring.
Late this week, I also decided that I wanted more berries, so I bought a blackberry bush start. Blackberries are indigenous to this region, but I wanted a new plant that I could put into a pot and keep at a manageable size. They're actually fascinating, and I'll do a separate post on blackberries later on this spring.
We've talked about companion planting a little bit, but I found a companion plant for ME, not just the garden. In Minecraft, one of the biggest pests is the Creeper. Creepers will chase you through mines, across fields, through forests, and over mountains. It doesn't matter if it's day or night, the Creepers are coming for you. There's only ONE thing that can repel Creepers: CATS. Cats not only act like an invisible Creeper force field, but they'll actually chase and hunt the Creepers that come anywhere near you! For me, Creepers are called "Mosquitoes." As much as I hate cats in real life, my garden "cat" is called Citronella.
This stinky geranium may not be the #1 choice to give to your sweetheart on Valentine's Day, but it does a great job of repelling mosquitoes. I have a lot of mosquitoes around here, and I'm pretty well "Dan, the Other White Meat" to them. I'd love to exact my revenge upon the world's mosquito population, but a stinky plant on my porch will have to do for now. I may end up getting more of these as summer wears on.