February 15, 2012 -
I am going to try onions this year. Not sure if I will break down and do sets later but right now I am going to try growing from seeds. I have never done this. When I was younger, my Dad would buy sets and we would put them out in a row and watch them grow. However, we did not have much luck because of the clay ground we had.
I am going to try three varieties this year. I may try four but we will have to see. The three varieties are: Sweet Spanish Utah Jumbo (a yellow), Southport White Globe (a white) and Red Burgundy (a red). I have planted the Sweet Spanish Utah Jumbo and the Southport White Globe. I will probably plant the Red Burgundy this weekend if I have time. I started these indoors in egg cartons. When they get a little bigger, I will move them out to the garden as sets. I will probably plant these with the cabbage I am working on to keep down pests.
The Sweet Spanish Utah was the first to germinate. I have some small green shoots showing up. Germination time was supposed to be 10-12 days, but it looks like they are a little early. These seeds were planted last week on will hopefully yield some onions around the beginning of June. We will have to see, like I said this is the first time I have planted these. Since this is the first year I have tried them, I am just doing 12.
The Southport White Globe has not sprouted yet. I have also planted 12 of these. Waiting for the first shoots to pop up but nothing on them yet. These also should start yielding around June.
The Red Burgundy I will plant 12 of these also. I may do some more of the yellow and red since I am not a big fan of the white.
Anyway I will keep you posted.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Copenhagen Early Market - Cabbage
February 10, 2012 -
Had a bit of a scare last night. I had made the comment to one of my co-workers that need to move the seedlings from the seed start dirt (which is not really nutrious for the plants) to some good compost soil, then I came home last night to see the Copenhagen Early Market variety of cabbage practically wilted. I transferred the plants to cups full of dirt and soaked them in water, but one of them will not make it. So I replanted 1 cabbage last night.
I will do the same to the rest of them tonight and Saturday. All the others seem to be doing well.
Had a bit of a scare last night. I had made the comment to one of my co-workers that need to move the seedlings from the seed start dirt (which is not really nutrious for the plants) to some good compost soil, then I came home last night to see the Copenhagen Early Market variety of cabbage practically wilted. I transferred the plants to cups full of dirt and soaked them in water, but one of them will not make it. So I replanted 1 cabbage last night.
I will do the same to the rest of them tonight and Saturday. All the others seem to be doing well.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Repurposed - Dunnage from Work
February 4, 2012 -
I work at Bull Moose Tube company in Trenton, GA as the plant engineer. I am shocked sometimes at what we throw away in an industrial setting that I know we can use for something else. Last year, I re-purposed some divider boards for OSB blocks we use in storage to make 2 beds that were 42" square. These are the beds that currently are home to our garlic and tulips. They have performed better than I had expected and have really impressed me.
With the garden pushing for more expansion this year, I happened upon another item that my boss allowed me to re-purpose for the expansion beds I am in the process of building. The dunnage that is returned from Husqvarna for us to reuse also includes dunnage from some of their other suppliers. We typically throw this away and keep ours. I noticed that there were several 2x4 boards that came back that we throw away. This bothered me and I decided to see what I could design to reuse these.
One of the sizes that comes back is 24" 2x4 boards. With a little bit of sketching, I came up with a 4'x4' bed that I could use to build out my garden. When the operators sort these, they hold out the 24" lumber for me. I take it home and expand my garden with a little bit of nailing. So far, I have created 3 of these to expand in. They seem sturdy and when they finally do rot away. I can just build another one as long as we continue to sell product to Husqvarna.
I work at Bull Moose Tube company in Trenton, GA as the plant engineer. I am shocked sometimes at what we throw away in an industrial setting that I know we can use for something else. Last year, I re-purposed some divider boards for OSB blocks we use in storage to make 2 beds that were 42" square. These are the beds that currently are home to our garlic and tulips. They have performed better than I had expected and have really impressed me.
With the garden pushing for more expansion this year, I happened upon another item that my boss allowed me to re-purpose for the expansion beds I am in the process of building. The dunnage that is returned from Husqvarna for us to reuse also includes dunnage from some of their other suppliers. We typically throw this away and keep ours. I noticed that there were several 2x4 boards that came back that we throw away. This bothered me and I decided to see what I could design to reuse these.
One of the sizes that comes back is 24" 2x4 boards. With a little bit of sketching, I came up with a 4'x4' bed that I could use to build out my garden. When the operators sort these, they hold out the 24" lumber for me. I take it home and expand my garden with a little bit of nailing. So far, I have created 3 of these to expand in. They seem sturdy and when they finally do rot away. I can just build another one as long as we continue to sell product to Husqvarna.
Broccoli - Green Goliath
February 4, 2012 -
I threw out 2 of the rolls of Green Goliath from 2011. They did not germinate. I think I might have planted them too deep. You are only supposed to go 1/4" deep and I think these guys ended up being about an inch deep. The 2011 Lot of the Green Goliath seeds were the last to germinate because I think they were too deep. All of the 2007 Lot of the Green Goliath germinated and are doing well. Although all of them are behind the cabbage. This kinda of surprises me.
But there are 4 of the 2011 Lot and 4 of the 2007 Lot going strong. I still have to plant some of the De Cicco Broccoli. If I get the opportunity tomorrow I will plant 6 of these as well.
I threw out 2 of the rolls of Green Goliath from 2011. They did not germinate. I think I might have planted them too deep. You are only supposed to go 1/4" deep and I think these guys ended up being about an inch deep. The 2011 Lot of the Green Goliath seeds were the last to germinate because I think they were too deep. All of the 2007 Lot of the Green Goliath germinated and are doing well. Although all of them are behind the cabbage. This kinda of surprises me.
But there are 4 of the 2011 Lot and 4 of the 2007 Lot going strong. I still have to plant some of the De Cicco Broccoli. If I get the opportunity tomorrow I will plant 6 of these as well.
Copenhagen Early Market Cabbage
February 4, 2012 -
Throw out one of my "rolls" of this variety of cabbage. It did not germinate. This was one that I had knocked over when Abby was trying to see the baby cabbage. I filled it back in, but I think the damage was done. Well, still have 5 of these going.
Throw out one of my "rolls" of this variety of cabbage. It did not germinate. This was one that I had knocked over when Abby was trying to see the baby cabbage. I filled it back in, but I think the damage was done. Well, still have 5 of these going.
Tulips-a-Plenty
February 4, 2012 -
Last fall, before cooler temperatures arrived, I got two types of tulip bulbs on sale. Jocelyn's favorite flower is the tulip. So we purchased some red and white tulips and allowed them to take over one of the beds. This might have been poor planning on my part but it will be worth it when they sprout up here soon.
When I noticed our garlic bulbs poking their heads up a couple of weeks ago, I also noticed that the bulbs I had planted in the fall had also awakened. With the unseasonably warm weather we have had all winter, it is no wonder that they have poked their little green thumbs out the ground. When I counted all of the bulbs that Abby and I planted last year were up and out.
They are just small compact shoots now, but hopefully they will harken in spring when it gets with a burst of color. They also will hopefully mark a spot for honey bees to come back to several times this summer.
Last fall, before cooler temperatures arrived, I got two types of tulip bulbs on sale. Jocelyn's favorite flower is the tulip. So we purchased some red and white tulips and allowed them to take over one of the beds. This might have been poor planning on my part but it will be worth it when they sprout up here soon.
When I noticed our garlic bulbs poking their heads up a couple of weeks ago, I also noticed that the bulbs I had planted in the fall had also awakened. With the unseasonably warm weather we have had all winter, it is no wonder that they have poked their little green thumbs out the ground. When I counted all of the bulbs that Abby and I planted last year were up and out.
They are just small compact shoots now, but hopefully they will harken in spring when it gets with a burst of color. They also will hopefully mark a spot for honey bees to come back to several times this summer.
Cauliflower
February 4, 2012 -
Along with some of my other spring vegetables, I have also started some cauliflower. Early Snowball is the name and it is from a packet of seeds I had from last year. I planted 6 "rolls" of these and they have all sprouted up. I planted the week of January 22nd. All appear to be healthy. Looking forward to the next few leaf sprouts to poke out soon.
I plan on putting these out the same time as the cabbage and broccoli. With luck we will have a some early spring harvest of vegetables.
Check back for more updates.
Along with some of my other spring vegetables, I have also started some cauliflower. Early Snowball is the name and it is from a packet of seeds I had from last year. I planted 6 "rolls" of these and they have all sprouted up. I planted the week of January 22nd. All appear to be healthy. Looking forward to the next few leaf sprouts to poke out soon.
I plan on putting these out the same time as the cabbage and broccoli. With luck we will have a some early spring harvest of vegetables.
Check back for more updates.
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