Moon Gardening

Well, not much has happened in the area of gardening since the 8th. I have not had any of my seeds germinating so on some advice of some SMART people on http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/sqfoot/ I took them upstairs in top of the fridge to warm up. I will then take them back downstairs under the florescent light after that. I was told that cold will help prevent seedlings being leggy.

I have recently been thinking of the Moon Gardening and at once I thought it was an old wives tail like putting a knife under the bed to cut the pain in two (wha??) but the more I thought of it, it seems logical that God would use the Moon to help with the plants. I mean, the moon moves the oceans! How hard would it be to manipulate and promote growth! So I am charting when I should plant what and we will see how that goes. :D

I have decided that since my desk has under the shelf florescent lights (not sure what that is called) and overhead lights, why not grow lettuce, radishes and carrots indoors? Someone else on the garden web mentioned that they were growing lettuce in the basement. I thought "well! Why not here!" I only have one pot that is 6" wide by 6" deep so I started one Grand Rapids Leaf lettuce and threw in 4 Early Scarlet Globe radishes on the outside. If I can find another cute pot at home (I am sure they are premium price now), then I will think about maybe some short carrots. I will have my own little salad bar! lol Well, I will update you on the progress of that little project.

Superbowl Weekend

Well, to my disappointment, the Colt's didn't win but was very happy that they lost to the Saints. The only two teams that I would not be totally upset with the Colts losing to is the NY Giants (I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Eli!) or the Saints since this was the first time...EVER to be in the super bowl. Plus, that is where the Mannings grew up so I am sure that Peyton was not 100% upset with the loss.

Anywho, I was finally able to catch up on starting the seedlings. I started:
Porter Tomatoes (4)
First Pick Tomato (5)
Ox Heart Tomatoes (5)
Giant Beefsteak Tomato (6)
Yellow Crookneck Squash (6)
Table Queen Squash (4)
Sweet Potato

I was able to rig a temporary set up to use my florescent lights in the basement. I basically just stacked plastic totes until the plants were around 3 inches from the light. While I know they don't need light right now since they haven't sprouted, I thought it would be good for the heat. I am still debating on getting a warming mat for the peppers. I need to get those started as well.

I meant to plant my broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, carrots and spinach, but didn't get to the garden. It was soooo cold and I haven't re-arranged my garden yet. This winter has been the coldest that I have remembered. It has snowed more this year (2010) than it has in a very long time. Closed schools twice and there were flurries all weekend. Have I mentioned how much I DESPISE cold weather? I just dont see how the northerners deal with it.

I am still not 100% sure I want to change my garden. There is a 76 square foot area that has been used as a traditional garden for years. Mom and dad worked it for so many years and just put a couple of tomato plants and other stuff in so I know the soil is pretty good. I thought it was a waste to put a square foot garden on top of so I as going to move it down the hill a little and use that as additional space. But we have Bermuda grass that is horrible and Mom has warned many times that it is a bear to keep up with. I struggled with it when I put down weed cloth so this will be much harder. But I also didnt mind weeding. I didn't do it weekly but when I did, I wasn't miserable. I am going to have to persuade me some muscle to help. I have already asked a friend to help and he has already committed so hopefully that will go smoothly.

I have already asked my brother in law to keep an ear open to anyone wanting to get rid of horse manure. I might have to break down and call some horse farms (for a lack of words...I drew a blank) and see how much they will charge for me to haul it off. I am hoping nothing but you never know. I am imagining that will involve some shoveling as well. I might also weigh my option of calling a nursery and seeing how much they will charge for some compost or manure or something by the truck full. Mom got something for $15 a car load. I am happy with that :D

Anyway, while I ate my weight in Super Bowl food (I think I could go a week with the amount of food I ate in one day), I was proud that I started 30 plants.

I am so excited that gardening season has started! WOOOHOOO!!!

Jen

Tomato Seeds

Well, I am happy to say that I FINALLY started my tomato plants. EG, (I can't post comments at work) I live in zone 7 (formerly 6b which I wonder if we will go back to since the weather has kinda reversed) but last year I remember being able to buy tomato plants that were twice the size as the ones I started. So I assumed if you can start your squash plants in January (my neighbor did and had squash a month before me!), then I can start my tomato plants early.....except I didn't! >:( But I am happy to say I did. I stared 4 Ox Heart Tomato plants(has anyone ever heard of them? A friend of mine graced me with 2 from her son's garden and those things were HUGE! She said they were a very old kind of tomato and while they had very few seeds, I was able to save them), and 2 crookneck squash, and one winter squash. I am going to start my Porter Tomatoes (4), First Pick Tomato (5), and Giant Beefsteak Tomato (6) tonight. I didnt start them last night because I wasn't sure which ones I planed on starting and my spreadsheet was at work. LOL I was planning on starting cantaloupe, Israeli watermelon and Sugar Baby watermelon, and pumpkin, but kinda wondering about those. I am also going to plant broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower to see if they actually make it. My neighbor across the street planted his sometime in January. By March he had harvested all of his broccoli and he said he started them in January. Hmmmm I am going to try it at least. I have MUCHO seeds and thought, why not!

Thanks for your input guys. It means a lot :D

6 months?

Has it REALLY been 6 months? Well since I am very OCD and Bi-polar all wrapped up into one, I got VERY tired of my garden and documenting it. But I'm back!

This is what I am planning on doing this year. I am going to try corn once more but with the three sisters method. Any advice?





I should have started my tomato plants 3 1/2 weeks ago, but every day I plan on doing it that night. I am hoping to rig something up downstairs. I have some GREAT fluorescent lights but with normal people, they are on the ceiling and I am not electricity knowledgeable enough to move it so I am going to have to bring the plants to the light. I also have to get some soil from the garden. Can you start tomato plants and pepper plants in peat moss only?

Maybe I can beat last year's harvest of pears. Not one was ripe. EWWWWW Maybe if I stick some Irish Spring in the trees to keep the deer away, then I can leave them up there until the end of August. But I made MANY jars of Pear preserves. I am not fond of the pieces of pears in it so I will make pear butter this year. Got to get more jars! lol

It's good to be back. Thanks for all your feedback!