Spring Gardening (slow start but finally here)

This Spring, the cold seemed to just drag on and on in the Northeast.  It was a very slow start to the gardening with seeds taking longer to sprout and plants taking longer to grow.  And although I'd be harvesting more by now, I'm just thrilled that the garden looks so robust.  And thanks to the covering of tarps, everything survived the Mother's Day frost.  So here's what's growing so far. 


Spring crops as of May 20, 2013

From the far left 1/3 of the bed, there's sugar snap peas with romaine and carrots behind them.  Then in the center are red onions (find the tall shoots), followed by more romaine that is smaller because it was started from seed.  The final third of the bed on the right contains two rows of loose leaf lettuce (the lighter green) that is already growing back from the harvest of last week!  In between the lettuce was radishes that were also harvested and eaten last week, except for two more hanging on.  The last row on the right are more red onions.  Can't wait to eat all this food!  And the best part is that there's too much to eat so just with the two rows of loose leaf lettuce alone, I was able to feed 3 other neighbors! 


Makes you just want to grab a fork and start eating!

Here's a different angle that includes the 6 tomato plants growing in the background.  These were also started indoors under the grow light.  It's going to be a yummy summer!  Stay tuned for what will be planted after all these spring veggies are harvested.  In the meantime, add your link and share what's growing in your garden.

Lettuce Time! Harvesting Loose Leaf Lettuce

Lettuce ready to harvest (notice most of the radishes to the left are already eaten)

The general cry these days is "Buy Local".  I'm all for supporting the local farmer.  And this year my town started its very own Farmer's Market.  Yay!  It was a packed day at the opening of the Downingtown Farmer's Market.  Many farmers sold out within the first two hours (the market was from 3-7pm).  However, as I was ready to make my way back to the market this week, I realized that my own garden is brimming over and I better start eating!  The loose-leaf type lettuce is ready, the radishes we started eating last week, and the romaine is charging right along too!  So "buy local" has become "eat local", as in my own backyard.

Cut near the base and it will regrow!

I fell in love with romaine lettuce many years ago.  However, I fell in love with growing the loose-leaf varieties because you can harvest up to 3 times from the same seed.  That's right!  When it comes to harvesting the lettuce, you simply snip it about 3/4" from the base.  I use regular scissors to cut the lettuce.  Then simply wait and it will grow right back!  If you planned ahead and staggered your seed planting, then you could end up eating one row at a time and end up back at the first row already regrown.  I did stagger this year, however the cold spring we had stunted the growth.  When they finally really took off growing, they were all the same height.  Oops.  So that means there's lots of sharing going on in our house with neighbors and friends.  So keep an eye on your lettuce and whenever possible, support the local farmer too!

 

If you're near Downingtown, PA, check out our new farmer's market on Thursdays, 3-7pm. Click here for more information.

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Build Your Own Raised Bed for Small Spaces (DIY)

After two years of gardening in my original raised bed, I decided it was time to expand.  Afterall, I had already expanded in the virtual world (thanks Tap Ranch!) so it was time to get to work at home too.  However, I also need to share the backyard for the occasional activities of my kids.  So we opted to build a smaller 4x4 raised bed.  Here are the plans so you can build your own too.

Step 1:  the Supplies
4x4 pressure-treated wood cut into 1-foot pieces (qty. 4)
2x6 pressure-treated wood cut into 4-foot pieces (qty. 4)
3 1/2" lag bolt zinc screws (qty. 16)
2 1/2" lag bolt zinc screws (qty. 8)
Post hole digger
Soil (I prefer a mixture that my mother-in-law swears by and has worked for me in the past:  rich topsoil on the bottom, followed by humus manure and peatmoss.)
2 Bayer Aspirin for when you're all finished

Step 2:  Begin Assembling
Begin by laying out the pieces and attaching the 2x6 pieces to the 4x4 wood with the 3 1/2" lag bolts into predrilled holes.

Notice the placement of the screws into the 4x4.

Continue working around until all four corners are attached.  For extra reinforcement add the 2 1/2" screws into predrilled holes connecting the 2x6 pieces together.  You would be surprised how many times my raised bed has been used by kids as a balance beam!  These extra screws have kept it from falling apart.  Continue to finish all four corners.

Step 3:  Placement in the ground
Once the frame is assembled, position it where you want it.  You'll need to mark the corners and begin digging holes with a post hole digger.  Thanks to my neighbor for letting us borrow hers!

Once the holes are dug, flip the frame over into the holes.  Make sure it rests evenly into each hole.  If not, dig the holes deeper or larger as needed. 

Step 4:  Fill your raised bed
This is where I took over after the bed was built.  In the past, we dug up all the grass which was REALLY tiresome!  So this time I'm trying the method pinned around the world on Pinterest.  Simply lay paper over the grass.  I chose the leaf bags as my base since they are biodegradable.  They kill the grass but disolve over time. 

Next add the soil and enjoy planting!

If you want a traditonal 4x8 bed, just modify your 2x6 wood pieces to have two pieces 8' long and two 4' long.  The rest of the steps are the same. 

Linking up at the Clever Chicks Blog Hop

Crazy Weather: When to Plant Tomatoes

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In early April, it appeared that winter was doing it's best to hang on here in Pennsylvania.  Then suddenly, we were hitting 87 degrees this week!  And just like that, today, the cold temps have blown back in for the weekend.  It's always difficult to know when to plant tomatoes and the other summer crops, but this crazy weather has left many scratching their heads.  Add to the confusion the fact that the stores are beginning to stock beautiful tomato plants tempting gardeners to buy and plant.  Therefore, this must be the perfect time, right?





While checking out at the grocery store, I overheard the cashier saying how he had just planted his tomato plants that he bought at Home Depot.  I wanted to lean in and tell him it was too early to plant, but my advice would have been too late.  Then I arrived home and noticed that my own tomatoes under the grow light look like they should in late May.  Apparently the grow light works!  I had to wonder if I could break the rules and be like the cashier, recklessly putting them in the ground whenever my gardener's heart desired!  But I know better.  Mother Nature bit me last year with a final late frost on April 27!  So when to plant?

Just 3 weeks after planting, they're getting so tall,
I'm running out of room to move up the grow light!

Assuming you already have your cold weather crops in the ground (lettuces, radish, carrots, onions, romaine, spinach, broccoli, etc.) I'm referring to the summer plantings.  The standard thinking is to plant them after the last frost.  However, no one knows when that will be so it doesn't make for great advice.  On the other hand, gonig with the most likely planting date (one that is 90% safely past the last frost) is your best option.  For Philadelphia, that would be April 10-19.  That's good news for those of us in this area!  We can start planting!  As for those outside the area, here's the link to a great chart to find your city (Almanac frost dates).

Meanwhile, the best planting date is still later.  My grandfather always said to wait till May, preferably Mother's Day weekend or later.  Afterall, it was April 27 last year when I took a chance and watched my sprouts get frostbitten.  If we do get hit with another frost, just remember to cover your plants.  Happy Planting!

Linked up at: The Clever Chicks Blog Hop

DIY Plant Grow Light Stand

The time had come for me to take my gardening to the next level.  I had spent two years drooling over the online grow light stands and shelves (up to $500!!), and it was time for us to make our own.  Notice the "us" which includes my handy husband.  I found some online plans, and my husband agreed to make it happen.  First thing I noticed, is that all the online plans were for a four-foot light fixture.  As  much as I'd love to have that much growing capacity, I didn't think we had room for it with two active boys also in the mix.  So we downsized to a 2-foot light with adjustments.

Using 1 1/4" PVC pipe (purchased the 10' tube), we measured and cut 31" for the top piece and 20" for the two side vertical pieces.  The bottom pieces ("feet") are 8-9" on each side of the Tee connector.  I also purchased two tee connectors for the feet (1 1/4" size) and two elbows for the top (1 1/4"), as well as 4 end caps (1 1/4" size) for the feet.

The frame of the grow light stand

Although pvc glue was used on the feet/tee connector, we decided to not glue the top to the elbows so that it could collapse for storage off season.

My wonderful husband also had to make some adjustments to the light since 2' fluorescent lights do not usually come with a cord.  So he wired in the cord and attached it to a 2x4 piece of wood in order to be able to hang it from chains and s-hooks for adjusting as the plants grow. 

I think the plants look happy so far....only 6 days later!  Much happier than they would be if the were out in this March 25th snow we're having!

Starting Seeds indoors (The Grumpy Gardener)

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I'm grumpy.  My family knows it.  And I suspect many other gardeners in the Northeast are grumpy this weekend too.  We've set the clocks forward, the seeds are purchased, the crocuses are in bloom, but instead of getting to work in the garden, it's snowing.  Yup, my annual St. Patty's Day planting will have to wait.  It snowed yesterday, it's cold today, and there's a "bigger storm" coming tomorrow.  That's all the weatherman promises in the forcast.  Yippie, more winter.  Not what a gardener wants to hear.  So how does a frustrated gardener get to work anyway?  We start planting indoors.

If you've been following my gardening blog, you know from my post last Spring, I'm not an "innie".  I have no green thumb when it comes to growing plants indoors.  Previous attempts at houseplants have ended in their brown/withered death.  I have grown seeds indoors, but I hurry to get them outside before the mold begins to grow.  So this year, I'm setting myself up with the proper tools.  My husband is building me a grow light stand and I used my Christmas giftcard for a grow kit!  What better idea for a non-indoor grower than a "self-watering deep root system grow kit"!  Sign me up, send the UPS guy, my answer is here.

 

Purchased from Gardeners Supply, the reviews say it should be able to erase all my indoor growing deficits by doing what I haven't been able to do....properly water indoor seeds.  So after carving out a quiet piece of time in the day (ok, maybe the kids were still loud in the background), I got to work.  Oh, the smell of the dirt!  It may have been my kitchen, but I was transported to sunnier days outside in the garden.  And it might just be a seed, but it's the promise of things to come.  Nothing lifts a gardener's spirit than actually gardening. 

What I'm growing so far indoors are three cells each of three different types of non-GMO tomatoes (Moneymaker, Cherry, and Thessaloniki), and 6 cells of Romaine that I'll tranplant outdoors in a few weeks.  So it now sits on the floor with the lid on until the sprouts appear.  Once they do, we'll lift the lid and add the grow light.  Meanwhile, you'll find me outdoors on the first semi-warm day putting the rest of the spring crops in the garden:  lettuce, radishes, carrots, etc. Stay tuned. 

I'm Dreaming of a Green Garden!

"Dream Garden" by Maxfield Parrish

You know you have the gardening itch when you start making up songs about your garden in the shower!  The blizzard hit New England last night and mostly missed us.  Still, the near miss of being buried in snow got me really longing for the days of gardening.  My broccoli are still in the garden and hopefully wintering over for Spring.   The heirloom seeds I orderered have already arrived in the mail.  Almost daily, the mailman brings me reminders through gardening catalogs and seed order forms (including the penny sale again!).  Oh, to be out in the garden!  So I share my song that I was singing to myself this morning.

I'm dreaming of a green garden,
 Just like the one I used to grow
Where the veggies glisten
And children pick them
I can't wait for gardens to grow!