[Cambium]

Originally Posted by clutchrider

I have to pickup some already working garlic plants, missed my fall planting. So far I expanded by adding a second lamp with a split of bulbs. I have the grow bulbs along with daylight to give a full spectrum for the plants. I didn't use the plastic clear covers either and 3 days in have sprouts! I'll be doing another planting in two weeks, then two after that to have plenty of harvest throughout the season.

Very psyched for this season, I've got a medley of plants; Butter Lettuce, Romaine, Arugula, Spinach, Green Onion, Walla Walla Onion, Yellow Sweet Onions, Carrots, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, String Beans, Bell Peppers, Cauliflower, Sweet Corn, and a hot few pepper plants in containers on the deck.

Nice setup. So you start your cool weather stuff indoors? I find its less hassel to just wait a little and just sow outside. They grow pretty fast. I always try to plant new Basil seeds every 3-4 weeks just so I can have enough into the winter but I never do. lol With how our weather has been we're all itching!

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

I was raking last weekend - ground is nice and soft!

This popped up in my FB feed from 2 years ago:

Ground definitely soft but still too cool. It's around 40 degrees the soil. Should be mid 40s by end of week but then will either drop a little or stay mid 40s because pattern is changing to a cooler one.


2 yrs ago we had large piles still around.


Last year we had this March 8th.... CRAZY! I remember worrying because I wasn't going to have time to till and prepare everything. Then summer hit in May and we did in fact have a had a short Spring.

[Cambium]

March 13, 2016:


Tomato Seeds are getting started today.





You see that tan area in the pit? That is literally like cement. A Solid base and its only 10 inches deep. I cant stick a shovel into it.


This property was a farm with Cows grazing on it. If you assumed it would have great soil you would be wrong. Builders filled the neighborhood and homes with CRAP (Rocks) and plus its been depleated and compacted since being farm land.







So I been screening it.







For years I been adding Garden Soil, Organic Compost, and Top Soil.


But Really? Convinced rocks multiple over the winter. I do this every year! But this time I dug deep and screening most of the bed.


That soil there you can stick your hand in and go all the way down to your wrist without hitting a rock. Roots are going to love that!





Weed Be GONE! Cardboard along the walking path has worked for me past 2 years. No weeds to pull and Biodegrades by winter. Win Win.

[clutchrider]

Very nice work! I still have to rake the hay bed off my garden and get the irrigation setup. I'm still debating buying a drip kit or just running a soaker system this year.

About ready to start a second planting in about a week, then some manure and tilling and the transfer can begin. Everything was outside today on the deck getting some air and natural sun. I will say that mixing the bulbs (plant/aqua and the daylight deluxe) made a difference in the sprouting and growth it seems. Last year I was waiting a solid week and a half for sprouts and this year it's been days.

And I've been doing all this with a 15 month old and a pregnant wife, finding time is hard lol.

[hunterseat]

WOW you grew rocks over the winter, Cam. I finally ordered flowers online from Michigan Bulb. We aren't where we want to be on yard renovation so I'll probably just have some containers and patches of vegetables here and there, where I can find sunlight.
HOWEVER!!!! My oregano is rebounding!! No sign of the rosemary yet.
I have pansies that have weathered the winter and are reviving. AND a few daffodils and lilies are sprouting.
I do have some seeds I stuck aside from salads - cukes, squash, peppers... I guess I can get those started!
I'm holding my breath on the little fig piece I took from my friends ancient fig in NC.

[hunterseat]

My Michigan Bulb order came in earlier this week. The instructions said to plant immediately but I let the snow melt first. I stored the bulbs and plants in the cool basement until yesterday then planted them all! The soil here is mostly composted leaves over rock. (I mean DEEP compost) Very rich stuff. I was a bit leery at first because I had no extra potting soil on hand but I was afraid to wait to get them set out. I'm glad because those babies were sprouting!

We have very little full sun - yet. I did give a chainsaw as a gift (HINT HINT, honey) which is still in the box.

These are flowering shade plants. Hoping for the best.

[Cambium]

We still get below freezing at the end of March and into April. Why do these guys at Home Cheapo and other spots leave sensitive plants out. All the Basil got damaged. Some poor sole wont know and will buy these horrible looking plants. This was taken yesterday when we had dropped into the mid-upper 20s! So dumb they are.


On that note... We have the Polar Vortex dropping to Quebec and that means one thing... Its gonna get cold in CT Sunday,Monday,Tuesday with chances of snow. Cover up or bring anything inside. Nothing should be planted out yet.


Mid May is last frost date

[clutchrider]

I'm keeping everything indoors until April for sure. Just planted another section of onion varieties, carrots, and radishes. Going home tonight to toss some broccoli rabe and other seeds. Then once everything goes in the ground I can do another planting of the same. The goal is to keep an ongoing crop through the season instead of all at once. Hopefully spacing my seeding a few weeks apart will help that. I also picked up some strawberries from BJ's that are in a pot right now doing well, have to get the garlic that is sprouting in pots tonight.

Appears with the weather and my time that the next chance to get the garden ready is the 14th of April. Then maybe I can plant this stuff outdoors.

[hunterseat]

Pretty stuff, clutchrider!!

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by clutchrider

I'm keeping everything indoors until April for sure. Just planted another section of onion varieties, carrots, and radishes. Going home tonight to toss some broccoli rabe and other seeds. Then once everything goes in the ground I can do another planting of the same. The goal is to keep an ongoing crop through the season instead of all at once. Hopefully spacing my seeding a few weeks apart will help that. I also picked up some strawberries from BJ's that are in a pot right now doing well, have to get the garlic that is sprouting in pots tonight.

Appears with the weather and my time that the next chance to get the garden ready is the 14th of April. Then maybe I can plant this stuff outdoors.

Looking good! Yeah, Mid April for those cool crops sounds good. Looks like we're getting a couple of cold blasts coming up. First half of April not looking warm


I'm ready but it's still way too early.





I did put the Potatoes in. We'll see how that goes.

[clutchrider]

Coming along nicely. My garden is still covered in hay and leaves but it will be remedied in about a week. I may look into picking up some paver stones to more easily step around. Are those 12x12 or 16x16?

At least I got the blower/trimmer/tractor tuned up, stored the snow thrower, got the leaves off the yard, and put down Step 1 and Lime. Put a dent in the list, oh and got my heater cable down off the roof.

Tonight is planting the garlic bulbs, and another tray of crops.