Getting Ready to Garden in 2012

Last week I went to Madison, WI to get seed starting supplies. I go to the hydroponics stores there because they have the best stuff, like I used to get in CA so easily.

Got flats, cells, germination trays, and special potting dirt and special compost.

Now I'm all set and ready to plant.

Yesterday I cleaned out my cellar seedling table space, and organized everything there. I brought the stacks of flats and cells and trays from the storage area in the Morton Bldg into the cellar on the green cart.

I have my seeds at the ready.

Still have to buy onion plants, and trellis netting. Want to have planting mulching paper to help keep back the weeds.

I am going to use my electric Mantis tiller this year, to cultivate, and to hill the potatoes.  I bought 5 pounds of seed potatoes from Potato Garden (Ronniger's) but will also plant the varieties we already have and like. I like to have different varieties of potatoes for all the different uses.

2010 Season has begun!

Hi Folks,

Last season we had a huge harvest from the garden, but the weeds got away from us and made the garden look ugly. We also ran out of time and energy getting things planted on time while doing other homesteading things, as well.

We are beginning the season earlier this year, and we have corrected the things that caused problems with seed germination in our first season here, last Spring. We won't be late planting some things out this year! We also have adult son and daughter working along side us this year.

We planted 4 flats yesterday of cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower, along with the tomatoes and some of the peppers. We will finish planting today with a few more flats.

The tom and pepper flats are upstairs on a heat mat where they will be quite warm, and the cole crops are in the basement on heat mats at about 7o degrees.

I am using Black Gold CoCo Blend and Fox farm Seedling Mix for planting this year, after using the awful bagged soil locally available. The cost of the better potting soil is well worth it in my book.

More to come! Come back to visit during the year!

Severe Storms

Yesterday we had bad storms here. I wanted the rain, but not destruction. We got pounded by heavy rain for a long time. Our garden survived okay, and it got the water it was desperate for. To our west, in West Union they got hit by 70+mph winds, plus hail that was baseball or tennis ball in size, about 4" diameter. We drove there for lunch today and took pics of the damage. Many trees were downed or damaged with limbs ripped off. And this house was badly damaged, too. We saw metal roofs ripped loose on outbuildings, and even the ditch weeds were laying flat, all pounded down.

Sunflowers and Walla Walla onions

Here are more photos! I planted several kinds of sunflowers around the garden perimeter, these are for the birds, the giant ones aren't blooming yet. And look at the peppers around the lettuce!

Here are the Walla Walla onions, which we are now harvesting. I'm freezing them and we're canning carmelized onions, and any way we can think of.

July Progress photos #1

Here are the latest photos from the garden. The weeds and space have been overwhelming. We had to hire help to weed since our boy isn't here to help. I gave up getting the squash and melons in. Too late. We just aren't young in body any more, our minds want to do more than we really can because we remember being young and able.

Here are my petunias, growing in pots around the kitchen garden and hydro units.

More pictures of Garden

First, left, we have the rows of peas, Maestro, Laxton's #9, and Serge. Next we have the onions, a portion of them. And below is the new addition, space behind the barn. We will have pumpkins back there, and the raspberries, rhubarb and asparagus.

Yes, we have some weed problems, but we are dealing with them. We are mulching with hay, and hand weeding.

First Pics of New Garden

Memorial Day we spent tilling the garden space that was waiting for late crops. Now we are planting it. Got over 200 pepper plants put in yesterday. Got the sweet corn planted. The onions and leeks are doing great, as are the mixed lettuces.