No spring until the end of March......

The weatherman I regularly listen to gave his prediction for the weather in this area.  He does not expect normal or even slightly above normal temps until at least the third week in March.  Looks like we may have to take a snow shovel with us when we open the trailer on March 22nd!  LOL!!

As I sit here looking out the back door, it is sunny, then cloudy, then snow flurries (sometimes with the sun shining), sunny, cloudy...............well you get the idea.   To brighten my spirits with all this cold (btw, getting colder next week), I worked on some of my garden plants.

Moved the parsley, snapdragons, and dahlia to individual cells from the community pot each was in.

I ended up putting a dozen of each in this tray, but still had more seedlings!  Not being one to waste a seedling (you never know when you need one), I planted the leftovers out into individual pots.

I ended up with a 13th dahlia, 9 more snapdragons and 5 more parsley.  The snaps and parsley I planted two into each pot/cell.   Who knows, maybe I will have extras and will be able to sell some!

So then I decided to plant 8 spinach seed in a community pot.  My plan for the vege garden is to plant spinach seeds indoors, each two weeks apart, hoping to extend the spinach harvest.   I also planted seeds for 4 broccoli.   Usually don't have luck with broccoli, so only doing 4 for spring season (my plan only calls for 2).  If it works, will be sure to start broccoli seed mid-summer for a fall crop.

What's sprouting here:

The sprouts all the way to the right are my mini bok choi....center is Tom Thumb lettuce and to the right, which you can barely see, is Petit Rouge lettuce.  Both these small lettuces I want to use in a flower pot at my trailer.  These are new seeds, so not surprised they are already sprouting.  The other lettuces planted at the same time are older seeds, crossing fingers they come up.  Thrilled to see the tiny petunia seeds sprouting (not pictured).

I have an old packet of calendula seeds that I want to get started and use primarily at the campground.  So what I did is put them in damp paper towel to pre-sprout before I waste soil and pots on them.  Am thinking that the blue sage plants would be good at the trailer site also, hummingbirds are supposed to like them...another bunch of seeds to start tomorrow!  LOL!!  Bought seed packs of short sunflowers yesterday for one of my site gardens.   If I can get them to grow, will look real neat!

In the next few day, maybe tomorrow, will start the tomato and pepper seeds.  I have so many seedlings up and running that I am going to have to find a place for my houseplants I have on the rack.  The converted garage room is a very cool room, so newly planted seeds need to go on center rack where I have a heating coil until they sprout.  The coolness will keep things from growing too fast.  Wish my greenhouse (which is a glorified tent really) was a real one with heat.   But with all this bitter cold (like single digits), even a heated greenhouse would be tough  to use.

It seems like every time I go to the store for seeds, come home and remember something else I wanted to look for.  Sweet Peas!   went to start some today and found I don't have any!   Seed packs are like potato chips, can't help myself!  LOL!!!

So off to do a little housework and see what else I can do to move plants around.  Keep warm my friends, til next time !

Deb

Our quick taste of spring is over

Yesterday and today were in the mid to high 50's and it felt so good, got to sit outside in the sun for a little while.   Well reality bites and we go back to cold temps and possible snow for at least the next 10 days.

So today I finally started more seeds....5 different lettuces, baby bok choy, eucalyptus, more impatient and more petunias and eggplant.   Think tomorrow will start some spinach and when they go in the ground (if it ever warms up) will also plant seed for a continuous supply.   Want to get peppers started too.  Need to finalize garden plan so I know exactly how many and what variety I need to start.

Played around with the tomato bed plan and can get 6 plants in instead of just four.  Really want to make and freeze tomato sauce this year.

Seedlings are all still growing well, had to turn on second bank of lights so I could put my bigger plants on the low shelf with the seedlings on upper rack for easier access to them.

So here I sit waiting for spring.  So keep warm everyone, talk to you soon


Deb

February's Warm Up

With all the freezing weather we have had this winter, today's and tomorrow's warmer weather (although very brief) is a welcome change.  Only 9:30 in the morning and already it is 49 degrees and very foggy.  Now that may not seem warm to folks in the southern states, but believe me it feels like summer to us right now!  Reality hits mid next week when we go back to about 10 degrees below average.  I feel like I will never get out into my garden this year....

What's happening today on the seed starting rack?  Here are some pictures -

  

Rosemary seedlings

Celery seedlings (happy to see these, though the seeds were too old)

That bunch of seedlings is flat leaf parsley - looks like a bumper crop this year!  I may have enough to be able to sell some.  Next to the baby geranium pack is a lone sage seedling, let's hope there are more coming!

  Leek seedlings!

Dahlia seedlings.  I planted four rows of four, hoping to get 100% germination on these. 

 In a few more days will find out if it will happen.  Fingers crossed!

So you can see things are growing well.  I am contemplating growing alot of baby bok choi for possible sale.   Bought some broccoli, petunia and more impatien seeds the other day.  Like potato chips, can't help buying just one more seed pack!  LOL!!

Today I plan on planting seeds of lettuce, and maybe the new pack of impatiens and petunias.  Also realized I have to fire up the second set of plant lights.  Will be putting my established plants (brought in for winter) under the lights on the lower rack so I won't have to bend so far to work on the seedlings!  LOL!!!

So for now just looking out the door at the fog, waiting for possible thunderstorms today........dreaming of being able to get outside and actually plant something!  Yes I am pushing the limit starting so many seeds early, but they are growing slowly and not getting leggy at all, which is good.  Think I better start putting the snapdragons and parsley in individual cell packs soon so they can start getting stronger....maybe next week.  

Have a great day my gardening friends!

Deb

another quick update

Today planted impatien seeds and the four wisteria seeds I found on the old vine at Fernbrook Farms last Wednesday (had them soaking in water since then).

Also pleased to see that a half dozen dahlia seeds have broke through the surface!  LOL!!

More tomorrow!

Deb

quick update

Today I see my first sage and first leek seedlings!   Had an old envelope of about 12 petunia seeds, planted in a pot to see if they will grow.   Waiting for my son to come back from the store with new impatien seeds that I want to start tonight.

Been toying with the idea of putting some snow pea seeds in a large pot for an extra early head start, may do that tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, another storm coming but we will be getting rain....thankfully!

Keep Warm!

deb

More snow........

Yesterday we got just under an inch of snow, more coming for Monday/Tuesday - although from what I see on the news today we will luck out with just rain again.  So many folks I know with feet of snow on the ground, and I sit here complaining about a lousy inch.......best thing is by end of week will be around 50 degrees!  Whooohooo!   Can a warming trend finally be starting?  Hope so.

Have been happy with my seed starting venture.  Here are some pics of seedlings that have popped up in the past day or so....

Finally the lavender has started to sprout, and very excited the parsley sprouted so fast!  Viscaria is a flowering plant, they were old seeds and surprised they actually sprouted.

Look at how well my geranium plants are doing!  A 12 pack of potential beauty!

Shown here are my onion starts (left) and the snapdragon seedlings (right).  Again, so happy they are doing well!

Now the seedlings that have been growing for a couple of weeks seem small, that is exactly what I want to happen.  The goal is stocky plants, not leggy ones.  Looking at the snapdragon seedlings, in another week or so I will take them from this communal pot to individual cells (like the geraniums are in).  I just want them to get a bit stronger before moving them.  

Again looking forward to some warmer weather at the end of this week.  In the meantime I am finalizing my vege garden plans (measured garden last week, not as big as I thought) for seed starting.  Tomato and pepper seeds won't be started for at least another 4-6 weeks as they don't get planted until the end of April or beginning of May, depending on the weather and temps.   I do plan on starting some lettuce plants early so when it is outdoor planting time can put them in and start seed outdoors at the same time for some succession planting.   I think the spring vege I am most looking to is snow pea pods (too bad there is no way to preserve them as they do not freeze or can well at or).  Nothing better than picking the pea pods and putting them straight into the wok!

Speaking of cooking veges, my daughter - Christine Wendland - recently published a cookbook she created when doing cooking demonstrations at a local farm.  It is called "Tuesdays at Fernbrook", and is available as an e-book.    Amazing recipes!

Well will have to think of what I may want to plant today.........the bright sun outside always gets me wanting to plant something, despite the snow and cold outside!

Keep well my friends, keep warm !

Deb

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Who doesn't love to be loved?  And who doesn't love gardening, warm weather, birds singing....until these darned winter storms stop and the weather pattern changes, we are screwed!

So what is new in my gardening world today?  Today planted seeds of lemon grass and Thalia.  Saw a couple of sprouts in the pot with rosemary seeds.  Totally gave up on flowering maple and the two types of viola seeds, guess they were too old.  Also trying something I read, sprinkled cinnamon on top of soil to supposedly keep fungus from forming, will see.


Still just waiting for the weather to straighten out, so want to get outside.  Til next time, think spring!

Deb

ARGH....................more snow!

Last night we got about 2" of snow, with a possible big storm coming in on Wednesday night... not a very happy gardener!  I WANT SPRING ALREADY!!!

Ok enough whining.....  not much happening on the plant front.  The chamomile seeds I planted the other day have sprouted.  Happy to report the heating coil I was worried about seems to be working fine, although the pots seem to dry out quicker than normal.  This will be a great help when it is time to start the tomato and pepper seeds.

Went outside the other day (before snow) to remeasure my vege garden area.  Man is my memory bad, is smaller than I thought it was. But that is ok, there will be alot of intercropping and rotation cropping this year.   

Am hoping that this year I can grow the little tiny pumpkins to use in the fall for decorations, I like to paint and sell them.  As long as the squirrels keep out of my garden this year things should be ok.

Well back to my painting.  Almost done a large order and need to get some flower pots painted up for sale.

Keep warm everyone!

Deb

Let's get started!

Still cold out, but luckily the last two storms were nothing but very cold rain for us here in Barnegat.

So now I know it is time for me to get some seeds started.  Yesterday I planted seeds of parsley, celery, sage....and some older seeds that I am not sure will sprout - chamomile, foxglove, mountain phlox, black pansy and viscaria.

Realized I did not have any rosemary seed......hit Walmart this morning and planted some of those seeds today!   Also have a soil warming coil that was given to me a couple of years ago, so put that under the pots to see if it makes a difference.  Not sure how old the coil is so will be keeping watch on it.  Want to keep it on 24/7 because the side room is cool with all the cold weather we have been having and the lights are only on 18 hrs a day (plants do need dark sometime).   So we will see if heating coil makes a difference.

Everyone I know is so tired of this winter, hoping that by the end of February there is some sort of warming trend.  Would really like to get up to our travel trailer in PA to check on things.  And am already figuring what seeds I can use up there - that soil is not very good and thinking all those calendula seeds I have will create color and attract the hummingbirds.  Also going to be making hanging baskets with mostly herbs and a basket with some lettuce plants for the spring.  Hoping my dragon wing begonias will make a beautiful hanging basket for the hummers too!   Will attempt morning glory and sweet pea combo also.   

Well off to do some sewing and crafting, and dream of gardening.  Keep warm everyone!

Deb

Here we sit, February 4th, waiting for our second storm of the week.  Luckily all we received in my neighborhood was rain the last storm, next one will be the same.  HOWEVER, on Sunday night there is potential of  a n'oreaster......with snow.    Ok, so ready for spring!

Today I finally got the light stand up and running.  It is in our converted garage room that is cooler than the main part of the house, but not that bad.  Put plastic around the side that faces the sliding doors to help keep it warm.  

Not too much happening under there right now.  I have baby onions, baby snapdragons and the geranium seedlings were put into individual cells.  So disappointed in the two violas and the flowering maple seeds, guess they were too old and none of them ever sprouted.  Will just keep the pots there until I need the room.  My two measly lavender seedlings didn't last either.  I did go out and get fresh lavender seed.  Also started a pot of common thyme for my daughter over the weekend.   

One bunch of seedlings I am excited about are the dragon wing begonia.  The seeds finally sprouted but are so tiny, smaller than the head of a pin!  You have to look real good to see the tiny leaves on three of them in this picture.  I even enlarged the picture but it is still tough to find.   Hopefully now they are under the plant lights they will start growing a bit faster.  

Now I can really sit and start getting more seeds planted.  Looks like the only thing I will be doing this week will be things like leeks, some herbs and maybe more flowers.   Won't be til March for starting my main veges like tomatoes and peppers.

So here is my notes for another day.   Let's hope the storm on the weekend will be the last of the big winter storms this year.

In the meantime keep warm my friends!

Deb