Spring 2011 - Getting Started in the Garden

So I'm a little delayed this year in blogging about our garden.  Unlike last year, at least we have a garden this year!  I planned on blogging sooner, but have had ongoing camera problems since the beginning of the year.  As of right now, I am without a REAL camera, but I just got an awesome new android phone and it has an acceptable camera I can use.  So let's talk gardening!

March- We had to refill the soil beds this year.  They had sunk down and settled quite a bit.  I'd say they were at least halfway full, so that was a lot of the initial work.  That-- and taming the weeds/grass that I had allowed to grow last year.

Mini-greenhouses on the porch.  These were a really good investment.
You can get your own for a very reasonable price by clicking here.  

The 2 mini-greenhouses I bought worked fantastic.  In the beginning, I placed them both on the front porch.  I planted my cool weather crops in Jiffy Seed Pellets and everything was sprouting better than I expected!  I'd say I had about a 90% germination rate and 100% on certain seeds.  I didn't anticipate that, so I actually had to give away seeds to friends, co-workers, and even via Freecycle!
I brought the seedlings inside at night if freezing temperatures were to be expected.  I put the seedlings back out in the greenhouses during the day to enjoy the warmer temps.   Later, I moved one of the greenhouses into the garden for added warmth.
However- here is the most important lesson learned about mini-greenhouses: MAKE SURE THEY ARE TIED OR SECURED TO SOMETHING STURDY!!!  I started the first batch of seedlings in the first week of January.  Everything was going well until, in mid-February, the wind knocked the greenhouse over.  I was able to salvage quite a few of the seedlings in their pellets, but the problem was that they were no longer in their labeled containers!  Hence I had a few "mystery" plants haha.  I knew they had to be cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, or cabbage...I just wasn't absolutely sure with one they were until they were older and more developed!  All in all though, it was a fun learning experience.

My germination rate was outstanding!  I can only credit the Jiffy Greenhouse combined with the mini-greenhouse because the seeds I planted were from last year and I definitely didn't see that type of germination rate then.

We had a warmer than average March and many times I was tempted to plant prior to the frost-free date which is April 17th for our area.  I did end up planting radish and beets (because they were easy to cover and protected by soil) and I planted tomatoes in my hanging tomato buckets (because I could bring them in if needed).

Homemade Hanging Tomato Buckets - I can fit 3 plants per bucket and it saves me room in the garden.

April finally came and my planting date loomed nearer and nearer.  Funny how the best laid plans go, because as planting weekend grew nearer- everyone in the house had other plans!  So Erin and I started a little bit early (one week) diligently planted at a pace we could keep up with.  I tried not to get stressed and rushed.  Besides, the plants were doing fine as long as I kept potting them up.  Little by little, we got them in the ground and the garden started taking shape.

April 11, 2011

We got the brassicas in first (cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower) as well as some Swiss Chard.  I wasn't sure what to expect with Swiss Chard, I had never eaten it and definitely never grown it, but I was told it was a nutritional powerhouse and that it grew well here in Oklahoma.  So I figured "Why not?"  I'm really glad I tried it.  Not only is it beautiful, but it's delicious!

The plants grew very quickly once they were placed into their permanent homes.  One red cabbage in particular grew humongous!  Really, all the plants thrived and I was thrilled.  We got some peas, lettuce, and spinach planted in one bed and started planting some determinate tomatoes in the middle bed.  For those that don't know, the difference between determinate tomatoes and indeterminate tomatoes is that determinate plants will produce and then die.  Indeterminates will produce all season long.  For that reason, I only plant indeterminates in my hanging buckets.  I don't want to have to change those out once they are planted.  My determinates (like Roma for sauces and salsas) are planted in the bed where it is easy to pull up once the plant has produced.  Then I can easily put something else in it's place.

Bed 2 is my Nightshades bed.
I plant tomatoes, peppers (both bell and hot), eggplants, tomatillos,
and also companion plant with various herbs in this bed.

Bed 1 is my lettuce, peas, spinach bed in the spring.
In summer, after these cool weather crops have been harvested,
I use this bed for mainly cucumbers and herbs.

We also planted some melons in tires along the East fence.  I've had decent luck with watermelons growing in tires. They vine along the fence and I have had them produce melons.  Unfortunately, I've never gotten to EAT those melons because animals beat me to it.  I also planted some "mystery" brassicas there, thinking that by the time they were harvested, it would be time to plant pumpkins.

We also took some time and planted a row of Candy Cane Zinnias along the south fence near the entrance to the garden.  I interplanted them with some pyrethrin daisies, bachelor buttons, and snapdragons.  I LOVE snapdragons!  The first time I made one's "mouth" open, it scared Erin!  For those that don't know, pyrethrin daisies are used to make chemical-free insecticide.  We found out about it from watching "Billy the Exterminator" with Dad and we were intrigued with the idea.  If I get these to grow, I will post the guide for how to make pyrethrin insecticide.  It is perfectly safe for children and pets (any mammal actually)!