Journal: First Weekend in March

This has been an early and an interesting spring. For example, out of the last week, it was spring two days, I think, and winter the other five. Today it was spring for a few hours, and fairly wintery the rest of the day.

 

I may be in danger of losing some of the crops, but I'm planting things outdoors already. I guess if the worst that happens is I buy seeds again, I can probably handle that.

 

This is probably the biggest risk: carrots (behind the stakes) and lettuce (mix, forward of the sticks) in the bed outside, sharing with the garlic.

 

And this may be the other risk. I had a lot of garlic that was sprouting. (Note to self: find out how to keep stored home-grown garlic from sprouting over winter.) I planted a bunch of them. Not sure what to do with the rest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some things that I'm starting.

 

Top3: Tomatillas from last year, and a hazel nut tree.

Row2: Oregano and another hazel nut.

Row3: Catnip and a short kind of dill.

Row4: Oregano and another hazel nut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herbs and such. From the top:

Six starts of a rosemary that grows up instead of growing out. From my folks.

Thyme, from last year's seed.

Cilantro from last year's seed.

Cumin from last year's seed.

 

 

 

 

 

Lettuce & Kale starts. From two weeks ago.

 

I like growing kale from starts, but I now question the value of starting lettuce indoors, seeing as I planted (the same) lettuce in the garden today. We'll compare the two and learn stuff! Yaay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomatoes and peppers, planted this weekend. They're on a heated starting mat.

 

Left: cooking tomatoes: San Marzano: flavorful, heirloom, not determinate, which means they keep growing and keep producing all summer.

 

I wonder if heirloom tomatoes may all be non-determinate?

 

The peppers are all bell peppers, but from a (Ed Hume) pack of multi-colored pepper plants. I've observed that the only peppers we eat here are bell peppers, and everybody likes different colors, so let's see what this turns out like.

 

These tomatoes are a week old. I've been starting them on a heating mat until today. They look like they're germinating just fine.

 

Left: slicing tomatoes: Brandywine: incredibly flavorful, heirloom, non-determinate. I've grown them before and got a big one: 1.6 pounds. Good, not great, producers.

 

Right: cherry tomatoes: Chocolate Cherry: very flavorful, heirloom, purplish-brown tomatoes. These are a little large for cherry tomatoes, maybe as large as a ping pong ball. Fairly prolific.

 

 

I suspect I'm going to wish I had a bee hive going this year. Not sure right now whether that'll work out; they're not my bees. They're just my friends.