N & C Midwest: March and April 2024

**Scorpio Rising** 3/1/2024, 6:51 am

Spring has sprung, whether it feels like it today or not! Cold start to this morning here in Ohio, but warmer days on the way…. And longer days, too!

On my “to do” list for this weekend is seed starting—specifically Tango celery, ground cherries, and peppers—and bunching onions now, since OG inspired me! Maybe eggplants (I grow Ping Tung, very yummy and not bitter at all). Also starting my flowers except for sunflowers.

Anything that seemed that it lagged last year….what do you have planned in the garden this weekend?

JAM23 3/1/2024, 7:27 am

I didn't get a chance to start my peppers last weekend, so I am going to get that done this weekend for sure. It's supposed to hit 70 here this Sunday so I plan on trying to be outside as much as I can to get my new garden areas set up. We cleared out an area to make a herb garden right outside our back door, so I want to get that prepped and then set up my cattle panel arch with two beds in another area of our yard. It's such an exciting time of year.

I love hearing about what you are all up too as well! Happy MARCH!

**Scorpio Rising** 3/1/2024, 9:35 am

JAM23 wrote:I didn't get a chance to start my peppers last weekend, so I am going to get that done this weekend for sure.

I was not feeling well last weekend, so I didn’t get my seeds started either….I am starting my strawberry bed over (overrun with grass!) so that is on my “to do” list as well to get that cleaned out….

OG had suggested a variety of June-bearing strawberry, I still have some room for them, but I did order some bear-root plants that will ship when it’s time.

OhioGardener 3/1/2024, 12:58 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:....and bunching onions now, since OG inspired me!

And, we are way behind schedule. Onions like to be transplanted into the garden beds 6 weeks before the last frost date, and they need about 6 weeks growth before they are transplanted outside. That means for us, where the last frost date is around May 15th, we should have started the seeds by around Jan 15th to get the 12 weeks. I didn't get my seeds started until Feb 23rd, a full month behind schedule. Fortunately, though, onion seedlings are very forgiving, and they don't mind being transplanted when they are very young, or even if they are late getting in the ground.

JAM23 3/3/2024, 4:30 pm

Well, I was able to start all my pepper plants yesterday and started some parsley and chives indoors. My goal is that once the parsley and chives start to grow indoors, I can set them out into my cold frames if I run out of room indoors.

Outside, I direct sowed some mache, green onions and spinach into my cold frame. It might be early, but it's fun to try some things out. So we shall see. Hope you all enjoyed doing something garden related this weekend!

**Scorpio Rising** 3/3/2024, 5:35 pm

Beautiful day. I got a lot done this weekend…and got my peppers and eggplant, ground cherries, celery, and some bunching onions going….on heating pads in basement.

JAM23 3/4/2024, 6:04 pm

Wow SR, that was a lot! I think I'll start my eggplant this weekend.

Today, I received some Russian Comfrey Bocking 14 crown cuttings and got them all potted up. I am so excited about putting this around my property to use a green manure. Another new gardening adventure for me! LOL

OhioGardener 3/4/2024, 7:13 pm

Took advantage of the beautiful 75-degree day to remove the winter mulch from the two beds on the arbor so that the sun can start warming the soil. On March 15th the Sugar Snap Pea seeds will be planted on the arbor, so that gives it two weeks for the soil to get warmed. After clearing off the straw, I applied some new compost to the area where the peas will be planted. I didn't have enough compost to cover the entire beds, so just applied a band about a foot wide on the edge of the beds next to the arbor.

Before...

N & C Midwest: March and April 2024 Before10

After...

OhioGardener 3/5/2024, 9:46 am

Enjoyed the 70-degree morning ahead of the coming rain storms to divide the rhubarb plants. Dug out the two old Victoria plants, divided the crowns, and shared them with neighbors that have asked for starts. Then dug up part of the Canada Red plant, divided the crowns, and planted them where I had removed the Victoria plants. Will now have three Canada Red, and three Glaskins Perpetual Rhubarb plants. All of the rhubarb plants are in 3' fire rings.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/5/2024, 10:14 am

JAM23, what is this comfrey? And as for my seeds, need to go check them tonight to see if I need to turn the lights on!

OG, nice! I did open my cold frame to catch that rain that is coming! I need to divide my rhubarb, too. I will need another place to put it, though.

OhioGardener 3/5/2024, 1:08 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:I need to divide my rhubarb, too. I will need another place to put it, though.

I forgot to mention that I kept a couple of the crowns from the Victoria Rhubarb plants, and transplanted them into one of the flower beds. I am going to let them grow there as decorative plants, including the blooms they will have. I know that the deer won't bother them like they do the other flowers. Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 3/6/2024, 9:11 am

OhioGardener wrote:I forgot to mention that I kept a couple of the crowns from the Victoria Rhubarb plants, and transplanted them into one of the flower beds. I am going to let them grow there as decorative plants, including the blooms they will have. I know that the deer won't bother them like they do the other flowers.

That is a fantastic idea, OG! It is pretty! How do you identify the crowns? Did you just leave one per planting? Do you have to wait to harvest it now?

OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 9:36 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
OhioGardener wrote:I forgot to mention that I kept a couple of the crowns from the Victoria Rhubarb plants, and transplanted them into one of the flower beds. I am going to let them grow there as decorative plants, including the blooms they will have. I know that the deer won't bother them like they do the other flowers.
That is a fantastic idea, OG! It is pretty! How do you identify the crowns? Did you just leave one per planting? Do you have to wait to harvest it now?

Last question first: For the new transplants, they will not be harvested for the first year, and lightly for the 2nd year. For the one I split the crowns from, it can be harvested this year.

First question: For the one I split, the crowns were visible just above the soil level, with 8 different crowns visible. I used the shovel to split that plant in half with 4 crowns on each side of the shovel. Then the half in front of the shovel were pulled out and split in half again, providing two roots with two crowns each.

Second question: One crown is sufficient to start a new plant, but in this case there were two crowns on each of the two new plants. They are all up and doing well. When it quits raining, I'll get some pictures and add them.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/8/2024, 9:09 am

I think before I add anymore SFG space, I am going to try my corn (in addition to the thinned rhubarb which is happening this weekend) out front. I really need to enrich that soil though, it is really full of clay. The only things that do well out front are very sturdy perennials, like coneflower, regular daylilies, loosestrife, violas, etc. But I already have the seeds, so I might as well try!

JAM23 3/8/2024, 1:36 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:JAM23, what is this comfrey? And as for my seeds, need to go check them tonight to see if I need to turn the lights on!

OG, nice! I did open my cold frame to catch that rain that is coming! I need to divide my rhubarb, too. I will need another place to put it, though.

SR-I thought this was a good read about comfrey.

https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/comfrey-its-history-uses-benefits/

I have some space in the front of my house as well as a few "dead corners" in the backyard and I thought this might be a good way to fill those areas with a hardy perennial that can also add nutrients to the garden.

OhioGardener 3/8/2024, 3:59 pm

JAM23 wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:JAM23, what is this comfrey? And as for my seeds, need to go check them tonight to see if I need to turn the lights on!

OG, nice! I did open my cold frame to catch that rain that is coming! I need to divide my rhubarb, too. I will need another place to put it, though.
SR-I thought this was a good read about comfrey.

https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/comfrey-its-history-uses-benefits/

I have some space in the front of my house as well as a few "dead corners" in the backyard and I thought this might be a good way to fill those areas with a hardy perennial that can also add nutrients to the garden.

There is also a good thread on Comfrey here:

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t18570-comfrey?highlight=Comfrey

OhioGardener 3/11/2024, 2:28 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
One crown is sufficient to start a new plant, but in this case there were two crowns on each of the two new plants. They are all up and doing well. When it quits raining, I'll get some pictures and add them.

SR, I forgot to update this earlier, but it is such a beautiful day that I took the opportunity to finally take the pictures.

This is the original bed that I split the plant to create new crowns to put in the other two beds. The area from the line down is where I split out the crowns to replant, and the plant growing above the line is the original plant.

N & C Midwest: March and April 2024 Origin10

This is one of the fire rings I transplanted some of the split crowns into.

N & C Midwest: March and April 2024 First_13

This is the other fire ring that I transplanted some of the split crowns into.

N & C Midwest: March and April 2024 Second10

**Scorpio Rising** 3/12/2024, 4:08 pm

Thanks for the pictures, OG. They really do help!

My main rhubarb is in a 3’ fire ring, too and it loves it there. It did not like the wet feet it had before in the ground. I need to decide if I want to add another fire ring or try the split out front….I have room out there…but it is clay soil. Decisions. It probably won’t die, so at least it will buy me some time.

OhioGardener 3/12/2024, 5:40 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:I need to decide if I want to add another fire ring or try the split out front….I have room out there…but it is clay soil. Decisions. It probably won’t die, so at least it will buy me some time.

I had trouble every year with the rhubarb plants getting crown rot because of our heavy clay soil staying so wet during the spring months. I lifted all of my plants up into 3' fire rings, and they have thrived ever since. The reason I split the one plant this year is because I wanted to replace two Victoria plants with Canada Red plants.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/13/2024, 8:55 am

I split my one main plant into 4 total last night; the 3 new plants are out front, and the remaining original plant is in the ring. They are all StarkCrimson, I really like it. The first chunk I took has a nice taproot on it, where the other 2 don’t. I plan to only harvest from the main plant this year. I may have to do another raised bed for just rhubarb!

OhioGardener 3/13/2024, 12:02 pm

Spring Has Spring in SW Ohio! Very Happy

N & C Midwest: March and April 2024 Daffod12

OhioGardener 3/14/2024, 6:10 pm

Cleaned off the remainder of the beds today so that the sun can start warming the soil, and put the winter straw mulch in the compost bin. One of the beds had a very heavy crop of wheat growing from seed that was in the straw, and I am going to have to turn that under for a green manure so that I don't loose all of the soil that is in the roots.

Have kale, broccoli, Napa Cabbage, and Bok Choy seedlings ready to go in the ground, but the weather hasn't settled enough for them yet. In a couple weeks the bunching onions will be going into the ground Also, today I planted sugar snap peas along both sides of the arbor to get the season started. Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 3/16/2024, 12:16 pm

Yeah, it is cold today. I have potatoes from last year that I want/need to plant, too. My garlics are up out back!

Today I started 3 English marigolds, 8 tomatoes (Sungold, Yellow Pear, red and yellow Brandywine, and Cherokee Purple) and 2 types of nasturtiums. All on the mats and under lights. Some of my earlier started things are up in the other flat. EXCITED!!!!

nrstooge 3/22/2024, 6:50 pm

I've pared way back, just a few lettuce, spinach.. 3 types of tomatoes. I did start peas and fava beans in small quantities for my patio. I am hoping to find a small house to rent and don't want to move several pots of plants.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm

Some of my things have failed germination….I will replant some more green onions, ground cherries, celery, and a couple peppers and tomatoes.

I have a bunch of potatoes (all Yukon Gold) in the windowsill. Hope to get them out next weekend, along with sugar snap peas, and spinach.

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