May in New England

And how does your garden grow?

I know a lot of us have struggled with the weather and the temptation to put things out too early.

I hope everybody has experienced little or no loss. What I would have done, had I been organized ( ) would be to put out direct-sown seeds, such as peas, that get planted in succession, so that if I had lost them, it wouldn't have been a significant financial or emotional hit.

As it is, I have transplanted my peas outside. Everybody knows that peas shouldn't be started inside, but then we all see pea starts at the nurseries! I have not yet gotten my second, direct sown, set of peas started.

This year, I decided to borrow a page from Camprn's book (and someone else here does the same thing -maybe Chopper?) I have used scallions and radishes as my grid lines in two of my boxes, and the little darlings have started to sprout!

Last year's strawberries are flowering like crazy, with a few little teeny green strawberry buds starting to show. My new strawberries, that I put in about a week ago, are showing new growth. My blueberries are also crazy with flowers. Last year I didn't get a crop - I don't remember what happened, but they were covered in flowers, and got green berries, but then nothing. Each year, I tell myself to take better notes....maybe this year!

Here we are getting rain again! Yay!!!! Twice in two weeks!

I did sow some Swiss chard last week. I am behind on lots and lots of things that should be outside, and that should be started inside. Some are too late for the season, some I just need to get going!!!

My tomato seedlings are at that stage when I worry about them, because they aren't that big, and I started them in March, but they do have another full month before they go outside.

I promise I will have photos soon, but in the meantime, tell us about your progress, and show us your photos!

I love the idea of using scallions and radishes for grid lines!

Hey! I just checked out the different states for the regions again, and realized that Mid-Atlantic said it includes NY but not including upstate, which I technically am. Duh! That's why everyone in the Mid-Atlantic is always so much further ahead of me. I'm a New Englander! Although technically there's no real definition of what "upstate NY" is, most people in my part of NY consider it the part of NY that isn't New York City, lol.

So that said, I am happy to report what I've got going! My direct sown peas are just starting to come up, woo! And the potatoes are trying to poke up, too. I just planted my carrots, spinach, radishes, lettuce, beets, and daikon radishes yesterday. I had my first strawberry blossom on Sunday! Which is amazing, because we had a hard freeze the night before it bloomed. Those things are ridiculously hardy.

My tomatoes are getting bigger, but like Martha, I worry that they're not big enough. The same is true of my peppers and eggplants. I'll have to take pictures when I'm less lazy.

Its May 1st, 40*F, and raining here in Maine. I had planned to sow more seeds for turnip, spinach, radishes, kale and radicchio today. I have some cauliflower and Pak Choi I wanted to transplant that I've hardened off last week. This is all on hold. Tomorrow we expect warmer temps and clearer skies. Last nite I was able to up-pot more tomatoes into air-pruners under the lights.



Above: In a few weeks I'll have tomatoes outside and a couple of the bell peppers in this group.



Above: More tomatoes in this group.



Above: Here I have toms, peppers, and eggplants still in their 2" soil blocks.

Thanks for the encouragement Quiltbea! My tomatoes look to be about 2 weeks behind yours, but catching up fast due to my aquarium light set-up. I thought that I had planted them way to late to get them to produce!

I plan to plant my pole bean seeds outside on the 12th. Did your early planted pole beans come up? Are they doing ok? Thanks for all the help you and Cmprn have given me.

@hruten.....I didn't plant any pole beans at all. I planted sugar snap peas the end of March and they are up and looking good.

I checked our 30-day forecast and the next 15 days there won't be a frosty nite among them. Looks good for our part of the country. I may put in a few tomatoes a little earlier this year so will start hardening off some this week.

I know it doesn't look like much, but there's grn onions, romaine, spinach, broccoli, and carrots in those squares. You can also see my sugar snap peas in the background. Let's hope they survive my "overbearing attentions". Hopefully I'll get to harvest the stuff in the front before I need to put my cukes in.

I need more beds!

camprn wrote:I need more beds!

and I said the same thing. I was complaining I had too much to plant. Once everything was planted I felt I could keep going. Need more beds.

I was silly enough to state, in public, this winter that I had enough squares. But, noooooo, I need more! And more, and more.......

I know that feeling! Just when I thought I was satisfied, and tell my husband that's all I want to build, I get this great idea to buy an empty lot and fill it with SFGs....

I know the feeling of needing more room. That's why I lease four 18' beds in our community garden. I like fresh veggies.

The community garden plots in our town don't have water, otherwise I would do the same.

I know just what you mean. I'm already producing more than I can possible eat, even if I freeze a lot. But there are sooooo many varieties and different things I want to try. Saw sweet potato plants at Lowes yesterday, but no bed space.

Kay

walshevak wrote:I know just what you mean. I'm already producing more than I can possible eat, even if I freeze a lot. But there are sooooo many varieties and different things I want to try. Saw sweet potato plants at Lowes yesterday, but no bed space.

Kay

Bucket

quiltbea - you posted this " Last nite I was able to up-pot more tomatoes into air-pruners under the lights."
What is the purpose for this? Never heard of air pruning.
Lee

@SwampCatNana......Air-pruning pots have slits cut in the sides. When the roots hit the air, they stop growing in a circle. Hence: no girdling. The roots don't get tangled and are easier to transplant and there's no transplant shock.

Edited to add: I learned this from Eliot Coleman, popular organic gardener, book author, and tv host.

When my larger seedlings in their 2" soil blocks need more root room, the tomatoes, which grow largest, are up-potted into 2-litre soda bottles cut in half. I punch a drain hole in each of the 5 lobes, then cut up from there about 2-3". For peppers and eggplant I use 1-litre bottles or 16-oz plastic Soda cups with 4 drain holes and a slit cut up from the drain holes.



Above: See the slits in the sides? They are cut about 1/8" to 1/4" wide.



Above: For soda cups, I just cut 4 drains holes with a slit. The weight of the soil will pull the slit apart a bit making a small air barrier.

And there's no future expense and no waste. I disinfect the used soda bottles and the used plastic cups can be washed and sliced up for plant labels for next year.

Hi Quiltbea, I was wondering if the same thing can be accomplished by just slitting fiber pots? I have my tomatoes in 4" ones. Thanks for the tips!

Ahruten......Anything that you can put a saw or scissors thru will work. Eliot Coleman does it with fiber and plastic pots using a saw. He puts 4 of them in, crosscutting twice so that he has them near the four corners. But he makes the slits before he adds his soil and plants.

camprn wrote:May Garden Chores

I'm a bit confused about your post?!
Lee

SwampCatNana wrote:

camprn wrote:May Garden Chores

I'm a bit confused about your post?!
Lee

Did you click on the link?

Yes, I clicked and it took me to camprn post about her gardens in 2010. Was trying to see her album for 2011 but can't seem to find it in the Gallery.
Lee

P.S. Just found out how! Duh!!!

SwampCatNana wrote:Yes, I clicked and it took me to camprn post about her gardens in 2010. Was trying to see her album for 2011 but can't seem to find it in the Gallery.
Lee

P.S. Just found out how! Duh!!!

Nana in the above post, click the words that say 'May Garden Chores'.