PNW: February 2013

Thank you Rose and Donna! I'm completely unfamiliar with Swiss chard and Kale, so I will go by your recommendation of four per square.

Rose, now is indeed when to start planting peas! I thought last year Debs was saying she planted peas on Lincoln's birthday or on Presidents day out of tradition, but I may be confusing her with someone else. I see on her facebook she recommends planting peas now through the 23rd, because of the cycle of the moon we're in. I'll let her chime in on that.

thanks for the feed back.....we will be planting peas ASAP!

happy gardening
rose

gwennifer wrote:...snip....I thought last year Debs was saying she planted peas on Lincoln's birthday or on Presidents day out of tradition, but I may be confusing her with someone else. I see on her facebook she recommends planting peas now through the 23rd, because of the cycle of the moon we're in. I'll let her chime in on that.

I do a lot by the light of the moon. Same with tradition. When I did not have a full time job to suck away my time I always planted peas on Lincoln's birthday because that is what my gram'ma did. We made a day of it. My mom tells me that gram'ma always planted on Washington's b-day so that is when she plants her sweet peas. Not having time to get out on "my" day, I just go by the moon phase (2nd qtr of the snow moon which is now Feb 17-25) I am sure you are ok to plant anytime between now and early April. Just do it.

Debs....who always crowds a few more kale and swiss chard into a square than what the books say.

thanks Debs for keeping us posted on planting by the moon....the kids thought it was pretty neat to plant that way

we were able to get a lot done over the weekend.....

we planted our super sugar snap peas and our shelling peas

we planted two new fruit trees out front .....a dwarf EZ pick Frost peach and a semi dwarf 4 way apple ....thought it was a five way :scratch: so either we read the tags wrong or one blew off the tree before planting it....LOL.....the tags we have say.... Yellow Delicious, Red McIntosh, Gala and Gravenstein :drunken:

we cut up or potatoes and they are healing ....hope to get them in this week

started some more seedling trays indoors of flowers and herbs

got a trailer full of mushroom compost and we were able to feed all our out door bushes, trees, berries, grapes and roses

we had a small amount of weeding.......and finished cleaning up the beds......

This week we hope to plant our potatoes, sift our compost :fall: to get it ready to mix a few batches of MM for our two new front yard 4x4 SFG beds (we hope to build soon)....and start on our front yard fence with arbor....

could the rain stop Please.....

happy gardening
rose

gee rose you have one very busy gardening family.
you make me tired watching all of the emoticons.
I found some of my perennials alive and still green in areas where the snow has melted.
WOW can you plant peas out side now?? I have 3 growing in the greenhouse for fun....

The sun came out to play after school! Slipped out to plant my peas before the full moon. I had already added compost and a sprinkle of lime to the bed (4x8) so all that was left to do was push seed into the ground. I put in a few fava beans while I was out there. The fava seed was from 2011. I was sure I had newer seed somewhere, just don't know where.

Fava Beans and Golden Sweet Sno Peas from Season 2 (2011)

In case anyone besides me cares..... there are 4 squares of Maestro (mid tall English-shelly), 3 squares of Canoe, (mid tall-late season shelly), 4 of Cascaidia Snap (the best snap pea I've ever eaten!) and one square of mixed snow peas, Italian, huge, sweet and jucie even when over grown, mixed with the pretty Golden Sweet. Both are VERY tall growing vines with beautiful purple-blue flowers. Filled in the box with 4 squares of Fava beans (the crocuses are in bloom) There is also a half barrel of short vine, extra early Dakota.

After walking the puppies I came home and put the last of the Maestros and the sweet peas I had soaked in paper towels in to plastic cells (yuck.... but I had a bunch of them that came with other items I wanted, like the heat mat) Why do I do that? Now I have a tray of Maestro that I have no room for (assuming they all sprout), and spread across three other trays there are way too many sweet peas (dwarf Sweetie, mid size Americana, tall Wedding Blush and Moroccan Spice.... need any?)

By the way, the full Snow Moon was last night (2/25). From full moon to waning (decreasing light) 3rd quarter moon is the traditional time to plant root crops. Don't panic, there will be another full moon in the next cycle (The Worm Moon). Still, I will try to get some carrots and parsnips into the ground. Seems too early for beets and potatoes in Everett.

Debs .....who is as bad as the nuggets when it comes to wanting to scratch in the dirt.
A little wind (SSE 10-15 mph), a little rain (65% chance) and a longer pretty day (Sunrise at 6:54, 10 hours and 55 minutes later it sets at 5:49).

I care Debs!!

I love reading about the Toy Box.....i have learned so much from your posts and video's :drunken: and have been inspired to try new things

we are only a little over an hour from you so i feel like we are neighbors

happy gardening
rose....who is thinking about sowing some carrots

Is anyone starting their tomatoes this coming week?

We are going by Mels chart and for us we are to start them now we are going by our last frost date as April 15th

This is the first year going by the book and a little bit earlier frost date as well......

we also are direct sowing turnips and poppy flowers

happy gardening
rose