April 2013 New England

Hi everyone in N.E.
We're starting out with overcast skies here in Maine and a threat of snow. Oh, I'm so tired of snow. It rained last nite. I was hoping for dry days so the ground could dry out. Can't work my gardens without sinking a bit in the soft soil so that chore is put on the back burner for now.
Oh a bright note, 2 of my Apollo Broccoli seeds germinated on the heat mat after only 2 days. Hoping for more of those and tomatoes in the next several days.

April! Yes!

Inspected my beds today, fluffed the straw that was on there all winter (didn't decompose much!), and saw several weeds ALREADY starting, both between the beds, and in the corners of some beds, I think they're dandelions for the most part. Jeesh, they don't waste any time.

If the weeds can grow, I think it's pretty safe to get the peas out there. I'll wait till this coming cold snap is over, so I'm going to set a target date for Thursday. I know peas can take the cold, but it will be in the teens at night I believe, don't want to stress them too much.

Next will be the onions in mid-April. I need to add peat and vermiculite to the massive piles of compost I already have in that new bed. Right now it's heaped up over the edges, but hoping it will magically compact and compress by mid April and then I'll just layer the verm/peat (actually coir) on top and mix it all together.

All the seedlings here are germinating and growing great. I spend a lot of time trucking them from one sunny spot in the house to another all day, making sure they get the most natural sunlight and heat. What a helicopter gardener.

NHGardener wrote:What a helicopter gardener.

I totally relate! When I put out my toms yesterday I must have gone out there every 5-10 minutes to check on them. oiy.

I have lots of pea sprouts in the house now waiting to be planted, and of course when I went out to the garden just now I see that the originals are starting to poke thru. So now I'll have an overload of peas.

BUT, my office was just issued a community garden after being on a 2 yr wait list. As soon as everyone gets their act together (could be fall) I can put any leftovers in there. I don't think they are organic gardeners, but stranger things have happened.

Gonna head back out and see how many more peas have popped up, and also put 2 mini hula hoop tunnels up in time for the cold front tonite.

CC

Here ya go, QB...the lastest on our hula hoop endeavors:
The peach one's are the small size hoops with one cut. I think they would easily span a 3 square width. These 2 cupboards that I'm going to cover are 2'9" wide and 2'3" wide, so I had to work at it a bit to bend them to fit. They would probably be better on the outsides of my cupboards in brackets.

The shrimp colored ones in the traditional box at the back are the large hoops with one cut. They easily fit, no problem.

So, this week will be the wind test. We're predicted to avg 30mph with gusts in the 40's. I'll let you know what happens.

CC

Peach and shrimp - you're making me hungry.

Boxes look good, CC! And so advanced!

OK, I'm ready to rock n roll with the big nasty cold front!


Bring it on, Matt Noyes!


CC

Hey CC, it looks like you are ready for it. Our temps will be dropping, too, for the next 3 days and nites and on Sunday it'll be rain if it hits us in daylight hrs or snow if we get it at nite (when temps are only in the 20s). I wish you the best of luck.

April Garden Chores for the North East US

by Margaret Roach

It's a bit brisk and blustery this evening on the Mountain. 1*F

Which mountain?

Looks like upper 50s later this week... Gardeners, start your engines, warm weather is going to come all of a sudden.

Oh. The mountain. I'm surprised it's that warm considering it's so chilly down south here.

Yea, but look at the windchill up at the summit...brrr!

On a similar note, my beds are still frozen solid. Only about a quarter- to a half-inch or so that's loose & fluffy...and yesterday it was an additional 6 inches of snow...and a few more this morning.

When will it end?!!

I just went out to turn my compost pile and the first fork full off the top exposed this:
Well, at least that answers my questions about the affect of pouring pee on them. Apparently there's not too much salt. Anyway, I'm so nervous about killing any of them that I abandoned the task. (any ol' excuse will do, thank you)

I'm wondering what this middle guy is in this pea square.
Too soon to tell?

CC

I wish I could see photos at work!!! What are you talking about CC?

Oh Camp, what a rip...I didn't know.

The first photo is of worms - lots of them. Of course, but the time I ran in and got my camera most of them had already taken the dive out of the sun.

The 2nd photo is of a mystery seedling, but I don't think we get to know what it is yet. If you want to guess next time you're on the thread, please do. I'm going to leave it in just for fun.

CC

Supposed to rain here all day tomorrow so I planted radish seeds and more carrot seeds today. Not the carrot week carrots though. Gotta find somewhere to put more lettuce seeds. Guess I shoulda put the radish seeds in the tomato squares and then put more lettuce seed in the radish squares. crud.

CC

Oooooooooooooh, now that I am home I can see lots of juicy worms! Very nice!!! CC, no worries now! Just sow your seeds, you can always move the seedlings.

Geez Camp....look at you with 54 degrees and me with 43.
That's just wrong...but I'z happy for ya! You guys deserve it after all you've been thru!

CC

How do you get the weather on your posts?

Great, CC! Love those worms. I was out turning my compost beds today and I saw baby worms! I was so excited too. I think it's too chilly to have full grown ones like yours, don't know.

I turned all the turnable beds with composted material in them, and took the straw off the strawberry plants so they can breathe. I also put up 2 trellises and planted my pea stalks... We'll see how long they live. Their roots were complete balls, not to mention their tendrils. Oh well. This is an experiment.

Yesterday I picked up a 30 lb. bag of worm compost for $20. Imagine having to pay for worm poop - ha.

And now, I feel like I'm about to keel over. How out of shape is that? Jeesh.

Boy you plant thick, Camp! They are adorable!

NHG, try this for posting the weather sticker:
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t9063-how-to-put-a-weather-sticker-in-your-signature-a-video

CC

I had covered my A-frame a few days ago and today took the soil temp. It was 45F about 5 inches deep. Tomorrow I'm going to transplant some greens out there so I can make room inside under my lights. I've noticed some of my beds are pulling apart on the ends. Depending on whether we move south next year or not, I'll think of replacing with cement blocks if we stay.

The covered A-frame.

My asparagus bed.

I got some of my beds raked and tossed the leaves and debris in the compost pile.
Another decent day coming tomorrow and no precipitation in sight for us the next week so that means I can sow carrots, peas and even transplant my peas now under the lights.
I think my gardening season is about to begin.

CapeCoddess wrote:Boy you plant thick, Camp! They are adorable!


CC

I'm hedging against future losses.

Thanks for the tip CC, boffer did a great job on that weather sticker lesson.

Today's pea stalks update (the foot high ones I ripped roots apart of yesterday to transplant them): they are not dead yet. At least not visibly. I went out there today and re-wrapped their stems around the trellis and patted their soil base, which is still damp from some watering yesterday. I'm not ready to admit defeat yet and sprout some pea seeds and plant them. I'll give these time to show me whether or not they are miracle peas.