New England ~ May 2014

How many boxes are you seeing, CC? LOL I'm seeing 8.

It's confusing. BUT - you enter your zip code in box #1. Then it stays 50F in the next box. Then you enter Jan. 1 in the next 2 boxes, then you enter July 1 in the next 2 boxes, and see if that comes near 950 for you. Because from the other article, they said to start watching at around 950.

I'm counting on you all to jog our memories about when to do what and to look out for what.

Last year it was rain, rain, rain, then got wicked hot wicked fast. NAd then it rained and rained and rained again in June.

At least that's how I remember it.

And that's why I use raised beds. Before raised beds, I could not grow anything, because it would get waterlogged. Which is what happened last year when I tried to plant the vines into a large ground area, thinking I would save the garden from the huge vines. Well, they never got to be huge vines because they were standing in water and that was that.

I've seen gardening talks in desert climates like Arizona, and there they use sunken gardens - you dig down to plant so the water will go towards the hole. And we have to plant up, to keep our plants from swimming with wet feet.

The tops of raised beds will dry out tho, and that's why I'm starting to think that mulching on the top of the sfg is probably a good idea, to hold moisture in. I used hay before but found the slugs loved it, so I'm wondering if wood chips would be less slug-friendly.

CapeCoddess wrote:  Do we want the answer in the 1st box (so 7/24) to show 1000 for emergence or the 2nd box(7/29)?  Sure seems like he was flittin' around earlier last year... 

CC, did you get it to work for you?

That *^&@#$ vole must still be out there. Seems every day I have to right-side some of the onion sets I planted, some of them keep ending up upside-down. Then I was standing back wondering if the vine seeds were ever going to sprout in the sheet mulched beds (raised rows) I made, and I see a pile of chips at the base of one moving all over. GRR.

I don't think the garter snake is doing his thing with the voles. I hope he gets real hungry real quick.

Do you think you have a mole or a vole?  Have you seen the critter or just it's holes?

I saw a dead one outside of the garden in late winter, so that's when I looked up the images and decided it was a vole. I'd rather have moles, because apparently they aerate the ground. They do eat worms unfortunately, but not plants/roots/seeds like voles do.

I don't want to put traps and/or poisons out. I'm hoping it will find an enemy somewhere. I should say them, because I guess they're pretty prolific. 

I did read somewhere that daffodil-type bulbs repel them, so I may transplant all my daffodils over there.

I also read voles mainly come out at night, sneaky things.

mollyhespra wrote:

CapeCoddess wrote:  Do we want the answer in the 1st box (so 7/24) to show 1000 for emergence or the 2nd box(7/29)?  Sure seems like he was flittin' around earlier last year... 

CC, did you get it to work for you?

Yes, it worked before but I guess I wasn't clear on my quesiton.  Do we use the answer in the 1st answer box (my area date is 7/24) to show 950 for emergence or the 2nd answer box(7/29)?

CapeCoddess wrote:

mollyhespra wrote:

CapeCoddess wrote:  Do we want the answer in the 1st box (so 7/24) to show 1000 for emergence or the 2nd box(7/29)?  Sure seems like he was flittin' around earlier last year... 

CC, did you get it to work for you?

Yes, it worked before but I guess I wasn't clear on my quesiton.  Do we use the answer in the 1st answer box (my area date is 7/24) to show 950 for emergence or the 2nd answer box(7/29)?

+/- 5 days is not a big deal

If I use July 24, it's more than 5 days diff:


2014 = 998.0 GDD
Average** = 916.5 GDD

Are you folks using the 2014 info or the Average info?

CapeCoddess wrote:If I use July 24, it's more than 5 days diff:


2014 = 998.0 GDD
Average** = 916.5 GDD

Are you folks using the 2014 info or the Average info?

I recommend using the 2014 info. This has not been an average spring.

CC, using a random zip from around your area, I get:

-----------------------
LOCATION:  02633

BASE TEMPERATURE: 50

START DATE: Jan 1

END DATE: July 22


YEAR:  2014

Growing Degree Days (GDD):
2014 = 957.5 GDD

--------------------------

BUT for an end date of July 10 for the two previous growing seasons, I get:

Growing Degree Days (GDD):
2013 = 935.5 GDD
2012 = 976.0 GDD

Which just means that this year, if things continue the way they've been, you're almost two weeks behind, GDD-wise. 

If you know you've had serious problems with SVB in the past, though, just start keeping an eye out starting in mid-July and, theoretically, you should be OK.

Okay, now I'm all confused. My SVB date is July 10. CC, are you saying you are 2 weeks behind us? You're in a warmer zone, so how can that be?

It didn't make sense to me, either, which is why I put in the dates for 2013 & 2012.  This has been a cold spring.  What do you get when you put in previous years for your area, NHG?

NHGardener wrote:Okay, now I'm all confused. My SVB date is July 10. CC, are you saying you are 2 weeks behind us? You're in a warmer zone, so how can that be?

Warmer zone??? In winter maybe.  Today and yesterday I'm freezing my A** off here!  We don't hit summer weather til around July 4th.

02645

Is my memory correct in that my Mel's mix should be 1/3 peat, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 mix of 5 different composts?  Have to make a new pot.  Thanks!

That's right, cpl.

Molly, according to that for 2013 I get July 7 and for 2012 I get July 2.

So we're getting colder every year? I thought we were supposed to be getting warmer...

Well CC, if you're 6A/7B, and I'm 5B, it seems weird that you're colder... I guess it's just that overall, you average warmer, eh?

It was a little chilly here today too, I have the heat on right now. Tomorrow will be warmer.

The leaves are all coming out on the trees, finally it's getting lush again!

Looks like we're in for extended drizzle here the next several days. Which is good.

The whole global warming thing is very complicated and I haven't studied it enough to really do it justice, but in my limited understanding, the warming will not/does not affect the whole globe in the exact same way.  Some places will get really, really hot and others colder.

That being said, DH was telling me where he read that there has been more volcanic activity in recent months which have spewed out more ash into the atmosphere and which may be contributing to this colder-than-usual Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

So who knows?  Last summer *was* particularly cold & wet up my way.  I just hope this one isn't a repeat performance.

Oh, and as to why CC's SVB dates are what they are, maybe it's because of the ocean's moderating effect: her winters aren't as bad, but neither are her summers?

mollyhespra wrote:Oh, and as to why CC's SVB dates are what they are, maybe it's because of the ocean's moderating effect: her winters aren't as bad, but neither are her summers?

Correct, the Gulf Stream keeps our winters more moderate than the rest of New England...not including this past winter, of course.  I sure hope that doesn't become the new norm. Total ick!  I post 2 zones as my back yard, which is enclosed by vegetation and very protected, has quite a different winter than the front yard which is blown by the lake across the road.

OK, time for a tour  That's my asparagus ditch at the top right corner of the yard, still awaiting more sprouts.  There are only 4 or 5 so far - 15 more to go & no action for the past week or so.  I can't wait til this is over and I can fill the dang thing back in:

The globe & potato onions are doing great!  I'm very happy with them.  I spread extras around in other boxes:

The chard is amazing this year.  Even the transplants made it: 

I'm surprised to see that I may be getting radishes. as last year they bolted but I was able to eat the yummy radish pods.  I enjoyed them so much that this year I planted some just to let them go to pod:

Yummy spinach from last years crop in the foreground.  Experimental fall planted seeds never showed this year and the spring planted ones are still miniscule:

My kitchen garden is where I get most of my collard & kale seeds so, after eating off them for the last few weeks, I've let them bolt.  The tall collard plant is going into year 3!  Lilly's favorite catmint plant is in the foreground:

The new compost pile, on the right, started last fall is SLOWLY getting turned & is currently split in 2.  The pile I'm using now, on the left, is quickly getting depleted:

Meanwhile, back inside, these guys are slowly growing.  Peppers, basil, ground cherries, zinnias, sweet potatoes and experimental cuke seeds in TP tubes.  I topped the peppers a while back and I'm very happy with how they are coming back! 

And, of course, the remaining ever patient tomatoes.  They are now stressing out & need to be up potted or planted out:
Since I see nights in the 40's coming next week, it's not likely they will be going out.

All in all, I'm having fun, and prepping for my mom's arrival the end of this month.

Any photos out there, folks?

Enjoyed your photos.  The only thing I have that's actually showing growth is garlic planted on Halloween.  Nothing else to see...planted some peas in a pot and they are finally sprouting.  Planted spinach and tatsoi in some squares but if they are growing, it's miniscule.

Looks great, CC!  I can see why Lilly likes that plant...!  I've never seen one that big.

Garden art, CC!!!! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! You have made such pretty spots for your plants and have used your space so creatively! I really like how you have that one garden spot right next to your downspout... self-watering!

AND I really like that lake across the street. OOHH.

I never did bump into that camera cord but I think I'm going to look at the thrift shop (when I can get there - I LOVE that place, Savers) or even e-bay for a camera just like my old one, which is an Olympus Camedia, which got drowned in conditioner in the suitcase and never worked after that. Or any similar style as long as it takes good photos, because I'm missing out on photos here.

My garlic are doing beautifully, the asparagus bed is growing real well. The seeds I scattered from last year's plants don't seem to be germinating outside, but I also indoor seeded them and have about 10 or so plants to transplant out there, in the new asparagus pile, because I LOVE asparagus, and it freezes well, and it's EASY. Can't beat that.

The potato onions are definitely sprouting, so that's good. The strawberry plants are prolific outside the beds, they got pretty well munched inside the beds (I think the vole likes the SFG soil - it's spacious and roomy). The peppers and tomatoes I transplanted out there are still alive, not growing tremendously, but that's okay. The spinach I seeded out there (and then covered) is coming up nicely but still too small to eat. The lettuce I seeded and didn't cover did not come up I don't think, but I transplanted lettuce out there and that's doing fine. The broccoli transplants look good, the celery is way too tiny and may not make it, the kole/kohlrabi transplants are still alive. I seeded the vine plants outside but I'm not seeing anything yet. Some peas have come up, but disappointingly few and slowly, considering I seeded those twice. No signs yet of the beans that I seeded last week. And the carrots I seeded 2 or 3 times, and NOTHING. BLEH. Grr. I really like carrots and really wish I could grow them. Can you seed those indoors and then transplant?

What a gorgeous day - windows open, mid 70s, laundry drying outside, last un-rainy day for probably 10 days. Which is good.

Potted up my two new tomato plants and hoping for the best.  Last year the pots were filled with organic potting soil.  This year I used MM for them.   Also potted a mandevilla I decided I had to try.  Hope the next week of cloudy/rainy weather is good to them!  Also hope my spinach and peas will finally take hold. 

Was thinking of putting out a square of carrots but didn't get to it.  It crossed my mind that the deluge we are supposed to receive on Saturday might not induce the seeds to sprout.

NHGardner, did you put bean seeds outside?  I thought it was too early for those.  No?  I bought some purple haricot verts seeds that I am hoping will give me tons this year.

What do you experienced people think about that?