N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring

**Scorpio Rising** 3/1/2017, 8:33 pm

Wow, wild, wild, terrifying weather, here, MW! I am here to tell ya we are in for a tumultuous spring weather wise.

I have started nothing. Based on last year's ridiculously cold late snap....yeah.

Spinach seeds in, Kate's method. That is it so far.

**trolleydriver** 3/1/2017, 8:56 pm

Stay safe SR. I've been watching reports that severe weather system and it's devastating and deadly effects.

CitizenKate 3/1/2017, 9:26 pm

Wow, such wild weather out east! My friends in PA have been on a pretty wild ride, this winter, too.

herblover 3/2/2017, 10:17 am

Uh, yeah....yesterday we had heavy downpours, thunderstorms and almost 60, last night I drove home from Ash Wednesday Mass in a sleet storm, and now it is just above freezing and sunny!

**Scorpio Rising** 3/2/2017, 9:58 pm

I know! Thanks TD, most of us escaped the worst of it. But it has been so volatile! One day it's 60, next, 28, then rain, snow, sleet, fog....

I am behind in my starts....but plan to get it going on for leaves this weekend under lights and heating pad.

My garlic is about 2 inches up, will get pics this weekend.

CitizenKate 3/2/2017, 10:32 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:My garlic is about 2 inches up, will get pics this weekend.

I've been trying to find garlic bulbs to plant, and all I can find in this area is what's at TSC for around $6 for only 2 heads. Do I need to just order this stuff???

Do you plant a whole head in one spot, or break out each of the cloves?

BeetlesPerSqFt 3/2/2017, 11:09 pm

CitizenKate wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:My garlic is about 2 inches up, will get pics this weekend.
I've been trying to find garlic bulbs to plant, and all I can find in this area is what's at TSC for around $6 for only 2 heads. Do I need to just order this stuff???

Do you plant a whole head in one spot, or break out each of the cloves?

Break the head into cloves. Plant 4 or 5 or 9 cloves per square. I plant 4-5 for big cloves, 9 for smaller; smaller cloves typically develop into smaller bulbs and need less room.
Garlic is usually started late fall, which may be why it's being difficult to find now. (But I'd say it's still worth giving a square or two try if you can get some.)

**Scorpio Rising** 3/4/2017, 11:30 am

CitizenKate wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:My garlic is about 2 inches up, will get pics this weekend.
I've been trying to find garlic bulbs to plant, and all I can find in this area is what's at TSC for around $6 for only 2 heads. Do I need to just order this stuff???

Do you plant a whole head in one spot, or break out each of the cloves?

Yes, you break it up and plant the individual cloves. I did 9/square, some do 5. This is the first time I have had any make it, tried a container and zero made it, think it froze too hard.

I ordered mine from Pinetree last fall, planted it in November. It is a hardneck type, more cold tolerant also. Give it a whirl!

CitizenKate 3/4/2017, 2:35 pm

Huh - didn't realize it was just grown in the fall, but I never looked into it much until now.

Then again, the planting calendar I follow also says not to plant kale until August, for late season harvesting, but I had some out in a box in late March, and it produced all spring and into early July. So I think I'll give it a try, for spring, anyway.

Thanks for the info!

BeetlesPerSqFt 3/4/2017, 5:38 pm

It's not exactly grown in the fall - just planted then. It apparently establishes roots for a few weeks before a long winter's nap. Then it comes up in the spring, and grows for part of the summer, and then you get to play some guessing games about when exactly to harvest it. (And then I try to figure out if there's enough time left in the session to stuff something else into those squares, since I try to rotate.)

**Scorpio Rising** 3/4/2017, 6:13 pm

Ok, update.....just started 5 types of lettuce, Swiss chard, and kale. Spinach is in the fridge!

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring Image11

Planning mode, full bore!

CitizenKate 3/4/2017, 10:38 pm

Hope you have a better spring this year than you had last year, SR!

All the lettuce I started a week ago tanked on me. Nuthin'! So I figured my seed has gotten too old - I still had some from 2014/2015, and it has done fine until now, but I guess all good things come to an end, right?

So I chucked it all, and went out today and got new packets of BS Simpson, Red Sea, Red Sails, and couldn't find any Buttercrunch, so I got some Bibb. I've got them all in the soup and should have them in the seed trays sometime tomorrow.

Last year, I waited until mid-March to start the peppers, but they took forever to get going, so I decided to start those this week. I got some more Keystone Giants that I grew last year, and decided to try some of landarch's favs, the King Arthur.

Debating whether to put the onion sets out this weekend, or wait another week or two... where's my crystal ball when I need it???

**Scorpio Rising** 3/5/2017, 5:15 pm

Skippy's said start basil, parsley and peppers this weekend! I didn't, but did get seeds sorted and stuff I don't want to repeat pitched.

Bummer about your lettuces! But sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet, pitch stuff and start over!

Put in Bloomsdale longstanding, Space, and Gigante de Inverno spinaches.

Matchless, BSS, Flashy Butter Oak, Marvel 4, Green Ice and All Year Round lettuces.

Bright Lights and Flamingo Swiss Chards.

Dwarf Blue Vates curly kale.

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring Image12

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring Image12

More organized. And have a plan!

CapeCoddess 3/5/2017, 6:24 pm

I'm cheering you on, you guys! Keep on truckin'...you're doing great!

Kate, I'm surprised that your 3 yr old lettuces tanked. Where do you store them?
CC

**Scorpio Rising** 3/6/2017, 6:46 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:
I'm cheering you on, you guys! Keep on truckin'...you're doing great!

Kate, I'm surprised that your 3 yr old lettuces tanked. Where do you store them?
CC

Thanks, CC! Will you have any Rouge d' Hiver seeds after this year? If so, I would like to try it!

I know....CC stores all her seeds in the fridge......

**Scorpio Rising** 3/6/2017, 7:12 pm

Update, lettuces up, not all, but some! Lights lowered. bounce

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring 998388915

CitizenKate 3/6/2017, 11:02 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:
I'm cheering you on, you guys! Keep on truckin'...you're doing great!

Kate, I'm surprised that your 3 yr old lettuces tanked. Where do you store them?
CC

It probably was not wise to keep them in my upstairs home office. I recently started checking the temperature up there, and I didn't realize how warm it gets up there. It tends to stay in the upper 70's most of the time. I've since moved them down to the garage in the winter, and inside to the downstairs pantry during the summer.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/7/2017, 8:45 pm

R

CitizenKate wrote:
CapeCoddess wrote:
I'm cheering you on, you guys! Keep on truckin'...you're doing great!

Kate, I'm surprised that your 3 yr old lettuces tanked. Where do you store them?
CC
It probably was not wise to keep them in my upstairs home office. I recently started checking the temperature up there, and I didn't realize how warm it gets up there. It tends to stay in the upper 70's most of the time. I've since moved them down to the garage in the winter, and inside to the downstairs pantry during the summer.

Honestly, the whole storing of seeds thing isn't stressed, but is super important! I put them in my closet, but will put them in my basement since I have a new box that I can close.

Lettuces still germinating, some spinach is waking, and of course, the kale is vigorous. I ate the baby kales, they had the taste....why...do I feel the need to grow kale?

I need kale help.....kelp. Lol:lol!:

CitizenKate 3/7/2017, 9:59 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:
Honestly, the whole storing of seeds thing isn't stressed, but is super important! I put them in my closet, but will put them in my basement since I have a new box that I can close.

Lettuces still germinating, some spinach is waking, and of course, the kale is vigorous. I ate the baby kales, they had the taste....why...do I feel the need to grow kale?

I need kale help.....kelp. Lol:lol!:

I know, I've noticed kale leaves seem better when I harvest them younger, too. For me, it's more just a matter of staying more on top of harvesting them at just the right time.

The new lettuce and cabbage seeds I got are coming up fast! I just put some in seed trays on Sunday (I think), and several of them have already emerged from the mix. Good sign. So yeah, I think this is my little lesson in seed storage. Maybe I'll get a little mini-fridge for them. Smile

The kale and broccoli are happy so far - just wish I had more time at home so I could get them out into the sun more. Maybe after this week...

**sanderson** 3/8/2017, 3:03 am

SR, The first photo of your table looks like mine!

**Scorpio Rising** 3/8/2017, 11:31 pm

sanderson wrote:SR, The first photo of your table looks like mine!

Oh yeah, it was overwhelming! I had notes, post its, stuff rubber banded, spring and fall coincide.....

Halp!

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring 3170584802

N & C Midwest: March 2017 Brink of Spring 3170584802

**Scorpio Rising** 3/8/2017, 11:35 pm

CitizenKate wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:
Honestly, the whole storing of seeds thing isn't stressed, but is super important! I put them in my closet, but will put them in my basement since I have a new box that I can close.

Lettuces still germinating, some spinach is waking, and of course, the kale is vigorous. I ate the baby kales, they had the taste....why...do I feel the need to grow kale?

I need kale help.....kelp. Lol:lol!:
I know, I've noticed kale leaves seem better when I harvest them younger, too. For me, it's more just a matter of staying more on top of harvesting them at just the right time.

The new lettuce and cabbage seeds I got are coming up fast! I just put some in seed trays on Sunday (I think), and several of them have already emerged from the mix. Good sign. So yeah, I think this is my little lesson in seed storage. Maybe I'll get a little mini-fridge for them.

The kale and broccoli are happy so far - just wish I had more time at home so I could get them out into the sun more. Maybe after this week...

K, so, me too. I plan to,put my kale on my patio. Because I really genuinely like young kale leaves. They are tender, cabbage ish, and they taste super healthy. Got to get it closer. Patio planter. Gonna have to buy one.......grrrr

**Scorpio Rising** 3/9/2017, 10:03 pm

Leaves sprouting. I am hating my iPad. It is old and overloaded. Getting a new one this weekend.

Cold here. It should be. Has been an uncomfortable winter because just so warm....

CapeCoddess 3/10/2017, 11:31 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
CapeCoddess wrote:
I'm cheering you on, you guys! Keep on truckin'...you're doing great!

Kate, I'm surprised that your 3 yr old lettuces tanked. Where do you store them?
CC
Thanks, CC! Will you have any Rouge d' Hiver seeds after this year? If so, I would like to try it!

I know....CC stores all her seeds in the fridge......

I think I saved some from last year but for some reason there's a question mark on the bottle. I may have mixed up the labels in the garden bed or something so I need to grow them first to see what they are. Unless you don't mind surprise lettuce. In which case I'd be happy to send you some asap. What a Face

Yes, my seeds go into the clampacks at the back of the bottom shelf of the fridge. My mother hates it but tuff noogies...it's how I get to use 5 & 6 yr old faves...some of which you can't find anymore. Like I'm choking that I only had 7 or 8 Grand Rapid lettuce seeds left. Could have sworn I saved some. Hey, maybe that's why the question mark is on the Rouge d'hiver bottle. Could they be Grand Rapids? Uh boy...stay tuned, gardeners...to be continued! lol

**Scorpio Rising** 3/10/2017, 9:03 pm

I have way more tan needed for this whole year, CC. Just have never seen Rouge de Hiver lettuce available.

Super windy and cold. Need to check my seedlings and start hers and peppers, according to Skippy's!

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