N&C Midwest: May 2020

"The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it."


We have had rain every day this week, and more is predicted yet for tomorrow. This weekend is supposed to be beautiful, and then Monday we start another week of rain. So, my carefully planned schedule was to plant beans, and transplant peppers into the beds Saturday. Then the beds would complete until the cucumbers and squash go in around the end of June. Make garden while the sun shines they say.  But then, I had to get some emergency surgery done which says I can't do any lifting or bending over for the next two weeks. So much for my plans!  Bet I'll find a way to sit on a stool and plant without bending over....

I do believe the world doth conspire against you this week. Speedy recovery from your surgery!

Yes, OG, take care!  Take it easy this holiday weekend!

CK, we have been inundated with rain from some storm (idk?) and it has been terrible!  Cold, wet, humid. RAIN.  Days on end....

I am going to figure it out!  Will harden off the maters, eggplants, and peppers, they can go in.  Flowers and herbs are good to go in.  Sunflowers almost, need some hardening and attention.  

It will happen!

Oh, wow. Speedy healing to you, OG! Can you just start the beans inside and transplant in 2 weeks?

mollyhespra wrote: Can you just start the beans inside and transplant in 2 weeks?

I guess I could, but that would be a lot of work.  At 9 plants per square, the 4'x8' bed would need 288 bean plants. That is a lot of transplanting. I'm going to try to plant at least half the seeds today, before the week of rain starts.

How about you make a 1 foot square tray 3" deep or so out of cardboard and plant in that? When they're ready just plant the whole tray?

Picked a bunch of lettuces, spinach and Bok Choi last night.  So salads and perhaps a stir fry in my future!  Gave some lettuce to my sister, too!  This cool spring has for once, given me some spinach, normally it goes from seedling to insta-bolt.

Planted the first batch of bush beans today, Blue Lake 274 variety. Making the holes by pushing my finger 1" deep in the soil seemed a lot like the Wack a Mole game - every time I poked the 9 holes in a square, 2 or 3 of the holes had an earthworm pop out to complain about being disturbed!   But, I got all of the seeds planted and the holes filled with medium Vermiculite. In about a week I should start seeing sprouts apearing - then I have to cover them with bird netting to keep the birds from eating them.

You did it! How did you manage without bending over?

mollyhespra wrote:You did it! How did you manage without bending over?

By making sure all the security cameras were off!  LOL

I found an old stool in the garage that is about the same height as the raised beds, so I was able to sit on it and reach sideways into the bed to make the holes, drop the seeds in, and fill with Vermiculite.  Once I got a routine going, it was easier than I thought it would be, and I didn't tear out any stitches...  

Good for you, OG!  I use a stool a lot to tend, plant in the SFG, and my son got me this at Christmas and just got it put together—it’s very comfortable, and height is adjustable.  

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/deluxe-tractor-garden-scoot/40-131+++GR.html?utm_campaign=PLA&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_source=google&SC=XNET0146&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIooaWjr7M6QIVUdbACh3YiQIWEAQYAiABEgJc7fD_BwE

Great gift, a definite move up from my folding stool!

Sounds like everyone is having wonderful time in their gardens.  I'm no different.  Spent yesterday on the patio transplanting the tomatoes into their containers.  I still have some flowers and the celery to do.  Eggplants, brussels sprouts and peppers will go in next week (If I can find room).  I had a few folks tell me they loved my patio.  Sad most of the balconies and patios may have a gas grill, but nothing else (some have a chair or 2).. very few plants/flowers.  The buildings look sad/bare with no flowers around or cascading off balconies. Even one pot of flowers/herbs on the patio of the first floor apartments would be an improvement.   

Had to harvest some of the mini pak choy and tatsoi to make room.. so made stir fry for dinner with just those, some garlic, chicken stock granuels .. served over rice.  I love picking a handful of something for my dinner.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Good for you, OG!  I use a stool a lot to tend, plant in the SFG, and my son got me this at Christmas and just got it put together—it’s very comfortable, and height is adjustable. 

Great gift, a definite move up from my folding stool!

That's cool, SR! Ironically we were at Sam's Club a couple weeks ago and I saw a cart similar to that, and hinted that it would make planting and harvesting the beds a lot easier. But, the CFO vetoed the expense.     The one you have looks like it may be a little more functional, though.

Here is the one at Sam's: Garden Scooter

He-ey! Those scooters look NICE!!!

I don't see the difference between them when you take out the basket and pulling handle on the one from Gardener's. Do you have to be a member to buy from Sam's online?

mollyhespra wrote: Do you have to be a member to buy from Sam's online?

Yes.

Ah, well. They're sold out. Amazon has something similar, though.

mollyhespra wrote:Ah, well.  They're sold out. Amazon has something similar, though.

Bummer!  I went to check out their site, and it shows that they are out of stock on-line, but they have them available in-store. Interesting.....

I make Japanese style garden stools from cedar. They don't have wheels or fancy molded seats, but they work well for me. Anything to keep off of my knees. I'm thinking of a cottage business doing these. It keeps me busy on rainy days. 

I'll post some pictures once I take them.

Brian

Scorpio Rising wrote:Good for you, OG!  I use a stool a lot to tend, plant in the SFG, and my son got me this at Christmas and just got it put together—it’s very comfortable, and height is adjustable.  

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/deluxe-tractor-garden-scoot/40-131+++GR.html?utm_campaign=PLA&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_source=google&SC=XNET0146&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIooaWjr7M6QIVUdbACh3YiQIWEAQYAiABEgJc7fD_BwE

Great gift, a definite move up from my folding stool!

That's nice! Sadly, it won't work in my garden because some of the beds are too crowded. That's going to change next year, when I replace (and reposition) my oldest beds.

I kinda like the idea of this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Muscle-Rack-Garden-Kneeler-and-Seat-FGK231019/308597507

But I'm too cheap to buy one. I've been thinking about how I could make something like it with PVC pipe.

Here are the results of my work this weekend.. Still have 5 - 5gal grow bags to do next weekend with the eggplants, peppers, brussels sprouts, onions and flowers

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAklc88JcY7/

Hahaha!  You guys!!!!

So the one I got was a gift, off season from the kids—however I love it, but yes, it looks like the one from Sam’s!  (I wish mine had a drink holder).  I say BUY IT!  It will save your back...

Those kneelers look good too, you can turn them over and they become a seat!  Me likey!  

I had a $4.99 plastic folding stool for the past 7 years....it is still a good choice sometimes!  Walmart.  

I planted my last peppers, eggplants, and weeded a bit.  My super hotties are outside. They will go in sooner than later!  Melons, squash, ground  cherries, can’t wait!

Pulled some Green Onions to go with the salads. They are growing so fast that it is hard to keep up with them right now.  But, I have a younger set of plants coming along, and another tray full of seedlings that will be ready to transplant by the time all of these are harvested.

OhioGardener wrote:Pulled some Green Onions to go with the salads. They are growing so fast that it is hard to keep up with them right now.  But, I have a younger set of plants coming along, and another tray full of seedlings that will be ready to transplant by the time all of these are harvested.

Nice!  I grew them a few years ago, but I miss them!

My super hotties (Melons, squashes, cukes) LOVE this hot weather, they have visibly grown since this morning!

Nice onions, OG!

It's lettuce coming out so fast we can't keep up, here. I should have staggered the plantings a little more, but oh well. Excess produce makes for happy neighbors.

CitizenKate wrote:Nice onions, OG!

It's lettuce coming out so fast we can't keep up, here. I should have staggered the plantings a little more, but oh well. Excess produce makes for happy neighbors.

Yep!  We have one neighbor with a 2 young boys that love spring onions, so they have become recipient of a number of them. They came over this evening to bring some juicer pulp, and I asked if they would like some onions which of course they did. So, I pulled some, cleaned them and cut the roots off, and handed them to the boys. They ate them right out of the garden, so I had to pull more to send home with them (the promised me that most of them would make it home. Ha!)

But, regarding staggered planting, the best laid plans of mice & men oft goes astray....  I planted Romaine Lettuce seeds back on March 8th so we would have some early lettuce to harvest. Then, after it got to good size, I planted some Black Seeded Simpson to take over when the Romaine started slowing down. Well, the Romaine hasn't slowed down, and we are harvesting 6 qt bowl full of it every 2nd or 3rd day. Now, the Black Seeded Simpson has grown like a weed and we are having to harvest it every 3 or 4 days. We shared two 1-gallon bags full of lettuce with neighbors this evening.