N&C Midwest: May 2022

Hello Midwestern SFGers!  Here we are finally in May, I think we are going to finally see a break in the endless wintery hold this week and maybe even today!  

Here, I need to clean out and weed the asparagus bed (not SFG), and plant the Candy and red onion sets, direct seed some kohlrabi, Asian greens, lettuces and maybe carrots?  I did get a radish yesterday—it was mild and wonderful!  

Also bought a bleeding heart, need to find it a semi-shady spot. And mow…

What are your upcoming plans?

I need a warmish dry day to clean out the containers, and get the potatoes, onions and other cool weather crops in.  Hopefully next weekend.

Had a heavy rainstorm last night, so it is a little wet today.  But, this afternoon I will be transplanting the Leeks and Spring Onions into a raised bed. The onions will be planted 16 per square, and the leeks at 9 per square. Have 144 onions (9 squares) and 72 leeks (8 squares).

OK…I weeded the asparagus bed—basically good….lots of thistles that had to be removed. Why, I have no idea?  Took forever.  My fault.  

Mowed.  Got nothing else done in the garden except did last a Bleeding Heart out front in some shade (hope it’s enough shade…) and another Walkers Low Catmint, it really blooms a ton all summer long, and has a nice tidy mounding habit.

I'm hardening off my kale and kohlrabi starts in the hopes of transplanting them this weekend! Lettuce that I direct sowed last week is all starting to germinate so that is encouraging! My peppers and tomatoes that I started inside are growing sooooo... slowly this year. Hope they do okay this year. Hoping to have some nice weather this upcoming weekend but for now, it looks like it will continue to be the low to mid 50's with rain on/off this week. Not much sun for sure!

Agree JAM23!  I am hoping for some better weather this week….I realized that I didn’t actually have some seeds that I thought i had (kohlrabi, much?)

Want to direct seed Swiss Chard, lettuces and carrots.  Maybe beets!

I think I am going to wait on the squash to avoid the SVB, (credit to OG!!!). Maybe another month.  

I will start cukes this weekend.

Scorpio Rising wrote:I think I am going to wait on the squash to avoid the SVB, (credit to OG!!!). Maybe another month. 

I have some yellow crookneck squash plants that I have not planted yet.  They aren't my fav.  I'd prefer butternut squash for winter saving or at least spaghetti squash, smooth yellow squash, and zucchini.

These crookneck someone brought me are now about 5" high?  I'll have to check tomorrow.  I know they've started true leaves that are of a size.

If I wait that long to plant them out in the SFG will these plants be in trouble? 

And I don't know when squash vine borers come out in this area.  (Though I could call a master gardener's phone line and ask -- but the two times I have called, I've been answered by  people down south of me 2 or 4 hours, instead of local. They don't usually know for this area, though I've read the Central zones of the state lead us by 10 days, at least for Spring planting.  And they'll stay warm longer.)

I have been interested in trying out succession planting (three rotations-cool, warm, cool) but I am beginning to think that without some sort of cold frame, hoop house, or greenhouse that in my area it would be tough. Not enough growing days in the season and I'm not ready for that level of gardening just yet, but something that I aspire to do! 

For now, I am going to try and restrain myself and focus on getting the timing right for a manageable variety of crops and then add from there. It's May and now that I am paying closer attention to the soil temperature, things are getting started later than I had planned so that throws everything "off". 

I am going to focus on "one square, one crop" for this season and interplant where I can (i.e. lettuce under tomatoes, radishes placed here and there) and when the cool season crops are done, leave that space for another planting of the same crop for hopefully a fall harvest. 

This group has helped me so much already and it's nice to hear what everyone is working on. Helps me get my timing right!!

More rain here - no dry/sunny days for quite a bit.. more like early April.  Seems our seasons have moved back a month or at least a few weeks.. warm last December until Christmas.. then cold/snow. I'm thinking the garden won't go in until Memorial Day weekend for the most part.  Still haven't planted radish, beets, lettuce, potatoes, or carrots and they should have been in a few weeks ago. Down to 39F Wednesday so still really cool.  Days are mid 50s.

Soose wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:I think I am going to wait on the squash to avoid the SVB, (credit to OG!!!). Maybe another month. 

I have some yellow crookneck squash plants that I have not planted yet.  They aren't my fav.  I'd prefer butternut squash for winter saving or at least spaghetti squash, smooth yellow squash, and zucchini.

These crookneck someone brought me are now about 5" high?  I'll have to check tomorrow.  I know they've started true leaves that are of a size.

If I wait that long to plant them out in the SFG will these plants be in trouble? 

And I don't know when squash vine borers come out in this area.  (Though I could call a master gardener's phone line and ask -- but the two times I have called, I've been answered by  people down south of me 2 or 4 hours, instead of local. They don't usually know for this area, though I've read the Central zones of the state lead us by 10 days, at least for Spring planting.  And they'll stay warm longer.)

So, I am thinking that maybe you shouldn’t wait for your yellow crooknecks that are up already.  You might be OK in a few weeks for your other favorite varieties, but I know in warmer areas there are several seasons of SVBs.  I have had success with wrapping the base of the vine with foil, about an inch or so below deck as well.  Others have had good luck with diatomaceous earth but I’ve never tried it.

Scorpio Rising wrote:So, I am thinking that maybe you shouldn’t wait for your yellow crooknecks that are up already.  You might be OK in a few weeks for your other favorite varieties, but I know in warmer areas there are several seasons of SVBs.  I have had success with wrapping the base of the vine with foil, about an inch or so below deck as well.  Others have had good luck with diatomaceous earth but I’ve never tried it.

Thanks, Scorpio Rising.  Might be many years before I get a feel for these issues!  Will try the foil, and go ahead and plant these.  I guess being in a raised bed won't prevent the vine borers.  I think they are the pest I read about overwintering in mulch, and I've covered my pathways for now with fine mulch.

Soose wrote:  I think they are the pest I read about overwintering in mulch, and I've covered my pathways for now with fine mulch.

SVB overwinter in the soil at whichever location their larva was last able to feed on squash plants.  In early summer the adult emerges from the soil and seeks out plants to lay their eggs at the base of squash plant.

nrstooge wrote:More rain here - no dry/sunny days for quite a bit.. more like early April.  Seems our seasons have moved back a month or at least a few weeks.. warm last December until Christmas.. then cold/snow. I'm thinking the garden won't go in until Memorial Day weekend for the most part.  Still haven't planted radish, beets, lettuce, potatoes, or carrots and they should have been in a few weeks ago. Down to 39F Wednesday so still really cool.  Days are mid 50s.

The lack of sunny days paired with mid 50's temperatures for weeks on end is really tough to deal with!

Looks like the weather is about to change in a big way around here. Today still in the low 50's but quite a few 80 degree days are in the forecast next week. So crazy! I guess it is finally time to direct sow some seeds! I'm hoping to direct sow some kohlrabi, kale, beets and carrots. I'm also thinking about starting some cucumber and summer and winter squash seeds indoors to put out in late May/early June. I have quite a bit of yard clean up to still do since I have not been motivated because of this dreary weather.

Hope some warm and sunny days are ahead of all of you too!

With four consecutive days of heavy rain, I am getting behinder and behinder in getting the gardens ready. Heavy rain all day today, and it supposed to last through tomorrow for the fifth day.  I have three fire ring raised beds i need to get filled and planted. Can't do that in the rain. Have to retrieve the tomato cages from the barn and set them up for the tomato transplants. Can't do that in the rain. Need to get the carrot and beet seeds planted. Can't do that in the rain. Need to get the peppers transplanted into the bed. Can't do that in the rain. What to do, what to do... 

Another day of rain, and cool.  Yesterday we had 1.25" of rain. Tomorrow is supposed begin a dry period with temps in the mid-80's, this will lead to a busy week in the gardens. 

Going out right now to plant onion sets; red and Candy.  Maybe more lettuce.  Harvested some radishes and one lovely spear of asparagus!  Chopped off the giant flower stalk from the rhubarb….gonna make something with rhubarb today.  


Oh yeah—flowers from my kids for Mother’s Day!  Enjoy mamas!

I was finally able to get out on the patio - last years plants removed from containers, onions and potatoes are planted.  

Compost added to 6x3 table top planter, so ready to plant lettuce, peas, radishes and carrots (late I know but it has been raining every weekend for the last 4 weeks).  I need to replace the string that marks my square feet off first.  

The pots with the rosemary, summer marjoram, chives and sage are outside now for the season.

nrstooge wrote:I was finally able to get out on the patio - last years plants removed from containers, onions and potatoes are planted.  

Compost added to 6x3 table top planter, so ready to plant lettuce, peas, radishes and carrots (late I know but it has been raining every weekend for the last 4 weeks).  I need to replace the string that marks my square feet off first.  

The pots with the rosemary, summer marjoram, chives and sage are outside now for the season.

I just put my rosemary pots out also. Boy, they were starting to look very sad!

Weather cleared off this afternoon, and I was able to get out and set the three new fire rings in place for transplanting the Rhubarb plants from the BTE garden. Tomorrow I should be able to make the 21 cu ft of compost, vermiculite, and peat to fill the beds so they'll be ready to plant.

Finally transplanted the Swiss Chard and Kale into the raised bed today. Now have peas, green onions, leeks, lettuce, spinach, radishes, chard, and kale growing in the beds.  Soon will be transplanting the tomatoes and peppers, but will wait at least a week to ensure we don't get caught with a late frost.

My warm weather stuff isn’t ready.  My radishes and turnips are ready to eat from the cold frame.  I predict my spinach will bolt this week as tiny plants!  Supposed to be in the 80s, unseasonably warm.  

We’ll see!?

It was 88 degrees here and humid yesterday and today it's predicted to be another 88 degrees followed by a few days of 85 degree weather. Crazy! My radishes are looking good, just not quite ready and my peas have taken off. I hope my baby spinach and lettuce don't bolt! 

Direct sowed some parsley, cilantro and lovage yesterday and picked up pepper starts since most of mine did not do well this year. Waiting to see of my tomato seedlings survive but I might have to purchase some tomato starts too. Last year I had not problem starting tomatoes and peppers and this year I really struggled. A little disappointed but I guess these things happen.

It sure does feel good going outside and seeing some things growing in the garden!

It does feel good being out in the garden!!!

It was hot (did I say that?) here today…85F.  Honestly that is really hot for May????

So, I did nothing in my garden.  But looked at everything?  

I need to pull most of the radishes.  YUM!!!!  And start some Dragon Tongue beans.  Love those things….so yummy.

Scorpio Rising wrote:It does feel good being out in the garden!!!

It was hot (did I say that?) here today…85F.  Honestly that is really hot for May????

So, I did nothing in my garden.  But looked at everything?  

I need to pull most of the radishes.  YUM!!!!  And start some Dragon Tongue beans.  Love those things….so yummy.

SR-Are you starting your Dragon Tongue beans indoors or direct sowing them?

I am toying around with the idea of starting summer squash and cucumbers indoors now to transplant in a few weeks or just wait and direct sow then. After this heat wave it will cool off next week, but fingers crossed that the threat of frost is gone.

And I also did nothing in the garden yesterday since it was near 90 degrees here.