What's in the garden right now??

I thought I'd share now since I saw a fellow Midwesterner ask. What's in a St. Louis garden right now?

Well, I'm an aggressive gardner. So, I built a hoophouse to extend my frost dates. Long story short, my frost date is...........TODAY! If you live in St. Louis, you have another 16 days to go..think Tax Day. If you live in St. Charles County, you have 23 days. My point is: I will tell you what I did and when this year, and you can adjust things to your frost date in your locality.

I started my brocolli, celery, and cauliflower a little late.....10 weeks ago. I put them in the garden 5 weeks ago. I staggered another seeding and planting 8 weeks ago, and put them in the garden 3 weeks ago.

I gambled with lettuce and spinach varieties. I transplanted a few squares 4 weeks ago that I had seeded just 5 days before (a little longer for the spinach). I got my first salad two days ago! I staggered another planting two weeks later.

Peas were a late start for me, but I started the seeds 3 weeks ago and transplanted them 13 days ago.

I wanted to see how things compared and directly seeded a few "experimental" squares 6 weeks ago (Feb 23rd) and the carrots, spinach, and peas are all doing fine, too. They were awhile to come up, but have caught up with everything else.......there's a hidden time saving tip for you in that statement.

I directly seeded more peas and a square of radishes 2 weeks ago. The peas are just starting to poke up as of yesterday. However, the radishes have been up for a week.

Since St. Patrick's Day, everything but tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers have been directly seeded outdoors. There is no point, imo, to starting anything else inside now. I haven't though about beans yet. I will directly seed them outside on Tax Day. At the same time, I may put my tomato and pepper transplants out. Next week, I plan to start my cucumbers inside, too. My tomatoes/peppers/cucumbers are only waiting because I have a dedicated bed to them I don't plan on covering unless necessary. Otherwise, they'd be in the MM, too, and under the hoops.

In the April Update thread coming, you will see pictures of the garden. Nothing is super impressive yet, but you can definitely start planting now. Keep a little plastic handy for protecting against frost/freeze. We can get snow down here into the first week of May. (It's happened twice!) Your frost date is typically only the day in which you are 50/50 to no longer see it this season. If not comfortable with a coin flip, wait another week or two before starting....your percentages of frost/freeze start to really drop off the chart each day you wait.

If you are inside two weeks of your frost, lots of things can go into the garden, provided the soil is workable. I don't know about you up north with all that snow. But, I do know spring is on the horizon in the Northern and Central Midwest Region. Get excited!!

Does anyone else feel like Wayne or Garth when there's a frost coming now. It's like.....CAR......game on!........CAR.......game on!

Ok, this Ohio gardener is extremely passive compared to you! LOL
I have the following in :
peas (march 22)
Broccoli and Cabbage (march 20) I cheated and bought plants. LOL
Carrots ( March 24 ? - can't really remember exactly when but it was after the peas)

all are under plastic cover due to snow here in cincy.

i tried starting seeds with the brocolli and out of 20 , i ended up with one viable plant. I've got to practice this again.

madnicmom wrote:Ok, this Ohio gardener is extremely passive compared to you! LOL
I have the following in :
peas (march 22)
Broccoli and Cabbage (march 20) I cheated and bought plants. LOL
Carrots ( March 24 ? - can't really remember exactly when but it was after the peas)

all are under plastic cover due to snow here in cincy.

i tried starting seeds with the brocolli and out of 20 , i ended up with one viable plant. I've got to practice this again.

Damping off? I think I saw you mention that. I guess I got really lucky this year.

In the ground is:

Little Finger Carrot
asparagus
spinach
peas
potatoes
strawberries
green onions
lettuce

In the process of hardening off but going in the ground soon:

broccoli
bulb onion
parsley

just potted up:

sweet and cayenne peppers
5 diff types of tomato
watermelon
cantaloupe
borage
luffa gourd

All the other babies are happily laying under their "sun"! I put a fan on them yesterday because I found a fuzzy white dot on one of the peat pots that hadn't germed, I tossed it.

I'm jealous of your salad BBG!

I got a late start due to the flood. So far I have 2 squares of broccoli (one each) with one germinating as of yesterday; 3 squares of peas (8 each) with one germinating; 2 squares of onions (9 each); 2 squares of carrots (16 each); and one square of garlic. The lettuce is at home waiting to go in - hopefully this weekend. It is transplants, everything else was directly sewn seeds. As for perrenials; the oregano, butterfly bush, daisy, and purple coneflower all show signs of life. The strawberries look very happy and I may have flowers next week. I don't think the fennel survived the flood. I love the swallowtails, so I will have to get another. That's it for today - March 30 where the snow flies in Cincinnati.

snap peas, mustard greens, turnips, collards, broccoli, onions, radish, carrots, spinach(transplants and seed), kale transplants, bok choy (transplants and seed) mesculun mix, and lettuce in beds. Chives, parsley and mint in pots. Harvesting the bok choy from transplants now. Spinach is big enough to pick outer leaves for 1 small salad, but I'm waiting another week. Hope to have some lettuce to mix in with it. And 5 purple potatos in a bin.

walshevak wrote:snap peas, mustard greens, turnips, collards, broccoli, onions, radish, carrots, spinach(transplants and seed), kale transplants, bok choy (transplants and seed) mesculun mix, and lettuce in beds. Chives, parsley and mint in pots. Harvesting the bok choy from transplants now. Spinach is big enough to pick outer leaves for 1 small salad, but I'm waiting another week. Hope to have some lettuce to mix in with it. And 5 purple potatos in a bin.

Partridge in a pear tree says whaaaaat? LOL.

Awesome. Bet you can just taste that salad now.

I was going to plant in the MM tomorrow. But didn't get my plastic up so will have to do that tomorrow if I can before the next round of rain! They are talking about highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's next week so I will plant after the rain on Monday of course adjusting for the darn Iowa weather. My frost date isn't till May 3rd but with the hoops and plastic and plastic jugs and covers inside when needed I am going for about 3 weeks early. But not for my transplants! Those babies are going in the little greenhouse on the deck for a couple of weeks! Iowa is known for blizzards and ice in April so the seeds are all I am willing to risk right now!

CindiLou wrote:I was going to plant in the MM tomorrow. But didn't get my plastic up so will have to do that tomorrow if I can before the next round of rain! They are talking about highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's next week so I will plant after the rain on Monday of course adjusting for the darn Iowa weather. My frost date isn't till May 3rd but with the hoops and plastic and plastic jugs and covers inside when needed I am going for about 3 weeks early. But not for my transplants! Those babies are going in the little greenhouse on the deck for a couple of weeks! Iowa is known for blizzards and ice in April so the seeds are all I am willing to risk right now!

When you mean "transplants," do you mean store-bought....and therefore, carrying more expense? If so, I'm right there with you.

But, to me, seeds are seeds are seeds. If I lose transplants I started from seeds, myself, I don't bum out nearly as hard.

As for directly planting seeds outdoors, I think you have the right frame of mind. Next year, I probably won't be nearly as aggressive as early. I will just go with my "altered" frost date of March 30 and direct seed when I can. All that transplanting has been a pain. Fun experience to learn, but not something I need to start doing so early. (Granted, when cabin fever gets me next winter, I may completely change my tune....again.)

BYBG, next spring I will redirect you to this thread and your comment.

I am either going to not do seeds next year for transplants if I don't get a better system, or sneak lumber scraps and tools while hubby is not looking and build a better shelving system. If I do not have the system I want/need, too bad, I'm not going to do it. I know what I want, I want it done right and done my way, so I'll either do it myself or do with out.

On a fun note, I picked up a copy of "The Little Red Hen" at the Library the other day, I'm making my 14yo and 12yo kiddos copy the text for handwriting pratice, thought I would kill two birds with one stone and get my point across.........

Very nice play on the kids, Val. And, we will have to get a smiley of a face eating crow for next year...apparently. I don't even trust myself enough to make a bet with you....lol.

Better yet, let's get some recipes, I'll be eating it with you, I get itchy come January and just have to play in the dirt, even if it is in my kitchen.

I'm just letting off some steam about the shelving unit, and ready to have everything outside instead of in the living room, in the kitchen, on the table, on the porch on warm days, oh I could go on but I think you get the picture. I just wish I had hoop houses like you.

Maybe you could give your MIL lessons on covering as well as a neighbor, and share some produce with them so they will RUN to your garden if they know you are out of town and saw bad weather on the way. Admit it, that's the real frustration here, leaving your babies, and I totally understand. I need a weekend at my partner in crime's house (aka my mother in law), but hubby does not want us running the roads which is what we do. But alas, that weekend will have to wait, Everything that can go out on Friday is going out, I want my kitchen back. Now what to do with all this honey hubby is processing and being stored on my counter.......

Onions (2 squares)
Nasturtiums (2 squares)
Marigolds (2 squares)
Bell Peppers (2 squares)
Carrots
Two kinds of beans (I can't remember which ones right now)
Snow Peas
Cilantro

and one out of the box cantaloupe!

From the other posts I guess I am lucky to be living in Florida!

Snow!

honey... swoooon....

nothing constructive to add...

milaneyjane wrote:Snow!

Hang in there honey, spring has been spotting to the south of you, and is aproaching north, we are sending warmer temps and sunshine your way.

milaneyjane wrote:Snow!

Is that a perennial?

Glendale-gardener wrote:

milaneyjane wrote:Snow!

Is that a perennial?

Semi-annual!

4 squares of onions
6 squares of broccoli
6 squares of cabbage
2 squares of beet
4 squares of two different kinds of lettuce
2 squares of potatos
2 empty squares
2 squares of peppers (they froze so am waiting a couple of weeks before replanting)


I also planted cukes, yellow squash, peas, beans and potatos in a 11'x19' garden, probably too early. I'm sure I'll have to replant the cukes, squash and beans.
Next year I want to plant peas and beans in a SFG and build a lattis. My first year to SFG, so I'm still learning. Such fun!

Perennial, ROFL! I went out and peaked in my boxes for the first time this morning (requiring me to trudge through snow and ice). I could see a little MM in one of the beds peaking out. This has been one of the LONGEST winters. We are supposed to hit 50 this weekend.

waiting for a bit warmer weather to t'plant the cukes, squash, zucchini, melon, gourd, tomatoes (3 kinds), peppers (4 kinds), & eggplant that I started.

currently have growing:
english peas
onions (3 kinds)
shallots
herbs
spinach
strawberries
asparagus
garlic (3 kinds)
leeks
carrots (4 kinds)
bush beans
leaf & bibb lettuce
swiss chard
potatoes (red, white, & purple)
and lilies, dahlies, marigolds, vinca, bachelor button & verbena (to feed the soul)

Fresh out of partridges, so will a robin in a sweet gum tree count?

Goosegirl wrote:

Glendale-gardener wrote:

milaneyjane wrote:Snow!

Is that a perennial?

Semi-annual!

and



Both are darned funny.

well, I expect about 10 inches of snow in the garden tomorrow.

I am still growing snow too! Although it is raining a bit tonight.

Snowed this morning, rained this afternoon, supposed to snow again by Sunday. Still waiting to see the first robins.....

TC