Any Minnesota SFGers??

Hello there!
How are all the Minnesotans doing so far?! We haven't really had great weather so far this spring, have we?!
This is my first post for the 2011 season and my third season using the SFG method. I'm way behind where I was last year...nothing started! We've been busy with putting new flooring in for our living, dining and kitchen, so I'll be buying veggies to transplant and planting seeds in the boxes. We have four 4'x4' boxes. I just need to get compost to mix in.
I look forward to hearing how everyone is doing and seeing pics!!


Jenny

C'mon, Land 'O Lakers, jump in here and be recognized!

Hello from SD. I am 12 miles from the MN border, does that count? Nasty winter and spring here as well, but May is coming soon and things are looking up!

TC

Well, I have my boxes made and ready to be filled. I have some seedlings going in my kitchen. Just cauliflower and basil. I hope to mix my MM this weekend and put in my cold crops on Tuesday. Our local nursery hasn't even opended yet! We had snow again yesterday! I was just sick when I saw that!

I'm up on "da range" in Hoyt Lakes.

It has been in the 60's for the last 2 days, and will be again today. Tomorrow? Rain/Snow mix!

close enough goosegirl!

I grew up in Duluth cabinfever...I miss living there, but not the weather, although it isn't much different 3 hours south!

I went to buy compost today...had a very difficult time finding a variety! I tried going the non-box store route and was greatly disappointed--they had nothing yet! I guess I'll have to keep searching and hope I find more soon!

Yo Shocks!


Where ya been? You had the neatest looking garden last year. :nono: for not being ahead of the curve this year!!!!

Ah thanks boffer!! I know, I know!! I hate that I'm far behind right now...I did order some tomato plants online last night. I will probably buy some lettuce and celery starts this weekend (if we don't get rained out!).
We left the bamboo fence up over the winter and it didn't do so well! I will be adjusting it some by moving it in closer to the boxes and we'll see what else! Need to keep the pup out and will hopefully make her a sandbox that she can dig and dig and dig!!

ETA: thanks for the picture boffer! It's a good reminder of what's to come and very good motivation to get going!!!

Oh, and I thought I'd show you that my helper is preparing for the gardening season...

My beds are cleaned out and ready for season 2. I still need to clean out the corn garden (kept it up over winter for something to look at---regretting it now) I am also going to put in two more large beds but because it is SNOWING AND RAINING STILL IN MAY GRRRR!!!!! I haven't been able to do that. I am seriously sick of this weather this year. May 1st and there was snow on my deck this morning and we are only 30 minutes from the cities.

Isn't this crazy!? I saw snow flurries two times today...thank goodness nothing stayed on the ground! Hopefully your snow melts quickly milaneyjane!!
Are you planting anything new or not planting something you planted last year?
I'm definitely not doing corn or zucchini this year...they take up too much space! I will do less tomato plants and try to do a better job on the lettuce this year. I also want to try spaghetti squash, but we'll see! Not sure if I will do onions.

I have 4 - 4x8 ' beds here in the land of perpetual winter. 2 are under hoop houses and are nearly full of lettuces, peas, spinach, radishes, carrots and brocoli babies. I can't wait to get my warm weather babies out there. I'm trying to teach my children patience and I seem to have lost my own!

jbh29 wrote:I'm trying to teach my children patience and I seem to have lost my own!

Amen to that! Sanity, too.

It's gonna get down to 22 tonight! This is making me soooooooo mad!!!!!!!!!!

cabinfever wrote:It's gonna get down to 22 tonight! This is making me soooooooo mad!!!!!!!!!!

Here too, cabinfever.

I am switching up a little this year and actually planting in a much smaller space by giving up a large row garden behind the main garden where I usually plant the pumpkin, squash etc... I am putting a massive compost pile out there for the next year or two since the soil really needs a boost. With less garden space I can take the money and ammend the soil in the row garden area I have now without needing to take out a second mortgage, LOL! I am increasing plants on those I didn't have enough of last year for salsa and canning. Of course, if it doesn't all fit, I will be tempted to re-open part of the back garden, LOL!


New this year:
-I am dedicating another of the beds to add more strawberry
-adding two more 15 foot cattle panels running straight for cucumbers and one for peas in the "regular" garden,
-adding two more 7.5 foot long beds for lots of peppers and tomato.
-I am planting 24-30 tomato plants (roma, a few cherry, olpaka which is a new one for me, and trying tomatillo) this year up from I think 14 last year now that I have a season of canning under my belt.
-adding about 5 times the amount of peppers (6 varieties: jalapeno, sweet banana, hot banana, chili, green pepper and can't remember last one).
-"adding" butternut squash--trying in new location and starting plants indoors. Haven't had great luck in the past
-Trying dill in SFG---haven't had much luck in regular garden so I am hopeful!!!!
-Lumina pumpkins (my sons)

Staying the Same:
Carrots
Onions
Beets
Basil
Potatoe
zuchinni (not in SFG)
watermelon
lettuce
spinach
cantaloupe
rhubarb
cattle panel trellis tunnel of green beans (increasing amount by adding separate cattle panel for cucs)
peas (moving out of SFG) once they are done the squash, watermelon can take over the cattle panel.
all my herbs that are in deck planters around entire railing of deck

Getting Rid of:
corn- last year I planted a huge row garden of corn and it was horrible. Not sure why.
If I am running short on space I will give up broc and cabbage

Weather has been horrible here in Winona, too. I saw flurries early in the morning on Sunday. Everything is growing so slowly, including my starts! My cucumbers just came up in the seed trays, and I planted them more than two weeks ago. At least the leaves are finally coming out on the trees. I have never seen such a reluctant spring! Someone mentioned trying to teach kids patience while losing your own....I'm in the same boat!

Anyway, I have 2 4x4s and 1 4x8. One 4x4 is devoted to strawberries, which are doing well. Scattered through the other boxes are peas, carrots, potatoes, radishes, spinach, chard, lettuce, onions, and broccoli. I'm planning bush beans, and melons, and have tomatoes, peppers and cukes started.

I noticed that tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and in the 60s. I hope so!!

Have any of you Minnesotans or 4a zoners planted snap peas yet? Those are one of my favorites and I want to get them out there so bad!! So far I only have lettuce starts and onions planted. I have two types of short carrots, two types of bush beans and some beets (all seeds) planted as well. I bought some celery starts as well as two sweet pepper plants and one tomato plant waiting for the weather to warm up to go in the boxes. I started my cucumbers and cantaloupe seeds indoors and those are doing well. I'm looking forward to the rest of the growing season! I still need to tidy up around the boxes...hopefully will get to that soon!
How are your gardens growing?!

I planted peas, beans and cucs a few days after Mother's Day along with onions, carrots, lettuce, spinach, dill, beets and turnips. Also put in zuchini seeds, summer squash, watermelon and cantaloupe seeds. Put in cabbage plants a few days ago, potato yesterday. Tonight I put in 12 green pepper and 16 roma plants tonight.

Has everything started sprouting milaneyjane? You are south of the twin cities, correct?

I planted snap peas a week ago, along with kohlrabi and Cosmic Purple carrots - still waiting for sprouts. Deluge coming tomorrow through next week, so there better be some green action soon!

TC

I planted peas awhile ago, and after a slow start they are doing well, now. Planted beans two weeks ago, and they are now 3 in high. Haven't transplanted my green peppers, tomato, cukes, or melons yet... have to wait for the lettuce and radishes to be done, first, and they are growing soooo sloowwlyy. Hey, shocks, I'd be interested to hear about those celery starts and how they turn out. Have you grown celery before? I'd like to try it eventually but know nothing about it.

I built my raised bed SFG today. Mixing the soil was a pain. I have my plants & seeds ordered. I will post pictures in the near future of my project.

laurainwinona--I tried celery starts for the first time last year...very unsuccessful, but all my fault! They just keep getting bigger and bigger, and I didn't know when to pick them. When we finally did, they tasted awful! The insides seemed kinda hollow. They were super green on the outside.
I think I've read on here that you can pick pieces off of the stalk as it grows...we'll see how that goes this year! I also need to plant my toms (waiting for some to come in the mail), cucs, melon and peppers.
Can't wait to see everyone's pics!!

Hi All!
I live in Princeton and have only 2 4x4 boxes right now. My husband is hoping to have the third one built soon so I can get it planted.
I have,
Pea Pods
Green Beans
Pumpkins
Tomatoes
Green and Red peppers
Onions
Cilantro
Chives
Spinach
and a mix of various lettuces.
Most of them are all up and loving this weather. I'll post pics soon.