Gardening by the book...

Over the last few weeks I have been compiling lots of data in hopes of planning the perfect garden. I will show the final plan at the end of this post, and will go through the steps I took. That way if you want to plan yours along the same lines you will have all the plans and schedule I started with. Along the way, I will also be annotating and tracking how things really end up going for me.

In a perfect world, with exact frost dates (and no cheating), all of the normal temperatures staying normal, and rain fall like the doctor ordered, in fact if we took out nature altogether and did this in a lab, the plan would be right on. However, due to the fickle fancies of the forces of nature, I am expecting longer times than the manufacturer says it will take from seed to harvest. Also, I am trying to work out the plantings so that it will be a sustainable harvest rather than one large harvest. It will sure be lots of fun! Let’s throw caution to the wind and forge ahead.

Using the seeds I purchased from Johnny’s Seed Company (as recommended in the Winter Harvest Handbook) I made a graph of what the optimal planting times would be. I also included how to plant them (spacing, etc) so that I can refer to that next year. I then made a calendar based on the frost dates for my area, which are April 20^th and October 25^th. (This can be obtained by simply asking on Google search engine “What are the frost dates for Tacoma, Washington”. You will need to substitute your location) Then, (I’ve always been good at this kind of math) subtracting or adding weeks to make the schedule. If this sounds confusing, just nod your head and follow along. It will become clearer as we progress…maybe.

If you don’t want to do the math, you can also go to your Farmer’s almanac online and get a planting schedule of your area. http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/NH/Dublin (Yes, I found this out after I did all of the math) The almanac will give a week or so of time to plant. The other thing to remember is that this is all based on the date of the last frost. Last year the last frost came late. If that happens again, I’ll have to redo my excel file.

So, April 21^st according to the Farmer’s Almanac is zero hour (yes, this is a military operation). There is a 50% chance that that will be the last frost. From there, every week before is -1, -2 etc. and after is 1,2,3. This probably can be done another way, but I used Microsoft Excel. I can email you the file and you can tweak to your plot if you want, or you can make your own. I am hoping to use this to track future gardens as well to get a good system.

I also read up on each plant in the Square Foot Gardening. It explains how far apart to plant, how much water, pH level of soil, common problems, what to direct sow and what to grow indoors, etc. Pretty much everything you should know and some stuff you many not need to know - such as "the stronger the sunlight on green leafy plants, the more vitamin C they will have."

If I haven’t confused you yet, then you may look at the pictures. If you have any obvious thoughts or ideas that all of my calculations have not considered, please let me know…this is for posterity. And when it fails, we will have no other option but to go to safeway and eat the less nutritious substitutes they offer.

Lots of paperwork...

Master Gardener's Notes:
I showed this to my mom, and she had a couple comments I'd like to pass on here at the end. 
1) Broccoli is a cool weather crop, so as the temperatures warm up into the hot July/August temps, you may want a warm weather variety. Johnny's seeds are good about telling you which these are. Green Goliath is a good variety.
2) Peas are another cool weather crop, so once the plants are 8" high, you should put 3-4" of straw around them to keep them cool. Also, they love manure so mixing in some extra in the dirt where you are going to plant them will help. 

Mostly about Winter Sowing...

About a week ago, both Catherine at aGardenerInProgress and Jenni at RainyDayGardener made posts about winter sowing. This got me thinking, am I the last one in the world to know about this?
Well if I was, I was going to try it out. So, I emailed my mom (Minnesota master gardener extraordinaire) to see if she had heard about it and had any help. (I also hoped I would find out I wasn't the last to hear of it). Of course I should have known, my mom not only knew about it and had been doing it, she had loads of info and even an article that was in the newspaper. (It's nice knowing famous people!)
Now I have never been very good at moderation (although I might be if I ever tried it). I just get an idea and run with it - and usually end up wishing I had gone slower. This might be the time it all pays off!
I am not sure if the proper etiquette at this point is to show what I did then what all of the experts say to do or vice versa. I'm going to flip a coin then post it that way. Heads experts then me; tails my fun then the expert way. Here goes...(in proxy, my wife will do it as I don't have any money) tails it is!

Right Ho! So after reading all of the good ideas from my mom and Cathrine, I read some more on a website called wintersown.org. Great website with lots of good info. Then, I went to McLendon's this morning and bought a slew of seeds for the plants that were listed on wintersown website. I also purchased three types of potting soil, Black Gold, Miracle Gro, and the cheapest kind they carried. After a brief stop at Albertsons (no, I didn't ask where the tin pans with plastic lids were, I just walked around until I found them) I had everything I needed.

Back at the homestead, I assembled the necessary parts, got my little helper up on the counter, and went to work. Like Catherine states, this can get messy - especially if you have a 1 and 3/4 year old helping. I put down some paper towels, etc, but you may want even more. I started with the milk jugs for the taller plants like foxglove, delphinium, larkspur, and sun flowers. I cleaned the milk jugs with 9/1 deluded bleach, then rinsed them out; cut them in half leaving a small area for a hinge, sliced 1/2 cuts on bottom, filled with 3-4" of dirt, put seeds in, watered until water drained out of the bottom. Then I taped the bottles closed with duct tape and labeled them.
**as part of my desire to make this a perfect system, I labeled them with duct tape, permanent marker, and a piece of paper sealed with clear packaging tape. I will see which one fades the least.

Then it was on to the flats. I poked holes in the top and bottom of each of the containers, filled with dirt, watered the dirt until water came through the bottom, planted seeds, sprinkled a little more dirt, put on the lid and labeled with the patented three label system.
** Another small addition here is that I used three different types of dirt, Black Gold, Miracle Gro, and cheapest brand. I will then see which produces the best result. Experts have discussed the dirt issue for many years, but this may be the final conclusive test.

After that I planted them all in the kitchen garden where there should be plenty of sunshine (if we get any that is), no dogs, and not very much wind.

Here is the photographic evidence of all the steps...

Here's my happy helper.

Seeds and List for labels

9/1 bleach and water for cleaning the jugs

Milk jug cut in half with small area left in tact for hinge

Cartons filled with dirt and ready for planting

Lucy is planting the Larkspur

Tins with 1/2 slits in them

Dirt filled container

Lots of water until it drains through the bottom

Final product with lid on

Here they all are! Now nature and the good Lord will do the rest.

Now, if you made it through all of that, you probably want to know how it should be done. First, check out Catherine's blog post. She also has a link to a previous post with more how to's on it.

I asked Catherine a few questions and she emailed me back. Following is the email.

   "I learned about it [winter gardening] about 4 years ago and have had fun with it.  It helps fulfill my gardening needs when it's too cold to really garden (although we've had such a mild fall this year).  Anyway here is a link to the winter sowing website http://www.wintersown.org/ There is tons of information there, also on Garden web there is a winter sowers forum. You're supposed to use the seeds that require cold to help them germinate, but honestly I don't pay attention to that.  I just try whatever I have and 99% of the time I have at least some germination.  Some seeds take months to germinate while others do practically overnight.  I usually wait til spring to decide what I've given up on. I normally buy whatever cheap potting soil I find.  Some people are more picky, but I'm not.  The main thing is to remember to have drainage holes in the bottom of whatever you use to plant in so they seeds don't rot.  I do get some algae on the soil sometimes but it doesn't make a difference.  If you live somewhere where it gets windy just be sure to set a rock on top so they don't blow away.  Otherwise I just set them in a sunny spot and peak in every so often to check.  Let me know how yours goes, it's really worth the try.

  -   Catherine

Also, here is also the article that I mentioned earlier...

Winter Sowing

By Patty Citrowske – University of Minnesota Master Gardener

Winter is upon us, and most us look longingly outside in the snow at the remnants of last year’s gardens.  Already the seed catalogues have been arriving and many of us are making strategic plans for our best-ever garden of 2010. Flipping through the pages of the catalogues one might long for a certain variety of perennial that is elusive in the gardening centers, or that special vegetable that no one seems to have.

                Winter sowing is a practical, easy way to grow a wide variety of plants rather than buying started plants. It’s a way to start seedlings for just pennies while Mother Nature does the work.  Seeds are sown into miniature greenhouses that you make yourself from recyclables and are placed outside to await the warmer spring weather to germinate.

                Getting started is as easy as gathering supplies; most of which you have in your home already.  Pop bottles, plastic vegetable containers, milk jugs, and even take out containers with plastic tops will work for your mini-greenhouses.  Make sure to soak them with 1:9 bleach/water solution and air dry. Any inexpensive potting soil will work, although Dollar Store soil tends to be heavy and dense which does not allow for good root development.  For the rest of the project you will need a box cutter, duct tape, seeds, and a marker.

                To begin, place a piece of duct tape on the bottom of your container to label what is growing in your mini-greenhouse.  The writing won’t fade on the bottom. Using your utility knife, poke half inch slits on the bottom for drainage. If you are using pop bottles or milk jugs, this is the time to cut them in half leaving two inches of plastic in place for a hinge.  Next add 3 to 4 inches of soil and lightly tamp it down. Plant your seeds, making sure you follow package recommendations. Cover with more dirt if necessary. At this point you will need to gently water your mini-greenhouse, making sure the water drains from the bottom. You may add a marker inside as well if you want to.  To finish, tape the halves together with duct tape or snap your container shut.  Throw away the lids on the bottles and cut slits in the top of your containers if needed. You will need to add these holes for air transpiration.

                Your greenhouses are now ready for the great outdoors. Condensation will form inside the containers as you bring them into the cold, indicating there is plenty of moisture inside. Place them on the east, south, or west side of your home, on a table, deck, patio or even in the garden. It is important for the rain and snow to reach the containers, so avoid awnings and overhangs. We are going to let Mother Nature do what she does best. Most seeds need stratification, a pre-chilling process, necessary for germination. This freezing and thawing loosens the seed coat to allow the seedling to emerge.  

In spring when the seedlings emerge, you will need to increase the size of the transpiration holes to keep your plants from overheating. This also helps in the hardening off process. In mid-May you can remove the covers completely.  Watch your mini-greenhouses closely to make sure they are getting enough water and don’t dry out. Water gently because the seedlings are still tender. You can also place the containers in a shallow tray to absorb the water from the bottom. 

The seeds that are winter sown will sprout earlier and be ready to transplant sooner than the seed sown directly into the garden.  You will want to wait until the first two true leaves and a good root system are established before moving them to your garden.

Winter sowing is simple and fun. It will allow you to start seeds easily without all the fuss of lights, tables, containers and not to mention space for the germinating flats. The cold temperatures and fresh winter air prevent damp off that kills young seedlings. Planting in recycled and reused containers makes it economical. The rewards of growing your own seeds for pennies will last through out the growing season, and years to come. For more information on winter sowing ,visit www.wintersown.com.

So, best of luck if you want to try this out!

Special thanks to all of the people who helped me out on this. 

More weekend fun...

I know that this post title sounds familiar. I just get into a rut of it is fun and its a weekend, what could be a better name? I'll consult Roget and his wild, wordy thesaurus next week for a more capturing title.

Enough rambling...It was a quite enjoyable weekend. It started with a holiday party on Friday night with some friends, lobster bisque (made with fresh lobster), a light mango salad, butternut squash pasta, beef wellington, flour-less chocolate cake, '05 Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill, and a small glass of 40 year port. Delicious would far short. Superb might get the faintest idea of these culinary delights. However, it would only make my mouth water in remembrance of what fun the taste buds had, so we'll move on to Saturday.

It was cold and pleasant out, so I checked our winter garden and everything is growing slowly. I didn't take pictures as you might call me an optimist claiming that they are growing. However, in my defense, a 1/4 in a week is still a 1/4 inch of growth a week. The dogs keep stepping on one side of the cold frame, so I made a make shift fence to keep them out. If this works, I'll make a nicer one next week. Then I sat with Lucy and dreamed of warmer spring days. Lady (our yellow lab) seemed to be doing the same.

Lady

Weekend Work...



Who's a big helper?



As always, there was a small list of things my wife wanted done: install two new can lights, change some light bulbs, clean up after the dogs, etc... then the fun began. My mom sent me some Oriental Lilies, Tulips and Daffodils. It is later than I would usually plant them, but I didn't want to sit in the garage all winter and possibly dry out, so I planted them anyways. Being as it doesn't get really cold, it shouldn't be a problem of freezing 6" underground. I added some bone meal and magic dust (made of worm droppings and other delicacies) to concoction and then recovered the area with leaf mulch.

We already have 4 or 5 clumps of thee lilies along the border of our kitchen garden, so these added to them. If they bloom like they should, it will be nice addition come next year.



Group of Lily bulbs



8" deep hole with bone meal and magic dust.



 

After that I went after a trouble area in our back yard. It seems like there are some areas that you can try to control and fail all spring and summer, but in the winter nothing grows as well so you can get it back in order. The idea is to keep it that way, but we'll see how next year goes. Along the fence line dividing our neighbors and our yard is an area that positively seethes with morning glories. Every year, they laugh at my attempts to keep them on the other side of the fence. By winter it looks more like a group of morning glory bushes than a line of rhododendrons. Black berries thrive there as well. As of now, I am the victor, but they probably are hatching nefarious plans as I write this.

Last of all it was time to check up on the winter garden. We have signs of life! The radishes are starting to sprout. Everything else is still making up their collective mind whether this will be a success, but I have hope for a brighter tomorrow.





It's a boy!



Here are some tips when planting Oriental Lilies:

Lily bulbs may be planted in spring or in the fall, usually from mid-September through mid-October. If you find hardy lilies growing in containers, you may add them to your garden throughout the growing season. When buying locally, select firm, plump bulbs with roots attached. Plant them as soon as possible. Bulbs never go completely dormant so they must not dry out before planting. Plant mail order bulbs as soon as possible, also.

Asiatic and Oriental lilies grow best in full sunlight. They'll grow taller, more spindly, and floppier in reduced light.

For best effect, plant lilies in groups of three or five identical bulbs. Space them eight to twelve inches apart, keeping groups three to five feet apart, depending on the vigor and size of the lilies. Plant small lily bulbs two to four inches deep and large bulbs four to six inches deep, measuring from the top of the bulb. Divide and replant large clusters of bulbs every three years or so – or when it seems they are not blooming as well as originally.

Never plant lilies where standing water collects after heavy rainfall. Well-drained soil is an absolute must. Add lots of organic matter to clay soil to create a raised area with improved drainage. Incorporate organic matter into light, sandy soil also, to help hold onto nutrients and prevent it from drying too rapidly.

Before winter, mulch over newly planted bulbs with four to six inches of loose, weed-free compost, leaves, or wood chips. This delays soil freezing and allows roots to continue growing longer. Mulch also insulates the soil against fluctuating temperatures, delaying the emergence of frost-tender shoots in spring.

Hardy established lily bulbs don't need winter protection where good snow cover is dependable. Wait until some time in November when the ground begins to freeze, before spreading it.

---

Mostly about Planting Seeds...

Radish Seeds

  My Johnny’s Seeds have arrived! Well almost all of them…all but one package (which is back ordered a few more days) and the potatoes. It was enough for a beginning.

Lucy "helping" plant seeds

    I want to talk a little about the goal of this venture because it may make the process I am following clearer. I think that anyone can grow lettuce, carrots, etc. (though I have failed even at that) However, I have a grander scheme. I don’t just want to plant, watch them grow, eat, then start all over. We must eat more than once every three months, so I think I have come up with a sustainable system. I am planting based on a two adult/two children appetite. Counting in the variable that my wife doesn’t like the taste of anything green and Lucy is just as happy with rice and beans, we may need even less. This works out in round numbers to 12 Lettuce, 12 Spinach, 6 pokchoi, 12 beets, 36 carrots, and 36 radishes every two weeks. I devised the “divisible by six plan” because the basis will be egg cartons. Starting today, I am planting a few egg cartons every 2 weeks. Once the harvest starts, I will then have harvestable, all organic, loved, cared for, beautiful vegetables every two weeks, with none of those terrible, toxic, deadly pesticides you hear about (although we've eaten our share of non-organic and haven't died yet :-) This is, of course, marring natural disasters, inquisitive dogs, forgetful gardeners, and other phenomenon.

   The process: #1 Steal the egg cartons from the recycle bin (you should have seen the look on its face when it realized it had been swindled) #2 Plant in rows #3 Mark rows #4 Watch and water.

   Once I begin to see sprouts, I will plant them in the hoop house and cold frame. The carrots and radishes should be able to just grow through the packaging, so I can plant their whole cartons. The leafy specimens, I will separate and plant with adequate spacing. Then marking the cold frames and hoop house by dates, I should be able to track them with mathematical precision and watch the cornucopia of organic goodness fill up! (Aren't I "poetical"?)



Egg Cartons filled with Dirt



Radish Seeds getting planted



Cartons ready for transport

Notes: There are a couple small but important notes here for the few weary travelers who have made it thus far.
1) If you buy johnny's seeds, they come in these really nice resealable packages. Don't rip off the top before reading the label.
2) You can buy "pelleted" seeds, which means they have a clay around the seed that will break down. This helps when trying to plant one seed at a time. They are a little larger and easier to handle, though about a dollar more per package $3.95 instead of $2.95. I plan on buying all pelleted from now on.

Creating a hoop house...

This is a slightly belated post, but it took me a couple of days to compile footage, and get all of my notes together. In an earlier post I spoke about starting a 12 month garden. You may have raised your eyebrow about this and thought, "I've heard that one before", but it wasn't all hot air (or just words on a page). In evidence, I supply this post.

I had to order the greenhouse glass for the lids of the cold frame, so I only framed the wood and turned the soil. I have evidence of this for a later post when I wrap up that project. This weekend's finished product was the hoop house. Like all projects I do, it involved two trips to home depot (one for all of the planned items and one for all of the unplanned items) and a bit of midstream innovation. All things look easier on the DIY network than they really are, this is no exception. I got the general idea from books/Internet posts I've read, but what would be the fun if you followed directions? Where would we be if Thomas Edison went with the common herd and used oil lamps and candles? If Lewis and Clark stayed in the East, who would have led civilization into the west? Where would the iPhone be if we all thought Alexander Graham Bell was the last word on telephones? It is the American way to recreate the best designs. I am an American, therefore I reinvented the hoop house!

So, if you want to be an American too, don't watch the video and go make your own your way. If you want some of my sketchy ideas, though, keep reading (and try not to laugh too much).
I started with 3 pieces of pressure treated 8' 2X4s, 5 10' 1/2" PVC pipes, screws, nails, and 5 "T" connections for 1/2 PVC. (here, I unwittingly strayed from the program by buying the wrong 1/2" T connections, so in the future, I will test the connections, not read labels). If you want to enjoy making this, it will be much more fun to also have a skil or chop saw and a nail gun. Other tools may be used, but these work best.

Step 1: Cut one 2X4 in half so that you will have 2 8' sections and two 4' sections. Nail these together to create a rectangle. Note: You will want to seal the pressure treated wood with an oil based sealer so that the chemicals used to pressure treat the wood do not leak into your soil and kill those wonderful plants you are trying to grow.

Step 2: Cut all of the PVC pipes in half. You should then have 10 5' pieces.

Step 3: Drill holes on PCV and start screws that will subsequently be attached to the wooden frame.

Step 4: Attach all pieces of PVC to the wooden frame at equal distances. Use PVC primer and glue to bring the tops of the PCV together with the 'T' connections.

Step 5: Turn the soil where you want the hoop house to be and bring in at least 4" of good soil. For best results add steer manure and mushroom mulch.

Step 6: Put plastic over the new hoop house!



If after watching the video you have any questions and would like more detailed info or pictures, or would like to see all of the things that I messed up and innovated around, feel free to drop me a note. I'll be happy to let you learn from my mistakes.

Justifiable indignation turned to good ends...

            With the technological age we live in, (and I do love my iPad 2, iPhone, the Internet, etc) I am becoming more wary of “educational games.” This is not going to be a slanderous attack on people who like these things. I will probably let my girls play some of them when they get older. This is only the side I am on right now.

I was at the in-laws a bit ago and one of the younger girls was playing some garden simulation game. Click – the garden in planted. Click – it’s watered and fertilized. Click – its harvested and sold. Click – you get the idea. If that is my idea of gardening, I would think that going outside planting a flower and waiting a month before there is any progress disheartening also! Laura Ingles’ father never had to compete with that. Little Britches never drove a simulated tractor.

All of this is going somewhere. I am going to attempt, (and it better succeed, or else) to have an approximately 12 month garden. My favorites like squash and tomatoes will only be in the spring and summer, but there are quite a few hardy winter vegetables that should grow here in our temperate western Washington climate. I have been reading up on winter gardening through books and the Internet (what I call "proper" use of technology) and will be following in some auspicious and successful people. We will eat organic vegetables we have grown or starve (or go to safeway if we have too).

So here is today’s forecast. Home depot for lumber, hinges, oil stain, plastic, PVC pipes, heater coils, screws, and what all good gardeners need – a Porter-Cable 3-1/2 inch Clipped-Head Framing Nailer. This is to create 2 cold frames, 2 cool frames (I’ll explain later) and one hoop house. I will then get some dirt, mushroom mulch, and steer manure; mix assiduously and install. The seeds and greenhouse glass is on order from johnnyseeds.com and farmtek.com respectively. (Farmtek is currently in the middle of an 8 day and counting power outage, so it may take longer than usual to get the greenhouse material)

With a little luck, the dogs won’t decide to investigate by digging up the entire project, and we will have carrots, beets, lettuce, pok choi, potatoes, and radishes before too long! And after that, as I have earned it, we'll all sit on the back porch, open a bottle of 2006 Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill Pinot Nior, and discuss the good old days.