April Snow
All Posts by Sabine
Lettuce and More
Things are happening in the plot. I have a few lettuce heads and kale plants from my fall greens mix that overwintered in the plot. I had separated and replanted them and they are doing well. I also overwintered an entire row of leeks and a number of clumps of walking onions. The rhubarb is finally making an appearance (I have a late kind), and the peas, arugula and spring greens are all coming up. Happy spring!
Early April
Easter Sunday
I sowed Zinnias and marigolds indoors today. It was a beautiful sunny spring Sunday.
First Direct Sowing
Today, I fertilized my soil (with concentrated chicken manure) and planted peas, arugula and spring greens. Plus, the leeks got a haircut. (And I weeded beforehand.) Fingers crossed for a gentle spring with just the right amount of rain and not much raiding by birds and other beasts.
Basil Seedlings
The home office – home to my seedlings operation – smells delicious …
More Sowing
Today, I sowed five types of tomatoes (three each) and lettuce. The tomato varieties are: Green Zebra, Dr. Wyche’s Yellow, Paul Robson (I think), Break o’ Day, and Baker Family Heirloom. Two of them are mid-season tomatoes (Green Zebra, Dr. Wyche’s Yellow) and the other three are late. All tomato seeds were from 2019. The lettuce was Salad Bowl (from Sand Hill Preservation Center) for 2021.
Seedlings
The seeds are sprouting. Most of them anyway. Still no parsley, but parsley has a super long germination time (up to 30 days). The hot Thai peppers also did not sprout, so I sowed more today. Sprouting are: mystery pepper, eggplant, Genovese basil, Thai basil, cilantro and kale. In a couple of weeks, I will start tomatoes and head lettuce.
Porch Happenings
It has been a nice warm week with day temperatures in the fifties. Today, I sowed radishes and lettuce (Kagran Summer) together in one of the big containers on the back porch, I also sowed arugula in two grow bags. I am usually too late with porch arugula and it bolts before I can harvest; this is the earliest I have ever sowed it. Fingers crossed.
And so it begins …
I started my first seedlings today: hot Thai pepper, a mystery pepper that was a freebie from Sand Hill Preservation last year, Fairy Tale eggplant, Ping Tung eggplant, Dutch Darkibor kale, flat parsley, Genovese basil, Thai basil and cilantro. Sowed them in organic potting soil (Coast of Maine) and placed them under grow lights on a heat mat in my bedroom. So exciting!
