General – Page 14 – Nine by Eighteen

Early May Planting

SabineMay 8, 2021Leave a Reply

I spent a few hours in the garden today, weeding, spreading manure and planting. I sowed a few more peas (to fill in the gaps), rainbow carrots and beets (Chiogga and Burpee Golden). I also planted lettuce mix, head lettuce, flat leaf parsley, one curly kale plant and some Bok choi. (The Bok choi and lettuce mix came from Neighborhood Farm).

The overwintered leeks are looking nice and strong. I will pull them in the next few weeks. The arugula and spring greens and overwintered lettuces are looking good as well. And I have peas this year! So far they have not been destroyed by rabbits or birds.

Porch Herbs

SabineMay 5, 2021Leave a Reply

Whole Foods had an herbs sale ($2 each), so I got English lavender “Vera”, creeping rosemary, common thyme “Faustinoi” and sage to put on my porch. I also got two parsley plants to put into the big planter with the flowers.

*Parsley and grape hyacinth. I pulled the tulips today as only one of them flowered this spring. I will plant more in the fall*

I will add more herbs to this container plus a plant in the center, probably an eggplant or pepper or perhaps a dwarf tomato. I love having herbs on my porch. I still have my old, woody rosemary from two years ago (I overwintered it in the kitchen), and my chives from last year (they overwintered on the porch). And I will plant cilantro and basil, and mint of course (which I will dig up from my garden plot. I can’t seem to get rid of it.)

More Transplanting and Reseeding

SabineApril 27, 2021Leave a Reply

This afternoon, I repotted the remaining tomatoes (Green Zebra, Paul Robson, Break o’ Day – Dr. Wychee is still in its seed trays) and eggplant (Pint Tung and Fairy Tale), peppers (the gifted mystery pepper), cilantro, parsley, kale and Zinnias. I also started new seedlings: cucumbers (Tokiwa, Dekah and National Pickling), winter squash (Waltham Butternut and Honeyboat Delicata) and a watermelon (Sugarbaby, an heirloom variety). I started three each for the cukes and the watermelon and two each for the winter squash. I just realized that I have not started any summer squash yet. But as, with my daughter away for college over the summer, I am currently the only one in our family who will eat Zucchini, I might want to rethink planting them. Still, one plant would be nice.

Transplanting

SabineApril 18, 2021Leave a Reply

I transplanted the basil, some lettuce and a couple of tomato plants from their seed trays into bigger pots. The lettuce is looking kind of sad at the moment, I think I should have transplanted it sooner. Hopefully, the plants will recover. I also transplanted five lettuce plants outside into a big container on our porch.

Lettuce and More

SabineApril 15, 2021Leave a Reply

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

SabineApril 7, 2021Leave a Reply

Overwintered leeks, a patch of walking onions, garlic. Some volunteer lettuce in the front, surrounded by sprouting spring greens. Towards the back, the peas are starting to sprout, and the rhubarb is starting to come up.

Easter Sunday

SabineApril 4, 2021Leave a Reply

*Spotted at the Harvard University Arnold Arboretum this morning*

I sowed Zinnias and marigolds indoors today. It was a beautiful sunny spring Sunday.

First Direct Sowing

SabineMarch 27, 2021Leave a Reply

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.

*Flower bed outside our community garden*

Basil Seedlings

SabineMarch 24, 2021Leave a Reply

The home office – home to my seedlings operation – smells delicious …

More Sowing

SabineMarch 21, 2021Leave a Reply

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.