Sunday, April 19, 2015

How Does Your Garden Grow

I've been pretty busy in the greenhouse this month, believing that my heat mat might be enough to make the seeds germinate and the weather my cooperate enough to actually get a head start on my seedlings.

Peas were the first thing I put in the germination cage.  They popped up right away and made it safely out the door to the garden where they've gone crazy.

In the background you can see a brussels sprout that I planted in the fall.  It looked like it really died over the super cold winter, but it's coming back.  There are a few of them out there and I'm going to leave them in the ground to see if they produce sprouts.

This brussels sprout was in the greenhouse all winter and looked dead except in the center.  It acts like it might be going to seed which would be a shame because I never got the sprouts from it!

I started the packet of rainbow radishes and they have not disappointed.  Usually, I find that a variety pack of seeds ends up really being all the same with a couple of exceptions.  This packet is definitely varied.  I love how the colors are so rich and pretty, like marbles.



I picked some today and will probably eat them raw and cook the greens.  I saw a couple that are white but aren't ready to pick yet, so I'm curious.  I also started more because these did so well.  I cook them like onions and they lose that sharp radish flavor, so I really need a bunch if I'm going to do that.
I planted some seeds for white radishes too, just to see what they will do.  They are supposed to be longer, more like French breakfast radishes.

Beets weren't far behind the radishes and they are coming along slowly.
These are just an old packet of red beets but I'm excited to try a new kind that has stripes and the Shiraz tall tops that I grew last year.  The Shiraz tall tops were the best growing beets I've tried so far.

I started a lot of seeds in containers that have spinach and greens at the grocery store.  I put them on the mat in the germination cage, not because I'm worried that animals will eat the seeds, but becauseI think they need a little more warmth than the peas to get started. I started tomatoes, dill and a purple brussels sprouts.   Once they start showing leaves, I move them to yogurt containers.

The brussels sprouts were ready first.  Today, I will move some tomatoes.  I usually use the small yogurt containers and by the time plants are too big for those, it's time to put them in the ground.  But, tomatoes always need more time and the 6oz yogurt cups are too small, so I've been saving my big 30oz containers and I will put the tomatoes in there.

Once I've grow a plant a few times and know what the seedlings look like, I usually grow them right in the yogurt cups rather than starting them in seed pods.  But, since I was starting during cold weather, I used the seed pods for all but the peas, beets and radishes.

My onions arrived and since we are supposed to get rain tomorrow, I want to get them in the ground today.  Last year, it was a miserable day when I planted them and I was aggravated.  Hopefully today's sun will keep me warm in the cold wind and soon, I'll have onions galore!

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http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/04/clever-chicks-blog-hop-135-with-baby.html

1 comment:

  1. How does your garden grow? I so can't wait...that means warm weather :-) Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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