Let The Seed Starting Begin

Hello my name is Liisa and I'm a seed-aholic.

I spent the evening going through all my seeds and organizing them. Does any one person really need 25 different varieties of lettuce? Well apparently I do.

I only have to buy two of my favorites for this growing season, Baby Persian, "Green Fingers" Cucumbers and Mini Salad, "Baby Belle" Peppers from Renee's Garden. I have more than enough of everything else to get through the season maybe two. The seeds are nicely organized now.

 The pop-up greenhouse is up, the shelves are built and all the tools are in place. 

I will start most of the seeds in the micro 20 and "re-pot" to the 2" soil block when needed. Then plant out to the garden with the 2" blocks so timing will be everything this year.

I'll be testing the soil blocks with carrots, lettuce, spinach, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Wish me luck.

Nice Relaxing Long Weekend At My Urban Homestead

I went into this weekend not feeling very well. I felt like I'd been coming down with a cold all week but it never really developed. So the plan was to sleep in and rest as much as possible. I kept things in slow mode all weekend but seem to have gotten a lot done. Outside of grocery shopping, some lite housework and getting in a much needed workout I was able to get a few things completed in the garden after the rain stopped.

Since it rained all day Saturday this was a good day to sleep in and workout. After lunch I headed out to the greenhouse and brought some seedlings into the kitchen to transplant into bigger pots.

Cucumbers

Basil and Oregano

After Transplanting

On Sunday I was able to get outside for a bit. I have been wanting to give back some space in front of sweet husband's man cave. My gardening stuff had been taking over the area. This is what it looked like before...

And this is after. I still have a little work to do. The weber will be moved to a more protected area and the rest of planters and watering can still need to be moved. The potting bench was moved to the side yard at the front of the house in a more decorative capacity. I find I don't really use it much since I do more vegetable gardening now.

I also took some photos around the garden. About a week ago when I was throwing some kitchen scraps into the compost bin I noticed something sprouting out of the sides. If you guessed potatoes you would be right. After I harvested all my potatoes last year I had some damaged ones I threw into the compost knowing quite well that they may sprout. I had even seen evidence of this the last time I turned the compost but thought if I keep disturbing them with my turning that they would give up and decompose. Well I guess I'm not turning the compost enough...

There is no sun in this area at this time of year so I'm really surprised they look so good. Will be interesting to see what I find the next time I turn it.

The morning glory made it through the winter and is putting out some new growth. I will need to get up there and move the vines onto the trellis.

The carrots in bed 3 transplanted well from the cell packs. This is my second sowing. I planted 4 squares and I will plant another 4 squares in bed 4 in about 3 or 4 weeks. If you click on the photo to enlarge you will be able to see them better.

I didn't think the lettuce in bed 4 was going to make it through the rain. I was raining pretty hard there for a while. But it looks like they will be OK. The lettuce in bed 2 was not looking so well. I think they will get a chance to recover before the next rain due on Thursday.

The greenhouse is full of life. The tomatoes will be potted up one more time before they are moved out into the garden.

New raspberry canes are coming up.

and so are the snow pea and sugar snap peas.

I'm even getting some blooms on the strawberries.

My next post will be on potting the sweet potato slips.

Last Post for 2010

The lights are all setup in the greenhouse and I covered the shelves with reflective emergency blankets to keep in the heat and light. I'm all ready to start my seeds. 2011 growing season here I come!

As for bed 3 I started the "water" project yesterday but it started to get so cold out I had to come in. I'll try and get it completed this weekend.

I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year

Bed 4 - Strawberries - Greenhouse

I finished installing the water line in bed 4 today. I just need to add the drip lines once I know what I'm going to plant in this bed. I still need to install the water line in bed 3. That one will take some thought as the water source is about two feet from the bed unlike beds 2 and 4 which were right next to the beds.

Bed 4

 I transplanted some of my strawberries into the 2x3 foot bed next to the kitchen and covered them with bird netting to keep the squirrels and mice out.

New Strawberry Bed

We were able to get the second greenhouse setup right before the next rain storm hit this afternoon.

Greenhouse

Sweet Husband built two sets of shelves for me while I was working on bed 4. All I need to do now is setup the lights and I will be ready to start my seeds.

Inside second greenhouse

Tomorrow I hope to get bed 3 done and install the lights in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse and Update on Water Project

The weather sure has gotten cold for our area of California. Temperatures dipping down to 30's and 40's this week for our lows and only a high of 60 later this week. We are also getting much needed rain.

Because of the low temperatures I have pulled out the popup greenhouse a little earlier then the last two years, not for seed starting but to protect the banana and avocado trees as well as the ginger. The past two years the banana has come inside for the winter but it is getting too big for my little living room and it had a bad case of mites last year.

While I was putting up the green house I was wondering what I was going to do with the trees once I needed the room to start my seeds. Well something would come to me when the time was right.

Plenty of room for the trees and I still have room for the rosemary and mint .

On Sunday I had to make a run to OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware). I always take a walk through the garden area even if I don't need anything just to see what's new. Much to my surprise I saw a popup green house just like the one I have now for $99.95. This is the first time I have ever seen them in a store let alone for that price. I bought mine on line three years ago and paid more than $100.00. So I did some checking on line this morning to see what they are going for and they are ranging from $129.00 on sale to $179.99. Can you say early Christmas present. Sweet Husband is off the hook for going Christmas present shopping for me this year. This is all I need and want. Oh there is one more thing I need but it's only a $10.00 item and it's for the kitchen. He gets off easy this year in the gift giving dept :-)

If you are looking for a good small (6'x6') greenhouse I can recommend this one. Easy to setup and easy to store away.

Water Project Update

With my schedule and the weather I have not been able to complete my project of adding water lines to bed 2. But I am far enough along to know that it's going to work out just as I had hoped. Here are a few photos.

Water line installed.

Ends capped for easy flushing.

I can add three different means of watering. Overhead for lettuce and carrot seeds, drip and soaker lines. 

I tested the overhead sprinklers and was pleased with the results. I can't wait to finish all the beds. Watering next season will be much easier and free up some of my time.

The plan in my garden is to

Plant out the rest of the seedlings that are in the greenhouse.
Take down the greenhouse.
Re-pot the mint.

Water

And anything else I see that needs doing.

I'll post photos of my garden later today or tomorrow.

Haven Family House Garden Update

Yesterday I spent the day at Haven with my son planting out 10 pumpkin seedlings and 2 crookneck squash that were taking over my green house. I hope they do well.

Here are a few before and after photos of Pumpkin Hill. Click on photos for a larger view

Time to get out into the garden...

Saturday in the Garden

Today's the day the greenhouse came down. All the seedlings are ready to be planted out and will no longer need the shelter. The watermelon and more corn were planted into bed 2 today. I didn't see any more wireworms while I was digging around. It doesn't mean they weren't there, I just didn't see any. After planting I gave the bed a good watering and mulched it with shreaded bark. It's what I had on hand. I also transplanted the Banana into a larger container as well as a light yellow double flower Angels Trumpet. I'll take photos tomorrow of bed 2 and the Angels Trumpet.

Photo Below: Greenhouse on patio... now you see it...



Now you don't.



I cleared everything off the patio and gave it a good sweeping and hosed it down. Now I have a clean slate to work with. Look at all that room!



While I was doing my thing the carpenter bees were busy with the raspberries. There were four of them on the canes all day from sun up to sun down. I haven't seen any honey bees in the garden yet. This worries me a little. Last season they covered my passion vine and the large Angels Trumpet tree.

Photo Below: Carpenter bee.



Photo Below: Another garden visitor...



Sundays to do list:

• Turn compost
• Plant bush beans in bed 4
• Plant mini cantalope in bed 3
• Water
• Bring out patio furniture
• Install sun shades

Garden Tour

The only thing I had on my to do list today was to water and feed all the veggies and transplant the celery into pots. While I was watering I gave everything a real good look and found green aphids on the pumpkin bloom. Only a few so I took them off with my fingers and gave the flower a light spray of insecticidal soap. The rest of the plants looked to be in good shape.

Lets start the tour...

Bed 1 photos below

The cherry tomatoes are holding up quite well in their new home. They have grown a little since their move from the greenhouse.



This one has a few buds on it. I thought about removing them but I think I'll let them stay to see how they do.





One of the two bush tomatoes.



Bed 2 Photos below

The celery is getting so big! I need to move them to make room for the cucumbers and watermelons.



So I transplanted them into pots. I'll have to water them a little more.
(Thanks Jenn :>))



Bed 3 Photos below

I've never had much luck growing cilantro (in pots) over the years. But I think this year my luck has changed. I have four plants in bed 2 and they are all doing well.



The bell peppers are growing slowly and seem to be healthy.



I spotted some buds on a few of them.





Pumpkin bloom





Mini greenhouse for the peppers and pumpkin.



Bed 4 Photos below

The first planting of onions are coming up.



The garlic is growing really fast.



The spinach is sprouting.



Greenhouse Photos below

Winter squash and zucchini



The Corn and Cucumber are sprouting.




Basil seedlings



Pumpkin Peppers



I find it interesting that the leaves on the pumpkin peppers have thorns on them.



Bush Tomatoes. These were my backups just in case the bush tomatoes in bed 1 didn't make it. I think I will be planting these in my sisters yard.



Between beds 2 and 3

Sugar Snap Peas



Strawberry bed



Raspberries



Potato bed 2



Red Norland Potato




Random Photos over the last few days...







Pansy bloom



Nectarine Blooms







Lettuce