I know many of you are really anxious to get your plants.....the warm weather that is just ahead (starting today, if it ever arrives) should do wonders in preparation for next weekend. But here are some pictures of what the seedlings look like - in order, left to right - hot pepper, eggplant, tomatillo, sweet pepper, and tomato....you will note they are healthy - they are certainly well hardened off. And by next weekend, they should be ready to leave home! Something more advanced - the various flowers around the yard. It is going to be incredibly beautiful once the sun comes out - but it isn't too shabby even on a cloudy, cool morning! Enjoy...
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Why? The plants are simply too small - not ready to leave home yet. However, we plan to be there next Friday and Saturday - April 15/16. We hope so much that the weather this week will kick seedling growth into high gear! We are off to another unusual growing season - though I started everything earlier, the recent cool wet spell is setting things back....frustrating, but unavoidable!
So today I will be taking stock, doing a bit more transplanting, and take it a bit easy, after what was a pretty hectic and busy week! If the weather clears a bit, I will take and post some pics to give you an idea of how things are developing. Thanks for your patience (those of you eagerly anticipating seedlings!). Don't forget to follow me on twitter @nctomatoman for up to the minute seedling availability news - especially once we start our sales! Here is where things are - first the garden:
Radishes - growing in 10 gallon pots in my driveway, planted Feb 15, just started harvesting - 50 days from seeding Lettuce - planted out into the garden, 3 plants of each type, progressing quickly, outer leaves should be ready for plucking in a week or so Beets - planted out into the garden - in rows behind the lettuce and greens (two rows, about 90 beets). Settling in nicely Various greens - chard, spinach, arugula, Asian greens, rabe - planted out into the garden, 9 plants of each type for the most part - also settling in really well. Beans - two rows planted; Fresh Pick and Foremost. The long row has been dug once for two more types - Speculator, and Fowler. All are green podded bush beans. Fowler is the lone heirloom - first variety I obtained after joining the SSE in 1986. Brussels sprouts - an experiment - I know spring planting them will end in less than spectacular success, but I will learn something of their growth habit. I will replant seedlings in late summer for a late fall harvest, hopefully. Seven plants are in the garden. The basil row was dug and well cultivated, as well as holes for summer squash and cucumbers. Once those are planted, all that will remain is preparation for a row of dwarf tomatoes in the front of the garden. Now, as for the From The Vine seedlings - the very recent and forecast weather conditions should get them to where they will be ready to bring to the Farmers Market on Friday/Saturday, April 15/16. Certainly, lettuce is ready now - anyone that wants to purchase some at our home should call or email me to set up a time. And there is also a possibility that anyone not minding small (but healthy, and well weathered!) plants can start visiting us for pick up early to mid next week. So, what remains today? I must finalize my garden talk for tomorrow - 1:15, at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, in Fayetteville. Just a very brief entry tonight....the seedlings got some welcomed rain, some unwanted wind - but things look fairly good. Tomatillos are faring the best - then sweet peppers, then hot peppers (pretty much in a holding pattern, but looking good). The tomato seedlings are looking a bit beat up from all the rain, wind and cold - a week of warm, stable weather will do them good.
What this means, however, is that the seedlings are way too small and young to leave home this coming weekend - so my first days at the NC State Farmers Market (Lake Wheeler Road, Raleigh) will be Fri-Sat, April 15-16. Unless some sort of miracle occurs and the plants all take off over the next few days! March actually went out like a lamb...but April is coming in like a lion! I just took a look at the poor, oft-buffeted seedlings. Tomatillos look fine, eggplant well enough, hot peppers variable to good, sweet peppers looking quite good, but it is the tomatoes that are having a struggle with these conditions. I have no doubt they will eventually thrive, but the thought of bringing these babies to the market on Saturday is a bit silly right now!
So, other than that, the gardening proceeds well. Both back rows are now planted - meaning I am done with the beets. Two bean rows, a basil row and a row for a big experiment - spring time Brussels sprouts - are ready to be planted. I am so far ahead of last year in some crops it is remarkable. If I can get the front row ready for some dwarf tomatoes, and a few hills in the middle for squash and cukes, all that will be left is final planing and the deer fence (right now a water scarecrow is keeping an eye on things). On today's remaining to-do list - more transplanting, and getting Kip back from the vet, where he has been under observation since last week....he was suffering from a blocked urethra....it was a very close call, and he apparently will always be prone to this (urethral cystitis). Oh yes - also need to finish my slides for the gardening talk in Fayetteville, at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, this coming Friday. Whether I have any reasonably sized seedlings to bring with me remains to be seen.... I hope everyone is having a wonderful spring and is getting lots of time to dig in the dirt! http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/04/03/1098129/at-last-a-namesake-carries-a-legacy.html
My Sunday paper reading uncovered the article linked above. I am delighted that Mr. Snow is pleased that he is now immortalized in the form of a wonderful new tomato variety! It's supposed to be a perfect day today for all things outdoors. Yesterday I got more done than anticipated - the back row of my big garden is now full of lettuce (all of the varieties I started - 3 plants of each). The next row down was planted with a good selection of all of the various greens I started - arugula, spinach, swiss chard, rabe, and a slew of different Asian greens. Today I plan to plant rows of beets toward the back of both of those rows. Aside from that, it will be back to transplanting tomatoes, as well as a few peppers, eggplant and flowers. And yes, I did cover my driveway seedling rows with Reemay last night! And we may have to again on Monday night....typical Raleigh spring! Are we really going to have 45 mpg gusts today? We are going to have very tough seedlings this year!
Good variety of lettuce, some arugula and swiss chard, Asian greens, and spinach is ready to leave home - email ([email protected]), sent a tweet (@nctomatoman), or call (919-271-0785) to arrange a time to come by - 3.00 per pot - 3-4 plants in a pot. No tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or tomatillos yet - still way, way too small. I have a speaking engagement at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville next Friday, and will have a selection of seedlings with me there. Plans today are simple - transplant seedlings, and plant some lettuce/beets/greens in the big garden. I wanted to get a few tomatoes in big pots, but I've not bleached them yet, and they are too small. We need a spell of warm weather! I've not been outside yet (though the sky is crystalline, clear blue - the clouds and rain of what seems to be forever finally gone)....I will take a look at the seedlings a bit later, but I've gotten numerous email questions on seedling availability.
Given that it won't be all that warm this weekend, I think the possibility of being at the market with seedlings next weekend is iffy, but not impossible - certainly the following weekend will be definite, and I will likely be there Friday as well. So, let's say definite for April 15-16 and remotely possible for April 9 (I will be in Fayetteville giving a garden talk on Friday April 8). However - for anyone who would like to purchase some lettuce or greens, shoot me an email ([email protected]) and we can work out a time for you to visit us at our home starting this weekend. Supplies will be limited. (I need to choose and plant these myself...hoping the garden dried out fast!). Follow me on twitter @nctomatoman |
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