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garden:intro:2016

Got it down pat this year!

I learned so much in previous years of gardening I was ready to hit the soil running with germination in the greenhouse, a full cycle of potting and hardening out followed by transplanting. And I was ready to stretch a bit and grow more plants and add some tools to my tool bucket.

2015's winter garden

Just about every year I have grown garlic and leek over the winter. But last year I was determined to plant more varieties in my winter garden. So I expanded it, preparing with compost and cultivation. I seeded carrot, radish, onion, chard, kale, cabbage, spinach, and lettuce, some directly and some started in the greenhouse.

Some of these (radish, lettuce and chard) were under the two low tents I used for early spring growing. I collected some good information about growing in a low tent during the winter (see about temperatures).

Outside the low tents things were bleak. Gusty winds whipped the cabbage plants, pulling some out of the ground. Spinach germinated poorly and bolted after a hot spell in April. Likewise, chard, kale, leeks and onions bolted before they matured and weren't suitable for eating. Carrots grew very slowly and only a few developed edible roots.

Ultimately, I dug up most of the winter garden and transplanted seedlings in place of the failed crops.

Mice in the greenhouse

For the first year mice became a roadblock to germination and the growth of sprouted seeds. About the only green they didn't relish was Red Russian kale (not my favorite, either). But they loved everything else and couldn't wait for seeds to sprout - they dug up even the tinies seeds, rooting around in the trays and disturbing lettuce, chard and two other varieties of kale. They squeezed under and around tray covers, they ignored scents that mice are supposed to detest, they were a destructive nuisance.

Bring in the catch-and-release traps, an ultrasonic pest repeller along with the eucalyptus and peppermint scents, and I gave them a multi-sensory experience. Apparently, they enjoyed all the attention, but didn't stick around for a no-charge vacation to the junk yard (a lot where people leave all sorts of equipment, with lots of places for mice habitation).

One thing worked

I started off with compassion for the little devils, hoping to make the greenhouse unpleasant for them. I avoided poison because of possible effects on our dogs and other animals. Eventually, my choice was between humane behavior toward the mice or demanding humane treatment for my plants. I opted for having a garden rather than kindness to the mice.

Finally, I bought some spring traps. At that time the mice were feasting on squash and pumpkin seeds so I used peanut butter to stick a seed to each trap and things snapped into place - the mice were vanquished. (By the way, peanut butter, apple and cheese were not on their list of gourmet items.)

Disrupted germination period

I learned the germination process well the preceding year, but the several times of replanting delayed a number of crops and caused me to cancel others. Later plantings of crops for April and May transplanting were likewise delayed and in some cases I rushed them out of the greenhouse into the soil without necessary hardening off. This left plants in the garden to struggle with undeveloped root and leaf systems.

Ambitious plans

In 2015 I had successful growing seasons for melons, one of my favorite crops, so I doubled the number of plants intended at the farm. This in itself put a strain on my delayed operations in the greenhouse. Overall, plans for the farm doubled the previous year's growing there. And I intended to grow at the Fall City garden about what I had done in 2015.

Fruit plants

I took cuttings from several grape vines that have been very successful nearby, set up trellises and was amazed how prolifically they grew. I transplanted four blueberry plants from home (where they languished in shade) to the farm and bought four more to fill an expanded area of the garden. All are doing well.

More plants

I expected to have about 50+ plants at the farm (melons, summer and winter squash, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers). Also planned were pole bean, pie pumpkin, carving pumpkin, corn, tomato and sweet pepper.

Drip irrigation

The uniformity of spacing of these crops and similar need for moisture suggested drip irrigation would work well at the farm garden.

I researched the practice, checked out different vendors, designed a grid, purchased supplies and set up the system. More about this at drip irrigation.

Winter cover crops

A year ago for a winter cover crop at the farm I planted a mix of tillage radish (a variety of Daikon) and oats. I expected freezing temperatures as in previous years to freeze kill both allowing them to decompose during the winter, leaving a garden ready for remineralization and cultivation in the spring. For more information see oat and radish cover crop.

At the garden I had a good stand of crimson clover over the area planned for 2016 crops. To get transplants started in time I remineralized and cultivated only one-third of the future garden.

Not enough time and energy

The combination of lost plants from the mice and delays getting plants hardened off left me with some unexpected choices. I didn't have enough time/energy to scythe all of the crimson clover at the garden and to cultivate minerals into the soil. So a third of the garden had crimson clover going to seed. (OK, I thought, I'll save myself planting a winter cover crop in that section. I won't try that again, because I didn't get a consistent winter cover crop from the self-seeded clover.)

It was a good year!

There were more challenges than in the past. By many measures it was a good year:

  • I harvested more than 2,700 pounds of produce.
  • I donated over 2,000 pounds to two local food banks.
  • I gave several hundred pounds to family and friends.
  • We filled up our freezer with vegetables and have supplies of winter squash.

It comes as no surprise to me that my body is tired. I was working in the gardens well into October. I am taking time to recuperate.

garden/intro/2016.txt · Last modified: 2018/12/23 18:29 by davidbac