I just did ANOTHER order from Johnny's. I was labeling cow pots for transplants and came to the realization I don't have enough. I had been eyeing a few seeds as well, mostly thinking ahead for Fall and Winter harvests.
The spuds from Moose Tubers were delivered this week, boy do I hope I have a better potato season in 2010. They look lovely, I only had to toss a few with rotten spots. LaRatte, Purple Viking, Red Gold, and Keuka Gold are being chited.
Everything is budding, blooming, and breaking ground in the garden/yard. My asparagus is growing an inch a day (or so it seems), I gave it a top dressing of amendments and compost a few days ago to help it along. This is a picture from earlier in the week, I should start measuring the growth they actually put out in a day, it would be funny wouldn't it?
Fruit trees and bushes budding out (Currant, Apple, Raspberry, Strawberry etc).........the only fruit not showing any signs of life is the grape vine.
I had taken some pictures of the standing ground water, here is a shot of my driveway, and our wetlands- otherwise known as the backyard:
We were very fortunate not to have a wet basement, crazy how many things were (and are) under water here in MA and RI.
In other news, I have been having one heck of a time getting some varieties to germinate this year. Last year I had just about 100% all around, this year I am far from it. I am not sure if it is the seed sources (heirlooms from various sources) that is the difference, I guess I will sow more than 2 seeds for peppers and tomatoes going forward. Most of the nightshades are needing to be thinned, but a couple tomatoes (Pink Brandywine and Amish Paste) along with most of my new peppers and some onion varieties from last year are not cooperating. Last year it was the string beans that would not germinate for me, looks as though this year it is peppers. Sigh.
I planted some Egyptian Onions that I took from my Mom's house last summer, they should have gone in back in October, but I forgot. These will multiply over the years and provide some green onions for garnishing with if they take. (In this picture you see the top of the onion which I cut last year and planted in a corner of one bed.)
I like the idea of multiplier onions. Of anything that is perennial in the kitchen garden I guess.....I will try my hand with yellow "potato onions" this year as well. I hope they be happy this far North. I have only seen them in Southern seed catalogs, so I am guessing that is their preferred local. I would be quite pleased to not have to grow out onions every year going forward, seeds are a pain and sets are costly.....it would be sweet to have the potato onions as a main source through out the year.
Enjoy the weekend everyone, we will be mulching the beds and playing in the dirt for most of the day. :)
14 comments:
how wonderful to see your asparagus popping up.. i've been looking for mine... none yet!!! i have some egyptian onions mixed in with the asparagus... it's sadly neglected and still comes back year after year!!
Good stuff Roasted Garlicious, I am lovin' your screen name!
Kelly, I think potato onions have been popular in the south because we don't get long enough days for long-day onions to form bulbs. I'm growing them this year for the first time, the foliage looks great so far! I've also got yellow onion sets and seedlings, shallots, chives, and perennial green bunching onions..ya think we like onions around here? LOL
Seed Savers Exchange and Bakers Heirlooms are two great sources for high quality seed at a decent price. Oh, and if this is your first year growing La Ratte potatoes, you're in for a treat! That's my preferred variety of the ones I've tried, they produce heavily and taste delicious.
Rebecca, I have eaten but never grown LaRatte before. The are to die for aren't they?
My kids sure think so! Last summer I would steam the baby ones with fresh picked green beans and drizzle a little butter over them with a dash of salt and pepper. It was their favorite lunch for the rest of the summer.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't get a killer heat wave early in the season like we did two years ago. Potatoes can be marginal here when it gets too hot too fast.
The aspragus is such a beautiful color...I've got to grow some someday....
Sorry about the flooding...yuck!
Unfortunately I won't be getting my asparagus order until the end of this month. I should have scheduled the delivery earlier.
I saw cow pots at a local nursery not to long ago. I love johnny's but the delivery charge just kills me.
I need to read up on Egyptian onions. I'm wondering if that is what I have in my backyard.
Awesome post Kelly, well worth the wait. Hope you see the germination you want at the new moon. Peace
Thomas, Johnny's often has free shipping codes/coupons if you do a search. I used one with this last order.
I love those asparagus pictures! They kind of look like my Hops rhizomes peeking out of the ground at this stage. I hope you dry out quickly, I know you are anxious to get all your babies hardened off and enjoying the warmth outdoors. My grape vines haven't leafed yet, either, and truth be told, I'm glad since I need to do something with them as they are out of control in their current location and am debating tossing them! They grow like mad and the wasps get to all the fruits before they are ready to be harvested!
Oh no Erin, so the bags don't keep the wasps out of the grapes then?
No, they didn't do the job! And it was so much work!!!
Onions and Potatoes! Mmmm... I love spicy curry made with 'em! Good luck with this years veggies, Kelly! Happy Gardening!
BTW, I just now searched online for CowPots and it sounds a perfect solution for Go-Green gardeners/farmers as it's renewable and better than Peat that has issues when it dries up!
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