February 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

Feb 20, 2019  
February has definitely been Winter weather. We now have over 43 inches of snow this season which is 24 inches above normal. The soil temperature remains at 30 degrees at four inches and varies between 28 and 32 degrees. Snow seems to keep the soil warmer than bare soil. Most folks are tired of snow and are grumbling quite a bit with this snow. I for one am smiling as the snow piles up. I see lots of nitrogen rich water that will slowly soak into the soil as it thaws out. True a good portion will run off but what does soak into the ground is the best ever fertilizer. Cold temperatures will kill bugs and bug eggs so it's a win win for gardeners.

GARDENING YEAR HAS STARTED

The lettuce has sprouted in just five days. It's now under the grow lights for 16 hours as day with great hopes. The garden season has truly started. These were germinated in 69 to 73 degree temperature and bottom watered once. Regular Florissant lighting will be used and space from plants will begin at two inches. Bottom watering will be done every three to four days.

I need to start some cabbage in the tray space that was lettuce. I should buy fresh seed. I only have seed that's several years old.

Feb 24, 2019 
The started seeds are growing great. I planted another tray with flowers this time. I still have to plant cabbage.

These are heirloom hollyhocks from some where. I'm not sure about where they came from or how old they are. I do like hollyhocks but have never had any lock growing them. Supposedly once they are planted some where they will self seed and keep growing. Grandma Potter had wonderful hollyhocks growing beside her house and I always admired them. I heard that Grandma Potter was hard person to get along with but I never had any trouble with her. I guess holly hocks are a flower that reminds me of her. The smell of dill reminds me of my mother. Evidently she grew it in her garden every year because that's the smell I remember in Mom's garden.

The weather is still very harsh. The Season Snowfall 52.8" +32.3" Season to Date. We had 9.5 inches just last night. It will take a while to shovel out. Then I won't be able to get out of the neighborhood until the snow plow goes by. It doesn't look good for an early start in the garden this year. The forecast is for cold bone chilling temperatures for the rest of the week. It will be in the single digits every night this week and highs during the day only in the teens. Helping the neighbors with snow removal is the only time I can get to talk with them during the winter months.

Yea, I started the cabbage today. I do want to make more sauerkraut this year. I make it two years ago but didn't refrigerate it or keep it hydrated so it dried out and went bad. I do have the jars and the garage refrigerator space for many gallons of sauerkraut. Yum. Last year the cabbages looked really good until the weeds took over and smothered it. Hopefully, this year will be better.

Feb 26, 2019  
No more seeds sprouted. It's been 10 days for the peppers and onions. I recall that the onions were up in five days when on the heat mat down stairs last year or maybe the year before. The soil is 72 degrees average in the computer room so that should be enough to sprout the seeds. The ones on the towel have not sprouted yet. There are no signs that they are even thinking about it. 

We received another 9.5 inches of snow over the weekend. It bring the total season snow up to 53 inches which is 31 inches above normal and I have the feeling that nature isn't done yet. Farmer's Almanac says that more snow will come in march with stormy weather all of March and then a wet April. Spring will not arrive until the end of April. It looks like we are in for a wild ride this Spring.r.

January 2019

HAPPY NEW YEAR

January 7, 2019  
Three days of 55 degree weather. January? I was out at Terra Nova Gardens today. Only a sweat shirt was needed and I was thinking about going down to T-Shirt. Seven years ago when I first acquired Terra Nova Gardens the weather was just like this. I was working in a T-Shirt in January. I don't remember what the summer was like then. I think it was the summer of record number of 100 degree days. I believe it was the summer I built the fort for Bradley. It was so hot that summer. Maybe we are headed into another hot summer.

I covered up four beds in the North half of the garden. It was real muddy and soft. I have three beds left to cover up. I took down the tomato towers and moved the A-frame to where the tomatoes were growing last year.

January 22, 2019 Tuesday
Still no progress on the seed starting station. I have a plan for the new station but just haven't started building it yet. I'm concentrating on the kitchen floor.