On Saturday I had to get the last of the seeds started. They should have been done on Monday, but I put it off because I was doing windows, or not, on Friday. I got the kitchen cleaned up and washed the 6 trays I would need.
I started the paperwork. My brother took me into town for a couple errands and I finally got started around 9:30.
I filled all the pots and got them watered. I had to sit down for a while. This is the part my helper does, the standing, as it kills me. I started again after lunch. It had started to pour rain by this time and rained well into the night.
I had them all done and on the heat mat by 1:30 and had to sit down again. I started:
Pickling cukes 9
Gourds 6
Pumpkins:
Howden 9
White 6
Summer squash:
Yellow 6
Zucchini 6
Winter Squash:
Acorn 6
Butternut 6
Kabocha 6
Sweet Meat 6
Watermelons 6
Collards 6
Total this starting: 96
For the year:
Started: 869
Varieties:
Vegetable 33
Herbs 20
Flowers 19
Forgotten to start:
Herbs 14
Flowers 1
Maybe next year I’ll do better.
I got up around 2:30PM and started cleaning the kitchen. This new seed starting medium makes an awful dusty mess. I wiped down all the cabinets in the vicinity, the tile wall, the counters, the chair holding the soil bag, then vacuumed. Then I had to wash the floor as we found vacuuming doesn’t get all the dust up.
Another rest and about 4:30 I got up and started peeling the asparagus for supper. My brother and I had decided on macaroni and cheese and asparagus for vegetable for supper. My brother did most of the cooking as I was pretty wiped out.
He’d never used a double boiler to make the white sauce, always using a fry pan to cook the onions (his touch) then making the sauce in the fry pan and simmering it. He used the double boiler this time and added the onions and cheese when it had thickened. He didn’t use bread crumbs but did put a nice layer of parmesan on top while it baked.
It was a delicious meal! I was back on the couch afterwards until I had to do chores. It was still pouring and I was glad to see it. We had been far too dry for far too long the last couple weeks. I need to put my rain gauge out now we are mostly past frost.
Sunday I need to mow the lawn and my brother is going to try to get the weedwacker running properly. The grass is really high along the fences and up by the road. The yard needs to be done also. I doubt I will be able to do more than mow, though the gardens need serious attention.
869 seedlings!? Holy cow! I started 24, which is way more than I have room in the garden for, lol! I could use about 14 of them, maybe 18, tops. Didn't even start any zukes - I figure I'll just put those right in the ground.
I thought of you yesterday as I was trying to transplant my seedlings into larger pots (looks to me like I should have just started them in larger pots in the first place). It took me 30 minutes to do five! haha! I thought "I'll bet goldenoakfarm has a method that would make this look absurd." The mess I made transplanting those five was ridiculous - dirt everywhere. It was shameful! It was also too early. Next year, I'll try just starting them in three inch pots in the first place. I'll also label them more clearly - I can't tell one type of tomato, pepper, or eggplant from another.
I avoid transplanting into larger pots at all costs because it stresses the plants. I just plant in large pots if they will need them. And I label really well, as I have no memory.
But at least you have stuff in the ground... none here yet... so far behind...
I am ashamed of myself... 869? I have been struggling with starting a small bunch -for an upcoming small garden- and you are here taking on hundreds. Impressive doesn't even cut it!
Well, remember I've been doing this since 1992, so I have a bit of experience under my belt. Plus I am raising as much of my own vegs as I can, a huge herb garden, and flowers.
Wow that is a lot of starts. It made me go and count my plantings which is at 1817 spots with seeds in the ground. So far my germination rate is doing really well too. Hope yours all pop quickly.
I usually start between 1200 - 1500 because I get really poor germination with direct seeding. I don't have irrigation like you have.
Out looking a bit ago it seems my celery did not start so I will be reseeding those 3 rows. Now that I have my greenhouse and if I can get the heater built I will be able to do oodles of starts next year so hopefully I will get a way better germ rate overall. I had a gopher eating some of my cuc and sunflower sprouts for which I am pretty annoyed and have traps set all over.
I saw the temps you were getting in the green house. Don't know if you know but different plants prefer widely different temps to germinate. Celery likes it cool, 55-65F. Pumpkins and squashes between 75 - 85F. If you get outside the preferred perimeters, germination drops fast, on either end.
I have to get thermometers set at the various heights so I can see the gradient from top hottest to coolest bottom in the greenhouse. Right now I have the thermometer hanging at mid level. I have my celery outside but the emitters are off center with the holes so they weren't getting good water to the seeds when I had them planted when temps were prime.
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