Shell peas

Shell peas weren't as productive as sugar snaps (not their fault, they can be at just 2 feet tall) - but they were SOOOO sweet! We ate almost all of them raw in the garden. Ames eating the peas and delighting at feeding the dog the shells. 

 

Status report (May 9th)

Finally the rains came! A week and a half of no rain and then 2 inches over two days. It's a great time to pull deep weeds even if its not a good time to turn the soil. Unfortunately, it's also a great time for weed seed germination. (See asparagus photo below.)

Herbs: chives led the way, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and tarragon are all ready for picking. Sage and rosemary are greening up. My parsley roots rot and have bugs every spring, so despite the classification of 'biennial', I need to plant that new. Basil is started but its a long time out. 

Perennials: sorrel is overproducing, asparagus is giving us a small handful each day, enough for salad adornments, horseradish is bolting, and rhubarb is too. The rhubarb leaves have short stalks - I'm told to top dress with cow manure. Dill has come up in carpets under both. I was hoping for that!

Roots: Beets are up with their first true leaves, but the germination wasn't uniform, I wasn't the best about watering them. Planted on April 13, they are now nearly one month in the ground. There are about 30 there, a satisfying amount for a first planting, but I better put the replanting on the to-do list. 

Stuttgarter yellow onion sets are in and a couple inches high, having been planted on April 23rd, 2 1/2 weeks ago. There are about 120 of those. 

Parsnips are in, but not up, same for first and second planting of carrots - red, purple, and orange! (Parsnips were planted April 13th (one month ago), 1st planting of carrots went in April 25th, 2nd went in May 6th.) Daikon radish is in (April 25th) and up, barely, and my leek starts are in (April 24th) and growing gangbusters! There are about 30 of them.

Garlic is always the stunning crop of spring. About 100 heads.

Peas and beans: sugar snaps are doing better than shell peas, but both are growing. Sugar snaps have even begun climbing. Both were planted on April 8th.

Fava beans are so beautiful! It's my first time growing them. They need an early start (mine were presoaked and went in the ground April 10th), and they seem to be making the most of it. Nearly 100% germination on those.

A Fedco mix of plants that attract beneficial insects has been planted in two spots, totaling about 16 square feet, and it'll go in yet another spot when the soil drains enough to work it. Beans, brussels, okra, and more greens all have spots reserved for them.

Last, but definitely not least, the cold frame gives us salad greens every night, lettuce, arugula, spinach, Swiss chard, and soon cilantro! The arugula is already starting to bolt however...

And that's where we stand on May 9th.

  

Peas

Yesterday I planted the peas. About 5 feet of shelling peas and 15 feet of sugar snaps. Though it seems late (because of our insanely warm temperatures this week) a scan through my previous years' pea posts says it's not. Mid-April seems to be a fine time for peas to come up, if they are protected from rabbits!

We are at growing degree day 30. In 2011 I noted that the peas emerged around growing degree day 38, but that they had sat in the ground awhile waiting until then. This time they were pre-soaked. Given the forecast this week and the later planting date, I have a better feeling about emergence.

Gotta get the rabbit fence up ASAP.

Seedlings

The cold frame continues to under impress. Everything lives, nothing thrives.

The arugula is just starting to sprout true leaves. Those started on March 10th indoors, and March 15th outdoors seem to be neck and neck. The lettuce started indoors and transplanted is growing well, but they really should be further along by now.

Spinach, lettuce, and chard from a March 29th planting emerged today.

The green onions in the small cold frame, transplanted at about 2 inches high, seem to have accepted the abuse. The lettuce transplants on the other hand, disappeared like their predecessors... Slugs?

Peas are soaking right now and are going out tomorrow.

Last week was winter, flurries still in the air. This week we have forecast highs in the 70's. When are we supposed to grow peas?