Garlic

Sometimes you get a break. One you didn't deserve.

Today I divided and replanted at least 80 garlic plants. I abandoned the garlic plot two years ago after the harvest showed what I thought was a fungus infesting the heads.

Turns out it was frost damage, and the survivors made it through last summer and were ready to go again this summer.

Awesome.

Chard - so far so good

Well, they nearly cooked Friday morning, but I managed to remember to vent around 11, and they survived. Their contemporaries under the light in the house are getting leggy and falling over, but otherwise they look about the same right now.

Two out of seven in the cold frame have been munched. Perpetrator has not been identified.

Chard

I can't remember how long ago exactly, but the kids and I started chard, basil, and nasturtium.

I don't have a good light set up so I always have leggy seedlings.

I decided to place some of the chard seedlings out in the cold frame. About half.

The ones inside will get leggy and will outgrow their egg cartons.

The ones outside will die because:
1. They were too young to transplant
2. A bug or fungus will eat them
3. I will cook them in the cold frame, long before they've grown big enough for cooking
4. Some other killer I've yet to experience

OR we will get lucky and have beautiful rainbow chard in a month.

Stay tuned.

Lettuce, beets, arugula

In the cold frame. Fedco delux lettuce mix, chioggia beets, arugula. Seeds dropped in today.

Spring

Found the first crocus blooms the same day we heard the first spring peepers down at the Boal mansion. Yay!

Compost

Ok, February 23rd isn't exactly the best time to work your compost pile. With two little kids and a part time job, one doesn't miss a window of opportunity.

Luckily, only the outside of the compost bin was frozen. I moved most of the last two months of scraps (preserved by frost) into a barrel.

I moved the rest of the partially composted stuff into a bucket. Then I dug out the thawed core of the pile.

While digging I found this supposedly compostable "corn cup" which I'm sure has been in my pile for at least two years. I left it there so I could photograph it again next year when I'm sure it will still resemble a piece of plastic.

I was able to cover the cold frame soil with about 3 inches of pretty nice looking stuff. I'm sure it will come back to life when it warms up in there.

I'm going to go back out and get the rest when it thaws, then rebuild the pile starting with the bucket.

Planted peas

I soaked them overnight before planting. Two pea lovers put them in the ground. (These were planted one week ago, April 24th.) I hope they nature before it gets too hot.