trials, tribulations, and wins

Funny how difficult this season began and the frustrations that has followed, but when you see a bean seedling push its way through cement like dirt you know all is right with the world.

This spring has been unusual to say the least.  The months of April and May have had bright mid 70 degree days to 8+ inches of snow on the ground.  The storm that did the most damage to my early season sprouts was the 10 degree windstorm that hit.  It was lacking snow to insulate my crop.  Broccoli and most of the spinach perished.  I had covered my lettuce (other creatures demolished that) and the peas uncovered survived like rockstars.  Peas are one tough vegetable.  I would want peas in my corner any day they can take a beating.

The other battles that I've had to fight are the constantly dissapearing act of lettuce and the concrete like dirt floor.  Lettuce seed has been replanted in my garden around 5 times.  My beautiful heirloom varieties disappear after they all pop up.  Gone, Poof like a puff of smoke.  I now buy what I can find at the local food store.  Black Seeded Simpson.  The critters that were going after my lettuce also like turnips, spinach, marigolds. beets, etc...everything but peppers.  The only deterrent that saved my turnips (all rest were decimated) was diatomaceous earth.  This stuff is a white powder that is ground up fossils.  It cuts up mites and other nasty critters.  I use it in my chicken coop to prevent mites.  The pain in the rear about the power is that you have to apply it after you water and it can cause irritation in the lungs if you breathe it in.  After two weeks of painstakingly applying the DE I found my culprit, black ants.  Not the itty bitty tiny ants you see all over, but medium sized aggressive bugs.  I poisoned them and that has been it for my bug problem (so far, knock on wood).

I now have a good stand of heirloom lettuce between my peas.  The concrete dirt issue is not a resolvable issue this year.  My two sections of garden consist of the plot we have had a garden on for 10 years and the other newly tilled soil.  The concrete dirt is lacking organic material.  I cannot move the garden we have too many perennial vegetables and I frankly do not want too.  The dirt causes a terrible stand with a few weaker seeds and it is lacking in good nutritious soil.  I am fertilizing with fish emulsion, so maybe.  The few ideas I am knocking around are compost and cover crop.  I am not sure what direction I will go but will keep you posted.  

Despite all the trials and tribulations I am excited for the coming year.  I have so many plans I hope I can accomplish a few of them.  Already the canning book is out and pages are being marked.  I know I have lots of hoeing, the weeds are really growing, good thing I like to hoe around....Oooops did i really say that.  You know what I mean.  

Fuchsia Grape leaves 

Popcorn and sweet corn both popped

Lots of weeding ahead of me in this concrete like dirt

Seriously what eats marigolds

Potatoes i need to hill.  They look really healthy

Green, yellow, red, and orange bell peppers

A stand of carrots

Turnips, I plan on harvesting them for greens

Beans making their presence known

My oldest and husband LOVE asparagus.  I've already had 3 full harvests.  Soooo good!

Cucumbers

Hill of summer squash.  I've planted scallop, yellow, and zucchini 

Lots of tomato plants.  I used panels to contain the growing plants

Kale and I really excited about this leafy green

Rhubarb

Rockstar pea plants

Only heirloom lettuce that survived the evil ants

Roasted green chili, Big Jim peppers

Okay, soooo I have these seedling popping up randomly by my potatoes that look a lot like swiss chard seedlings.  So i saved them and put them in a row.  I am probably giving tender loving care to a weed.

I planted lots and lots of spinach

Raspberry leaves

My finished coop as of today.  My husband calls it the chicken palace.  Those are some lucky girls

Tomatillos.  I planted them in barrels by the chicken coop.  A few years ago I put them by tomatoes and my tomatoes never produced.  Now i keep these as far as way as possible from the garden

Some of my girls

Sour cherry blossoms

New cold frames

Tomato Frustration

Frustration levels were at a high.  The frustration stems from lack of knowledge and experience.  The tomatoes I started from seed have grown tall but are weak.  They are wobbly and are beginning to curl. I am rather attached to each seedling and I desperately want to save and foster each one into a robust plant.  Common sense tells me my seedlings need heat.  The south facing window in my bedroom has a porch right in front on it.  My plants are lacking sunshine.  I would place them elsewhere in the house, but I run into two obstacles.  There names are Tyler and Travis.  My plants must have supervision when young boys are in the area.

 Researching I came across basic info about planting a tomato.  When your hardy tomato is planted in the garden you place dirt right below the bottom leaves.  I decided to replant just have them deeper in the cups.   With distractions of a dog and boys I ended up loosing 4 plants.  It broke my heart.  I know that I have plenty of tomatoes, but lacking experience in growing tomatoes from seeds I figure I need as many hardy plants as possible. Better odds.  As I was transplanting the lack of root development only furthered my theory of lack of heat.

I do have a back up plan.  Buy the tomato plants if all fails.  (I did purchase some heirlooms tomato plants from seed saver exchange, I really couldn't help myself.  I also have massive doubts)

Part of the heat issue that my tomato plants are having could in theory (I have yet to use) be solved by a cold frame.  The idea for the cold frames are to attach a window to these slanted boxes and face them south.  This in turn will trap heat in and create a greenhouse effect.  Since they are not finished I have no idea what type of cold and hot I will be dealing with.  The other really really wonderful thing about these frames are (in theory) could keep cold hardy spinach, lettuce, carrots, turnips, leeks, and greens available most the winter.  I hope the possibilities are endless with these slanted boxes.

Rattlesnake pole bean trellis.  Beans are capable of reaching 10 foot high

Pretty Pretty Rhubarb

My husband's favorite vegetable pushed through

A pea

I really think this is my di cicco broccoli.  I alway get in a hurry and never mark anything.  

Kale and I planted lots and lots....I have read chickens love kale and our chickens are on there way. *note this a transplant i started inside.

Hybrid broccoli and doesn't it look sturdy

My husband cut these stools for the boys to take a load off...I think the different sizes are so cute. It reminds me of how little they are.  

My Sproutlings

     Sow a seed... This is a new concept for me, but I am very excited to announce that I have received my very first sproutling!  Let me tell you she is such a beautiful little green goddess.  Shortly after Morgatge Lifter popped through, all the others have decided to make an appearance also. 

     I do believe that the boys are just as excited as I am.  I hope that they will enjoy eating them as much as they enjoy looking at and talking to GeeGee (Green Goddess) and all of her followers. As I say the boys are excited and go to our "greenhouse" a few times a day, I am pretty sure I make tripple that many appearances. 

     In addition to starting from seeds, we have chosen these seeds to be Heirloom.  Even though I have always lived in a farming community, I have never know the difference between Heirloom and Hybrid.  And now that I know, why put anything on the table other than the best.  I am determined that I can do something small and simple to help my family live a long, healthy and beautiful life.  Now I know that growing my own Heirloom vegetables isn't going to ensure a long, healthy and beautiful life, but I am convinced it will help. 

     There are many great things about heirloom seeds, but I must say that one of my favorites is bragging about the names and the uniqueness of everything I have purchased.  If everything goes according to plan, we will have some very colorful plates this summer.  Hopefully preserving the bountiful crops will ensure a bright winter as well. 

     Sow a seed has begun, now time to grow it green. 

 GeeGee after she first appeared.

        

Watching her grow.

early season

Today I experimented...We live in zone 5 and sometimes zone 4 and my goal is to see some green sprouts as early as possible.  According to the packages peas can be planted as early as the ground can worked, broccoli up to 3 months prior to last frost, and spinach 4 weeks before last frost.  On the eastern plains of Colorado last frost can range from (last year) last week of april to Mother's day.  We have observed dandelions and grass beginning to emerge, so I thought why not!

My little helper and I planted my heirloom little marvel peas, last years bloomsdale longstanding spinach, heirloom di cicco broccoli, and gypsy hybrid broccoli.  I separated the broccoli seeds by sowing them in different plots. I plan to keep the seeds of the di cicco.  What was also interesting and disappointing was the hybrid broccoli came with 12 seeds and my  heirloom contained 200.  All I can say is the hybrid better be BIG, BEAUTIFUL, and BOUNTIFUL because I feel like I got ripped off.  Mainly because hybrid seeds cannot be saved for next year.

I plan to sow some more early seeds next week (potatoes also) and compare.

I also am starting a few tomato, celery, watermelon, kale, lettuce, and a few herbs.  My baby tomato plants have names like Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Black Cherry, Bonnie's Best, and Roma.  All have different characteristics that determines their purpose. What awes and and amazes me year to year is how life starts from such tiny beginnings.  This is true for ALL life.  A seed with proper care will grow and produce food for my family.  I am always humbled by green sprouts.

Two Cherokee Purple Tomatos stand proud

Boys love dirt

Where the magic happens :-)

My rhubarb from last year survived

Peas in a row

Second rhubarb

My Birthday present from my husband, Bog Boots

Zinnia sprouts called envy...seriously took 2 days to pop up