Waiting for a bit of Warmth each Morning to GET TO IT in the garden!

[897tgigvib]

This is the time a year when it's kinda chilly to get out to the garden before 11 am or so, but after it warms and that coffee kicks in, ya go out and do the gardening chores to prepare things.

For me, It's stitching the netting, getting the berry bed worked on and plant some more berry plants, and then get the south bed ready for almost too soon planted Peas.

How about for you?

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm afraid I'll be waiting for a whole lotta warmth to melt the snow before I can even get started on anything.
I did a good cleanup and bed prep in the fall though. I need to wade out to my shed and pry the door open so I can get my seed starting supplies out get set up for all that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not waiting on warmth so much as dry. This time of year it is just too wet to get in that clayey soil to do anything. In a few weeks to a month I'll get a short dry spell that will enable me to get my peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, kale, chard, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, and some other stuff in the ground, either seeds or transplants.

 

[vfem]

Yeah Ridge, its been awful wet here too. And the warm/cool back and forth with the wet wet wet... its been terrible. I only had one day where we could sow some seed in 1 bed. Since then we haven't been able to do anything else what so ever.

I did notice the radish sprouted today because of all the rain though. That's it until who knows when!

 

[journey11]

Our weather here is so variable. You really have to grab the bull by the horns on those dry, mild days that are kinda rare right now. I have the HARDEST time getting my fruit trees sprayed this time of year. Now is the time to get it done, but it is either way too windy or just not enough days in a row without rain. (Plus the kiddos and now homeschooling I have to work around.)

Same with potatoes. They need to go in around St. Patty's day. I just have to hope and pray I get a dry enough spell to till and furrow my rows. I got so tired of mudding them in that I've tried several above ground methods, but so far nothing has produced as well as traditional rows.

I don't have anything to clean up right now, other than the chicken barn. All of that manure has sat there so long that it is composted now. Haven't had chickens in there for nearly two years now. That needs cleaned out and spread on the garden before my friends the wasps re-inhabit my barn (I'm allergic.) I've left it this long because I was expecting last winter and DH won't mess with it...my birds, my problem. I also have a new A-frame portable chicken coop to finish building. My new EE's will arrive April 1st. Hubby will help me with that part at least. He likes to build things.

I'll pop some onion sets into my raised beds here soon. Maybe some strawberry plants too (rotate beds).

I'm excited to get my seeds started indoors. Soon it will be time!

I have more to do inside than outside right now. All those closets that need sorting and carpets needing steam cleaned and such. If I don't do those things in the winter months, they will never happen. But with a 11 month old baby, I'm lucky to get any of that done. I'm so much more motivated when it comes to the garden chores....easier for me to jump into outside work and make it happen. It's more therapy than work!
:tools

 

[JimWWhite]

I've got a flat of Dutch cabbage, a flat of collards, and another flat of romaine lettuce all standing about 3 inches tall on my grow cart. I roll it out onto the porch before I go to work in the mornings so they'll harden off and be ready to plant in two weeks in my raised beds. This weekend it's supposed to be sunny but cool (42F) here in central NC but I'm planning on making hoop tunnels for three of my 4x8 boxes. I just attach 8 of these metal u-clamps they use for conduit to the outside of each of the boxes. Then using the 1/2-inch gray pvc conduit I just insert one end on one side and bend it over the box and insert the other end into the matching clamp on the other side. Then I'll cover the hoops with the translucent plastic sheeting and I have grow tunnels. Teresa made me these squares about 2 inches square out of clear heavy sheeting with large buttons that I'll glue two on each end of the boxes to tie off the flaps with heavy twine to keep them closed. Cool! I'll post pics when I've got them done.

 

[Nyboy]

I am waiting for snow to melt. last night only about inch but already had about 8 inches on ground from last storm.

 

[ducks4you]

My routine is still cleaning stalls and piling that up. My horses are on pasture full time from April to November, so this is the other 1/2 of the year. Fortunately, most of it goes into their turnout. I'm filling in a depression this winter that has been hard to mow every year bc of the dip, in my otherwise "flat as a pancake" topography. Some of it goes into beds that I use to grow sweet corn, since its such a heavy feeder.
I get bored with just following a routine, so I try new things every year. THIS year, I started a gardening notebook. I located a used, 3 ring binder with a place to put an identifying 11 x 8" label in the front.
I saved packages from bought seeds and I am taking a page of filler paper and stapling the opened up packages so I have any information from the seller available for easy reference, one page per package.
Since I've saved some seeds, I just write information for those seeds from gardening books that I have on hand. (My mother has given me about 15 of them over the years!!)
One of my books has expected germination times according to vegetable and the temperature you try to get them to grow in.
Gotta start logging. I soaked saved ROMA seeds this week, and I planted one of those plastic greenhouses with the clear top and it's on top of my fridge.
I also soaked sugar snap peas. I am taking the rest of the week to start those.
One group will go in a rectangular container--bought overgrown pansies in it last year--that will be on west facing, 1st floor guest bedroom.
One group will be planted in a rounded, plastic container that resembles a piece of gutter. Haven't a CLUE where I got this. That will be on the east facing windows on my unheated, front porch.
The last group will be planted outside, in one of my basement window wells, with a glass top, that used to be on my old, and now gone, truck's topper. I was given that container, and I think it's supposed to be used as a window box.
It will sit about 12 inches under soil level, and has gravel, so I can water and drain it.
Boy, the longer you garden, the more it seems like it's year round.
I'll take pictures. It will be interesting to see how the groups all do.

 

[journey11]

Boy, the longer you garden, the more it seems like it's year round.

That is so true! I think we tend to get more adventurous...starting our own seeds and trying winter crops and such. The greens in my garden lasted all the way to mid-January when we finally got several days of hard freeze. I still have carrots and brussels sprouts going.

Your notebook is a great idea. I really need to start one of those, especially keeping notes on how certain varieties have done for me. Keeping those records really is a smart thing to do.

 

[ducks4you]

You know, I've tried keeping track on a computer Word file, I've tried keeping track with Excel files, and it just works better for ME to go this route, where I tape and staple and write. I prefer ultra-fine Sharpies, btw.