planting sweet pea seeds

 
 
This is the method of planting sweet peas that I just learned from NW organic gardener. nick the outer skin of sweet peas seeds – a large fingernail clipper works… layer the seeds in wet paper towels… check daily after 5 days… as soon as they get their tails, pot each in a 2 inch pot with tails pointing down… they don’t all tail at the same time so plant them as they do…. make sure the soil is damp, not wet, and wait for first the sprout to break…
 

what’s up today

 
 
 – I’m planting my snow peas (inside) today,  – my little sweet pea seeds (in wet paper towels) are getting tails,  – my artichoke seedlings are starting their 10 day vernalization (below 50F) out on my patio  – my tomato seeds are planted (17 varieties), but they haven’t sprouted yet  – my vegetable garden is totally free of snow now!!  – my garlic and my mom’s are up – nice little 3 inch sprouts  – and I think I may be able to start filling my salad bowl from my…
 

first day of spring

 
 
I am celebrating the first day of spring by planting broccoli and ignoring the reports of 8-10 inches of snow for tomorrow.
 

 
 
We’re getting a foot of heavy wet snow tonight. I’ll probably be too busy shoveling to post tomorrow.  I was hoping to plant peas and onion sets outside soon! Maybe it will melt fast….. maybe I’ll start the peas inside….
 

when to plant vegetable seeds

 
 
It’s definitely time to sow seeds now. Here are some suggestions to figure out when is the best time to plant different types of seeds. – Try the iPhone calendar apps I wrote, I use these to plan when to plant: Skippy’s Vegetable Calendar App and Skippy’s Flower and Herb Calendar App. – Or try my old, very simple, and free online planting calendar: Online Vegetable Calendar. – Johnny’s online tool works pretty much the same: Johnny’s planting calculator – The University of Minnesota has a nice page on starting…
 

planting out extra lettuce

 
 
    I had a few 6-packs of lettuce left over that didn’t fit in my tunnel so I set up a second smaller tunnel for it. This little tunnel is just covered with a double layer of row cover fabric. I wonder if it will do OK. It depends on the weather we get.
 

sowing seeds on a stormy day

 
 
It’s pretty stormy here. Our road is blocked at both ends by downed trees and wires and our power has been out all day. In addition to tending my little onion shoots, I planted my next batch of seeds a couple days early: Beets, Boro and Detroit Dark Red Eggplant, Orient Express, Hansel, and Barbarella Basil, Tuscany Marigold, Giant African, Mission Giant Yellow, Tangerine Gem, Gem Mix, Cottage Red Pepper, Highlander, Shishito, Ace, Red Rocket, and Red Ember Snapdragon, Tall Deluxe Mix Chamomile, Common Lemon Mint The rest of my…
 

up-potting

 
 
I’ve learned a new word. “Up-potting” is when you transplant into a bigger pot. Hmm. I’ve been spending lots of time up-potting recently as a volunteer at the greenhouses at Elm Bank. We’re getting plants ready for the Boston Flower Show, which is only a couple weeks away now (March 14-18).
 

newly planted seedlings in winter tunnel

 
 
I planted my seedlings out into my empty winter tunnel last weekend. They look very happy out there. I have a few more to plant out and will set up another smaller tunnel. But I’m waiting until after The Big Storm coming tomorrow.   Everyone is talking about the Storm here. 2 inches of rain and then 5 inches of heavy wet snow are predicted with high winds and power outages. I’m glad I don’t need to worry about the coastal flooding in my area, because that’s supposed to be…
 
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