Mapped Out

It's funny how the old-school shit just works better.

I've been using online garden planning software over and over again to figure out what exactly is going where this spring. Tonight, after many frustrated attempts, I purchased plain ol' graph paper. In a matter of a few hours, the entire thing was drawn. I've made more room for tomatoes (12, if not 14), created succession/companion plantings, and confirmed that bush beans DO have a spot in the 2010 victory garden! Potatoes will be placed in bins along the south side of the house and herbs, except basil, will be kept in containers on the deck.

I've yet to figure out where to place the peas this spring. Maybe in the middle of the garden where the tomatoes will go...? A fall garden needs to be planned, too. I'd like to include cauliflower and broccoli. Again, maybe start seed between tomatoes to provide protection during the hot weather and as they grow, the tomatoes will be dying off. Or not. Timing is everything.

Decisions submissions

It's about that time. Yup, time to order my seeds for the new year. I've been scouting, circling, pondering. How many tomatoes? Where to put the mesculn mix? Potatoes: yes or no?

I have made a few finite decisions. The layout of the garden will be in quadrants with the fence remaining on the east side of the garden. And, I will improve my seed starting setup with more shelves, better lighting, and better starting mix. That's where it ends, allowing indecision to take hold.

Tomatoes

No more than 8-10 plants. Last year I had at least 12 and it was crowded. They will be planted on the north side of the garden to prevent shading. The garden is
15'x15'. I'll plant two staggered rows. Along with the tomatoes, I'll plant the peppers, basil, and possibly carrots.

Now what varieties? I will keep my hybrid: Big Beef Beefsteak. It was prolific an decent tasting. I might go back to the Super Sweet 100s as my cherry. I grew Black Cherry last year and although they tasted really good, it wasn't a heavy producer and split a lot. I have seeds for Indian Stripe and Granny Cantrell. I think I'll buy Costoluto Genovese and Depp's Pink Firefly.

Peppers

I want to grow four sweet pepper, a few jalepeno peppers, and one or two hot peppers. I need to decide soon. Varieties include: King of the North and Odessa Market (sweet peppers). For the hot ones, probably the Black Pearl and White Habanero I tried to grow last year, plus a jalepeno variety. These should be started indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. That means I need to be ready by February 23rd, 10 weeks before my last frost date of May 4.

Carrots

I want to use a different kind this year. Last year's Royal Chantenay were nice, but had a big inner core which tasted very earthy/woody the longer it stayed in the ground. St. Valery from Baker's Creek looks good to me.

Peas

I'm sure I'll be able to get a good spring start on the garden this year, weather always permitting. I'll try out the Lincoln Garden pea.

Greens

I really want to expand this area of the garden. I'll continue with the Rainbow Chard and Jericho Romaine. I want to add a Mesculn Mix and Spinach.


Those are the big decisions I need to make. Throw in there cukes, beans and maybe a squash plant. Add a dash of potatoes and eggplant plus a hint of herbs and I may have a complete garden.

Plan A Garden

A fellow IDigger recommended an online garden planning tool, plangarden.com. It allows you to create your garden and plant vegetables within minutes. It also calculates estimated last frosts and when you should expect to start seeds indoors or directly plant. A built in daily journal of weeding, weather, and pests will allow you to evaluate efficacy and trends within your garden.

I used similar software last year with less features. I enjoyed the fact it gave me a sense of spacing. I realize now it made me too structured, unable to deviate from the plan even if my real-time spacing wasn't adding up. I'm sure that was my own newbie-ness shining through and not the fault of the gardening tool. May experience allow online planning to be a helpful tool in 2010. Cheers!

The homepage features tools for vegetable caculation and vegetable planning. They also created an online community of users utilizing forum and blogging formats. A nifty feature allows you to view other gardens by location. Who knows, maybe we'll find each other one day...although it must be before the 45 day free trial ends!

Calendar of Events

Subject to change

Date of LAST FROST: May 9, 2009


3/7: Sow Broccoli, Brussels, Cauliflower, and Lettuce indoors
3/14: Sow Peppers indoors
3/21: Sow Tomatoes indoors
4/11: Sow Radishes DIRECTLY in containers. Set out Lettuce.
4/18: Sow Cucumbers indoors. Set Brussels outdoors
4/20: Plant Potatoes DIRECTLY
4/25: Sow Carrots DIRECTLY. Sow Beets DIRECTLY in containers. Set Broccoli and Cauliflower outdoors.
5/16: Set out Tomatoes and Cucumbers
5/23: Sow Beans DIRECTLY. Set out Peppers.

I'll most likely have two other containers to experiment with. I definitely want to try radishes and beets. Other possibilities include Swiss Chard, Spinach, or Eggplant.

This list also doesn't include herbs. I'll update this list as I figure it all out.

Hope

The weather has been so refreshing - and promising. There will be a spring! I do realize that we're still a few months away, and snow showers will continue. However, the past few days are a reminder that we need to start preparing. Just look at this forcast:



The ground where our future garden will be is still water logged. Twelve inches of melting snow will do that to soil. If the temps stay high and the sun stays out, it should dry up tomorrow. Our plan is to take a tiller to the ground and start working the soil a bit on Tuesday. I'd like to do a pH test as well.

We bought supplies the other day for starting our seeds. A 2' shop light with grow bulbs and Jiffy seeds starters 72ct (2). I know the Jiffy starters are not the best way of starting seeds, but I don't have the capital to invest in a materials just yet. I am saving any container I can to transplant into: formula canisters, sour cream containers, etc. Use and reuse. Jeremy plants to set up our seed station today, on top of the fridge.

I've been working on my garden plan as well. Revising and revising. I've removed peas and onions from my planning, since I don't believe we'll have the garden prepared in time for early planting. We'll try again next year.



Broccoli: Space 18-24" apart. Approx 10 plants.
Cauliflower: Space 18-24" apart. Approx 10 plants.
Brussels Sprouts: Space 24-36" apart. Approx 3-4 plants.
Carrots: Thin to approx 1 per 1-2". Three rows yield approx 150 carrots.
Potatoes: Space 10-12" apart, rows 24" apart. Approx 16 seed potatoes.
Tomatoes & Peppers: Space 24" apart. Approx 16 plants (12 tomato, 4 peppers)
Lettuce: Space 6-8" apart. Approx 25 plants per row. 1-2 rows.
Beans: Space 4-6" apart. Approx 20 plants.
Cucumbers: Space 12" apart. Approx 8 plants. (4 slicing, 4 pickling).

Gardeners helping gardeners

It's good to have friends. It's at least good to have fellow established gardeners help out a novice by sending samples of their prized tomato seed collections.

I joined a new gardening forum last week. The people there are not only fantastic gardeners from all over the country (world?), but they are funny, political, and most importantly - generous.

After asking what kind of tomato they would plant if they only had ONE choice - for taste and high yield - I received many differing opinions. One choice that did stand out was Black Krim. Another was Big Beef for main crop consistency. Two members sent me seeds they had on hand. I think the majority of people there collect their own seeds, something that is very daunting and intimidating to me. I was ecstatic when I received two packages in the mail yesterday. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I've narrowed my tomato choices down to the following:

1. Big Beef Beefsteak (order from Kitchen Garden Seeds)(4)
2. Black Krim (1)
3. Husky Gold (1)
4. Black Cherry (1)
5. Opalka (4)
6. Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye or Indian Stripe (1)

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I've also put together a list of seeds of buying from Kitchen Garden Seeds for my other plants.

1. Blue Lake Pole Beans 55-65 days
2. Beaumont Broccoli 75-80 days
3. Royal Chantenay Carrots 60-70 days
4. Early Dawn Cauliflower 50-60 days
5. Sweet Slice Burpless Cucumbers 40-50 days
6. Alibi Pickling Cucumbers 45-55 days
7. Jericho Romaine Lettuce 55-65 days
8. Matina Sweet Butterhead Lettuce 50-70 days
9. Yellow Granex Sweet Onions 150 days
10. Dakota Shelling Peas 55-60 days

So much planning to do. I need to figure out how I want to start the seeds (I want to limit transplanting to bigger pots). My husband has agreed to install a big grow light above the refrigerator that will be on chains so we can adjust the height as necessary. I also want to start some herbs in small clay pots in my kitchen window.

Snow Garden

 

This is the current state of our garden. A frozen tundra buried under snow and, yes, dog poo. We plan on building a fence at the edge of the deck thereby sectioning off the dogs from the garden. That is the only way we will be able to grow anything. The dogs are famous for destroying plants in a matter of seconds. I know you shouldn't use animal waste on your garden as fertilizer, but I'm hoping it will be well rotted by the time we begin tilling the ground. I am concerned about the shadows the fencing will cast on the garden. I'm trying to figure out placement of plants.



This is a design I created using a free trial at GrowVeg. Very useful in figuring out where to put plants and how many you can fit.


N <-------

Fences run along the right and bottom sides

Each row is 4' x 17' with a 1' walkway in between and 3' along each border

Row 1: Tomatoes & Peppers
Row 2: Carrots, Pole Beans, and Lettuce
Row 3: Onions, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Row 4: Cucumbers, Peas, Potatoes