Friday, March 20, 2009

Vegetable Garden Update-March 09

Tina's Veggie Garden Update: Vegetable gardening is beginning to get ramped up! Yeah for March, a good month for veggies. I have planted starts of: red cabbage, lettuce, and Brussels sprouts. Growing from last fall and shown above are onions and garlic. I sowed all kinds of seeds, including: mesclun, radishes, beets and peas. Unfortunately the peas are a no show. I will be heading off to the store to buy some more since the ones I planted two weeks ago have failed to germinate. Apparently pea seeds don't stay viable for long, or critters ate them all because I just can't find them in the soil anywhere. Who knew? Sigh.
Here is a long shot of the vegetable garden. Not much green other than the garlic and onions, but that's okay. Come summer this garden will be a mass of greenery that is so lush and full that one can barely walk through the garden. I kind of like the vegetable garden like this, nice and neat. The bananas have not yet made their appearance in the center concrete rimmed bed, but I expect any day they'll be up. Which reminds me that I must move that bale of hay. Spring is such a busy time for me in not only the vegetable garden, but the entire garden, so if you'll excuse me, I'm....

in the garden....

Skeeter's Veggie Garden Update:Yep, this is my Georgia garden bed standing in water. I think we may start our veggie garden out as a Container Garden once again this year. When Mother Nature throws you too much water, make a Container Garden I say!















Here is a Once flower bed turned veggie bed. I cleared out all the fall debris and planted seeds of lettuce, spinach, carrots and radish. We already have a row of radish as you can see in the picture to the right.
The carrots to the left, the lettuce in the middle and what I assume to be the spinach in the picture to the right are popping up as well. We have never planted spinach before so this will be a new experience for us in the garden.

I have slips of cabbage that really need to be put into the ground but with the garden so soggy, I believe they will find their way into a planter or container temporarily.

I also have some tomatoes planted from seed popping up. I will talk more about them another time. So things are starting to pop for me with a VEGETABLE GARDEN UPDATE-MARCH 09, In the Garden...

33 comments:

  1. Good morning ladies, looking good there Tina, a little wet for you though Skeeter, although the new bed looks very promising. We have sown outdoor seeds with varying sucess this year. Something has been digging up the beds, even getting under the chicken wire! I was going to replant the sugar snap pea seeds thinking they got frosted with the cold we had since Valentine's day but they are just showing now, so maybe wait a bit longer Tina. I have chicken wire and then larger wire around those so nothing could have eaten them or dug in that area. As you can tell, rather than posting I am making an update via comment! Lettuce, spinach, bok choy, parsley, cilantro and radishes are in the raised salad bed. No show on the beets in there though. Replanting for them. Garlic is up well, planted last September and Walking onions from Mrs. Brokenbeat looking good. Strawberries showing new growth, need straw mulch on those. No growth on the fig tree. Blueberries trying to leaf out. Raspberries leafing, new ones not shipped yet. That's all for now. :-)
    Frances

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  2. I'm anxious to get to this point, for now I'll dream while strolling through the stores.

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  3. Tina, Your veggie beds looks great. That is a really nice arrangement. My little lettuces are starting to show. Skeeter, I feel for you and the standing water. I can't go outback without my crocs on...too wet! My lettuce is in window boxes on the deck. Not sure where the tomatoes will go.

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  4. Great veggie beds here. We know all about that darn standing water! We may have finally found the perfect spot for our veggies, as this is our 4th try!

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  5. A lot of work ahead for all of us. Things are off to a good start.
    Marnie

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  6. I better get busy with my veggie garden, thanks for the reminder ladies! Great start on yours!

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  7. I only sowed my tomato seeds last night so am abit behind you

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  8. Good Morning Everyone.
    Great going Tina & Skeeter. You have quite a variety there. For some crazy reason I can't grow radishes.Must keep trying though. My potatoes have been up for almost a month now. Planted cukes, Cali Rabi, yellow squash, zucchini, onions & set out tomatoes in tub & in upside down container. Corn & beans next.
    We still haven't had any rain here so I don't have the problem that you have Skeeter. Hopefully your will dry out soon.
    Tina your garden looks great. Can't wait to see it in it's glory.

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  9. I was intending to do a better job at Veggie garden updates on the 20th and have already failed! I'll do better next month. Or consider my weekend posts as part of this one!

    Skeeter,

    You should put up some raised beds over that drenched area. Then you won't have to worry about the standing water.

    Tina,

    My peas are doing poorly as well. I suspect squirrels but there could have been something in the soil. I do have 2 spouts, so at least there's something!

    Things are started, spring is here!

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  10. We have a tiny little space for veggies. The onions look pretty good, the carrots are coming up, the lettuce looks so/so--but the tomatoes look bad. We think all the rain may have killed them! :(

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  11. Frances, You do have a great start on your garden as well...

    Dawn, I saw snow on the Today Show in NY so I am assuming you must keep on a dreaming a bit longer...

    Janet, yep, things will find temp spots here and there until the garden dries out a bit more...

    Darla, I am limited on where we can place a garden due to the deer and such but am thinking we may need to move it if we can agree on a new spot some day...

    Marnie, yep lots to do and in time hopefully lots of veggies...

    Raquel, we are working on it and you better get busy as well...

    PatientGardener, you better get busy also. Lots to do and will be hot before you know it...

    Lola, I dont have luck with certain things but have always had luck with radish. This year we are trying the white long type radish and that is a first for us so we will see what happens. I cant believe you have not had rain with all that went through FL the past few months. Just past you up I guess...

    Dave, you always have great garden updates throughout the month so we know how your progress is coming along. :-) The area we created the veggie garden in is a natural run off area so we knew it would be an issue with standing water. We would have to bring in tons of dirt to raise the area up but this area always dries out in the early summer so we can do as last year and start out in containers then plant later on. Although, we may chose a new spot in the future if the garden does better this year. Was pretty much a give it a try thing last year but with horrible drought, we decided to give it one more try in this spot this year...

    Meadowview, Yep, tomatoes do not like a lot of water. Can you maybe move them to salvage them to a crop?

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  12. I've winter-sown a bunch of veggies, but a few I buy as plants from my favorite local nursery (well, it's more a fruit/veg store that also sells plants): eggplant, garlic, and onions!

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  13. Looking good so far girls!!

    This time last year I had lotsa plants started in the house and have not done so this year but have most of my seeds so must get it done next week so I will be ready when we can plant outside. Will not be too long now.

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  14. My peas never showed up either. Think I'll be replanting too. You both are going to have great gardens!

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  15. Hi Tina- good morning. I like the garden before I plant it too. It looks so utilitarian but I can weed it and make it perfect, turn the soil in the raised beds and add to them. It seems like such a fresh time. I like the idea of container gardening, not much you can't grow in good pot.
    -Heather

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  16. Good Afternoon all! I have been so busy in the garden the blog has taken a backseat. I must get caught up soon or it will drive me crazy. Maybe spring break-which is soon.

    Skeeter, Your garden is an inspiration. I can't believe how far you have come with all. I hope the rain goes away very soon, and it is funny because I am hoping for rain here!

    Everyone have a great day and weekend.

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  17. Beds look great, Tina. This must be so exciting with all those saplings coming uo!

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  18. its a lot of work ! respekt ! nice weekend ! Kathrin aus Bremen

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  19. Good luck Tina with your peas. I tried sweet peas last year and believe me or not, not even a single seed germinated out of the 20+ seeds! I've wanted to try garlic always. Do you buy the seeds of use the ones from your kitchen?

    Skeeter: I see, your veggies are already very eager to come out to welcome the spring. Great. BTW, can't the water be pumped out? Or is it just too much to be pumped out?

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  20. Our local canyons have wild (escaped) radish plants that have been blooming like crazy. It looks like you'll have of your own before you know it. And good luck with your first attempt at spinach. My yard seems to be too dry for it to do well, but that doesn't seem to be your situation!

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  21. My sweetest memories of childhood is sitting in the dirt playing, with the sun heating my neck and arms. In the background were my grandmothers hoeing the red clay dirt, removing weeds from our vegetable and berry garden.
    Brenda

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  22. Chandramouli, the area we have the veggie garden in is a natural run off of rain water. So with too much rain, we get a soggy mess. In the summer we dont have too much rain so this area stays dry. This happens each spring with winter and spring rain falls. In time it will dry out though...

    Lostlandscape, I am keeping my fingers crossed for good luck with the spinach...

    Brenda, what sweet memories! I recall playing in the dirt with my brother and his Tonka Trucks! lol...

    I must get going as I have tons of flowers and bulbs to plant!

    Everyone have a nice weekend!

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  23. Great looking onions there Tina - your beds look poised and ready for excitement to come. Too bad about the peas, but you still have plenty of time for another sowing. I had the same thing happen to some little muscari bulbs I planted. They seem to have disappeared!

    Skeeter, your edged vegetable beds and little seedlings look great.

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  24. Hi Tina and Skeeter....A great update, you both always have such prolific gardens. You are inspirations to newbies like me! This spring I planted City Lights Chard and does it look gorgeous in the kitchen herb garden. More plants will be container planted...There is just too much clay.
    Have a delicious weekend. gail

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  25. You both can inspire me too ~ this year for the first time (in a long while) I'll be planting a small vegetable garden. I may have to ask for advice! and Tina, do I understand you correctly ~ you leave your bananas in the ground all winter?? and they overwinter fine?? That's one of the things I cut off (after frost) and cart down into the basement for storage. I've just pulled them out.

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  26. I've been a bad blogger lately, sorry I haven't gotten back to you all right away, I've been so busy.

    Thanks to everyone who did an update today. Doing it in comments works great too:)

    Chandramouli, I use garlic cloves I buy in the grocery store. Regular eating garlic. I should be a better gardener and get the good stuff, but this always works for me. I plant them in the fall and the garlic always does quite well. I would think you too can do this in your cool season. Try it sometimes, very easy.

    JGH, hang in there with the muscari. It may be up and maybe you don't recognize it. It is easy to do, I do it all the time:)

    Kathleen, Yes. I winter over the Musa bajoo in the ground. You grow this one too? The Hardy Japanese banana? It is hardy at least to my Zone 6/7 garden. No special treatment. I do cut the stalks down in the fall (hubby does anyhow since he enjoys cutting trees down). It has not yet made an appearance but doesn't come out early. It has a great root system now after three years. Big job pulling them out, I know how you feel as I've been pulling out brugs, and other 'stuff', makes me wonder why I even grow tenders.

    Again, everyone have a super great weekend. Mom, Get those seeds started soon!:) And if you talk to Liz, ask her if she wants some daffodil bulbs for me. I lost her email or I'd email her.

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  27. The tomato seedlings are wonderful... exciting!!! I love the garden structures you use in your garden to grow things on.

    Happy Spring!

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  28. Tina - The onions & garlic are looking good. Before you know it everything will be full and green. Peas can take ages to germinated if the soil is too cold or wet and as you said critters like to eat them. I am starting my peas in peat cell packs with potting soil and placing them in the cold frame. I will then plant them out when they are a few inches high pot and all.

    Skeeter - I am growing spinach for the first time too. Are one of those tomatoes a Cherokee Purple Tomato? I just started your marigold seed this evening in cell packs. I was confused where the seed was and then realized the grassy pieces are the seeds, learned something new today, lol.

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  29. Don't y'all feel sorry for "He Who Lives With Yankees" because he can't garden yet? It won't be long though! I think it gives me more time to write anyway.

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  30. Tina my dear, you are not a bad blogger just a busy gardener! Dont worry so much...

    Bren, this is my first try at growing tomatoes from seeds. It is exciting for me thus far and I hope I am able to get them to harvest stage!

    Dan, Yes, they are both purple tomatoes! I will post on them later on so stayed tuned. Funny about the marigold seeds looking like grass but yep, they are the seeds! When the bloom dries up, the entire head is full of these seeds. Blogging is great as you do learn something new just about every day...

    TC, You are too funny. Soon my friend, soon you will have this warm stuff and in the summer we will envy your mild temps...

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  31. It's hard to believe it's time for planting veggies already, but our weather yesterday made me think about getting the tiller out already. Looks like both of you have gotten a good start, although I can empathize with you, Skeeter--we usually get a lot of rain about the time I'm ready to plant,too.

    I wonder what happened to those peas, Tina. I've had some no-show veggies sometimes, too, and wondered if maybe the birds had made off with the seeds.

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  32. Rose, I don't know about them peas, but if they disappear again I am REALLY going to get suspicious!:)

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  33. you have been quite busy, as have I. good luck with it all.

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