Once Upon a Time I Liked Winter

The first half of December saw reasonably mild weather, although dry. That changed with a swing of 4 weeks of unreasonable cold with no day above freezing or even near 25F and a low of -6F New Year's Eve. We had about 1 day of mild temps and mud and back to the cold business. And if I can complain a little more- all of this would have been better if we'd had snow, but we only got 1/2 inch tops a day ago. I went from planting shallots in the garden (and with garlic on my to-do list), lush green in the greenhouse to frozen earth and mass lettuce death. Ugh. Once upon a time I liked winter.

What to do?
Stratification seemed like the most obvious activity, so after the potting mix thawed I started planting natives in deep cells and bulk item containers. These will go in the frozen greenhouse.

I also decided to try planting other seeds in flats for the greenhouse. My hope with this is for them to germinate much as they would outdoors, when the conditions were ideal for the seed. Their soil is frozen now. If this works I'll get a slight jump on the season and have plants with little hardening off to face. A few annuals that seemed to be ideal for this method include: Larkspur, Cleome and Bachelor Buttons. This could be a game changer for me if it works.

For those seeds that need more heat, like peppers, eggplant and tomatoes I'll still begin inside. Speaking of game changing, I've had pepper seeds germinate in 5 days, which is record for me. I learned why I had poor success with the seed starting mats. They work by raising the ambient air temperature by about 10-15 degrees. Well, when your basement is 50F who cares! That's not warm enough for pepper seeds to germinate. So, I found using my human heat pad, set at level 5 brought the soil top of a roasting pan with lid to 76F. Now that's what I need! Here's proof, planted on 12/31/17:

I brought in 3 pots of carrots and 1 of beets (didn't survive) from the greenhouse. The carrots are small, but sweet.

I decided to collect data on the greenhouse vs outdoor temperature for comparison. That info is here:

I don't fully trust some of the daily readings, but I would generally agree that
the average difference in high temperatures between inside and out is between 20-30 degrees, depending on the amount of sunlight.

My paper journal of seed starting and garden plans/ideas.

What's Up: Lettuces, Frilly Mustard, first signs of broccoli and red chard seedlings, my entire flat of various brassicas. It took a one day warm up to spark their germination. The basement has been colder than normal. 

Last night was another ridiculously cold night (0F) with wind chills -17F and all the local schools called off due to cold. I'm really tired of this and my chilblains and painful hip skin are flaring up. It looks like we have to put up with this for at least one more day. Thursday is suppose to be near 39 and possibly 60 this weekend. This has been my least productive winter break that I can remember. Tomorrow is back to school. I think I'm ready, because I'm bored with this crap.

Basement Salads

I'm experimenting with what I can grow in the basement (to eat) overwinter. Already some things haven't worked out and others have proven successful.

What hasn't worked: I bought some of that moisture retaining potting mix because it was dirt cheap on sale. Seeds rotted in it. Stuff that wouldn't germinate: beans, peas, cucumbers, squash. I have 1 bean, 1 pea and 1 squash seed (by another method). *Might be good for houseplants, but not for starting seeds.

What has worked: Greens continue to do well and we are eating regular salads. I'm hoping to get to the point where daily salads are an option. It looks like I can cut from the same pots about every 5-10 days. I'm leaf-pruning, rather than topping plants off. Growing: Red Russian Kale, Lettuces, Frilly Mustard. Other happy plants- cilantro, oregano, parsley, jalapeno, a volunteer tomato plant, eggplant, alpine strawberry (no fruit yet, but coming).

The New Experiment

This one is set up with 3 shop lights fairly high over plants.

This is working out fine for already established plants, but

seedlings aren't loving it. In this picture- jalapeno, calendula, violas,

brugmansia, oregano, parsley, green onions, chard, alpine strawberries,

1 squash, 1 pea, 1 bean, alyssum, turnips, eggplant, 1 fig, stocks,

pomegranate in foreground.

Greens doing well

frilly mustards- my fav

 Mixed Greens

I was swooned by the internet powers to order this LED light.

It may significantly reduce energy deman, but it is not proving to grow

better or faster plants. Plus, it's really hard to look at or be near it.

How to overwinter a Jalapeno to eat from

Yank Jalapeno from pot it was in.

Wow, that's a small root ball.

 Line bottom of pot with leaves. 

Adds fiber, minerals, beneficial microbes.

Stake it. Harvest all peppers to help

adjust from transplant shock. Energy to go to

new root making.

New peppers already forming. No new flowers yet.

Happy Oregano & Parsley

Alpine Strawberry & Green Onions

From front to back: 1 pea, 1 bean, 1 tomato

Back row: Stock, Eggplant

Middle: Stock, Violas

Front: Chard transplants, Dill, Alpine Strawberry

Other set up. Much closer to lights.

 Cilantro

Overwintering Non-Edibles

Fuschia

 Coleus cuttings have already rooted (from Oct 4)

 Various houseplants in the basement...

And Houseplants in the windows...

Spider plant, Meyer Lemon, Fragrant Olive, Fern

Outdoor Activities

Fall Blooming Speciosus Crocus- bloomed w/o leaves Row 2

Saffron Crocus is sending up leaves.

Had 2 blooms. Rows 1 & 3

 Planted to the right of the East side Orchard entrance

I've been planted Darwin Tulips & Purple Sensation Alliums on the streets.

Still need to plant the spring crocuses in the new 2016 bed.

Critters (in the basement garden)

Food stuff

Cauliflower Patties- from the Cauliflower Tot recipe

So good.

Crap I need to do when the Queen is done napping

Put away laundry.

Happy (if possible) Election Day and Late Fall!

Early October

The daytime temps finally took a turn a week ago. It had just been too hot for too long. The days are now in the 70s and nights in the 60s. We've plenty of rain, the skeeters are still abundant and the fall peepers are peeping. The almanac says we will have a warm October, perhaps a late frost, but I don't want to pretend it isn't coming. I need to start pack-ratting it all away.
Today I began taking cuttings. A few big leaf hydrangea cuttings I made this summer did very well, so I've decided to try some semi-hardwood cuttings from the native Hydrangea arborescens.

I haven't decided where I will overwinter these- indoors or in the coldframe nursery. I'll have to do some research. I can't recall how many years ago I first bought this Alabama Sunset Coleus, but I've been taking annual cuttings from it for years. It's my favorite coleus. It is such a different looking plant in full sun. 

These cuttings are just placed in plain water for the winter. 

Occasionally, I change the water, but that's it. Doesn't get easier than that.

New Bed/New attempt

I've been wanting to redo the strawberry beds and the time finally came. I didn't know there was such a thing as fall planted strawberries, but the reviews were better than spring planting so I thought I'd give it a go. Finding fall plants isn't as easy as spring ones, but they are suppose to produce more than spring planted and have better health due to less bugs and disease over winter. I ordered two varieties from Indiana Berry and they arrived in the mail THE VERY NEXT DAY! Holy cow, I wasn't ready so I had to store the bare roots a few days in the fridge while I built and compost loaded the beds. 

 

Every single plant has leafed out. I'm already impressed!

Below: The new beds made from Cedar fenceposts.

And planted between the rows of strawberries are another first: 

Fall blooming Crocuses including Saffron Crocus! 

Natives in Bloom

Gray Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis

 Aromatic Aster Symphtricum oblongifolium

 Hackberry berries and a Question Mark Butterfly

Went to the Native Plant Sale at Schlafly Bottleworks 

last weekend and got some more and new natives, including:

Wild Oregano, Fame Flower, Pussytoes, Sedum, P. Poppy Mallow,

Common Milkweeds (for the prairie), a Phlox and more

A new (first) Sassafras

Sean got some Paw Paws, Elderberry & Serviceberry for

his folk's place.

Do again/successes to repeat next year: Impatiens

I was happy with each of these, although we did get a lot of rain this summer and it helped that I hardly watered them. Next time use all light pink in these as it shows best in the shade.

Foodstuff

White bread flour mixed with 7 grain hot cereal

Very good

 Roasted cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes

and garbanzo bean pilaf

 Veg fajitas

 Chicken of the Woods in a cream sauce over polenta

and a pepper potato soup

Basement Foodstuff

The winter greens have begun. Seeded more yesterday- cilantro, frilly mustard, lettuce mix, dwarf siberian kale.

Hoophouse update: Seedlings are coming up- kales and frilly mustard. Leeks returning. 

Orchard raised beds: lots of seedlings of greens coming up in these. I've also been working on the new house for the old ladies. I think they will be safer and warmer in a new house, plus I want to work on the woodland garden and be chicken-free in that area. 

Chuy Sanchez says

The End.