April Update

Well do not let this current typical mid April weather alarm you. Peppers are popping, broccoli & cabbage are up, onions are shooting for the sky etc etc.

Of course this is all inside stuff. The early fine weather allowed me to begin work on the garden beds and I took the risk of planting some peas, spinach, leaf lettuce and some other cold weather greens. It is the earliest I have ever planted these items so a bit of a risk.

The worse case scenario is that the seeds do not germinate and I have to reseed. The soil temperature a couple of weeks ago was a surprising 50 degrees F so in theory cold weather crops will germinate. If it works we may have some early greens which is worth the risk!

In the mean time I have been hand tilling beds in preparation of the season and picking up supplies like, alfalfa meal, dolomite lime, gypsum, kelp meal so when the outside frenzy hits I am ready to go.

The hoe is sharpened, the rakes are ready and so far all is looking promising for the 2010 season. Once we get over this little cold snap the real growing will begin! Stay tuned

Let Me Egg You On!

This is a second kick at the can for eggplant. Not something I want to talk about much. A dismal failure last season. I achieved one blossom and it dried up and fell off. So I have no expectations this season but to make another valiant attempt.

This is a harder than most vegetable to grow. Loves heat and potato bugs love them! I have to plant them some distance from potatoes this year.

I am starting 24 seeds in trays which once they get 2-3 inches tall I will transplant into pots.

Then on some warm balmy day in June I will plant in the garden and watch and hope!

Picking A Peck of Pickled Peppers!

Ahhh peppers. Sweet and crunchy or hot and spicy, peppers are a true treat fresh from the garden. I will not kid you, I am far from an expert pepper grower. We get a few each year and I keep experimenting with different varieties. I would only describe my success as modest at best.

Peppers take a long time to develop. Are heat loving yet will drop their blossoms if it gets too hot on the wrong day! A little finicky and time consuming but that is the challenge!

Today is pepper starting day. The varieties of sweet peppers we will try this year are Carmen, King of the North & Healthy. The hot pepper varieties are Hungarian Hot Wax, Boldog Hungarian & Jalapeno.

It seems that as many gardeners as there are is the number of techniques used in growing peppers.

I will start mine in 3" peat pots using an organic starting soil I buy by the bag.

I moisten the soil with very warm water and plant a couple of seeds in each pot. I then put the pots in a plastic freezer bag and twist tie it. This forms a mini greenhouse effect. I then will put them on the "OSSD" (official seed starting device a.k.a a old wooden bookcase) in the kitchen. It stays quite warm in the kitchen which the peppers need.

Once they sprout I remove the plastic bag and put them on a shelf in the kitchen window. (we are very high tech here at Furlong's Folly) Once they grow their first true leaves I cull out the weakest one in the pot.

There they will stay and grow until it is time to take out side to harden off. The shelving I use is plastic with a lip so to water I simply pour water in the tray and the plants soak it up from the bottom. If they get a little leggy I will take them outside very briefly to shock them which will slow the growth and thicken them up a bit.

Sometime in late May I will take the plants to the shed and begin to harden them off. Then after a week or so, weather permitting, I will plant in the garden.

Often I will use a tomato cage and shroud the plants with a plastic garbage back for another week or two. I have had some success with using a black plastic mulch on the ground to absorb heat.

When planting in the garden I use a natural fertilizer mixed with organic manure and crushed eggshells in the bottom of each hole. Not to much nitrogen as this may cause the blossoms to drop.

Once they begin to blossom I pick off the first blossoms which allow the next ones to be larger and more uniform.

From then on it is keep them well watered, weeded, mulch, feed and wait. And wait. And wait!