I will be participating in The Great Sunflower Project this year. Last February I was reading about the project in "Heirloom Vegetables" by Sue Stickland so I decided to sign up. The idea behind the project is they send you sunflower seeds and then they want you to submit bee counts to them on the sunflowers. They ask that twice a month your park yourself in front of the flowers and count the number of bees that visit in 30 minutes and then send in the information. It should be fun, now I just have to find a sunny spot of them.I decided today was a good day to do a photo update of all the plants. Some things have really started to grow well others seem to be still rooting into there new home. I am also having a lot of seeds germinate that were in my compost. Although my compost does heat up it does not stay hot because I never have enough material to add at once. I think I am going to get one of those Japanese Weeders to take care of them. I am also going to start all the Melons, Cucumbers & Squash tonight in peat pots and germinate them in the cold frame. Anywho, here goes the photos:
Veseys Baby Leaf Blend looking great, I will be purchasing this mix again.These were winter sown in February, in the cold frame.
Romaine & Bok Choy growing very fast
Easter Egg Radishes, should be ready soon
Spinach, the thinning will make it into Thursdays Meal Post
Garlic, Planted last October. Anyone know what month it is harvested, July?
Shell Peas, not much growth but they are doing well
Broad Beans
The Broad Beans are just about to bloom, can't wait. Broad beanslike cool weather so they are a great early legume to grow.
Oak barrel mixed greens. I have uncovered them andnow the squirrels keep digging up the newly seed ones, erg.
Onion sets are all up. Looks like the sets are winning over the seeded ones so far.
Kohlrabi. See all those little weeds, yikes!
Broccoli, it has not grown much yet but has bulked up a lot.They are interplanted with onion sets & a row of radishes to the back.
Finally here is a shot of the poly tunnel, It has everything in it that was underthe grow light. Veggies, overwintered patio plants & seeded flowers for summer
planters (post to come about them soon). I have been leaving everything outside
in it for a few days. Looks like next Tuesday will have a pretty chilly night time
temp so I will have to cart them all in again if it materializes.
Yum Yum Yum to everything but the broad beans (we used to eat them every night as children, blechhhhhhh)
ReplyDeleteSunflower project sounds like such a great idea!
Dan, you have alot of things about ready to pick! Man...that poly tunnel makes me drool everytime I see it. Ha!
ReplyDeleteWow, it all looks so perfect! I wish my veggie garden looked even half as good.
ReplyDeleteI usually harvest my garlic when the foliage starts to brown and falls over. Still, you need to dig one and be sure it formed cloves before you pull it all. I then just leave it outside in a protected place to cure, brush of the dirt, clip the roots and braid it and it is ready. I hope mine is sweet this year. The last few it has been too hot.
The plantings are all looking very nice Dan! It must be great to be able to move the plants out from the lights into the poly tunnel and free up some room inside. Your design will provide some great utility for you and should prove to be a valuable addition to your season extension arsenal of tools.
ReplyDeleteIt's all looking good! I always consider weeds a sign that your ground is fertile. If you are flattered by their appearance you don't stress so much. You can see what kind of gardener I am!
ReplyDeleteYou will be munching your way thru this soon!
ReplyDeleteAll your veggies are looking great! And the poly tunnel is working well for you too. That thing is really cool!
ReplyDeleteHow does your garden grow? Very well indeed, I see!
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely. Makes me hungry for a salad, and reminds me that I'm late in planting greens. I might make window boxes for greens.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time at growing garlic Dan but the concensus seems to be to harvest it in late summer when the bottom two or three leaves have turned yellow or the tops fall over.
ReplyDeleteThe garden is really coming along nicely.
ReplyDeleteI love the poly tunnel, that's really gorgeous.
Great looking plants. Looks like everyting's coming along great! Thanks for sharing. And your hoop cover is very cool. Bet the plants love it!
ReplyDeletelove what you did with the photos...I will have try it.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Sunflower Project is a wonderful thing. I think we tend to forget how important bees are to the world of horticulture/agriculture. With numbers in decline, projects like these could make a difference. Another way of attracting bees to the garden is by providing bee boxes.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great as always, Dan ! It's nice to see the poly at work.
Btw, fine bit of sewing there too, Hendria. Dan's lucky to have you. :)
I found a nifty way of tossing off that pesky bugger digging at my garden. Bird netting!
ReplyDeleteThe plants are looking great. I joined the Great Sunflower Project too. Last year actually, but never got the seeds. I did get seeds this year. They were mostly broken however. I had just about ten that weren't. I tried direct seeding some and saved four to put into soil blocks if they don't come up. My Music Box sunflowers are all up which I bought, but not the Lemon Queen that they gave me.
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