Sun, Feb 24, 2008 · Filed under Indoors, Seed starting, Veggies, Winter
More early lettuce. This is Simpson Elite, an improved variety of Black Seeded Simpson, which is a really fast, reliable heirloom from the 1800′s. I grow both. They have thin, delicate, pale green leaves, but they’ve proven tough in heat, drought and cold. And they’re 40-45 days! These seedlings are now about 3-1/2 weeks old. I still haven’t thinned them from two per cell—all the lettuce looks so…pretty, densely bunch in their trays, and they’re stretching a bit, but just this side of really crowding each other. Anyhow, it’s the super-early lettuce…mostly for fun! (This is also my first tryout of the latest new farm tool, a Canon G9…a sturdy, field-ready bit of gear… :)
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Tue, Feb 05, 2008 · Filed under Seed starting, Veggies, Winter
Time to thin out the lettuce and arugula. Between the seven varieties, some of the seed I used was up to four years old, so to be safe, I was quite generous, maybe 4-5 seeds per cell for the arugula, and a bit more for the lettuce (that tiny seed can get away from you, though with new seed, I try to go lighter). Germination was good, and the little seedlings are already shading out each other as they push for the light. I’m still getting used to timely, to-the-point thinning, both in the trays and in the field. I usually have the urge to leave ‘em a while longer, but almost always, this ends up being not the best thing to’ve done. Give the best ones the biggest break as early on as possible, which means, kill off the rest. This also takes some timing experience, but in general, it’s hard to go wrong by not waiting around. Sounds brutal, but that’s about it! The lettuce will eventually be one per cell, although for now I’ll leave a couple per. Starting arugula indoors is a first for me, I usually direct-seed, so I’m figuring things out this time around. I’ll leave two per cell, and plant them out two together at 6″ (15cm) spacing and see how that works out. Here, I’m snipping arugula at the soil level with wickedly pointy little shears…
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Tue, Aug 07, 2007 · Filed under Summer, Veggies
We’re just starting on the second planting of carrots, and green onions as well. It’s the standard four rows (200′/61m) to a bed, which goes a long way. Depending on thinning, and of course, the weather and amount of irrigation, anywhere from one to two feet of a single row of carrots makes up a 1-2 lb bunch, so that’s 100-200 bunches per bed. Here, it’s Nelson, Purple Haze and Touchon, with Ramrod onions up in the corner, and another bed of Nelson out of sight to the right. Once they work through germination and tiny seedlings being eaten issues, carrots around here are a carefree, low maintenance garden veg, a pleasure to host (and munch)!
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