April and Spring

April is here and Spring is showing some signs of arrival. We have had a wet winter, heavy snow in spring, record river levels, and below average temperatures. Even though the yard is snowier and wetter than last year, things don't seem to be too far behind.

Above is a photo of ladybugs in the south foundation bed -- it was actually taken March 20. It is interesting to see this bed come to life first...the beetles are the first moving insect of the garden! I really must make better use of this early bed with its heat.

No outdoor seeding yet, things are way too wet still. I will try to transplant some lettuce this year and see if we get salads sooner than direct sowing. If that works, then I will repeat again.

(lettuce seedlings, 7 days old on 4/5/2009)

Cool-season transplants are growing nicely...

(early cool-season seedlings on 4/5/2009)

Some are chomping at the bit to be put out. I may start some hardening off so they can go in as soon as the garden is ready. I see some round swiss chard leaves, and the kohlrabi and kale are hard to tell apart at this point (kale is on the end).

(closer view of seedlings on 4/5/2009)

But, as you see - that last 12 inches of snow is holding on still. That is probably good though as the river levels are still falling (they will rise again come this weekend maybe). I do know it is spring...robins are singing, staying in the trees - what is up with all that white?

(snow from late March storm 4/5/2009)

This is the first vegetable showing its green. Walking onions I planted last year. I am hoping they will take off in their second season. I think I will be happy with this perennial giving a yearly supply.

(walking onions 4/5/2009)

In the south bed, day-lilies are sprouting nicely. They are a bit water-logged this spring, but about as tall as last year.

(day-lily in southern bed 4/5/2009)

I think this some kind of crocus I planted last fall. Either way it was planted last fall and it is coming up now.

(bulb in southern bed 4/5/2009)

I'm getting excited to get out and plant and see what is coming back under the snow!

Records

It was about time I got myself a little journal to keep some of our garden records in. Got the book, now I need to make sure I keep writing in it - though the blog last year has helped. Much to do with record keeping now as the spring season approaches....

I have sown some seeds to get a start on cool season crops. Things like kale, broccoli and cabbage will go in the ground as soon as they can, which is usually mid-April. I even updated my planting records! Also I am settling on where to put all of our crops this year, you can look at the current plans on the records page.


We got our last order of seeds in last week from Pinetree Garden Seeds. They have some smaller sized packets for our smaller garden. I was really excited to get some Alpine Strawberry seeds. Those went in the freezer to be cold treated so that I can get them started in spring. Now we are only waiting on two crops for the garden - Sunchokes that will arrive in April from Jung Seeds and Potatoes I have yet to purchase.


It's been an interesting last week for weather. As I mentioned, last Tuesday (3/10) we had a blizzard with a total of 10 inches of blowing snow. This wasn't as bad as our December Blizzard, but it buried the car deeper.


After the blizzard blew through, in came the cold air... -17F in the early hours of last Thursday (3/12). That was over 30F below the average for this time of year. I guess to make up for the cold and snow, we were served with a heat wave of +47F on Sunday and Monday. Wonderfully warm days above average...but that lead to huge melt-off. The water had no where to go but our back door. Luckily the ground slopes more to the side of the house, so the water went around the house and down the street. Now we have been glad to get a couple of days back below freezing just to slow the melt some and give the water a chance to settle. It won't last too long as predictions are for warmer temps over the weekend, which might take care of the rest of the snow.

Enough of the crazy March weather...I'm off to find a sunny and dry blog to read.

Seed Orders

Since we are awaiting a blizzard today, I figured I could get a post up :-)

We have received some orders of seeds (actually some weeks ago). This will be the first year of ordering many seeds rather than getting them at a local store - just more variety this way I guess. The two orders (of three) came from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Jung Seeds & Plants.

You can find a seed list and planting records for 2009 here.

It was actually exciting to get something I wanted in the mail (not just junk). Baker Creek is a great source of heirloom seeds and non-GMO. I ordered nine packets from them and got a bonus pack of white carrots...which is funny because I was excited to try growing parsnips this year. Also among the packets are some common edible flowers I want to try.



From Jung I ordered one packet of seeds and got three additional free trial packets that I didn't expect - happy to have more seeds. I also have some Sunchokes coming from them later in April when I can plant the tubers - never eaten or seen them in person though. I thought they would be something new. Although after reading more, I am a little afraid....they get very tall and are difficult to remove (don't know how aggressive they are about leaving an area). I will just plan a more permanent spot for them and try to have a border.

I can expect another set of seeds in the next week or so (weather dependent I suppose). My next task will be to get a few more starting supplies and some seeds I planned to just buy in the stores.

As for a planting schedule, there isn't too much to start yet. Later in the week are some hardy plants that need more time to germinate. They can go out mid-April whenever the soil dries out some. Most cool season plants I will try to direct sow in April, though some are recommended as transplants - so I will make some indoor starts of those. Warm crops like tomatoes will be started late-April since they cannot go out until around May 25 (I don't want them to get too big indoors).

Winter is hanging on here, so thoughts of seeds are cheery....and visiting other blogs helps too!

Planting Records 2009

Record of 2009 seeds and plantings. This page will (probably) be updated throughout the season as plants are added and growing notes are made. I will put a planting layout, garden information, planting dates, and a plant/seed list. Some things will be "TBA" while I get it all in order.

Contents:
Past Seasons
Garden Plans
Planting Actions
Seed List

Past Seasons:

Planting Records 2009 (here)
Planting Records 2008

Garden Plans:

Layout for Spring 2009:

(Click to Enlarge)

Here are the vegetable beds I am planting this year. I have filled in some things like perennial crops and will soon fill in other crops. The new beds will not get started until after the ground can be worked - I will add compost and raise them.

Additional layout notes:

• I decided to put the sunchokes in a northern part of the yard (position not reflected in the diagram). This way they are far from other beds and vegetable production.
• I will try to so a spring and fall planting as well as some succession plantings, so a few of the crops will change over the season.
• Radishes will be planted in various spaces as they fit.
• This year I will really try to get some companion planting done. It will make the new space more inviting to a the insect friends and to people. I will just have to keep and eye and make sure not to crowd anything out (I have done that in the past).
  

Garden Information (Some are also links on the right bar)

• Zone 4 (1990-2006 Maps)
• Dates: Frost Dates (NOAA)
  • Soil Workable: April 06 - April 15
    
  • Last Frost Date: May 10 (50% 32F), May 20 (50% 36F), May 27 (10% 36F)
  • First Frost Date: Sept 27 (50% 32F), Oct 07 (90% 32F)
    
• Seed Germination Range by Temperature (Victory Seeds)
• Soil and Weather Observation (NDAWN North Dakota)

Some Useful Sites for Planting Times:

• North Dakota Ag-Extension
• Skippie's Vegetable Garden Blog

Planting Actions:

Note on key dates:
Cool = As soon as soil is workable 4-6 weeks before last frost.
Warm = After last frost (up to 3 weeks later depending on crop).
Fall = From date of first frost.

(Open in full page) [Scroll over for more rows or columns.]


Seed List:
(Open in full page) [Scroll over for more rows or columns.]

February Cactus

This first picture is not a cactus - though those little teeth can be pointy...

Our Christmas cactus has turned out to be more of a Valentine's Day cactus. This year the bloom opened right on Feb. 14th. I saw blooms last year around Feb. 18.


As the Winter begins to wane, I am starting to get more in sync with the blog world. Last post I was behind 1.5 months. Now, I'm down to .5 months. Maybe next post will be right on time :-)

I tried to capture some of the differences as the blooms open out...


I thinks it's interesting how they move from a real red to an increasingly lighter color.


This "cactus" has a history. It is a cutting from one that my father has - from his father's funeral when I was very little. His mother plant blooms at Christmas. I guess it is the difference between light and temperature exposure.


Here is the same photo without flash - the colors do not stand out well.


Well, there have actually been some pretty nice days this past month. A few stretches of above freezing! Winter is holding on some with some last "arctic" air intrusions. Spring is coming though, I have evidence from the blogs I visited over the last month. I will be starting some seeds at the end of March and I see I planted peas at the start of April. Only a month away

Winter Reports -Late

It's Winter! Well, it has been winter for a while including record snow in December and frigid temperatures in January. I have meant to do some updates these past months, but I think a hibernation mode set in once the snow started to fly. I've been visiting my favorite blogs over the winter - but have not left many comments (don't be surprised if you get comments on old posts!).

Let's take a snowy tour of the last couple of months...December was the "snowiest" in record - at least in terms of inches of snow fall. Everything was helped along nicely by a blizzard around 12/15.

(North Dakota Blizzard 12/15/2008)

It was interesting to see how the stiff North wind made the windward side of buildings and fences almost bare to the ground...meaning the leeward side got double the snow as it swirled back.


My wife's vehicle was on the windward side and free of snow. My vehicle...


January has been a calmer month than December, but colder. Nice, clear sunny days didn't feel all the sunny in the arctic temperatures.

(Clear cold day 01/04/2009)

As winter wears on, the view of the car gets smaller and smaller.


The dogs, especially our little one, now have tunnel-like tracks around the yard.


Dakota is in her element -- she is always Queen of the Hill.


The features of the garden are limited to some structure from seed heads that are not yet buried or eaten by rabbits.


I think someone wants out...only to sit in the snow.


I would say December was a time of embracing Winter and snow. January has been a time of dreaming about the next growing season (posts about seeds and catalogs to come soon).

Still Fall

I feel compelled to produce evidence that it is indeed fall here and not the dead of winter yet.

Yes, the days are shorter and we tend to experience snow "sprinkles" rather than rain - but it's fall. Taking walks this time of the year tends to be interesting for wildlife spotting. It's easy to spot deer and squirrels in the trees without the cover of leaves to hide them. Surprisingly I haven't really spotted rabbits near the house this fall.

In the morning any little bit of water tends to be frozen, but the river is still flowing.


Just a few leaves left in the yard. We did get a great day over the weekend to clean up most of the ones that fell in the front yard. The back tends to stay fairly leaf free on its own.


This brings up one question I have been pondering lately - do I need to clean up my leaves? I have vaguely heard somewhere that if you have a fine type of grass that too many leaves will damage it over the winter. I wonder how much is too much...which begs the question, if grass really isn't suited to where it is (under trees) what is better...

Highs: near 32 F

What is Quiet?

That's the question that came to me the other night as walked outside and noted how quiet everything was. It might have been the late hour - everyone was home from work and the sun was set. It might have been the rain - every sound seems to become dampened in the wet. Finally I knew what it was....there was no wind!

I had become so used to the blowing and rattling of leaves and branches that it was so different for things to be very still and calm.

As timing and luck would have it I am making a post with snow again - get used to it because it will become more common from now 'til spring. The snow we had before did disappear - really.


We are on the lucky side of things...no blizzard with 50 inches here. Just rain and now a small amount of snow.


There are some awards for plants that have stayed around longest through the frosts...raspberries (can't wait 'til next year when we get to harvest them).


Curly parsley has proven fairly hardy as well.


The swiss chard near the house has also survived.


Thanks for stopping by and let me know...how to you know when it is really quiet?

First Snow 2008

I will call this our first snow of the season...with a howling wind, we received a bit of snow that is sticking around for the day. I'm sure by tonight it will be mostly gone. Next week is supposed to have some pretty nice days, so this will not last - but it's a first look.

Dakota was not too excited yet...


Snow covered most of the plants today - I think many will suffer from the snow and overnight freeze.


A few days ago it was rain we had, and the last late flowers were still trying to race the freeze. I think some have missed their deadline to produce seeds...


The sunflowers did produce, and birds are happy

It's Fall...

...And I am falling behind in my garden updates. I will try to make some posts even into the winter, but as you can tell I have slowed down a lot from Spring.

This time of year the garden is moving into hibernation and the weather is turning. The fog above is my breath Monday morning - our first frost to hit the car windows. We've had a couple light frosts, but this was the first I had to scrape from the windows.

The grass was highlighted in white, although many protected areas did not get condensation this time. Today many very tender plants like Basil and Tomato have been killed. Many hardy and semi-hardy plants are still fine.


Ah, the autumn...the last warm sunny days are great with smell and sounds of fallen leaves.


The sound of little paws crunching though the many piles brings a smile.


The Red River of the North had a late flood this year with a very wet September.


Just last week the river was about 7.5 feet above flood stage - enough to cover no parking signs on the low roads. If I recall this was close to a record for fall. Today it is below flood stage until Spring.


Well that's my update - now I need to visit all of my bogging friends out there.