Weekend Odds 'n Ends #2

The "chitting" is coming along!

Five sweet potato slips growing good roots.

Following is a list of the chores completed this morning:

1. Watered as needed. 
2. Fertilized as needed. 
3. Thinned Independence Day tomatoes and added soil to top of containers. 
4. Thinned broccoli, kale, arugula and all six varieties of lettuce to one each container or cell. 
5. Transplanted three celery. 

Postscript #1 - Germination from the portulaca (sowed March 16, 6 days) and alyssum, Carpet of Snow and Royal Carpet (sowed March 20, 2 days).  The purple alyssum was about a half day behind on germination. 

More Cool Weather Crops

Crisp snow peas, an early spring treat

The broccoli side shoots are a welcome sight.

Knowing I wouldn't have time to work on gardening today, I decided to sow cool weather vegetable seeds yesterday evening.  I've been distracted by other tasks all week and knew I shouldn't further delay starting these seeds:

Broccoli (Green Sprouting Calabrese): Livingston, 2014.  Planted seeds in two 6-packs, 1/4" deep. Days to maturity, 80. Characteristics: sun/partial shade, good producer, central head and lateral clusters, freezes well.

Broccoli (Waltham 29): Botanical Interests, ~2013.  Planted seeds in two 6-packs, 1/4" deep. Days to maturity, 75. Characteristics: sun/partial shade, good producer, central head and lateral clusters, freezes well, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, 4-6" blue-green heads, freezes well.

Peas (Super Sugar Snap): Botanical Interests, 2015.  Planted seeds in fifteen 3" pots, 1" deep. Expected germination time, 5-10 days.  Did not pre-soak seeds as recommended.  Characteristics: improved snap pea, earlier harvest, better yields and excellent disease resistance, plump, crisp pods, sweet round peas, 5-foot vines, needs pole or trellis.  Will transplant into hoophouse first week of April and perhaps some into shoveled raised bed.

Spinach (America): Livingston Seed, 2014.  Planted seeds in twelve 3" pots 1/2" deep. The packet recommends direct sowing, but I had success starting them indoors last year. Days to maturity, 45-55. Characteristics: heirloom, sun/partial shade, outstanding flavor, savoy-leafed curly leaves, freezes well, compact variety, soil must be 50-70 degrees.

Spinach (Bloomsdale Long Standing): Livingston Seed, 2014.  Planted seeds in six 3" pots 1/2" deep. The packet recommends direct sowing, but I had success starting them indoors last year. Days to maturity, 48. Characteristics: sun, mild-flavored leaves, thick, crinkly, glossy, dark green, tender leaves, contains vitamin A, calcium, proteins, soil must be 50-70 degrees.

I also planted one herb:

Lemongrass (Cympogon flexuosis): Fedco Seeds, 2015.  Planted seeds in three 3" pots, pressing into top of soil and very lightly covering. Characteristics: not a good germinator, sprinkled more seeds on top.
See: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search?item=4587&listname=Lemongrass