Time to Evaluate

Today was a day of evaluation, that is, to examine the status of my indoor seedlings.  In two weeks I'll be very busy starting the majority of my warm weather crops.  I must check if any of the cool weather vegetables, herbs and flowers should be started again.  I need to evaluate if some seedlings look weak or perhaps were started too early, or maybe I forgot to plant some seeds. In any case, now is the time to "fill in" where need be because these seedlings will take a back seat to the needs of warm weather crops beginning March 31.

My evaluation is as follows:

• Intend to plant another small container of green onions to use in and amongst the vegetables, i.e., tomatoes. 
• Will plant annual alyssums, purple and white.  The seeds of the perennial alyssums, Basket of Gold, may not be viable. 
• Check if there are more coreopsis seeds in my stash.  The ones planted may not be viable. 
• Still want to plant collards, chard, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage as cool weather crops. Maybe another round of broccoli and kale.  I will dedicate two raised beds to these brassicas with the intention of covering them with Agribon 19 as soon as they are transplanted. 
• Look through the inventory of Livingston seeds for additional flowers to be sowed eight weeks before last frost. 
• Need to research asparagus seedlings.  Becoming tall and lanky. Should they be cut back, potted up, split into separate pots, buried?  

I need to decide which pepper varieties to grow this year:

• I have plenty of dried and crushed pepper flakes so will probably not grow thai and cayenne peppers. 
• Although I have two gallon bags remaining of jalapeno peppers, I will still grow a dozen plants for fresh harvest.  
• I am still amazed at how fresh my diced red, orange and yellow frozen sweet peppers are coming out of the freezer.  I intend to grow at least six plants of each color.  
• The mini sweet red, orange and yellow peppers were excellent last year.  I've saved seed from last year's harvest; the seeds were originally taken from organic peppers purchased at Wegman's. It will be interesting to see what the peppers look like this year. 

Postscript #1 - Lemongrass (sowed March 13, 6 days) germinated.
Postscript #2 - The onions, shallots and leeks received their second "haircut."

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