Pushing the Envelope; Starting the Garden

The world may be going to hell in a handbasket, but spring is coming regardless. We are champing at the bit more than usual to get out and start gardening, what with having spent ridiculous amounts of time inside, and it looks like the weather is being reasonably co-operative.

We have three beds covered in plastic at the moment. The far one holds - we hope - some spinach and lettuce that was seeded in the fall. We did not get good germination and we are waiting a week or so to see if we get some now with an assist. If not, we will re-seed, and in fact we have started some lettuce and spinach in flats to be transplanted out either way. The two nearer ones cover our two beds of early peas. Most of them are the variety Knight, but there is a section of Norli and a section of Strike, as well.

We ordered some new 6-mil vapor barrier as we threw some old sheets of it out last fall. When we first bought it we hoped it would last 5 or 6 years; in fact, it seems to have lasted 10 years and would have done even better if the deer had not stepped on some of it. Ordering it involved what is now the usual furtive exchange in a semi-deserted parking lot, and letting it sit the garage for 3 or 4 days before opening it. However, it will be nice to have some better hoop-house covers this year.

We transplanted some leeks out of what is now the pea beds. The spot they are in now will be between some tomato plants eventually, and that is turning out to be a good place to put leeks, onions, and carrots to go to seed.

This is our strain we have been saving from the seeds that overwintered in the garden; my hope is that eventually we will end up with a variety that is particularly good in the spring. I'll be looking for clean plants with the outer leaves in good condition, and late to go to seed. The tips are quite frozen and tatty on these but I won't worry about that; they are usually trimmed off anyway. However, I am not wildly impressed by them this year - it looks like it will take some more years of selection to improve them. 

There are sprouting greens from garlic, shallots, and other oniony things around the garden, and some overwintered but flattened parsley and chervil. Other than that the sorrel, in the photo above, is the greenest thing out there. I think I may be able to pick some by the end of the week if the weather stays nice. Forecast is for some chilly weather, though, so we'll see.

Inside, the usual eggplants and peppers have been started, along with onions, leeks, shallots, celeriac, potato seeds, and the aforementioned lettuce and spinach. This week we will start the tomatoes. There are a few herbs too. Other than that, I think everything else will be planted directly outdoors, although I know the brassicas will do better started in pots. If I decide to do that, they will get planted in about 3 weeks.

Next up outside will be barley - a new crop for us, I'm quite excited about it - chick peas, maybe some rutabagas for greens and some rapini, and the next round of peas. There is lots of garden clean up to be done - we did half the asparagus, but the other half still needs to be done. It all sounds daunting, but somehow it always gets done.

Posted in: Ontario Food