The weather has finally decided to cooperate, warming up enough to get the overgrown seedlings out of the greenhouse and into the garden!
This past weekend I was able to get all the tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, kale, chard, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, eggplant, tomatillos, basil, and sunflowers planted.
The plants were getting completely overgrown spending so much time in the greenhouse, that the cucumber and squash already started to flower!
The basil has also begun to flower due to the extreme heat we have had. Most of the plants will be cut back, but a few will be left to go to seed to be used for next year's planting.
The seedlings are very stocky and hearty this year. I am not sure if it's because most of the crops are heirlooms, or if it's because I was able to get the plants into the greenhouse sooner. Either way it looks like we will have a bountiful year!
I decided to leave the cold-frames in the garden instead of moving them out as I usually do. I removed the hinged panels, planted cucumbers and beans inside and strung up a simple trellis for them to climb on. Hopefully they will engulf the cold frames.
This is the first year I tried my hand at starting flowers. Although I quickly realized I need more greenhouse space, I still had pretty good luck with the petunias, zinnias, sunflowers and morning glory.
This is also my first year growing miniature sunflowers. They are compact plants that can be grown in containers or in the garden. They will only get 6" tall in pots, but will grow between 15" - 20" tall if planted in the garden. Sunflowers don't like being transplanted, but starting them in soil block seems to work very well. I started all my sunflowers early and transplanted them into the gardens and they seem to be doing just fine.
The flower heads have already begun to form and I can't wait to see the colors in the garden!
~Rob~
The basil has also begun to flower due to the extreme heat we have had. Most of the plants will be cut back, but a few will be left to go to seed to be used for next year's planting.
The seedlings are very stocky and hearty this year. I am not sure if it's because most of the crops are heirlooms, or if it's because I was able to get the plants into the greenhouse sooner. Either way it looks like we will have a bountiful year!
I decided to leave the cold-frames in the garden instead of moving them out as I usually do. I removed the hinged panels, planted cucumbers and beans inside and strung up a simple trellis for them to climb on. Hopefully they will engulf the cold frames.
This is the first year I tried my hand at starting flowers. Although I quickly realized I need more greenhouse space, I still had pretty good luck with the petunias, zinnias, sunflowers and morning glory.
This is also my first year growing miniature sunflowers. They are compact plants that can be grown in containers or in the garden. They will only get 6" tall in pots, but will grow between 15" - 20" tall if planted in the garden. Sunflowers don't like being transplanted, but starting them in soil block seems to work very well. I started all my sunflowers early and transplanted them into the gardens and they seem to be doing just fine.
The flower heads have already begun to form and I can't wait to see the colors in the garden!
~Rob~
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