Gardening

March 3rd marks the potentially 8 weeks from the last frost date in Central Illinois.  This is according to the U of I website that lists the “average last frost date”.  Yes, I know I shouldn’t go based on the average last frost date and should go more towards the very last frost date – which pushes into mid-May – but that is almost a whole month away from the average last frost date for Central Illinois!

I bumped up the 8-week date a week early.  Last year it would have been next Thursday instead of March 3rd.  But, some things that I begin seeding on this date are frost hardy – such as cauliflower and broccoli.

Alright – enough talk.  First, let’s show some pictures of what I was doing on Monday.

We had some visitors in the back yard – as we always do at night it seems.  We had some old field corn in a box that a neighbor brought over to us – so I put it down by the end of the driveway to give these skinny little fellas some food.  Amazing what the winter does to the deer.  They were plump and fat before the winter hit – now they are very thin.

I got the rain barrels all hooked up – actually on Sunday.  We had a bit of rain from Sunday into Monday morning – and something is not right.  The weather people said we got about 1.12 inches of rain – and I only got a measly 60 – 75 gallons of water from that!  My rain barrel collection system will hold somewhere between 660 and 700 gallons.  I’m not fully sure exactly how much – because the 2″ PVC pipe that runs under the entire structure that ties all of them in can also hold some water as well.  In addition, those 55 gallon drums seem to hold more than 55 gallons of water I think – especially when completely filled.

So I got all the rain barrels hooked up on Sunday and changed the downspout to divert the water to the first rain barrel (the white one on the left).  From there, the 2″ PVC pipe that connects all of them underneath will gradually fill all of the barrels.

It is definitely a mess behind the garage.  I have all of those leaves piled up next to the garage and all of the PVC pipe that I use for irrigating the garden is stored back there.  I’m going to have to move some things around because I have two barrels that I have to put on the ground which will hold my compost tea.  I’ll have more about this “project” later on – and I may make a YouTube video about it as well.

OK – now let’s see how the current plants are doing!

Wow – I’m astounded at how fast the celery is growing!  It didn’t grow this fast when it was in the garden last year!  These are the plants that I transplanted into the 16-ounce cups a couple of weeks back.  The plants are now about 10 weeks old.  I have a bad feeling I’m going to lose these because they are just growing too quickly.  Maybe I’ll really have to dig deep and learn about floating row covers and making a temporary greenhouse in the garden to protect them from frost – and get them set out early.

Another view of the Ventura Celery plants.  You can see on the right side of the picture – there are some small celery plants.  Those were the last batch of celery that I planted just in case I lost some plants.  Believe it or not, I haven’t lost one Ventura celery plant this year!  Watering plants from the bottom of a container and allow the water to seep into the soil is by far a better way than watering from the top.

A view of all of the celery and the original Copra onion plants that were started 10 weeks ago.  Good thing I started the rest of the onions earlier this year!  Last year I planted them approximately 12 weeks before the last frost and they were not large enough for transplanting (at least I didn’t think so).  This shows the onions that are 10 weeks old – and they are not large enough for transplanting yet.

Then of course – there is the mix of varying aged Ventura celery.

A closer view of the difference in the celery plants.  Unfortunately the celery to the left – the small ones – are reaching for the light.  I’m going to have to figure out something else to do here because the size of the plants next to them are what is causing the bulbs to be much higher than they should be.

Above are the Copra onions that were planted on January 20th.  So these plants are about 6 weeks old.  Of course, it took up to two weeks for them to germinate – so they are really only a month old.  They were planted 14 weeks from our average last frost date – so I planted them two weeks earlier than I did last year.

Now, for the part that took me almost all night to do – planting the next round!

I purchased 40 16-ounce cups a few weeks ago because I knew I’d need them.  It took me a LONG time to go through and punch five holes in each of the 40 cups.  Basically I made stacks of 5 cups and ran the drill through them to make it go quicker – but it still took a while.  The holes are needed so water can escape – and water can absorb up into the soil – since I bottom-feed everything now.

So here is a bit of the seeds I’ve started indoors.  In the back on the left-hand side are two orange containers.  I seeded three seeds of Roma Tomato in each of those.  I only need one plant – but I’m hoping I get two so I can pick the best one to keep.

Next to those are two black plastic 3-pack containers.  In here, I planted four seeds into each cell of the following lettuce:

• Red Salad Bowl (if it doesn’t work out this year, it is a goner)
• Simpson Elite (always been my best performer)
• Buttercrunch (variety did alright last year – but wasn’t great because of the hot season)
• Parris Island Cos Romaine (new this year – going to try a romaine variety of lettuce and this was recommended by the U of I for our area)
• New Red Fire Lettuce

I am going to plant four of each variety every two weeks so I hope this will provide enough lettuce for us.  I’ve got space in the garden for about 50 plants – which means it will take me a total of 20 weeks to fully fill the garden with the lettuce.  Hmm – now that I think about it, I wonder if I need to be starting lettuce every week since there are only 8 weeks left.  That would give me 40 plants by the last average frost date.

Moving on – next to those black plastic 3-packs are two larger green square containers.  I planted a new variety of pepper this year – Anaheim Hot Pepper.  Two seeds were placed in each.

Lastly, there are two black plastic 4-packs to the very right.  I planted those with the good standby – California Wonder Pepper.  I planted seed that is two years old now (purchased from the store) in each of the cells – and also seeded seed that I saved from a pepper two years ago.  Going to see how the germination plays out on those.

Now for the front tray.  On the left-hand side, the first two orange containers are Red Cherry Tomatoes.  Three seeds each were planted in the orange containers.  Then the other five orange containers are Best Boy tomatoes.  Because I have very few seeds of this variety, I only plant one seed in each container.  I need at least three to germinate – so I am hoping for at least 60% germination and that none perish!

The trays are completely filled with compost tea and will be left overnight to soak in from the bottom.  Once they are good and saturated with the compost tea mixture, the peppers and tomatoes will be put over the heating mat to help germination come along quicker.

Yuck!  What is that??  Oh, it is the liquid nutrient that have really propelled my seedlings!  Good ole compost tea!  With the rain that we had Sunday night into Monday, I filled my compost tea brewing container (it is the 55-gallon drum in the picture above that is sitting on the ground; it is filled with leaves and other dead plant materials).  In my rain barrel system, I made a cut into the 2″ PVC pipe and placed a ball valve on it.  So it is easy to fill the compost tea brewer – just open the ball valve and the water comes out right into the brewer!

Anyways, I didn’t want the water to go to waste – and I’ve already used a lot of gallons of compost tea that was saved from last year on my seedlings.  So I worked at refilling the container in the house with the supply outside.  Now I should have more than enough (I hope) to make it through the rest of the growing cycle.

The picture above is an old cooler that I was using to bring in the tea from outside.  Once I was done with that, it was time to do the rest of the planting.

I didn’t get pictures of this – but I’ve also started the broccoli and cauliflower.  I planted a new variety of cauliflower this year – called Snow Crown.  I used Snowball X cauliflower a few years back with bad results; only received one curd off of eight plants.  GardenWeb members swear by Snow Crown – so I purchased this and planted ten seeds (one seed each) in ten 16-ounce cups.  The cups were then placed in this cooler to absorb the compost tea and saturate the soil mixture.

The same thing was done with the two varieties of broccoli.  The good-ole standby that has performed very well for me – Green Goliath – and a new variety this year – Premium Crop Broccoli.  I planted ten of each variety into their own 16-ounce cups as well and put them in the cooler to saturate the soil.

Based on my previous plans for my garden, I had figured growing 12 cauliflower and 24 broccoli.  As I expected, my mind has changed.  What the heck will two people do with 24 heads of broccoli?  Heck, we only had seven heads last year and we just finished it up a few weeks ago!  So, I reduced the number of broccoli from 24 to 12 – still five more than last year (really only four – because one plant died last year and didn’t produce).

Same goes for the cauliflower.  The first year eight were planted, only one produced a good-sized curd.  Originally I was going to plant 12 cauliflower this year – but that has been reduced to only six.

Basically the 12 broccoli and 6 cauliflower all fit in one row.  The other row that was going to have them will now be planted with potatoes instead.  That will give us another 27 potato plants.  We use potatoes – and they don’t have to be started indoors – such a much better solution!  So the potato count is now up to about 170 – more than double what we planted last year.

OK – last thing.  Speaking of potatoes, our local farm store – Rural King – got their seed potatoes in this past weekend.  While we were visiting family, we made a stop in at the main store that started it all in Mattoon, IL where they have a huge warehouse on the store.  But, they had Red, White, and Gold potatoes (Red Pontiac, Kennebec, and Yukon Gold).  We purchased about 10 pounds of Kennebec (that is all we planted last year), and about 6 pounds of Yukon Gold.  Yukon Gold is ready to harvest before Kennebec – and therefore doesn’t store as long – but I’d like to see how they taste compare to Kennebec.  How much did they cost?  28 cents a pound.  Thats right – amazing that places charge $7 for a bag of five pounds of seed potatoes.  So, we got 16 pounds of potatoes less than $5.

It has now been 12 days since the Varsity onions have been planted.  I’m quite surprised – because there are currently only 22 onions that have come up as of today.  It seems that between three and four have been sprouting over the past five to six days.  It will be very hard to do a good comparison against the Varsity onions and the Copra onions with only 22 Varsity onions versus the 140+ Copra onions.

The Copra onions are still coming along well with most putting on their second set of “leaves”.  I haven’t trimmed these back at all.  Last year I kept trimming them back to between two and three inches tall.

And lastly for onions, these onions are a little over two months old now – well, since they were started anyways.  They were started back around December 18th and they are still growing strong.  They are unfortunately root-bound though, but I hope by feeding them compost tea for another month and a half, they’ll survive in their small containers.

Look at those plants behind the onions!  Those are the Ventura celery plants.  You can see in the back that I have transplanted some of the celery from the black three-packs (seen on the very left where other celery is) to the blue 16-ounce cups.  The celery that was transplanted was also planted back around December 18th – so they are two months old as well.  The roots were coming out of the bottom of the three-packs – so they had to be transplanted.  Hopefully they will survive well in the 16-ounce cups for another month and a half before they are transplanted to the garden.

And a look at the other celery plants.  These are between two weeks and six weeks old.

With all of the time, effort, and growing space for these Ventura celery plants, I certainly hope they pay off this year!  I only have growing space for about 18 of these plants if I plant them one foot apart.  But I’m thinking I’ll try to squeeze them to maybe 10 inches apart – which will allow me to plant an additional four celery plants.  Currently I have 12 two-month old celery seedlings, approximately 10 month-old celery seedlings, and 10 two-week old celery seedlings.  So that is 32 – and I may only get to plant 22.  I planned for a good buffer in case I had trouble growing celery this year – but alas, I was very successful with high germination rates!  The key to growing celery from seed is that celery seed MUST have light.  I soaked the seeds overnight in water and also soaked the growing medium from underneath – so it was fully saturated.  Then I placed the celery seeds right on top of the soil and just barely pressed them in to the soil to make good seed-to-soil contact.  But they were still lying right on top for the light to penetrate.  Last year I had very low celery germination (about 44%).  This year the germination rates have been at a remarkable 89%.

From previous posts, I’m not sure if I’ve shown my “germination station” and what it looks like.  The basics of my plant lighting system is very basic and fairly inexpensive.

Front view:

Side view:

The seedling lighting system currently has four 4-foot fluorescent fixtures that have two bulbs each (8 40-watt bulbs total).  I use cheap cool white bulbs and they seem to do just fine.  No need to get those expensive grow bulbs – and I actually have better results with cool white than I did the grow bulbs.

I then constructed the hanging system from cheap 1/2-inch PVC pipe.  Based on my other blog posts about my PVC irrigation system, you can tell that I really like using PVC pipe..  For this system, I needed about 20 feet of pipe (less than $2).  I then needed eight 90-degree elbows (another $1.60 or so) and two “T” connectors (less than $1).  So the support structure was less than $5 to construct with PVC pipe for the plant lighting system.

The four-foot fluorescent fixtures cost about $9 each – so this is where the money gets involved.  I was also using premium cool white bulbs in three of the four fixtures.  Two of these bulbs were costing me almost $7.  But when I just recently set up the fourth fixture, I purchased the cheaper utility cool white bulbs and they were $3.50 for a set of two.  The difference between them was very minimal; the watts were the same but I believe the light output is just a bit less.

Luckily we use these four-foot fluorescent fixtures in the basement for lighting above our suspended ceiling, so when it comes to growing time, I just pull out the fixtures from the ceiling, add the better bulbs, and I’ve got a system.

Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll have enough room – even after adding a fourth fixture to the system this year.  I’ll be growing almost four times the amount of broccoli and other larger plants that need space to grow.  I always put them in 16-ounce cups ($1.99 for 40 of them).  Based on four feet of light and cups with a diameter of 3.5 inches, I’ll only be able to fit 13 of these cups under one light.  Ouch – that barely covers the number of cauliflower I’ll be growing.  Not to mention the 25 broccoli, 10 peppers, and 5 tomatoes.

Seedling Updates

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The current plants are still growing very well – too well actually.  We’ve had a bit of a warm-up recently and I actually took the plants outside this past Sunday for a few hours to sit in the sun.  It was about 60 degrees in the sun (under the lights it ranges from 59 degrees at night when they are off – to about 70 degrees when they are on).

When taking them outside, I looked under the plants that have been growing since mid-December.  Those were done only to test seed viability – but I opted to keep them to see if they would make it to planting outside.  Anyways, the onions and celery that were planted two months ago – are now root-bound.  I planted two onions in each cell of nine-packs – so I expected those would get root-bound.  The celery are planted in three-packs (already transplanted from six-packs) – and the roots are beginning to come out of the bottom.  So, it looks like I’ll have to get the 16-ounce cups out and transplant again!

Here are what the 8-week old Ventura celery plants look like.  They are doing very well – even better than what they were last year in eight weeks.  I attribute this to using compost tea mix that I had left over from last season to water them.

On the left in this picture shows the eight-week old Copra onions.  On the right is all of the celery plants.  In the front are seedlings that are 15 days old followed by month old, then two-month old.

And here are the onions that were planted on January 20.  I planted all of these onions in one tray.  The tray is about 10.5 inches wide and 21 inches long.  I stuffed 200 seeds in here to start with.  Of those, about 130 came up (since the onion seed is a year old).  I then added another sowing of 36 seeds (finished the packet off from last year) and about 26 of those have come up.  Out of the 156 that have germinated, about 149 are still surviving.  Behind these is the covered container of 136 Varsity Onion seeds that were planted.  It has been five days since those were seeded and none have germinated as of yet (also year-old seed).

Hopefully things will be ready for planting out.  I started onions and celery – in some cases – almost a month earlier than I did last year – because when they were planted in the garden, they just were not ready for planting.  I may have planted them too early this year; only time will tell.  Last year we had a fast heat wave that hit the area – so they were able to get planted out in mid-April.  This year – depending on the weather – they may be planted out after that or before that.

Finally after a half-dozen revisions, the 2011 garden plans have mostly been finalized.  I’m sure there will be a few more changes to this when the plants begin to go into the garden.

First, here is the coloring system and the numbers of each vegetable I’ve used below for the plans.

And for the full layout of the garden.  This is pretty hard to read but more than anything, it gives the general layout of where items will be placed.

You can click here to see the full view; it is about 25% larger than what is displayed here.

This year is the year of attempting to stuff more plants in the same amount of space as last year.  There won’t be any additional space used for the garden as I’ve fully used everything I have – unless I dig out more sod in the front yard – which simply won’t happen.

Last year, I planted corn 12 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.  This year, the corn will be planted 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.  This is because I only have one area of the front garden I can use for corn – since the other side will have onions, peppers, and tomatoes.

Potatoes will also be squeezed to eight inches between plants instead of 12 inches.  When I was digging up the potatoes, there still seemed to be considerable space between the potatoes in the ground.  By making them closer, I hope they will produce just as good – except there will be more plants!

The broccoli will also be squeezed into an 12″ x 12″ area.  We’ll see how successful this is.  The broccoli have all been planted 18 inches apart in rows & between plants.  This isn’t a 50% reduction, but it is considerable.

This year will also see the re-introduction of cauliflower.  I skipped cauliflower last year because of the bad results with it.  So, I’m going to try it again with the same 12″ x 12″ spacing.

What else will be planted closer?  Peas.  I’ve planted peas all four inches apart for the past two years.  This year they will occupy 50% less space; they will be planted two inches apart.

Onions will also be changed from eight inch spacing to six inch spacing between plants and rows.  This is primarily because I expect a much larger number of onions planted this year.  Someone on the GardenWeb forums offered to send me some Varsity Onion seed they didn’t need – so I’ll be planting these along with Copra this year.

What will be new for the 2011 year?  Watermelon.  I had a small gardening area where I’ve planted potatoes before, but the ground is simply too hard for potatoes and all of them rotted last year.  So, hopefully watermelon will grow in this area.

What won’t be back for the 2011 year?  Parsley and cilantro.  Last year I planted 32 of each (16 kept after thnning).  We used absolutely zero parsley and the cilantro we received wasn’t worth the effort.  The cilantro was grown only for our salsa – and there wasn’t enough to make a taste difference.  This area will now be used by more plantings and more varieties of lettuce.

So I’m certainly hoping that this year will not be a flop.  With spacing things closer together, this will allow for higher yields (hopefully) – but will require additional fertilizer.  I plan to use the pelletized 12-12-12 fertilizer more this year.  In addition, I’m hoping to have my compost tea system fully completed where the tea will be dilluted with water in the rain barrel PVC irrigation system.  I have a total of 12 rain barrels all hooked in series now – and three of those will be filled with compost tea.  So it will be 3 parts water to 1 part compost tea.

Rotation Schedule

I am going to attempt some crop rotation this year as well.  While it is unreadable in the full-sized copy of the graphic above, the rotation will be very limited.

• Last year, I planted cucumbers where the peas were in the garage garden.  This year it will be the same – although I’ll reduce the cucumber plants from six last year – to only four this year.  The peas and cucumbers work well together and I just have to be careful when removing the pea vines that I don’t pull out the cucumber vines.
• When the broccoli and cauliflower are finished producing mid-June, I plan to backfill this area with 24 Silver Queen corn plants (hence the 24 number in the legend above under corn).  I have an unopened 2 ounce packet of Silver Queen seed from last year – so I’ll use 24 of them here.  Silver Queen is a long-season corn – so I hope it can complete before the fall frosts.
• When the corn in the front garden is finished (which is Honey Treat corn – matures in approximately 76 days), this area will be filled with Bush Blue Lake 274 green beans.  Beans can be planted six inches apart – and the front garden is four feet wide.  I certainly am not going to make eight rows of green beans in this area – but will plant four rows.  That still is about 124 additional green beans (hence the 124 number in the legend under Bush Beans).
• If needed, additional Bush Blue Lake 274 green beans will be planted where the Ventura celery is in the front garden.  I’ll make two rows in this area – two rows of 20 plants each (40 total – hence the 40 number in the legend under Bush Beans).

Planting Varieties

These are the varieties of vegetables that I plan to plant this year.  Some of them are already started – and I just hope they were not planted too soon!

• Copra Onions
• Varsity Onions (thanks to seed from a GardenWeb Member) (new this year)
• Ventura Celery
• Green Goliath Broccoli
• Premium Crop Broccoli (new this year; going to trial it against Green Goliath that has always proven good)
• Anaheim Hot Peppers (new this year)
• California Wonder Bell Peppers
• Snowball X Cauliflower
• Snow Crown Cauliflower (new this year; going to trial it against the Snowball X which didn’t do well two years ago)
• Simpson Elite Lettuce
• Buttercrunch Lettuce
• Red Salad Bowl Lettuce (may be the last year for it – bad results last year)
• New Red Fire Lettuce (new this year)
• Parris Island Cos Lettuce (new this year)
• Roma Tomato
• Best Boy Tomato
• Red Cherry Tomato
• Honey Treat Corn (new this year – purchased an 8-ounce packet of seed so hopefully it lasts a few years since it is no longer available)
• Silver Queen Corn
• Basil
• Oregano (perennial so I hope the plants that rooted last year will come back this year)
• Rosemary (new this year – hopefully I can find some room for it)
• Bush Blue Lake 274 Bush Bean (back this year; planted in 2009 with great results – tried Greencrop last year with very bad results)
• Kennebec Potatoes
• Cascadia Snap Peas (new this year)
• Crimson Sweet Watermelon (new this year)
• Little Leaf H-19 Pickling Cucumber (new this year)
• Burpee Pickler Cucumber (haven’t decided yet if I’ll plant this)
• Straight Eight Cucumber (haven’t decided yet if I’ll plant this)
• Scarlet Nantes Carrot (new this year)
• Sugarsnax Carrot (planted last year; going to compare it against the lower-cost Scarlet Nantes this year)
• Crimson Giant Radish
• Easter Egg Radish (new this year; going to trial this to see if it produces larger than Crimson Giant radishes)

Wow – that is quite the list now that it is put down!  Amazing how many different varieties/vegetables will be planted.

Bring Your Shovel – and Remove Some Snow!

So we have seen quite the blizzard this week in Central Illinois.  First, we got about four inches of ice pellets – followed by another four inches of snow.  This made shoveling and clearing this exceptionally difficult because how hard the snow pack was.

Then, we just got another two-three inches of snow yesterday (Saturday) that had to be cleared.  There is a couple more chances of snow in the forecast for the next week as well.

I don’t know where all of this snow can be put.  The front gardening area is fully under snow.

This poor little Rose of Sharon tree down on the corner is almost covered up!

Good thing I don’t need to get into the shed for a little while!

The driveway is still ice-covered but I did my best of clearing it out.  Temperatures today are at 34 degrees currently so I’m hoping some of this gets melted before our next snow fall.

According to the University of Illinois website, our average last frost date for Central Illinois is between April 14th and April 21st.  To play it safe, I plan all of my plantings based on the April 21st date.

That means just a few days ago, there are 13 weeks until the last frost date!  I’ve been actively getting celery and onions seeded.  Yesterday I seeded another 12 Ventura celery seeds in three-packs.  I got a smaller half-width growing container while at the store yesterday – so it is only about six inches wide instead of a foot wide.  This is all that is needed to have four 3-packs in – and it still is longer than needed – but I only have so much space under the ‘germination station’ – which is why I needed to get this half-width growing container with a clear plastic cover to keep in moisture.

The Ventura celery seed was soaked in water for about 36 hours before putting in the three-packs.  I then fill the tray with water and the soil in the three-packs will pull the water in – that way I don’t have to water from the top and keeps the disease/damping off possibility down.

About 9 days ago, I planted 200 Copra Onion seeds.  I didn’t think I had this many left over from last year – but I did!  I still have maybe 20 seeds left.  I put in an order for FedCo Seeds just for more Copra Onion seeds since the Varsity Onion seeds were sold out.  It doesn’t look like I needed to purchase these – but that means I’ll have a supply for next year.  That means I won’t need to purchase seed next year!

Well, in nine days, over 50% of them have sprouted so far.  The growing area ranges between 59 degrees at night – up to about 73 degrees during the day with the fluorescent lights on.  The count of seedlings – as of yesterday around 5 pm – was right at 110.

As you can see above, the half-width covered container is in the background – which the new celery was seeded in.  Then you can see all of the onion sprouts.  I chose to simply fill one of the large trays with soil and then seed the onions in it – instead of using 9-packs like I did last year.  This will allow the roots of the onions to spread out more and not be contained within the 9-packs.  Sure, the roots of the onions may get tangled, but when transplanting, I’ll be able to separate them.

In the right-corner of this tray (not pictured), I have a small cup with holes in the bottom submerged in the soil.  This allows me to pour in water to this area and it will soak into the bottom of the container – keeping me from watering the top.

Here are some Copra onions that are now 40 days old.  They are still growing strong!

Behind the onions are the Ventura celery plants that are between 15 and 40 days old as well.  The celery are now all in 3-packs to give them more room for growing; I just hope I don’t need to transplant them again – because my ‘germination station’ is almost full already – and I haven’t even started the lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower!  I may have to build another section if this keeps up.

Above shows the Ventura celery.  The first four containers from the left have the celery that is around 40 days old.  On the far right are the newer celery plants that are about 15 days old.

Pulling away from the garden for a moment – and here is some wine updates.

The wine on the left is wine that has now been fully stabilized.  It is “bulk aging”.  Notice the color difference between the two carboys of wine.  The wine that is now stabilized and done fermenting is much darker.  The one on the right is still in the fermentation process and is only two weeks old at this point.

Nope – I certainly can’t do any gardening outside when it is going to be -1 degree out tonight – and with six inches of snow on the ground!  The carrot bed in the background of the image below – and the herb/lettuce bed in the foreground are fully covered!  Luckily we have a snow blower so I had to wake up early this morning and clear the huge driveway – and then do it again when I got home today.

And the garden behind the garage.

And then there is the front yard.

Now, it is a different story down in the basement at ‘germination station’.  Monday – I was the proud recipient of a UPS delivery.  This box weighed quite a bit – certainly it couldn’t be seeds.

Oh my!  It is seeds!  Look at those HUGE packages back there!  The one in front is Honey Treat corn.  This is the last year that FedCo Seeds will be selling it.  It is a new variety that I’m trying this year – mostly because it is one of the first to mature with large ears.  So I am going to give it a go.  That is an 8-ounce package of seed.  Behind that – I have a 1 POUND package of Cascadia Snap Peas (also new this year) and a 1 POUND package of Bush Blue Lake 274.  I didn’t know there would be this much seed honestly!  Hopefully I can baby the seed because it should last me 10 years – and that is without saving seed.

In the front, there are two piles.  One of them is for a friend that I work with that wanted me to order for him – so it saved on shipping.  The other pile is additional things I’m trying this year.  Here is what I got:

• Crimson Sweet Watermelon (first time growing this but it is recommend for Central Illinois)
• Little Leaf H-19 Pickling Cucumber (hopefully I can move away from the Burpee Pickler cucumber for this open-pollinated version)
• Scarlet Nantes Carrot (half the cost of the Sugarsnax carrots – trying it against the Sugarsnax carrots for taste this year)
• Easter Egg Radish (noted for being pretty large – more yield out of the same square feet is the goal)
• New Red Fire Lettuce (A red lettuce – going to try this variety since the Red Salad Bowl lettuce didn’t work well last year)
• Parris Island Cos Lettuce (A romaine-type lettuce that I am going to try this year)
• Premium Crop Broccoli (mostly purchased for when I ran out of Green Goliath broccoli – hopefully it does just as good as Green Goliath)
• Snow Crown Cauliflower (Going to try growing cauliflower again; wasn’t impressed with the Snowball X variety I tried two years ago)
• Ventura Celery (Grew this last year – this is to backfill seeds for next year)
• Anaheim Hot Pepper (A bit more heat than the California Wonder varieties that we will add to salsa)
• Rosemary (Hopefully I can find a place to grow it; always wanted to try this as an herb)

Unfortunately, I also ordered Varsity Onion.  It sold out.  So, I had to send back the form with $2 for shipping to order Copra Onion again.  I simply do not have enough onion seed this year – I might have another 30 – 40 seeds – when I need 100 onions.

A show on our local PBS station – called Illinois Gardener – answered one of my e-mail questions on the show last week.  I e-mailed asking when onion and celery seeds should be started inside.  They answered by saying it was almost time to start them now – end of January to the beginning of February.  Last year, I waited until about February 11th to begin planting onions and celery – then did later sowings into March as well due to damping off and other problems.  This time, I will be starting the rest of the onion seed I have available in the next few days – and will also be starting another batch of 12 Ventura celery seeds.

I started growing some celery and onions back in December to test seed viability.  So far, those plants are still living and doing well.  As long as I can keep that up for another three months to be set out in mid-April, I’ll be ready!

I also planted another batch of 12 Ventura Celery at the beginning of January.  Just like I indicated last time, celery seed MUST have light to germinate and grow.  I had horrible germination with celery seed last year – and that was because I was covering them with a little bit of soil.  To germinate celery seed, I fill up some growing containers with soil and then I place them in a black tray with water in it.  The water will wick up into the soil over a period of 24 hours and fully saturate the soil.  Then, the celery seed is placed right on top of the soil and very lightly press the seed into the soil to make good contact.  Then place a clear plastic lid over the top of the entire tray – and leave it that way until your celery germinates.  This locks in the moisture and helps keep the seed moist and then it germinates!

Out of 12 seeds that were planted at the beginning of January, 10 of them sprouted!  So I have more than enough to plant outside right now – but I am going to make another sowing of 12 just to have enough in case any don’t make it.

Here is the “germination station” downstairs.  The onions are now a month old.

And the celery that is a month old:

And lastly, here is a look at the celery that was planted within the past 20 days.  Note that it took between seven and 15 days for these to germinate – so they are very new.  The larger celery and the onion below were transplanted to the larger containers – but the small celery are just behind those.

Well, that is all that is going on currently in the gardening area.  I am hoping for an even more successful year – as long as the weather cooperates and it isn’t as hot as it was last year!

Let’s start the first garden post of 2011 just a mere day after the new year!

The pictures taken below were actually taken on the 1st – and one of them taken on December 19th, however.

I continue to keep the original seedlings alive that I started to test seed viability – which the previous post discussed.  So far all of them are doing very well and I haven’t lost any of them due to damping off – but have thinned a few.

Right now I have my “germination station” sitting on the floor with one fluorescent light fixture over the top.  I don’t need all three fixtures right now since all of them are comfortably fitting under one light.

The above photo was taken back on the 19th of December.  You can see the ‘warm’ glow of the Grow-Lux bulbs and some seed trays underneath.  I just constructed a simple PVC hanging bracket that I can hang three fixtures from – very simple and inexpensive.

Grow-Lux bulbs… I don’t recommend them.  I really don’t think they work.  After taking this photo, a few days later I exchanged one of the bulbs out for a Cool White Premium bulb (40 watts – not 32 watts which is common now).  Within a few days, the small plants began leaning to favor the Cool White Premium bulb.  What does that tell you?  That says the Grow-Lux bulbs are not liked by the plants and the plants like the Cool White Premium bulb!

Below is a photo of the Copra onion seedlings on December 19th as well.

They are not too terribly large.  You can see the Cool White Premium bulb (although it is white and blends with the background of this page), but it has been changed!

Thirteen days later, here are the Copra onion seedlings now:

Amazing what they can do!  At this rate, I’m not sure if I will be able to keep them alive and healthy until it is time to plant out in April.  That i is still three months away.

How about the basil?  Well, the basil got off to an extremely slow start.  Apparently basil takes a lot longer to germinate.  Here in the past week, I’ve had five more just begin to germinate.  Then you can see the large one that germinated quite some time ago.  The seed used was from seed saved from last year’s basil crop – therefore proving just how easy it is to save basil seed and use it for your next planting!

And lastly – the Ventura celery.  The celery is doing well – and I have thinned some of them out a bit.

Again, this seed is a year old now and still has great germination rates.  It still is too early – I think – to be starting celery seed inside – but I actually just got 12 celery seeds soaked overnight and am going to plant them very shortly in larger containers.  The celery above was planted in square black trays with nine areas in them.  I’ll have to transplant these later – if I plan to keep them to plant outside – because they will become root-bound.  So the 12 seeds that soaked overnight will go into black plastic trays with only three growing areas in them – so there will be much more room to grow in!

What am I watering these with?  Well, I brought in my big container of compost tea.  This tea is several months old now.  Is it still good?  I don’t know – but the little seedlings seem to be growing just fine!  I will get a one-gallon ice-cream bucket and put some compost tea in it – then take each black plastic tray and let the tea soak in from the bottom for a couple minutes.  Then I’ll take the black plastic tray out and place it back under the light.  By watering from the bottom instead of the top, it helps prevent damping off disease – which little seedlings can quickly succumb to!

I also plan to get just a small fan that pushes a little air movement around the growing area.  This will also help to prevent damping off disease from occurring – amongst potentially other diseases!

Since there isn’t much I can do during the winter time around the house, I opted to get out some seeds and test them for seed viability.

Onions are known to have a very short life span – and it is said that you are usually lucky if onion seed lasts one year.  Lettuce seed is typically good for 2-3 years from what I’ve read.

A few months ago I also tested some other seeds – such as the California Wonder peppers and some Danvers carrot seed that I’ve had in the freezer for a few years.

So I got the “heated greenhouse” out and put it in the front window.  The “greenhouse” has a plastic clear cover over the top of it and a heating mat under it.

Originally I put this downstairs on our unused deep freezer.  The greenhouse got to over 90 degrees with the heating pad under it!  The basement seems to stay between 65 and 70 degrees most of the time.  So I modified the timer and had the timer one for 30 minutes, off 30 minutes throughout the day and night.  This helped to regulate the temperature for the greenhouse and the temperature never got to 90 degrees again – but fluctuated between 72 and 85 degrees.

Then I tried a different approach – I brought the greenhouse upstairs and put it in the front window.  Well, the front window is very drafty and got down to 56 degrees when the timer was set to be on for 30 minutes, off for 30 minutes.  When the heating pad was on, the temperature only managed to get just above 60.  This just won’t do.

So I turned the timer on for 24 hours a day.  Now the temperature fluctuates between 70 and 84 most of the time.  Of course, it is lower at night when there isn’t any sunlight and it is cooler outside.

Three-Four days into the process, I already had sprouts!

On the left is Buttercrunch lettuce and the right is Simpson Elite.  Within four days of sowing these, all 18 Simpson Elite lettuce have sprouted!  Amazing for seed that is now two years old!  The Buttercrunch is doing alright – but only 16 of 18 germinated.  Still not bad – but this seed was received in January 2010 so it isn’t even a year old yet!

On the very left of the greenhouse, I have 18 Ventura Celery sprouted.  I placed the seed right on top of the soil because from previous experiments, celery seed needs light to grow.  So far, there hasn’t been any germination.

Then to the very right of the container, I sowed some saved basil seed.  Last time I was testing seed germination, only a few of the basil seed came up.  Just like then, none have come up so far in six days.

And lastly – in the back to the right side (can’t see it very well), I planted 18 Copra Onion seed.  This seed was also received in January 2010 (less than a year old) and 10 of 18 have germinated so far.

The reason I am testing the seeds – is because I need to know what to order from the seed companies this year.  I may have to buy some more celery seed (which is kind of expensive unless you buy it for eating purposes!).  I already know I’ll be ordering more onion seed this year – but I’m going to try a different variety – called Varsity Onion.

I used Copra Onion this year and based upon my previous post where I had the average bulb size, the Copra Onion average sizes came in less than I expected – 5.55 ounces.  So, FedCo Seeds has a new type of onion – called Varsity Onion – that I noticed in the catalog.  It takes slightly longer to fully mature, but it is said that Varsity Onion seed has the same storage length as Copra Onion (that means they can be stored for a long time!).  In addition to that, the catalog also says that the Varsity Onion seed averages 12 to 16 ounces – and can get as big as 1.5 pounds!  Now that is more like it!  I’m hoping that I have good success with this onion – but I still do have some Copra Onion seed left so I will be planting them side-by-side in trials to really see if there is much difference.

November 17

Today there have been quite a few changes.  One sweet basil seedling has come up and there are now 14 out of 18 Copra Onion seedlings up!  Over on the right side where the celery is, there are approximately 4 out of 18 Ventura Celery that have sprouted.  They are so tiny right now that you can’t see them though.

You can barely see the small sweet basil plant on the right side just before the onions – just a little white mark in the picture above.  The temperature gauge is showing over 80 degrees. And here is a closer look at the onions:

In the picture above, you can see the small sweet basil seedling at the bottom right side.

A lot of data to compile.  Afterall, I am in the computer business so I bring a technical and data-crunching aspect to the garden.

Below is the tally of the totals from each type of veggie grown in the garden this year.  I’ve also compared statistical data from last year to show the gain or loss from the previous year.

Basil

• One direct-sowing on May 1st of 32 seeds (two seeds per hole)
• 22 of 32 germinated (69%) with an average germination in 6.95 days
• Basil was thinned to 15 plants (would have been 16, but one “hole” did not germinate)
• Total of 3 pounds of leaves harvested
• No comparative data from last year (first time growing basil)

Greencrop Green Beans

• Seemed to be a very bad year for green beans – at least this variety.  I’ve used the Bush Blue Lake series of green beans in the past so the comparative data is up against a different variety.
• Complete germination data is not available as several other direct-sowings were made but germination data was not kept
  • A total of 287 Greencrop beans were planted throughout the year
  • 96 of 158 germinated (61%) from data retrieved with an average of 8.84 days until germination
• Only 3 pounds, 4 3/4 ounces of Greencrop beans were collected.
• In 2009, 55 pounds, 13 3/8 ounces of Bush Blue Lake green beans were harvested.  In 2010, there was approximately 95% LESS green beans harvested.

Green Goliath Broccoli

• 16 seeds started inside in 16 ounces cups; two seeds per cup, on March 10
• 13 of 16 (81%) germinated in an average of 7.3 days
• This seed is at least three years old – if not longer.  Germination rate still maintaining very well.
• A total of 8 were planted in the garden but one would not grow and was a runt.
• A total of 7 heads of broccoli were harvested in 2010 with a total weight of 12 pounds, 13 ounces
  • Average of approximately 1 pound, 13 1/4 ounces per head
• In 2009, eight were also planted and all eight were harvested with a total weight of 5 pounds, 10 3/4 ounces
• Approximately a 140% INCREASE in production from the broccoli – and it was a very HOT year

Carrots – Burpee A#1 and Sugarsnax

• Carrots were directly seeded into the carrot bed on April 7.
• Burpee A#1 – Approximately 153 of 189 (81%) germinated with an average of 12.75 days for germination
  • Seed is one year old and all seed was used
• Sugarsnax – Approximately 178 of 231 (77%) germinated with an average of 11.05 days for germination
  • Seed was new this year but germination rates were lower than Burpee A#1
• The carrots succumbed to damping off disease very harshly this year while they were small.  An additional sowing of dozens more carrots were made but yields were reduced severely.
• A total of 5 pounds, 14 7/8 ounces of Burpee A#1 carrots were harvested from 61 carrots
• A total of 6 pounds, 1/2 ounces of Sugarsnax carrots were harvested from 66 carrots
• Grand total of 11 pounds, 15 3/8 ounces were harvested for 2010, approximately 33% LESS than last year
• In 2009, 18 pounds of carrots were harvested from the same bed

Ventura Celery

• Celery was sowed indoors during four different periods:
  • February 17 – 2 out of 6 (33%) germinated with germination taking an average of 19.5 days
  • February 24 – 1 out of 12 (8.3%) germinated with germination taking an average of 19 days
  • March 4 – 15 of 24 (62.5%) germinated with germination taking an average of 8.4 days
  • March 12 – 11 of 24 (45.9%) germinated with germination taking an average of 10.45 days
• A total of 29 out of 66 (43.9%) germinated with a total germination average of 10.31 days
• The celery that was sowed in March was experimental with these parameters
  • Seed was soaked in water overnight
  • Some seed was placed directly on the soil
  • Some seed was sowed 1/4 inch into the soil
  • Outcome is that celery seed needs light to germinate and soaking may or may not be necessary
• Only 2 1/8 ounces of celery was harvested
  • One plant was pulled for taste and it tasted very sugary and did not appear to be too stringy
  • The weather was extremely hot in 2010 and the celery simply did not live very well
  • The plants may not have been watered appropriately.
  • Seemed that some of the stalks were rotting in the garden
• No comparison data for 2009 – first time growing celery was in 2010

Cilantro

• Cilantro was directly sowed in the herb/patio garden
• 29 of 32 (90.6%) germinated in an average of 10.76 days
  • Germination rate may be incorrect.  There were two cilantro seeds planted per “hole” and in some cases, up to four plants were noticed coming from the same spot.
• Cilantro was thinned to 16 plants
• Approximately 10 3/4 ounces of cilantro was harvested
• No comparison data from 2009 since 2010 was the first (and last) year for growing cilantro
• The amount of effort to grow cilantro was not worth it this year – especially because it turned off hot very quickly and the cilantro bolted
• The cilantro was used solely in salsa – which didn’t seem to make much of any impact
• Will not be growing cilantro again – takes up space that could be used for something that we would use.

Corn – Silver Queen & Sugar Dots

• Planted 43 of Sugar Dots and Silver Queen corn directly into the garden on May 1st
  • 42 of 43 (97.7%) of Sugar Dots germinated from year-old seed with a germination taking an average of 8.86 days
  • 28 of 43 (65.1%) of Silver Queen germinated taking an average of 7.68 days
    • An additional sowing on May 12
      • 9 of 16 (56.3%) germinated taking an average of 8.4 days
    • Total of 37 of 59 (62.7%) germinated with a total average of 7.9 days until germination
• The Sugar Dots corn yield was very bad.  All the usable cobs were quite small.
  
  • Forum members believed the problem to be either lack of nitrogen or lack of water
  • A total of 13 (out of 42) cobs were harvested with a total weight of 3 pounds, 12 ounces
• Silver Queen corn yield was also low.  Some stalks generated two ears of corn but most only generated one or none at all.
  • Silver Queen corn grew to be over seven feet tall – but the pollen was dropping very early
  • The second sowing of corn helped to pollinate the other corn that was pollinated earlier – although the second sowing of corn lacked in yield because pollen drop was premature
  • A total of 25 (out of 37) cobs were harvested with a total weight of 14 pounds, 2 3/8 ounces
  • Silver Queen yielded twice as many ears as Sugar Dots but the weight was over four times as great
• Will no longer be growing Sugar Dots due to the low yield and potential problems.  Only going to grow Silver Queen
• Last year, the Sugar Dots and Peaches & Cream corn was started in July – this year is was started as early as it could
  • Last year, there were 74 ears of corn (that doesn’t sound right) with a total weight of 14 pounds, 3 ounces
  • This year, there were only 38 ears of corn with a total weight of 17 pounds, 14 3/8 ounces
  • An INCREASE in weight by approximately 18% but 50% LESS ears were harvested
    • Silver Queen corn is very large and of high quality – will continue to grow this variety

Cucumbers – Burpee Pickler & Straight Eight

• 10 Straight Eight cucumbers were started in 16-ounce cups on May 19
  • New seed this year; 7 out of 10 (70%) germinated in an average of 7 days
• 6 Burpee Pickler cucumbers were started in 16-ounce cups on May 19
  • Seed is one year old; 5 out of 6 (83.3%) germinated in an average of 6 days
• Three of each variety were planted in the back garden and the other plants were given away
• A total of 21 Straight Eight cucumbers were harvested with a total weight of 13 pounds, 7 ounces
  • Average weight of 10.2 ounces for each cucumber
  • Average yield of 71.7 ounces (4 pounds, 7.7 ounces) per each of the three vines
• A total of 35 Burpee Pickler cucumbers were harvested with a total weight of 16 pounds, 5 5/8 ounces
  • Average weight of 7.45 ounces for each cucumber
  • Average yield of 87 ounces (5 pounds, 7 ounces) per each of the three vines
• A grand total of 30 pounds, 4 ounces of cucumbers were harvested (a 7 3/8-ounce cucumber was harvested but was not labeled)
• In 2009, Marketmore 76 plants produced 6 pounds, 10 3/8 ounces between 15 cucumbers
  • Average of 7.07 ounces per cucumber
• In 2009, Burpee Pickler plants produced 4 pounds, 4 1/4 ounces between 12 cucumbers
  • Average of 5.67 ounces per cucumber
• In 2009, only ONE Marketmore 76 and ONE Burpee Pickler plant was planted – compared to THREE Burpee Pickler and THREE Straight Eight
• On a per-vine basis, this year yielded MORE per plant than in 2009 for the Burpee Pickler variety.
• On a year-to-year basis, this year saw an INCREASE by almost 200% in yield (10 pounds, 14 5/8 ounces in 2009, 30 pounds, 4 ounces in 2010)

Lettuce – Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, Red Salad Bowl

• This year, three varieties of lettuce were grown compared to only one variety in 2009 – which was Simpson Elite
• Buttercrunch
  • One dozen sowings were made – 3/24 (3 sowed), 3/31 (3 sowed), 4/7 (4 sowed), 4/14 (8 sowed), 4/16 (4 sowed), 4/23 (4 sowed), 4/28 (4 sowed), 5/12 (3 sowed), 5/12 (8 sowed), 5/19 (8 sowed), 5/18 (4 sowed), and 5/26 (8 sowed)
  • A total of 35 out of 61 (57.4%) germinated in an average of 5.7 days
  • New seed this year
• Simpson Elite
  • 11 sowings were made – 3/24 (3 sowed), 3/31 (3 sowed), 4/7 (4 sowed), 4/14 (8 sowed), 4/16 (4 sowed), 4/28 (4 sowed), 5/12 (3 sowed), 5/12 (8 sowed), 5/18 (4 sowed), 5/19 (8 sowed), and 5/26 (8 sowed)
  • A total of 40 out of 57 (70.2%) germinated in an average of 5.35 days
  • Year-old seed
• Red Salad Bowl
  • One dozen sowings were made – 3/24 (3 sowed), 3/31 (3 sowed), 4/5 (5 sowed), 4/7 (4 sowed), 4/13 (24 sowed), 4/16 (4 sowed), 4/28 (4 sowed), 5/12 (3 sowed), 5/12 (8 sowed), 5/19 (8 sowed), 5/19 (4 sowed), 5/26 (8 sowed)
  • 34 out of 78 (43.5%) germinated in an average of 4.91 days
  • New seed this  year
  • Germination of Red Salad Bowl was very poor and many trials were used to germinate it.  This variety is very colorful with the red leaves, but is hard to germinate and the production per plant is lacking severly
  • Will give Red Salad Bowl one more year to redeem itself before moving on
• Most harvest data is a combination of all plants combined
  • 4 3/4 ounces of Buttercrunch was harvested
  • 12 1/4 ounces of Simpson Elite was harvested
  • 2 1/2 ounces of Red Salad bowl was harvested
  • “Mixed lettuce” totals are 2 pounds 2 7/8 ounces
  • A complete total of 3 pounds, 6 3/8 ounces of lettuce was harvested for 2010
• In 2009, Simpson Elite was the only variety that was planted
  • 11 pounds, 6 3/4 ounces of Simpson Elite was harvested last year – primarily from 15 plants in the spring
• There was approximately 70% LESS lettuce produced this year versus in 2009
  • Weather turned incredibly hot very early in the year causing this problem
  • Most lettuce in 2010 was placed behind the garage (west of the garage) where it was shaded until about noon or after
  • Some lettuce was planted in the patio/herb garden that received full sun most of the day
  • In 2009, all lettuce was planted in the front garden where it received full sun all day
• Simpson Elite lettuce regenerates itself much better than Buttercrunch or Red Salad Bowl based on data from 2010
  • In other words, Simpson Elite is a plant that allows you to pick off the leaves as you need them and they regenerate faster/better

Copra Onions

• Copra Onions were started indoors approximately nine weeks before they were transplanted outside
  • Onions probably could have been started a little before this; may try to start 12 weeks early in 2011
  • Transplants were very small when they went into the garden
• 144 Copra onion seeds were started on February 11
  • A total of 104 out of 144 (72.2%) germinated in an average of 9.58 days
• 26 Copra onion seeds were started on March 4
  • A total of 15 out of 26 (57.7%) germinated in an average of 9.93 days
• Temperatures of growing area ranged from 58 to 70 degrees (mostly between 58 and 63 degrees during seeding period; up to 70 degrees under fluorescent lights)
• Out of the approximately 119 onions that sprouted, 116 made it out to the garden as transplants
  • These numbers seem a bit off because I know I lost at least 10 onions due to damping off under the lights
• Out of the 116 transplants, only 67 were harvested
  • Only 57.8% usable
  • The other onions that were not harvested were rotten or too small to use
• 67 Copra onions weighed in at 23 pounds, 4 ounces
  • Average of 5.55 ounces per Copra onion
• Last year, “sets” were used instead of seeds
  • Yellow Onion – 5 pounds, 11 1/4 ounces (total of 28)
  • White Onion – 5 pounds, 12 3/8 ounces (total of 36)
  • Total of 11 pounds, 6 5/8 ounces between 64 onions
    • Average of only 2.84 ounces per onion grown from sets in 2009
• On a per-onion average basis, the Copra Onion outperformed the onions grown from sets in 2009 by 2.71 ounces per onion – 95% INCREASE
• On a per-year total basis, 2010 had an INCREASE by 104% on the weight of onions produced

Oregano

• Oregano was directly-sowed in the patio/herb garden with new seed
  
  • 3 out of 32 (9.4%) germinated in an average of 16 days
• Oregano seed is incredibly small and was very hard to sow
  • Larger than a grain of sand but not by much
• There was ZERO oregano harvested in 2010
  • First year growing it
  • GardenWeb forum members indicate that oregano is a perennial and will come back next year with abundance
  • Oregano also puts out “runners” like strawberries that allow it to produce
  • By the end of the 2010 season, only one oregano plant was living (the one pictured above) and had at least three runners

Parsley

• Parsley was direct-sowed into the patio/herb garden with new seed
  • 23 of 32 (71.9%) germinated in an average of 13.6 days
  • Parsley was thinned to one plant per six inches
• There was ZERO parsley harvested in 2010
  • After planting the parsley, there wasn’t much of a use that we had for it.  It tasted like soap when I pulled a small leaf off
  • Will not be growing parsley again

Peas – Burpee Super Sugar Snap, Sugar Snap, and Dwarf Grey Sugar

• This year, three varieties of peas were used
  • In 2009, only Dwarf Grey Sugar peas were used – which are snow peas and must be picked before the pods/seeds get large
• Dwarf Grey Sugar
  • Two sowings from year-old seed
    
    • On 4/5, 72 were planted in containers to be trialed as transplanting
      • 61 of 72 (84.7%) germinated in an average of 6.51 days
    • On 4/15, 27 were directly sowed into the garden
      • 24 of 27 (88.9%) germinated in an average of 7.71 days
• Burpee Super Sugar Snap
  • Germination of Burpee’s Super Sugar Snap pea was absolutely awful – will not try this variety again
  • Two sowings from brand new seed
    • On 4/5, 99 were planted in containers to be trialed as transplanting
      • 9 out of 99 (10%) germinated in an average of 6.89 days
      • All 9 were transplanted out into the garden
    • On 4/25, 6 were direct-sowed into the garden
      • 2 out of 6 (33.3%) germinated in an average of 6 days
• Sugar Snap
  • Two sowings that were made directly into the garden from new seed
    • On 4/15, 68 peas were sowed
      • 48 of 68 (70.6%) germinated in an average of 10.1 days
    • On 4/30, 15 peas were sowed
      • 5 out of 15 (33.3%) germinated in an average of 11 days
• Pea harvests this year were exceptionally bad due to the high heat that hit early in the year
• Pea harvests were also reduced because the Sugar Snap varieties grew well over four feet tall and had a hard time grasping onto the green snow fencing
  • Must use chicken wire or something that the pea tendrils can easily grasp onto when climbing
• Only 1 pound, 12 5/8 ounces of peas were harvested for 2010
• In 2009, 12 pounds, 4 5/8 ounces of Dwarf Grey Sugar peas were harvested from less plants
  
  • In 2009, plants were sowed five inches apart
  • In 2010, plants were sowed four inches apart
• There was an 85% LESS yield on peas in 2010 versus 2009
• The sugar snap peas – if they would have produced – could have doubled the amount of peas from 2009 because the pods are allowed to get plump and keep their sugar flavor without the string-like nature of the snow peas

California Wonder Peppers

• California Wonder peppers are still excellent producers and provided us with more than enough peppers for the year
• The peppers were very stunted for the majority of the year although one would think with the high heat, they would thrive
  • After the hot temperatures calmed down near the end of August, the peppers really began thriving and put on heavy blossoms and yields
  • Over 75% of the harvest from the peppers came within a two month period beginning in September compared to the rest of the year
• Two sowings were made indoors approximately six weeks before they were transplanted to the garden
  
  • March 10 – Used seed saved from a pepper from last year
    • 7 out of 8 (87.5%) germinated in an average of 12.57 days
  • March 10 – Used year-old seed from a packet
    • 16 out of 16 (100%) germinated in an average of 13.12 days
• A total of eight were transplanted to the garden on April 24th
  • The peppers that were planted in the year-old bed (those pictured above) seemed to thrive better than those that were planted in the new front bed (those were stunted – much like the Sugar Dots corn as well)
• A total of 258 California Peppers were harvested weighing in at 44 pounds, 4 ounces between eight plants
  • Average weight of 2.744 ounces per pepper
• In 2009, a total of 130 peppers weighing 32 pounds, 12 7/8 ounces were harvested from eight plants
  • Average weight of 4.04 ounces per pepper
• Average weight per pepper in 2010 was 32% LESS than in 2009
• Total harvest in 2010 was 26% GREATER than in 2009

Kennebec Potatoes

• Purchased 8.5 pounds of seed potatoes from the local gardening store
  • Mostly purchased small seed potatoes and not the large ones because you get more “eyes” for the money with the smaller potatoes
• 79 of 84 (94%) germinated in an average of 16.2 days
• Not every potato plant produced and a few died just after sprouting
• Results per location
  • 8 potatoes in black buckets
    • Harvested 3 pounds, 9 3/8 ounces
    • Average of 7.125 ounces per potato plant
  • 6 potatoes in the potato bin (bin was not continuously hilled-up like last year; the potatoes were put in and hilled only once)
    
    • Harvested 6 pounds, 8 7/8 ounces
    • Average of 17.5 ounces (1 pound, 1 1/2 ounces) per potato plant
    • Very good yield for a 2 x 3 area
  • 9 potatoes in the “potato garden”
    • Harvested 2 pounds, 14 3/8 ounces
    • Average of 5.11 ounces per potato plant
    • Very poor yield because many potatoes were rotten
      • The soil in the “potato garden” is very heavy and filled with clay.  It held water.  Will be planting watermelon in this garden next year instead.
  • 39 potatoes in the back garden
    • Harvested 44 pounds, 6 3/4 ounces
    • Average of 18.23 ounces (1 pound, 2 1/4 ounces) per potato plant
    • This proves that potatoes grown in a rows with 12″ between plants yield just as good – if not better than – growing potatoes in a potato bin
    • All of the soil behind the garden was from the compost facility so it was very loose
  • 17 potatoes beside the house
    • Harvested 6 pounds
    • Average of 5.64 ounces per potato plant
    • Very poor yield – soil was 100% from the compost facility and was loose
    • This area was also planted with peas and tomatoes – so the yield was most likely heavily reduced due to the feeding of the tomato plants
• A complete total of 62 pounds, 10 3/8 ounces of potatoes were harvested
  • Average of 12.68 ounces per potato plant
  • A few extra potatoes were also found while the beds were being prepared for next year – those were not included in the count
• In 2009, only 16 pounds, 9 3/4 ounces of potatoes were harvested
  • Number of potatoes planted not available from 2009
• Overall, an INCREASE by 388% in potatoes produced in 2010 over 2009

Crimson Giant Radishes

• Radish seed used is well over three years old – finished up the last of the radish seed this year
• Several direct-garden sowings
  • 4/26 – 29 of 31 (93.5%) germinated in an average of 4.38 days
  • 5/12 – 29 of 30 (96.7%) germinated in an average of 5.07 days
  • 9/14 – 13 of 24 (54%) germinated in an average of 5 days
    • This batch was experimental from saved seed which was saved from a radish plant this year
  • 9/22 – 17 of 24 (70.8%) germinated in an average of 5 days
    • This batch was experimental from saved seed which was saved from a radish plant this year
• A total of 1 pound, 7/8 ounces of radishes were harvested
  • This total also includes some of the foliage which was used in salads
  • Radish foliage is pepper and also has good texture to it
• In 2009, only 7 3/8 ounces of radishes were harvested
• INCREASE of 58.8% in 2010 over 2009

Tri-Star Strawberries

• This is the second year for the strawberries and therefore the root systems were more mature
  • There were also more strawberry plants this year because some of the runners were allowed to grow and take footing
• In 2010, a total of 21 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces of strawberries were harvested from two strawberry pyramids containing approximately 25 plants each
  • In 2010, all strawberry production was done by July (last harvest was on June 29th).
  • The wicked heat took it’s toll on the strawberry plants and uneven watering/neglect caused most of the strawberry plants to lose all their leaves
  • Next year, yields may be lower than the past two years because the plants were heavily set back by the heat and neglect
• In 2009, a total of 19 pounds, 1/2 ounce were harvested
• INCREASE of 9.8% in strawberry production over 2009

Tomatoes – Best Boy, Red Cherry, and Roma

• All tomatoes were started indoors in 16-ounce cups approximately six weeks before they were transplanted to the garden
• Best Boy (one year-old seed)
  
  • 3/10 – 9 of 12 (75% germination) in an average 18.44 days
    • Numbers are skewed because two seedlings sprouted after 31 days when they were placed outside for hardening off
  • 3/24 – 2 of 2 (100% germination) in an average of 11.5 days
    • Same situation; one sprouted in 6 days and the other sprouted in 17 days when they were placed outside for hardening off
  • A total of 117+ Best Boy tomatoes were harvested with a total weight of 59 pounds, 15 3/4 ounces between five plants
    • Average of 8.2 ounces per tomato
    • Average of 192 ounces (12 pounds) per each of the five tomato plants
  • 2009 Data
    • A total of 50 Best Boy tomatoes were harvested with a total weight of 21 pounds, 14 1/4 ounces between two plants
      
      • Average of 7 ounces per tomato
      • Average of 175 ounces (10 pounds, 15 ounces) per tomato plant
  • 2010 vs. 2009
    • Average size of each tomato INCREASED by 14.6%
    • Average yield per plant INCREASED by 8.9%
  • 2010 Problems
    • Due to the plants being so close together, there was not much ventilation between the plants
    • White flies and stink bugs took out a good amount of tomatoes
    • All tomatoes had to be picked just when they had a hint of pink so they could ripen inside
      • Otherwise, the tomatoes began to rot around small black spots that appeared randomly on the tomatoes
• Red Cherry (seed is several years old, at least four years old)
  • 3/10 – 3 of 5 (60%) germinated in an average of 21 days
    • Numbers also skewed because one germinated while the plants were being hardened off outside
  • A total of 21 pounds, 6 5/8 ounces were collected from ONE Red Cherry tomato plant
  • 2009 Data
    • Two Red Cherry tomato plants were planted but succumbed to disease very quickly and therefore, results were bad
    • A total of 3 pounds, 7 7/8 ounces of Red Cherry tomatoes were harvested in 2009
    • Average of 28 ounces (1 pound, 12 ounces) per plant
  • 2010 vs. 2009
    • Average yield per plant INCREASED by over 1221%
  • 2010 Problems
    • The Red Cherry tomatoes seemed to do very well and didn’t succumb to the diseases that Best Boy had this year.  The Red Cherry Tomato plant grew to be over seven feet tall and then grew back down to the ground.  Very prolific.
    • If well-kept, one Red Cherry tomato plant is more than sufficient for tomato needs for a small family
• Roma Tomato (seed is several years old, at least four years old)
  • 3/10 – 4 of 5 (80%) germinated in an average of 20.5 days
    • Numbers also skewed because two germinated while the plants were being hardened off outside (31 days for germination)
  • A total of 104 Roma tomatoes were harvested with a total weight of 13 pounds, 11 1/8 ounces on one plant
    • Average of 2.11 ounces per Roma tomato
  • 2009 Data
    • A total of 233 Roma tomatoes were harvested with a total weight of 24 pounds, 9 1/2 ounces from two plants
    • Average of 1.69 ounces per Roma tomato
    • Average of 196.75 ounces (12 pounds, 4 3/4 ounces) per plant
  • 2010 vs. 2009
    • Average size of each tomato INCREASED by 20%
    • Average yield per plant INCREASED by 10%
  • 2010 Problems
    • The Roma tomatoes had the same problem as the Best Boy tomatoes and needed to be pulled to ripen inside just as they turned pink
    • Random black dots on the tomatoes would eventually cause rotting so the tomatoes had to be picked before any blemishes occurred
• Grand Total
  • A total of 95 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces of tomatoes were harvested for the 2010 season

Complete 2010 Total:  332 pounds, 9 5/8 ounces
Complete 2009 Total:  260 pounds, 8 5/8 ounces
INCREASE of 72 pounds, 1 ounce (21.7%) over 2009

2010 Factors

• The front garden was expanded from a 20 x 4 area to include another 20 x 4 area in addition to a 2 x 4 area at the very front (makes a “U” shape)
  • From 80 square feet to 168 square feet
• The back garden was expanded from a 2 x 27 area to a 5 x 27 area (usable space is 4 x 27 due to a walkway down the middle)
  
  • From 54 square feet to 108 square feet
• The patio garden was added on later in the year in 2009 and did not benefit from the production as the 2010 year did
  • Increase of 32 square feet
• Therefore a total of 174 square feet was added to the garden for the 2010 season compared to approximately 259 square feet in 2009
  • Numbers include the two 4×4 strawberry pyramids
• Increase of 67% in usable gardening space 433
  • Average of 1 pound, 1/10 ounce of produce was harvested per square foot in 2009
  • Average of 12 1/3 ounces of produce was harvested per square foot in 2010
    • DECREASE of approximately 3 2/3 ounces per square foot (23.6%)
      

This is the full garden journal for the year of 2010.  I post this to the site mostly to have an electronic version of it.

February 11

• Planted 144 Copra Onions in the black 9-packs
  • Used clear covers over the trays to lock in moisture

February 17

• Planted 6 Ventura Celery in black 6-packs
  • Placed 6-packs in a tray, added water in the bottom of the tray, and placed clear cover over the top to lock in moisture
• Added more water to each of the onion trays

February 18

• Seems that 2 Copra Onions sprouted but the seeds were sitting directly on the soil. (7 days)
• Turned 2 of the 3 fluorescent fixtures on
• Temperature in growing area have ranted from 57.7 to 61.5 degrees F.

February 19

• 3 Copra Onions sprouted overnight (5 total) (8 days)
• 9 Copra Onions sprouted during the day (11 total) (8 days)
• Containers with sprouted onions moved all to one tray and misted
• Other non-sprouted containers put in tray, added water to the bottom, and clear lid placed back on top
• Growing area ranged from 59.0 to 62.7 degrees (fluorescent lights have raised temperature slightly)

February 20

• 22 Copra Onions sprouted overnight (36 total) (9 days)
• Clear cover taken off the onion tray
• 12 more onions sprouted by noon (48 total)
• 12 more onions sprouted by 6 pm (60 total)
• Growing area temperature between 58.5 and 61.3 degrees

February 21

• 12 onions sprouted overnight (10 days, 82 total)
• 7 more onions sprouted by noon (89 total)
• Temperature under light is about 69.1 degrees
• 8 more onions sprouted by 7 pm (97 total, 67% germination)

February 22

• 10 onions sprouted overnight (107 total, 11 days)
• 1 onion sprouted by 5 pm (108 total, 75% germination)
• Moved the 6-pack of celery under the lights
  • About 8-9 degrees warmer

February 23

• 1 onion sprouted overnight (109 total, 12 days)
• 1 onion sprouted by 5 pm (110 total, 76% germination)

February 24

• Planted 12 Ventura Celery
  • One 6-pack had garden soil used as the medium and Jiffy Seed Starting Mix used in the other 6-pack

February 25

• 2 onions sprouted overnight (112 total, 14 days)
• 1 onion sprouted during the day (113 total, 78% germination)

February 26

• 1 onion sprouted during the day (15 days, 114 total)
• 2 onions have dropped over and look like they are dieing

March 2

• Put 24 Ventura Celery seed in a container of water (checking seed viability trick)
  
  • About 8 are sunk in the water; others are floating
• About 6 onions have fallen over and are dieing
  • Some onions are getting their second set of leaves

March 3

• 8 onions have shriveled and died from damping off disease
• All celery seeds are at the bottom of the water container (morning, checking seed viability trick)

March 4

• Planted 24 Ventura Celery; 2 each in 12 containers
  • Placed the seeds on top of the soil and misted in the Jiffy Seed Starting Mix
• Cut the onions to between 2-3 inches tall
  • Some onions are getting their second leaves
• Planted 26 Copra Onion seed in locations where none sprouted

March 8

• 1 Ventura Celery sprouted from the first batch (19 days – 17% germination)
• 100 onions are still alive (lost 14)
• Put one 6-pack of Ventura Celery planted on March 4th and one planted on February 24th into the covered greenhouse with heatpad on all day

March 9

• Lifted greenhouse cover for about 1.5 hours to reduce moisture
• 1 Ventura Celery is beginning to sprout (20 days, 33% germination)

March 10

• Planted 8 California Wonder Pepper seeds in a 4-pack
  • Two per square – seeds saved from last year’s plant
• Planted 16 California Wonder Pepper seeds in two 4-packs
  • Two per square – seed from 1-year old packet of seeds
• Planted 16 Green Goliath Broccoli in 16-ounce cups
  • Two per cup
  • Seed is at least three or four years old from the packet; possibly even longer
• Planted 12 Best Boy Tomatoes in 16-ounce cups
  • Two per cup
• Planted 5 Roma Tomatoes in 16-ounce cup
  • 5 per cup
• Planted 5 Red Cherry Tomatoes in 16-ounce cup
  • 5 per cup
• The 3 4-packs of California Wonder Peppers were placed in the heated “greenhouse” (just a black tray with a clear lid to lock in moisture and a heating pad)
• Greenhouse was 92 degrees with cover on
  • Removed cover a bit and temp is now 79 degrees

March 11

• 2 Ventura Celery sprouted in the same square (7 days)
  • This batch was in the “greenhouse” for a few days
  • Took the other 10-week planted celery and put it in the greenhouse
• Temperature of 70 degrees outside yesterday
  • Low temp at night only about 36 degrees over the past week and the rest of this week
• 5 Ventura Celery sprouted in the day – 1 in each square (7 days)

March 12

• 3 Copra Onions sprouted (8 days, 12% germination)
• 4 Ventura Celery sprouted – two each in two squares (11 total, 8 days, 46% germination)
  • These were sowed on March 4
• Zero Ventura Celery has sprouted from the 12 planted on February 24
• 2 Ventura Celery have sprouted from the 6 planted on February 17 (33% germination)
• The better celery germination is due to the seed being soaked overnight or because the seed was placed on top of the growing medium
• Trimmed the onions to 2.5 – 3 inches tall
• Planted 24 Ventura Celery – 2 seeds per square
  • Seeds were soaked overnight
  • 6-pack with white dot – seed sown on top of soil
  • 6-pack without white dot – seed sown 1/4-inch deep
  • Testing to see now if Ventura Celery needs light to germinate with this experiment

March 13

• Put each onion 9-pack in a gallon bucket with water and transplant fertilizer for one minute (soaking from the bottom instead of the top)

March 14

• 6 Copra Onions sprouted overnight (10 days, 9 total, 35% germination)
• 1 Ventura Celery sprouted overnight (10 days, 12 total)
• 3 Copra Onions sprouted during the day (12 total, 48% germination)

March 15

• 1 Copra Onion sprouted (11 days, 13 total, 50%)
• 1 Green Goliath Broccoli sprouted (5 days)
• Possibly 1 Ventura Celery sprouted from the 11 week batch (19 days)
• 2 Ventura Celery sprouted from the 10 week batch (11 days, 15 total)

March 16

• 1 Copra Onion sprouted overnight (12 days, 14 total, 54% germination)
• 1 Copra Onion sprouted in the day (12 days, 15 total)
• 4 Green Goliath Broccoli sprouted (6 days, 5 total)

March 17

• 5 Green Goliath Broccoli sprouted overnight (10 total, 7 days, 56% germination)
• 1 Ventura Celery Sprouted (16 total, 13 days)
  • Totals so far
    • 2 from 6 planted 12 weeks prior
    • 1 from 12 planted 11 weeks prior
    • 16 from 24 planted 10 weeks prior (soaked seed)

March 18

• 1 Best Boy Tomato has sprouted (8 days)
• Completely closed the cover on the greenhouse
• Gave up on the celery planted on February 24th and overturned the containers
• Hydrated all peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli containers

March 19

• 1 Roma Tomato sprouted (9 days)
• 1 Red Cherry Tomato sprouted (9 days)
• 1 Best Boy Sprouted (9 days)
• 1 Green Goliath Broccoli sprouted (9 days, 11 total)
• 2 California Wonder Peppers sprouted from seed saved from last year’s garden plant (9 days)
• There are approximately 110 Copra Onions that are still alive

March 20

• 2 Ventura Celery planted on top of the soil has germinated (8 days)
• Three California Wonder Peppers from packet seed have sprouted (10 days)
• 1 Best Boy Tomato sprouted (10 days)

March 21

• 1 Roma Tomato sprouted (2 total, 11 days)
• 1 California Wonder Pepper from packet seed sprouted (11 days, 3 total)
• 2 Green Goliath Broccoli sprouted (11 days, 13 total)

March 23

• Freezing temperatures in the morning, 65 during the day
• 8 California Wonder Peppers sprouted overnight (14 total, 13 days)
  • 5 total from seed saved from last year’s garden plant
  • 9 total from packet seed
• 1 Best Boy Tomato sprouted (13 days, 4 total)
• 9 Ventura Celery planted on top of soil germinated (11 total, 11 days)

March 24

• 3 California Wonder Peppers from packet seed sprouted (14 days, 12 total)
• 1 Best Boy Tomato sprouted (14 days, 5 total)
• Transplanted 1 Ventura Celery from recent experiment to another six-pack and dumped the rest
  • Keeping a total of 18 celery plants
• Zero Ventura Celery sprouted from experiment where it was soaked overnight and sowed 1/4-inch deep
  • This means that celery needs to be sowed on top of the soil (requires light) to germinate
• Re-seeded a Best Boy tomato cup with 2 seeds
• Planted 3 each of the following per square (total of three squares used of a 6-pack)
  • Simpson Elite Lettuce (one-year-old seed), Buttercrunch Lettuce (new seed), Red Salad Bowl Lettuce (new seed)
  • Placed a dot on the 6-pack next to the Simpson Elite Lettuce for identification

March 25

• 1 California Wonder Pepper from saved seed sprouted (15 days, 6 total)
• 2 California Wonder Peppers from packet seed sprouted (15 days, 14 total)

March 26

• 1 California Wonder Pepper from saved seed sprouted (16 days, 7 total)
• 2 California Wonder Peppers from packet seed sprouted (15 days, 16 total, 100% germination)
• Freezing temperatures overnight

March 28

• thinned out peppers to one per square
• Thinned out broccoli to one per cup
• Bottom-fed all plants

March 29

• 1 Simpson Elite Lettuce sprouted (5 days)
• 2 Buttercrunch lettuce sprouted (5 days)
• 1 Salad Bowl lettuce sprouted (5 days)

March 30

• Frosted overnight
• 1 Best boy tomato sprouted (6 days)
• Thinned Buttercrunch to one seedling

March 31

• Seeded 3 seeds each in one square (three squares used)
  • Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, Red Salad Bowl Lettuce
• Temperatures up to 80 degrees today, tomorrow, and the next day (in March???)

April 2

• Red Cherry Tomato sprouted (2 total, 23 days)

April 3

• 2 Simpson Elite Lettuce sprouted (3 days)

April 4

• 1 Simpson Elite Lettuce sprouted (4 days, 100% germination)
• 2 Buttercrunch Lettuce sprouted (4 days)
• All seedlings were put outside all day and onions stayed outside overnight
• Planted 26 onions in cement block in the back garden
• Gave all seedlings a bottom feeding of transplant fertilizer and water
• 2 Best Boy Tomatoes sprouted (25 days, 8 total)

April 5

• Filled the rest of the cement blocks with onions – approximately 33 more (approximately a total of 59)
• Planted 72 Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas in 6-packs (year-old seed)
• Planted 99 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas in 6-packs (new seed)
• Re-seeded 4 Red Salad Bowl Lettuce in a square (0% germination from the last batch)

April 6

• Planted out the rest of the onions in the front garden (57 total that were left – total of 116 onions planted)

April 7

• Planted 27 x 7 (189) Burpee A#1 carrot (year-old seed) in the carrot bed (seven rows of 27)
• Planted 33 x 7 (231) of Sugarsnax carrot (new seed) in the carrot bed (seven rows of 33)
• Planted 4 each of Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl Lettuce in a square (three squares used)

April 9

• Freezing temperatures overnight – brought all plants inside and put back outside about 11 am today
• Lost 1 pepper planted from saved seed due to damping off

April 10

• Planted Green Goliath Broccoli in the front garden
• Transplanted Ventura Celery from 6-packs to 16-ounce cups
• 3 Best Boy Tomatoes sprouted sometime recently (11 total, 31 days)
• 2 Roma Tomatoes sprouted sometime recently (4 total, 31 days)
• 1 Red Cherry Tomato sprouted sometime recently (3 total, 31 days)

April 11

• Planted 10 Kennebec Potatoes in black buckets
• Planted 6 Kennebec Potatoes in old potato bin
• Planted 10 Kennebec Potatoes in potato garden
• Planted 26 + 13 (39) Kennebec potatoes behind the garage (one row of 26 and one row of 13)
• Planted 14 potatoes next to the house
• 37 Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas sprouted (6 days)
• 3 Burpee Super Sugar Snap Peas sprouted (6 days)

April 12

• 3 Simpson Elite sprouted (5 days, 75% germination)
• 2 Buttercrunch Lettuce sprouted (5 days, 50% germination)
• 17 Dwarf Gray Sugar peas sprouted (54 total, 7 days)
• 6 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas sprouted (9 total, 7 days)
• Fed all seedlings with compost tea mix that was in the compost tumbler

April 13

• Very hot for this time of year – 83 degrees with 24% humidity
• Planted 4 Red Salad Bowl Lettuce in a six-pack (24 seeds total)
  • Red Salad Bowl germination very poor; either on the porch or just outside the porch.  Leaving the 6-pack inside in the kitchen for the newly planted lettuce
• 1 Burpee Super Sugar Snap pea sprouted (10 total, 8 days)
• 7 Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas sprouted (61 total, 8 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch Lettuce sprouted (3 total, 6 days, 75% germination)
• Thinned Simpson Elite and Buttercrunch to 1 per square
• Lost 2 out of the 52 onions planted in the cement blocks
• Lost another pepper (2 total) – leaves began drying up and died

April 14

• Planted 2 squares each with 4 Simpson Elite and Buttercrunch Lettuce
• Very hot temperatures – hit about 88 degrees on the porch

April 15

• Hot again – about 85 degrees – on the porch
• Transplanted all 16 Ventura Celery to the front gardens
• Transplanted the first two weeks of lettuce to the garden behind the garage
• Most of all the Dwarf Gray Sugar peas have died because of direct sunlight
• Planted 20 Dwarf Gray Sugar transplants every 4 inches in the garden by the house
• Direct-sowed 27 Dwarf Gray Sugar peas every 4 inches in the garden by the house
• Planted 9 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas every four inches in the garden behind the garage
• Direct-sowed 68 Sugar Snap peas every 4 inches (seed from FedCo seeds, new this year)

April 16

• 9 Red Salad Bowl Sprouted (3 days)
  • Caught them too late.  They are very long reaching for sunlight
• Planted 4 each of Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl lettuce directly into the back garden

April 18

• Almost frosted overnight – covered up celery and brought seedlings inside
• Dozens of Sugarsnax carrots have sprouted – no exact count because they are mixed with weeds (11 days)
• None of the Burpee A#1 carrots have sprouted
• Back to normal temperatures – mid-60’s
• Deer ate all of the lower growth on the grape vines

April 19

• Put up netting around grape arbor
• De-weeded strawberries and carrot patches
• Approximately 110 Burpee A#1 carrots have sprouted (58% germination)
• Approximately 175 Sugarnsax carrots have sprouted (76%)

April 20

• Transplanted 5 Best Boy, 1 Roma, and 1 Cherry Tomato into the side garden
• 1 Kennebec potato in a bucket has sprouted (9 days)
• 2 Simpson Elite Lettuce have sprouted (6 days)
• Netting placed over carrot bed
• Had to flush out PVC pipes because of algae build-up clogging the holes
• Lost a total of 5 Copra Onions so far – 1 in the front and 4 in the foundation blocks

April 21

• 2 Kennebec Potatoes in buckets sprouted (3 total, 10 days)
• Approximately 140 Burpee A#1 carrots are up (74%)
• Approximately 178 Sugarnsnax carrots are up (77%)

April 22

• 5 Kennebec Potatoes in buckets have sprouted (8 total, 11 days)
• 15 Dwarf Gray Sugar peas have sprouted (7 days)
• 2 direct-seeded Simpson Elite sprouted (6 days)
• 1 Simpson Elite Sprouted (8 days)

April 23

• 2 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (10 total, 12 days)
• 6 Dwarf Gray Sugar peas have sprouted (21 total, 8 days)
• A few sugarsnap peas have sprouted (8 days)
• 3 direct-seeded Buttercrunch have sprouted (7 days)
• 3 Red Salad Bowl have sprouted (7 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes in the potato bin sprouted (13 total, 12 days)
• Direct-seeded 4 Buttercrunch where one died
• Approximatey 152 Burpee A#1 carrots have sprouted (80% germination)

April 24

• 30 Sugarsnap peas have sprouted (9 days)
• 1 Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea sprouted (22 total, 9 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (16 total, 13 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes beside the house sprouted (19 total, 13 days)
• 2 Kennebec potatoes in the bin sprouted (21 total, 13 days)
• 1 direct-seeded Buttercrunch sprouted (4 total, 8 days)
• 1 direct-seeded Red Salad Bowl sprouted (4 total, 8 days)
• 2 direct-seeded Simpson Elite sprouted (4 total, 8 days)
• Planted 5 Kennebec potatoes beside the house
• Transplanted 8 California Wonder Peppers to the front garden

April 25

• 1 Kennebec potato in the bin sprouted (100% germination in the bin) (21 total, 14 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes beside the house sprouted (6 total beside the house) (24 total, 14 days)
• 6 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (11 total behind the garage) (30 total, 14 days)
• 1 Sugarsnap pea has sprouted (31 total, 10 days)
• Direct-sowed 6 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas where Dwarf Gray Sugar peas either did not germinate or died

April 26

• 1 Buttercrunch sprouted (12 days)
• 4 Kennebec potatoes in the potato bed sprouted (34 total, 15 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes beside the house sprouted (9 total beside the house) (37 total, 15 days)
• 5 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (16 total behind the garage) (42 total, 15 days)
• 7 Sugarsnap peas sprouted (38 total, 11 days)
• 1 Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea sprouted (23 total, 11 days)
• Approximately 153 Burpee A#1 carrots have sprouted
• Pulled one Green Goliath Broccoli from the front garden that was not growing
• Direct-sowed 31 Crimson Giant radishes where the Green Goliath Broccoli was pulled up

April 27

• 1 Buttercrunch sprouted (13 days)
• 2 Kennebec potatoes in the potato bed sprouted (6 total in the bed) (40 total, 16 days)
• 2 Kennebec potatoes in beside the house sprouted (11 total beside the house) (42 total)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (19 total behind the garage) (45 total)
• 6 Sugarsnap peas sprouted (44 total, 12 days)
• 1 Dwarf Gray Sugar pea sprouted (24 total, 12 days)

April 28

• 1 Buttercrunch sprouted (14 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato in the bed sprouted (7 total in the bed) (46 total, 17 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato beside the house sprouted (12 total beside the house) (47 total)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (22 total behind the garage) (50 total)
• 3 Sugarsnap peas sprouted (47 total, 13 days)
• Direct-seeded 4 Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl lettuce behind the garage

April 30

• Very windy yesterday and today – hard to see if anything sprouted
• Planted 15 Sugarsnap peas behind the garage
• 1 Kennebec potato beside the house sprouted (13 total beside the house) (51 total, 19 days)
• 1 Sugarsnap pea sprouted (48 total, 15 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (25 behind the garage total) (54 potatoes total)
• Approximately 19 Crimson Giant radishes have sprouted (4 days)
• Transplanted 3 Simpson Elite and 2 Buttercrunch into the back garden

May 1

• Planted 32 Basil in the patio bed (2 seeds per 16 holes)
• Planted 32 cilantro in patio bed (2 seeds per 16 holes)
• Planted 32 oregano in patio bed (2 seeds per 16 holes)
• Planted 32 Parsley in patio bed (2 seeds per 16 holes)
• ALL herbs were planted six inches apart
• Planted 43 Sugar Dots corn in the front garden (west side, furthest from driveway)
• Planted 43 Silver Queen corn in the front garden (east side, next to driveway)
• Planted approximately 50 Greencrop bush green beans behind the garage
• 2 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas sprouted (6 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (28 total behind the garage) (57 total, 20 days)
• 9 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted (28 total, 5 days)

May 2

• 1 Crimson Giant radish sprouted (29 total, 6 days)
• 3 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (31 total behind the garage) (60 potatoes total, 21 days)

May 3

• 1 Kennebec potato in the bed sprouted (8 total in the bed) (61 total, 22 days)
• 5 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (36 total behind the garage) (66 total potatoes)
• 3 Buttercrunch sprouted (5 days)
• 1 Red Salad Bowl sprouted (5 days)
• 3 Simpson Elite sprouted (5 days)

May 4

• 1 Simpson Elite sprouted (4 total, 6 days)
• 1 Ventura Celery died; broke off main stem

May 5

• 2 Red Salad Bowl Sprouted (3 total, 7 days)

May 6

• 11 Basil have sprouted (5 days)
• 2 Kennebec potatoes in buckets died (6 remaining in buckets)
• 3 Kennebec potato beside the house sprouted (17 total beside the house) (69 total, 25 days)
• 2 Kennebec potatoes behind the garage sprouted (38 total behind the garage) (71 total potatoes)

May 7

• 13 Silver Queen corn have sprouted (6 days)
• 5 Basil have sprouted (16 total, 6 days)

May 9

• Almost frosted overnight
• 9 Silver Queen corn sprouted (22 total, 8 days)
• 25 Sugar Dots corn sprouted (8 days)
• A mole has been digging in the front where the Silver Queen corn was planted
• Do not use green snow fencing for peas next year.  Peas cannot easily grasp onto the fence and with windy conditions, it pulls peas out of the ground

May 11

• 3 Silver Queen corn sprouted (25 total, 10 days)
  • A mole may have sunken/killed some corn
• 15 Sugar Dots corn sprouted (40 total, 10 days)
• 4 Basil sprouted (20 total, 10 days)
• 16 Cilantro sprouted (10 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato in the bed sprouted (9 total in the bed) (72 total, 30 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato beside the house sprouted (3 total from newest planting) (73 total potatoes, 17 days from newest planting of potatoes)
• 5 Sugarsnap peas have sprouted (53 total) (11 days)
• Approximately 11 Greencrop green beans have sprouted (10 days)

May 12

• Planted 30 Crimson Giant radishes
• Re-planted 16 Silver Queen corn in spots that didn’t germinate
• Planted 3 Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl in the back garden
• Planted 8 Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl in the patio/herb bed
• 1 Silver Queen corn sprouted (26 total, 11 days)
• 2 Sugar Dots corn sprouted (42 total, 11 days)
• 10 Cilantro sprouted (26 total, 11 days)
• Thinned Cilantro to one per six inches (-11)
• Thinned Basil to one per six inches (-7)
• 12 Greencrop green beans have sprouted (23 total, 12 days)

May 13

• Hard to tell how much cilantro has sprouted – up to 4 sprouts came from two seeds
• 2 Parsley have sprouted (12 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato beside the house sprouted (4 total from latest planting) (74 total potatoes, 19 days from lastest planting)
• 6 Greencrop beans have sprouted (29 total, 13 days)
• 1 Kennebec potato behind the garage sprouted (39 total) (75 total potatoes, 32 days)
• All 7 tomato plants have blooms already – pulled them off to allow the plants to grow more
• 2 Silver Queen corn sprouted (28 total, 12 days)
• Harvested 1 pound, 1 1/4 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

May 14

• 10 parsley have sprouted (12 total, 13 days)
• Spread the mulched leaves over the front garden
• Transplanted the extra sugar dots corn into buckets/containers to thin out corn to one foot apart, 18 inches between rows

May 15

• 8 Parsley sprouted (18 total, 14 days)
• 3 Cilantro sprouted (29 total, 14 days)
  • Removed/thinned cilantro (-1)
• 2 Basil sprouted (22 total, 14 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch in patio garden sprouted (3 days)
• 2 Red Salad Bowl in patio garden sprouted (3 days)
• 3 Greencrop beans sprouted (32 total, 14 days)

May 16

• Picked 1 pound, 1/2 ounce of Tri-Star strawberries
• 1 Parsley sprouted (19 total, 15 days)
  • Thinned Parsley (-6)
• 1 Greencrop bean sprouted (33 total, 15 days)
• Lost a lot of carrots due to damping off
• 7 Simpson Elite in patio garden sprouted (4 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch in patio garden sprouted (2 total, 4 days)
• 2 Red Salad Bowl in patio garden sprouted (4 total, 4 days)
• 1 Silver Queen corn sprouted (4 days) (29 total from both sowings)

May 17

• 3 Oregano sprouted (16 days)
• 2 Parsley sprouted (21 total, 16 days)
• 3 Red Salad Bowl behind the garage sprouted (5 days)
• 3 Red Salad Bowl in patio garden sprouted (7 total, 5 days)
• Approximately 28 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted (5 days)

May 19

• 1 Buttercrunch in the patio garden sprouted (3 total, 7 days)
• 1 Red Salad bowl behind the garage sprouted (4 total, 7 days)
• 2 Buttercrunch behind the garage sprouted (2 total, 7 days)
• Re-seeded 18 Greencrop beans behind the garage
• 1 Crimson Giant radish sprouted (29 total, 7 days)
• 4 Silver Queen corn sprouted (33 total from both sowings, 7 days)
• Re-planted dozens of Burpee A#1 and Sugarsnax carrots
• Planted 8 each (4 in 2 holes) of Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl lettuce in the patio garden
• Planted 4 each of Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl lettuce behind the garage
• Planted 10 Straight Eight cucumbers in 16-ounce cups
• Planted 6 Burpee Pickler cucumbers in 16-ounce cups

May 23

• 4 Silver Queen corn sprouted (37 total, 11 days)
• 1 Greencrop bean sprouted (34 total, 22 days)
• Picked 2 pounds, 3 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

May 25

• 2 Straight Eight cucumbers sprouted (6 days)
• 5 Burpee Pickler cucumbers sprouted (6 days)
• 8 Simpson Elite in the patio garden sprouted (6 days)
• 5 Buttercrunch in the patio garden sprouted (6 days)
• 5 Red Salad Bowl lettuce in the patio garden sprouted (6 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch behind the garage sprouted (6 days)
• 1 Red Salad Bowl behidn the garage sprouted (6 days)

May 26

• Picked 1 pound, 8 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries
• 4 Straight Eight cucumbers sprouted (6 total, 7 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch in the patio bed sprouted (6 total, 7 days)
• 2 Greencrop beans sprouted (36 total)
• Planted 4 Simpson Elite, Buttercrunch, and Red Salad Bowl in the patio garden
• Dozens of Sugarsnax carrots sprouted (7 days)

May 27

• Harvested 3 3/8 ounces of Buttercrunch from one plant
• Harvested 1 5/8 ounces of Red Salad Bowl from one plant
• Harvested 6 1/8 ounces of Simpson Elite from two plants
• Harvested 3 Crimson Giant radishes – 5 3/8 ounces
• Planted 29 Crimson Giant radishes

May 28

• 1 Straight Eight cucumber sprouted (7 total, 9 days)
• Several Burpee A#1 carrots have sprouted (9 days)
• 3 Greencrop beans sprouted (39 total)
• Peas are a major pain with helping them grow up the green fencing
  • A few blooms on the peas in each gardening area

May 30

• 13 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted (3 days)
• Hilled up Kennebec potatoes

May 31

• 10 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted (23 total, 4 days)
• 6 Simpson Elite sprouted (5 days)
• 1 Buttercrunch sprouted (5 days)
• Picked 1 pound, 15 3/8 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries
• 3 Greencrop beans sprouted

June 2

• 2 Simpson Elite sprouted (8 total, 7 days)
• 5 Buttercrunch sprouted (7 days)
• 5 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted (28 total, 6 days)
• Picked all but one of the Crimson Giant radishes that were sowed first
  • 1 pound, 4 ounces with foliage; 7 5/8 ounces without
• Pulled off 3 pounds 2 1/4 ounces of broccoli leaves
  • Leaves were covering the celery and peppers

June 3

• Harvested 15 1/4 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries
• Picked 1 Drawf Gray Sugar pea and 3 Burpee Super Sugar Snap peas

June 5

• Harvested 6 1/8 ounces of Simpson Elite lettuce
• Harvested 7/8 ounces of Red Salad Bowl lettuce
• Harvested 1 3/8 ounces of Buttercrunch lettuce

June 6

• Planted 46 Greencrop beans in the front garden between each corn stalk
• Transplanted 6 cucumber (3 Burpee Picker, 3 Straight Eight) in the back garden – each four feet apart

June 9

• Picked 2 3/8 ounces of peas
• Picked 10 7/8 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries
• Picked 3 Crimson Giant radishes – 2 3/8 ounces

June 12

• Picked all seven Green Goliath broccoli plants as the flowers were already opened a bit
  • 1 Pound, 10 1/4 ounces
  • 1 pound, 12 ounces
  • 1 pound, 3 1/2 ounces
  • 2 pounds 8 3/8 ounces
  • 1 pound, 11 7/8 ounces
  • 1 pound, 1 5/8 ounces
  • 2 pounds, 3 3/8 ounces
  • Total of 12 pounds, 3 ounces of Green Goliath broccoli
• 39 Greencrop beans have sprouted in the last few days (6 days)
• Picked 4 radishes – 7 3/8 ounces
• Picked 2 3/8 ounces of peas
• Picked 15 1/2 ounces of mixed lettuce

June 14

• Picked 2 ounces of peas

June 15

• Picked 5 3/8 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

June 16

• Picked 2 3/8 ounces of peas

June 19

• Picked 3 3/4 ounces of peas
• Picked 3 Crimson Giant radishes – 1 3/8 ounces
• Picked 1 pound, 14 3/4 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

June 22

• Picked 6 ounces of peas
• Picked 3 1/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans
• Picked 1 pound, 3 3/8 ounces of mixed lettuce
  • Pulled up all of the lettuce – way too hot
• Planted 16 Greencrop beans in the patio garden
• Planted 20 Greencrop beans behind the garage

June 23

• Picked 3 pounds, 15 1/4 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

June 25

• Pollinated 2 Sugar Dots Corn

June 26

• Picked 4 ounces of peas
• Picked 10 3/4 ounces of cilantro
• Picked 3 pounds of Tri-Star strawberries
• Picked 5 1/4 ounces of basil

June 27

• Approximately 3 beans have sprouted behind the garage (6 days)
• Approximately 4 beans have sprouted in the patio garden (6 days)
• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn

June 28

• Pollinated 2 Sugar Dots corn
• 1 Greencrop bean behind the garage sprouted (4 total, 7 days)
• 4 beans in the patio garden sprouted (8 total, 7 days)
• Picked 3 cherry tomatoes – 5/8 ounces
• Picked 8 1/4 ounces of Greencrop green beans

June 29

• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn
• Picked 2 pounds, 8 ounces of Tri-Star strawberries

June 30

• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn
• Picked 1 1/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans
• Picked 1 ounce (6) cherry tomatoes
• Picked 1 1/8 ounces of Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas
  • Leaving all Sugar Snap peas to ripen into seed
• Re-planted 8 beans in the patio garden
• Re-planted 8 beans behind the garage
• Planted 4 beans in the front garden

July 1

• Picked 2 3/8 ounces of basil
• Silver Queen corn is losing pollen before silk emerges

July 2

• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn

July 3

• Pollinated 2 Silver Queen corn
• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn

July 4

• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn
• Either 5 or 6 Silver Queen corn was pollinated
• Picked 7 1/2 ounces of green beans
• Picked 1 1/8 ounces of peas
• Picked 4 red cherry tomatoes – 7/8 ounce

July 5

• Pollinated 2 Sugar Dots corn
• Pollinated 9 Silver Queen corn
• 3 Greencrop beans in the patio garden sprouted (5 days)

July 6

• Pollinated 6 Silver Queen corn
• Pollinated 2 Sugar Dots corn

July 7

• Pollinated 4 Silver Queen corn
• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn

July 8

• Picked 2 1/4 ounces of basil
• Picked 4 1/2 ounces of Greencrop beans
• Picked 3 1/2 ounces of peas
• Picked 15 cherry tomatoes – 2 7/8 ounces

July 9

• Pollinated 4 Silver Queen corn

July 10

• Picked 36 cherry tomatoes – 8 ounces

July 11

• Picked 2.5 ounces of basil
• Cherry tomato and roma tomato plants fell over – had to re-stake them up with re-bar
• Pollinated 3 Silver Queen corn
• Pollinated 1 Sugar Dots corn

July 12

• Picked 3 3/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 1 Ventura Celery plant – 2 1/8 ounces
  • Celery is very crispy and has a sweet flavor
  • Didn’t produce very well at all

July 14

• Picked 1 Best Boy tomato – 7 1/8 ounces
• Picked 2 1/2 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• 3 green Best Boy tomatoes broke off the vines while re-staking the plants – 1 pound, 1 7/8 ounces (compost pile)

July 15

• Planted 50 greencrop beans in the Sugar Dots corn bed
• Pulled all Sugar Dots corn that didn’t have ears

July 16

• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 11 3/8 ounces
• Picked 3 7/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans
• Picked 2 Best Boy tomatoes – 10 1/4 ounces
• Picked 3 7/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

July 17

• Picked 3 Sugar Dots corn – 15 3/8 ounces
• Picked onions in the front and some from the back – 38 total
  • 4 pounds, 11 1/2 ounces
  • 7 pounds, 1 ounce
  • 6 pounds, 1/2 ounce

July 19

• Picked 4 Sugar Dots corn – 1 pound, 4 7/8 ounces
• Picked 3 California Wonder peppers – 6 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 11 3/8 ounces
• Picked 6 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 1 7/8 ounces
• Picked 7 Roma tomatoes – 12 3/8 ounces
• Picked 9 3/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

July 22

• Picked 2 Sugar Dots corn – 10 1/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Silver Queen corn – 1 pound, 3 1/2 ounces
• Picked 9 7/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans from the front garden
• Picked 7 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 15 7/8 ounces
• Picked 9 Roma tomatoes – 1 pound, 3 7/8 ounces
• Picked 5 /7/8 ounces of Red cherry tomatoes
• Picked 29 onions from the foundation blocks – 5 pounds, 7 ounces
• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 11 3/8 ounces
• Picked 3 5/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans from the back garden
• Harvested a potato bucket – very small potatoes – 9 3/8 ounces

July 24

• Planted 15 Greencrop beans in the front of the front garden

July 25

• Picked 3 Sugar Dots corn – 9 1/8 ounces
• Picked Silver Queen corn
  • 4 – 2 pounds, 3 5/8 ounces
  • 4 – 2 pounds, 7 3/8 ounces
  • 4 – 2 pounds, 8 1/8 ounces
  • 3 – 1 pound, 8 ounces
• Picked 1 carrot – 2 1/4 ounces
• Planted 52 Greencrop beans in the front garden

July 26

• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 2 pounds
• Picked 11 Best Boy tomatoes – 5 pounds, 7 ounces
• Picked 13 Roma tomatoes – 1 pound, 12 7/8 ounces
• Picked 5 3/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

July 28

• Picked 4 Red California Wonder peppers – 1 pound, 1 3/4 ounces
• Picked 1 Sugar Dots corn – 4 1/2 ounces
• Picked 6 Silver Queen corn – 3 pounds, 1 1/4 ounces
• Picked 3 3/8 ounces of basil leaves

July 28

• Picked 4 potatoes in the back garden and six potatoes in the potato bin
  • 6 pounds, 8 7/8 ounces
  • 3 pounds 6 7/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 3 3/4 ounces
• Picked 3 Straight Eight cucumbers – 1 pound, 7 1/2 ounces
• Picked 11 Best Boy tomatoes – 6 pounds, 12 5/8 ounces
• Picked 8 Roma tomatoes – 1 pound, 7/8 ounces
• Picked 5 ounces of cherry tomatoes

August 2

• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 11 7/8 ounces
• Picked 5 Roma tomatoes – 8 ounces
• Picked 8 7/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 10 Best Boy tomatoes – 5 pounds, 2 ounces
• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 6 3/4 ounces
• Picked Kennebec potatoes from the potato bed (10 plants)
  • 2 pounds, 14 3/8 ounces
  • Many potatoes were rotten – need to pull them eariler and water them less

August 3

• Picked 3 pounds of Kennebec potatoes from the remaining six buckets
• Pulled all celery – way too hot and they look very bad

August 4

• Picked 3 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 9 1/8 ounces
• Picked 6 Best Boy tomatoes – 4 pounds, 8 3/8 ounces
• Picked 3 Roma tomatoes – 5 ounces
• Picked 14 3/4 ounces of red cherry tomatoes
• Picked 4 ounces of Greencrop green beans
• Picked 17 California Wonder peppers – 3 pounds, 1 1/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Silver Queen corn – 1 pound, 2 1/2 ounces

August 7

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 1 pound, 3/8 ounces
• Picked 3 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 10 5/8 ounces
• Picked 65 Sugarsnax carrots – 5 pounds, 14 1/4 ounces
• Picked 61 Burpee A#1 carrots – 5 pounds, 14 7/8 ounces
• Picked 7 Roma tomatoes – 12 3/4 ounces
• Picked 6 7/8 ounces of red cherry tomatoes
• Picked 6 Best Boy tomatoes – 3 pounds, 4 ounces

August 10

• Picked 1 cucumber – 7 3/8 ounces
• Picked 14 7/8 ounces of red cherry tomatoes
• Picked 1 pound, 5 1/4 ounces of Best Boy tomatoes
• Picked 12 ounces of Roma tomatoes

August 11

• Picked 3 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 1 3/4 ounces

August 14

• Picked the long row of potatoes behind the garage – approximately 25 potatoes
  • 10 pounds, 1 1/4 ounces
  • 10 pounds, 3/4 ounces
  • 10 pounds, 1 ounce
  • 1 pound, 12 7/8 ounces
• Picked 4 California Wonder peppers – 7 3/4 ounces

August 15

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 15 5/8 ounces

August 16

• Picked 3 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 3 1/4 ounces
• Picked 6 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 14 7/8 ounces
• Picked 4 Roma tomatoes – 7 1/8 ounces
• Picked 14 7/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

August 21

• Picked 2 Roma tomatoes – 3 1/4 ounces
• Picked 5 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 2 1/2 ounces
• Picked 1 pound, 3 ounces of cherry tomatoes

August 22

• Picked 4 3/8 ounces of basil
• Picked 3 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 1 pound, 4 3/4 ounces
• Picked 3 Straight Eight cucumbers – 2 pounds, 14 ounces
• Picked 3 3/4 ounces of Greencrop green beans
• Picked 3 California Wonder peppers – 10 3/8 ounces

August 24

• Picked 10 Roma tomatoes – 1 pound, 3 5/8 ounces
• Picked 1 Best Boy tomato – 8 3/8 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 2 5/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Straight Eight cucumbers – 15 3/4 ounces
• Picked 6 1/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 9 pounds of Kennebec potatoes

August 29

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 7/38 ounces
• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 8 ounces
• Picked 3 Best Boy tomatoes – 1 pound, 3 1/4 ounces
• Picked 3 Roma tomatoes – 5 7/8 ounces
• Picked 10 1/2 ounces of cherry tomatoes

September 3

• Picked 3 Straight Eight cucumbers – 1 pound, 12 1/2 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 7 ounces
• Picked 7 Roma tomatoes – 13 7/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Best Boy tomatoes – 1 pound, 2 5/8 ounces
• Picked 1 pound, 1 1/4 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 16 California Wonder peppers – 3 pounds, 2 3/4 ounces

September 4

• Picked 6 1/4 ounces of basil

September 8

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 9 5/8 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 4 1/4 ounces
• Picked 10 California Wonder peppers – 12 7/8 ounces

September 9

• Picked 5 Roma tomatoes – 11 3/4 ounces
• Picked 8 Best Boy tomatoes – 3 pounds, 13 1/4 ounces
• Picked 12 1/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

September 12

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 7 3/8 ounces
• Picked 2 Burpee Pickler cucumbers – 9 1/4 ounces
• Picked 15 California Wonder peppers – 1 pound, 9 ounces

September 14

• Planted 24 Crimson Giant radish seed in the carrot bed
  • Seed used was saved from plant in the front garden
  • Testing for seed viability
• Picked 6 Roma tomatoes – 13 3/8 ounces
• Picked 8 Best Boy tomatoes – 3 pounds, 10 5/8 ounces
• Picked 1 pound, 7 ounces of cherry tomatoes

September 19

• 13 Crimson Giant radishes have sprouted (5 days)
• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 14 1/8 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber 1 7/8 ounces

September 21

• Picked 5 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 6 1/2 ounces
• Picked 6 Roma tomatoes – 13 3/8 ounces
• Picked 5 California Wonder peppers – 8 1/2 ounces
• Picked 1 pound of cherry tomatoes

September 22

• Planted 24 Crimson Giant radishes in the carrot bed
  • Testing seed viability for the second time from saved seed
• Picked 6 1/8 ounces of basil

September 24

• Picked 2 Straight Eight cucumbers – 1 pound, 3 ounces
• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler cucumber – 1 1/4 ounces
• Picked 4 Roma tomatoes – 8 3/8 ounces
• Picked 8 Best Boy tomatoes – 3 pounds, 7/8 ounces

September 27

• 17 Crimson Giant radishes sprouted

September 29

• Picked 1 Burpee Pickler – 4 1/8 ounces
  • Took down 2 Burpee Pickler cucumber plants
• Picked 2 Roma tomatoes – 2 7/8 ounces
• Picked 7 Best Boy tomatoes – 3 pounds, 13 3/4 ounces
• Picked 3 California Wonder peppers – 5 3/4 ounces
• Picked 1 pound, 7 3/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

October 4

• Almost froze overnight (sporadic frost)
• Picked 5 California Wonder peppers – 11 1/8 ounces
• Picked 15 1/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

October 10

• Picked 1 Straight Eight cucumber – 4 5/8 ounces
• Tore down all cucumber plants – bad powdery mildew
• Picked 5 1/8 ounces of basil
• Picked 16 California Wonder peppers – 2 pounds, 9 ounces

October 18

• Picked 7 Best Boy tomatoes – 2 pounds, 8 3/4 ounces
• Picked 3 1/8 ounces of Greencrop green beans (plants were volunteers that came from seed after digging up potatoes behind the garden)
• Picked 2 pounds, 2 3/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 2 Roma tomatoes – 3 7/8 ounces
• Picked 6 pounds, 1/2 ounces of Kennebec potatoes from beside the house

October 22

• Light frost overnight

October 23

• Picked 11 California Wonder peppers – 2 pounds, 1 3/8 ounces
• Picked 4 1/4 ounces of basil

October 28

• Hard freeze will occur overnight
• Picked 3 pounds, 7/8 ounces of cherry tomatoes
• Picked 61 California Wonder peppers – 10 pounds, 13 3/4 ounces
• Picked 57 California Wonder peppers – 10 pounds, 13 3/4 ounces
• Picked 28 California Wonder peppers – 4 pounds, 15 1/8 ounces
• Picked 19 GREEN Roma tomatoes – 2 pounds, 1 1/4 ounces (wasted and thrown in compost bin)
• Picked 48 GREEN Best Boy tomatoes – 12 pounds, 5 3/4 ounces (wasted and thrown in compost bin)
• Picked 34 GREEN Best Boy tomatoes – 7 pounds, 15 1/4 ounces (wasted and thrown in compost bin)
• Picked 6 1/8 ounces of basil