What's Blooming? Helleborus. 1.13.22

 This is the sole outdoor flower in bloom right now.  

Planting Multiplier Onions or Shallots. 1.13.22

 These are either potato onions - a very old heirloom variety that multiplies in the ground, like a shallot - or shallots.  I messed up the labeling.  I'm hoping for potato onions but some have a red color that is probably shallot.  

I had them in a paper bag in the pantry so they would stay dry.  I decoded to plant them now.  It's mild.  They should even overwinter OK.

I planted then in a row near the end of what will be the chili pepper bed.  They wont take much room there and won't interfere with the peppers.  Even with rain and mud, it's not bad planting in a raised bed with a nice foot path. :-)

Footpaths in Kitchen Garden. 1.13.22

 I've been laying soil barrier and covering that with woodchips for a (if it works) mole-minimized and weed-reduced if not weeds-eliminated kitchen garden area.  Closer to completing this job.  The wood chips make a nice walking surface.  I'll deal with the drip irrigation lines later.

I couldn't be happier with the kitchen garden.  It's only mid January and the hardest work is completed.  

Aerial Views. 1.13.22

 Ning took aerial photos using his drone.

The garden acre.  About 1/3 to 1/2 acre is usable once easements and wetland/woodlot are accounted for.  

Most of the "brown" areas are leaf-covered beds for crops not bothered by "our" deer (sweetcorn, potatoes, and squashes that will be protected) and annuals for the soul and for pollinating insects.  Fruit and nut trees don't show well in the photo.  There are lots of those.  This week I added wood chips around the raised beds in the fenced kitchen garden.  The other half of that is miniature and espalier fruit trees.

The house is on the other side of the road.  Photo doesn't include the front orchard and small vineyard.  Hens and duck get the run of the fenced area behind the house, which is planted with roses, rhododendrons and other shrubs and small trees.

First Shallots and Rudbeckias Germinated. 1.13.22

 This seems pretty fast for the first seeds to germinate.  I always wonder, will they grow?

It's interesting, the first onion-family seeds to germinate were the shallot seeds that I saved last fall.  Last year, the fastest squash to germinate were saved seeds, with bought seeds taking one or two weeks more.  Must be the freshness although maybe I let them ripen more thoroughly.  Or maybe it's coincidence.

"Grocery shallot" home saved seeds.

He Shi Ko scallion seeds. These were bought this year.

Rudbeckias, Marmalade and Prairie Sun. It's interesting how reading the internet can make things complicated. I read that Rudbeckias need refrigerator stratification for 4 weeks before germinating. I was thinking about doing that with another batch. but here these are, already growing. Not bad, the first are up seven days after planting.

More of these seeds remain to emerge. I'll keep them on the warming mat at keast amfew more days, then move them close to LED lights for better, stockier growth.