Progress on Weathered Cedar Planter Box. 3.9.22

Here is the planter box so far. It's turning out pretty much exactly what I envisioned.

There is still a lot more to be done. I can see what it will be like now, which is nice. This location was sort of wasted, growing things at ground level here was challenging because of the cramped space. Being much higher will make it easier. I still need to do the remaining three sides. I may stain this planter box in the summer when it's dry. Something that looks like cedar or redwood and not too expensive. The reason is to preserve the wood longer. Or I may leave it as weathered cedar, which is a lot of things around here. The frame is pressure treated. None of that will come into contact with plants. Not on title- I planted seeds today, the sunroom got too hot (86F) but I think it's all OK. When that happens,he seed mat gets up to almost 100. I'm not going to use the sunroom for seed germination after this. A hard freeze is expected tonight. I covered the snow peas and snap peas but not anything else. I cut down two 50-foot cascara trees. They were leaning more and more. When that happens, fhey usually fall over. I thought it would be safer to take them out now. I will cut logs later. i set aside two logs to use for growing mushrooms. More on that tomorrow.rm

Tomato and Herb Seedlings Emerging. 3.8.22

It's three days now. So far, about half of the tomato varieties emerged overnight. The oregano and thyme seedlings are up. I need to be more careful to plant them more thinly. They are like dust, so tiny, but they grow fast. Basil seeds have germinated. Ratibida seedlings are up. I see signs of life in the carnation and chive six-packs too.

Off from this topic heading, yesterday I completed one long side of the container raised bed made from weathered cedar planks. It's a lot of work but coming along OK. I'd say it's about 1/3 completed. Thursday's weather prediction is for freeze down to 26F. It will be interesting to see if that affects the snap pea and other seedlings.

The First Snap Pea Seedlings Have Emerged. 3.6.22

These are snap peas I planted Feb 10, so it's nearly a month. The ground is cold and there has been snow and freeziing so they are much slower. Still it's encouraging to see a few emerge. Will more follow? Time will tell.

Planting Some Wildflower Perennial Seedlings Outside. 3.6.22

These are still small, so they need protecting. Still, getting them into the soil frees up room on my plant stand for tomato seedlings or whatever, and they are less likely to get neglected and dry out because I moved them to a less intense spot. These were outside during a recent freeze. The six-packs froze solid, but on thawing out, the plants were unfazed. Also the Rudbeckia that I planted in a raised bed a week or so ago endured fhw same freeze, amd actually look a bit more vigorous than the ones that are still in their six packs. Some Coreposis and Echinacea seedlings. I also stuck a lone Gallardia into a spot into the raised bed.

These are small, so they need protection similar tomthe onion seedlings. It's nice to have them in the ground. If I'm up to it, more will follow tomorrow.

Planting Red Wethersfield Onion Seedlings. 3.6.22

This is the first pot of the Red Wethersfield onion seedlings, started in early January. They look healthy but small. Onions are a reasonably cold weather plant, and I've planted them this early before with good success. A frost is predicted in three days. This container was outside diring a hard freeze and not a single plant was damaged.

Onion roots don't wind around a lot, and they come apart easily for planting outside. I planted them about four inches apart. Being close together, the final onions may be a bit smaller. That's fine with me, giant onions don't keep as well and it's hard to use a whole giant onion at one time. Smaller ones mean less waste. Before planting, I mixed about a third of a bag of biochar, and half a bag of steer manure compost into the raised bed soil. So it should be pretty rich.

Onions need to grow healthy tops somthey can grow healthy onions. Planting them early in rich soil gives them a nice boost. Slugs and birds like onion plants. I gave a preventive dose of organic slug bait, and covered with a birdie fence.