Garden 2010

This year begins a series of energy and money saving ventures at our house. One of these is reducing the miles our vegetables travel while teaching Owen and Eden about where vegetables come from.

The winter has been spent determining what we would like to grow and planning the best way to grow it. We finally settled on a series of 4-foot square wooden raised beds that allow for plastic tents to be raised over them to protect young seedlings from cold and frost. Back in early March we got five of these beds constructed and the soil prepped for planting.

March 12: The whole family went out and planted the first of the beds. Snow Peas, English Peas, Spinach, and Carrots went in with much excitement on the part of Owen and Eden who were quite thrilled to take turns planting rows of each variety. After we covered each row of seeds with a thin layer of soil and watered them in we rolled out a plastic cover to keep the soil warm at night.

March 14: A cold wind from the east greeted us this morning. I asked the kids if they wanted to go plant the next bed but they preferred to stay in the cozy indoors. I quickly planted a row each of Swiss Chard, Flashy Trout's Back Butter Lettuce, Nevada Romaine Lettuce, and Green Kale under the plastic A-frame tent covering the bed. After applying a quick shower of water I too retreated to the warmth of the house to plant a seed flat with San Marzano & Principe Borghese Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers, and Parsley. These I placed on the heat mat in the garage under a plastic cover set at a balmy 85 degrees.

March 19: Snow. Lots of snow. Fortunately the seeds are comfortably under their plastic tents. Nothing to do but wait for warm weather again.

March 22: The first of the tomato seedlings pokes up looking for sunlight. It is small and spindly but eager to grow. I realize that we will need grow lights very soon to ensure strong young plants.

March 23: They're everywhere! Nearly all of the tomatoes are up. Now we wait on the peppers. According to one book I read recently, they will appear about the time you give up on them and set out to start over. I improvised a grow light today from a shop light and a cool blue CFL bulb I had around the house. I can already tell I will need more light but at least the seedlings are not growing sideways--trying to reach the kitchen window--anymore.