I know you expect the hostess of Harvest Monday to actually show you something. But I've got nothing. I didn't make anything special from my garden saved produce. I used spices and a bit of pickled peppers on my hamburger. Do I get points for it being grass fed from the farmers market last fall? But I didn't make any soup. Just the typical coleslaw and squash casserole. I didn't even eat any of my applesauce. All in all it was just the same old, same old.
I did have excitement though. I finally gave in and planted some onions. I was waiting for my Varsity seed from Fedco, but it still hasn't materialized. The planting target date was Feb 6th. I planted February 12th.
I multiplanted my soil blocks. Each have four seed and will be thinned out to the best two. Last year I found the doubles grew well if planted on 6" centers but the triples planted on 8.5" centers did not. I planted 18 blocks of Redwing and 36 blocks of Ringmaster. If Varsity comes soon, I'll get rid of half the Ringmaster and plant 36 new blocks (for a total of 72). If it comes late I'll probably plant up just 18 blocks and let Ringmaster be my major onion. 72 is a great number for me since a flat fits 72 perfectly (1 1/2" blocks).
I'm still trying to find the best container to keep the blocks in. I don't like the wood ones that a lot of people make. Flats are nice since they are a good size to go under the lights and large. I have three layers to my flats. The first is the solid bottom flat. The second is a wide plastic mesh which is strong enough to hold the plants without the first. The third is screening (from some old window screens) cut to fit so the soil won't fall out and the bottom is flat. I think this will work. I can put water in the bottom one and then lift up the middle one when the blocks are finished with getting watered. I'm hoping it works at least. Last year I just put them in the solid flat and didn't like it much.
If you are doing better with your harvests than I am, put your name and URL into Mr. Linky below.
I too am trying to figure out what to keep the blocks in. I transferred my onion soil blocks to a standard plastic flat this weekend. It fits perfectly on a shelf, but is pretty flimsy.
ReplyDeleteI like the layering concept you have. It will make it easy to bottom water and not have the soil blocks sit in water.
I hope your varsity onion seeds arrive soon.
it was a perfect weekend for 'the same old same old.' If you don't do it sometimes, then by definition it wouldn't be tsoso... :)
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to not have any harvest - I haven't had any in a couple of months. I know that getting your hands dirty a little bit made everything better, though!
ReplyDeleteThe soil blocks look good, I'm still debating whether to get involved with it or not.
ReplyDeleteThe soil block planting process is interesting for me. I have never used them and enjoy learning about it from those of you that use them.
ReplyDeleteI often double layer my seed trays - the first one has holes to allow drainage and the second is a solid tray. It is sturdier with two and I can then bottom water easily - just lift the inner tray out when done soaking and dump out the water and put them back together again.
I'm a paper pot kinda gal, it's what I know and it works for me and I'm getting too old for new tricks.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a wonderful feeling to be getting started on the spring planting!
Something I never tried, growing in blocks. Love to see how things going with blocks in your place.... ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteGrafixMuse, I think the basic flat is too flimsy too. With the mesh insert it is really sturdy though.
ReplyDeleteJP, lol true
EG, oh yes getting my hands dirty helped. I'm not a fan of making my soil (which I had to do), but I love to make blocks and plant seed.
mac, it isn't for everyone, but I love it. I like the lack of plastic flying around the garden. I love not having to clean out those six packs. They are so hard to clean. And I love how well they all transplant. Now if only they made one inch blocks I'd be all set. I think onions would do really well in that size, but 3/4" is too small.
kitsapFG, I've done that for years too. I've never done it with soil blocks before since I didn't think of the using the screening to keep them in before, but so far so good.
Michelle, I like paper pots too. Last year I potted up into them from the 1 1/2" size. This year I'm going to try to stick with the 2" size and see if that is big enough for things that get too big for the 1 1/2" one. I'll probably still use newspaper for things like cucumbers, unless I just germinate them before planting. Sometimes I just germinate the seed indoors and plant instead of potting them in something.
I tried blocks for the first time last year and fell in love with them (well after I figured out how to keep them from falling apart - there is a learning curve to soil blocks). Things grew very very well in them. Better than in the six packs, but a block has more soil than a six pack so not too surprising.
ReplyDeleteGreat minds and all that...I blogged about my same old, same old...before I read yours! But I blogged about more than that, my garden got munched on by a very special rabbit ;-)
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks and one day, and I'll be home. Then I can blog about MY soil blocks!
I remembered today, and I've shared! Thanks for hosting, even if you're not participating this time...
ReplyDeleteGiven the cold and snow, I think it's perfectly fine for you not to harvest every week, or even eat what you've stored. And yes, you get extra credit and praise for grass-fed meat from a local farmer's market. If I could figure out how to put a Mr. Linky on my wordpress site, I'd host a Planting Monday. I'm adding what I plant as well as posting what I harvest to my Monday blog post. Keeps me excited about the garden.
ReplyDeleteI like your try set up. I will have to consider it in the future. I have my blocks on solid, ridged bottom trays. They seem to be doing OK...though watering with a turkey baster can be a bit time consuming.
ReplyDeleteYour setup seems interesting. I love sowing seeds and growing them in containers. I will try soil blocks and i think they will do a great job.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to you perfecting your set up so that I don't have to do the trial and error ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my! Another new idea to ponder! I've been feeling alittle bummed out as everyone elses seeds seem to be popping their little smiling faces through, and mine haven't! Until this morning ... I see a tiny Margoram peeking thru the soil ... and now I'm smiling too ...
ReplyDeleteHow did you hear about 'blocks'? Cool!
Hey Daphne - I don't have a photo or a blog post about it, but I did make a Swiss Chard quiche this weekend ... that's all I've got that's edible right now - that and my chicken eggs, of course.
ReplyDeleteThey look wonderful. Onions just make me happy, just thinking about them. I'd better plant some scallions soon.
ReplyDeleteAnnie's Granny lol I noticed that.
ReplyDeleteMomma_S, It is hard to have a year round harvest here in the north east US. Today we are having yet another snow storm. I know in a month it will probably be melted out.
Lou Murray, they don't have much explanation on their site and their UI is really bad. I did eventually figure it out. Now all I have to do is cut and paste and change the dates.
Thomas, I'll tell you how it does. So far so good. I watered for the first time today and everything worked beautifully. Time will tell.
Muhammad, They do take a while to get used to (took me about a month until I could make them well every time). But now that I can do it I wouldn't go back.
Ottawa Gardener, lol I just wish someone had already done it. Coleman and most of the people I've talked to about it seem to make their own wooden flats, but I think they are too heavy and I don't like the wood as it absorbs water and I don't mist to water my plants. I bottom water. It works better.
Kiwi, I'm still waiting on mine. Today I see a little white popping out on a few, but no real plant up yet. I don't remember where I first heard about them. Probably on someones blog years ago.
Kate, Oh I love Swiss Chard quiche. Yum. I often have it in the fall. Of course I can't make it out of my own eggs.
Stefaneener, I'll get to my scallions and leeks in not too long too.
Let me hear a 'hip, hip, hooray' for brussels sprouts...is anybody with me?!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Mike, oh yes hooray for sprouts. Yours look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI've got nothing too. It has either been picked or has dehydrated to death. Must remember to plant in bulb next fall. Nice blocks :-)
ReplyDeleteMaking soil blocks takes a bit of practice, but the soil for soil blocks was the issue that drove me nuts when I started. Now I use sterilized seed starting medium which I can buy in any garden center, and it makes sturdy blocks.
ReplyDeleteSoil looks great at least!
ReplyDelete