Friday, May 6, 2011

Potting Up

The weather yesterday was marginal so I stuck to the house for my gardening chores. I potted up the last of the tomatoes. One should have been done a couple of days ago, but there were also a couple that could have used a few more days before potting up. It is easier for me to do them all at once so I did.

I also seeded some new 2" blocks with the Little Leaf cucumbers. The Diamant as you can see are already up. Their roots are sticking through the bottom of the blocks and it is time to get them into the garden. Yes they aren't that big, but they really do better in the soil if the weather isn't horrible. And it won't be. The forecast for the next 10 days (depending upon who you listen to) is for partly sunny weather, highs in the low to mid sixties during the day and around 50F at night. It's a good forecast. The highs really need a few more degrees to hit average, but the lows are better than average. It is weird there is barely any swing in the temperatures, but that is good for the plants. I might get a few more things in the ground too or hardened off. Some of the peppers are big enough to go outside and get hardened off. Some are tiny as in the above photo. Some could go in now.

I also made almost a while flat of new 1 1/2" blocks. I figured I'd need some successions. I made a row of Choy Sum, white stemmed bok choy, kohlrabi, tatsoi, Komatsuna, and Yakatta-na. I'd already started two rows of green stemmed bok choy. I was hoping to have enough room left for the summer lettuces that I want to start in a week, but I only have a couple rows left. I'll have to make more. I also forgot to start the melons. I need to get on top of that right away - as soon as I'm done with my post.

9 comments:

  1. Since getting into gardening (and bike commuting) I've become a BIG fan of the 10-day forecast. Melons and squashes are going in the ground this weekend!

    http://www.media-organic.com/garden-week-in-review-4

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  2. Looks like you had a prosperous day. Our weather is looking the same as yours for the next few days except lows of 40 and high of 60 but at least it isn't suppose to rain for a while. Spending today in the greenhouses.

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  3. I have been very slow to getting started this year although I must say that my seedlings do not look much smaller than yours.
    The garden/yard is looking beautiful. all that transitional work of last year is going to bring you great pleasure for the year. Trellises look beautiful.

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  4. Sounds like you had a productive indoor gardening day. I really need to get my squash and melons started today.

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  5. Glad to know that the weather will be cooperating. I'll have to try and take advantage of it. There's just so much to do this time of year. It's hard trying to fit everything into a few days of sunshine in May.

    I really need to get the 1 1/2 inch block. I love my 2 inch blocker but it's just too big for certain things.

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  6. Sounds like a good stratch of weather ahead of you to make life more comfortable and safe for the new transplants. My seed starting is largely done now, until I begin some succession plants towards the end of this month for the mid summer planting of fall crops.

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  7. I'd be thrilled with that weather. We haven't had big swings most days either, but mid 50s highs to mid 40s lows isn't all that grand. As for the 10 day forecast, we can't rely on the 4 day forecast let alone a 10 day.

    I love your soil blocks. Some day I'll replace my home-made ones, but for now they work great. I agree potting up onesies is a pain.

    Good work on your part to garden, even on a marginal day!

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  8. Your seedlings are looking really good!!

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  9. mediaOrganic, I am too. You have to take it with a grain of salt, but it is still pretty good with trends, if not real forecasts.

    wilderness, we are getting some rain today, but most of the forecast is rain free. I hope we get half an inch of rain today then everything will be well watered.

    johanna, I usually don't let seedlings get too big before they go outside. I think they like the real sun better than the lights.

    Robin, I did. And I finally got my melons started. Now they just have to come up. I hope they don't take forever for that.

    Thomas, sadly the weekend will be partly rainy. It makes for more issues with people that have they traditional jobs. But most of the week will be nice for planting out. It will even be party sunny so they won't get dehydrated.

    kitsapFG, I've finished all the soil blocks for my garden now except for successions. But I have to keep on top of my succession planting. The greens do best if I keep on top of that. Their life is just so short.

    Sinfonian, No not nice weather except for the spinach. And yes the long range forecast is not all that reliable. I use it to see trends. And when I'm planting about now I make sure they don't have any really low temps in the forecast. Usually our frosts are over, but you can have strange years where they come weeks late. In my old garden if I checked the long range forecast around May 1st I could see if it was time to start planting frost sensitive plants in the garden or I needed to wait and see more. Usually if I did that I wouldn't get surprised by a late frost.

    Holly, thanks

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