One of the many benefits I get from participating in Daphne's Dandelions Harvest Monday collection is the documented history of my harvests. I was reviewing last year's to see what I had going on this same time. Although I'm far advanced with crops that have a longer time to harvest (e.g. winter squash), I am actually behind with many of the more spring-like crops - greens, that is.
Last year at this time, I was already harvesting beet greens and swiss chard; both of which are barely a glimmer in my garden right now. And it's all because I decided to test the "plant when the ground can be worked" theory. Now the theory itself isn't necessarily to blame - I'm pretty sure it's just the area where I did this test ... last year's "3 sisters garden" which itself was a disaster.
The swiss chard I planted back in mid-April has barely sprouted! I've since planted some more but not soon enough for me to enjoy any for at least another couple of weeks.
And here is the curly kale I planted in April (barely visible) ... compared to some I planted only a couple of weeks ago!
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| April planting of curly kale |
So the area is obviously not suitable for whatever reason. Well, plants are growing, just VERY slowly. Anyway, enough complaining about what isn't growing ... let's talk about what is growing and getting harvested!
In the main photo above, you see that I've pulled some of my garlic already (and the few scapes that survived) - this is because of the leek moth infestation. I'm going to pull most of the garlic early so I was just testing how far along it was (I hope I can make it another few weeks without losing all of it). I also had some radishes and just a wee bit of kale and spinach.
And I've finally had a good harvest of lettuce to keep me in salads for a few days.
And finally ... my first handful of peas! And that's it for this week.
Are you direct seeding kale and chard? Those are plants I always start indoors and they transplant well.Too bad about the garlic.
ReplyDeleteI do direct seed and it's always been fine ... the kale and chard I seeded just a couple of weeks ago is coming up very well. It's just that first batch planted in April that didn't work out so well.
DeleteI know the frustration of "when the ground can be worked" and feeling left behind looking at other gardeners' actions. My thought is that even though the soil may be "workable," we have so many cold nights that it just doesn't warm up enough to really start things. So relying on soil temperature is the right action for me (though not fool-proof of course). It fluctuates so much! My chard has struggled too--just not growing. I just reseeded most of it. Hopefully it won't mind the summer heat too much. Your lettuce and peas look good.
ReplyDeleteMy spinach and arugula have already bolted, but so far so good with the lettuce. I hope it holds out a while longer. Yes, you are right, I think I rushed into planting when the nights were still too cold. Ah well, another lesson learned!
DeleteI plant when the ground can be worked for only certain crops - spinach, peas, and carrots mostly. Though carrots just take a long time to germinate if you do them early. If you wait a week from when the ground can be worked they probably come up at the same time. I also think different areas have different situations. Here we live in the city so once the ground thaws, we have all that pavement keeping the heat in. I think it makes things grow faster in the spring.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's true, things warm up in the city faster than out my way. Next spring I'll have the greenhouse (wasn't ready for planting this spring) so won't be in so much of a rush to plant outside.
DeleteThat lettuce looks wonderful, as do those peas. I'll be harvesting lettuce this coming week, but the peas are still at least a couple of weeks away, I think. Each year I say that I will get them in on time and each year I end up sowing them late.
ReplyDeleteSo it looks like even with your struggles, you are still making good time - better than me, anyhow!
It seems like there's always some new pest rearing its ugly head, I've never heard of leek moths before, they sound nasty. I'm glad I don't have to deal with that pest on top of rust, or I may never grow garlic again.
ReplyDeleteBut in another 4-6 weeks you'll probably have bountiful harvests. Once things start growing in cold winter climates they really take off as I recall.
ReplyDeleteI like that attitude - let's talk about what IS growing! And peas - those first pea poads are always so, so sweet. Yum.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly are sweet ... just came in from the garden munching on another little handful.
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