Time for Crucifers
This is the time to plant cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, turnips, kale, rape, mustard and other cold loving crops. Radish, carrots, beets, lettuce and other salad greens can also go in the ground. I planted the things that can be sowed directly 1 and one half weeks ago. Most of them have come up already. The sugar peas, onions, carrots, beets and potatoes are the only thing, planted then that hasn’t come up yet.
This weekend the cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts plants that were started in the greenhouse will go in the ground. Before planting outside tender plants need to be “hardened off”. Thursday and Friday, they will spend the day outside, learning to tolerate wind and temperature fluctuations. Saturday they will go in the ground. I know the rabbits and deer are anxious to see them. For that reason they will be hardened off on a table high enough that the rabbits can’t get them. They go back in the greenhouse at night. Deer don’t come around much during daylight.
When they are planted in the ground they will be protected by a chicken wire cage. This will be buried 4” in the ground to discourage digging. I will only put out about ½ of the plants. If they have problems there are backups in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Blueberries
Blueberries
The city has finally finished the sidewalk project in front of my house. I no longer have an excuse for having the ugliest yard in the block. I planted some yuccas and azaleas and a few bulbs; but now it is time for a massive redesign and upgrade for the front yard. One of the themes is to plant stuff we can eat in the front yard as well as the garden. There will be a blueberry hedge all across the front of the yard.
I called Stark Brothers to order some blueberries today. I asked some questions and will share the answers with you. The distance between plants should be the same as the height of the plant at maturity. There should be different varieties for cross pollination. I was told that I should have one “pollinator” plant for every plant of the primary variety. The pollinator plants make blueberries too. They just need to be of a different variety. The new plants from Stark Brothers should produce berries in two or three years.
Blueberries need very acid soil. Ideal PH is about 4.5. Sulfur is an excellent way to achieve this. It can be put directly in the planting hole. In addition to the wonderful berries, the blueberries have pretty red foliage in the fall. I think they will probably attract a lot of birds as well. I hope the birds will leave some berries for us.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
The city has finally finished the sidewalk project in front of my house. I no longer have an excuse for having the ugliest yard in the block. I planted some yuccas and azaleas and a few bulbs; but now it is time for a massive redesign and upgrade for the front yard. One of the themes is to plant stuff we can eat in the front yard as well as the garden. There will be a blueberry hedge all across the front of the yard.
I called Stark Brothers to order some blueberries today. I asked some questions and will share the answers with you. The distance between plants should be the same as the height of the plant at maturity. There should be different varieties for cross pollination. I was told that I should have one “pollinator” plant for every plant of the primary variety. The pollinator plants make blueberries too. They just need to be of a different variety. The new plants from Stark Brothers should produce berries in two or three years.
Blueberries need very acid soil. Ideal PH is about 4.5. Sulfur is an excellent way to achieve this. It can be put directly in the planting hole. In addition to the wonderful berries, the blueberries have pretty red foliage in the fall. I think they will probably attract a lot of birds as well. I hope the birds will leave some berries for us.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Spring Preview
Spring Preview
The cherry trees are blooming along Sardis Rd. in Charlotte. The camellias are totally loaded with blossoms. How refreshing it is to have some color. There is color in my garden too. The turnips, mustard, kale and rape are coming up a little. The row where the radishes, carrots and beets were planted also has some greenings. I think they are radishes. The spinach that was planted last winter is finally starting to grow again. I picked the 1st asparagus.
The asparagus was really a surprise. It was as big around as my thumb and almost 8” long. The tip was still not even close to opening. These were just planted last year. They came from Stark Bros. They are in a permanent raised bed. The bed was double dug to about 18”. Alternate layers of compost and dirt filled it to a rounded top supported by an 8” frame. A 12” trench was dug and The crowns were planted, leaving just a tip exposed. As they grew they were mounded with compost. When they turned to ferns they were heavily mulched. We did not cut the asparagus last year. We did cut some of the ferns for decoration.
The stuff in the greenhouse is rockin’ and rollin’ as well. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage will go in the ground next week. Freeze is predicted for Tuesday. I will wait until after that to plant.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
The cherry trees are blooming along Sardis Rd. in Charlotte. The camellias are totally loaded with blossoms. How refreshing it is to have some color. There is color in my garden too. The turnips, mustard, kale and rape are coming up a little. The row where the radishes, carrots and beets were planted also has some greenings. I think they are radishes. The spinach that was planted last winter is finally starting to grow again. I picked the 1st asparagus.
The asparagus was really a surprise. It was as big around as my thumb and almost 8” long. The tip was still not even close to opening. These were just planted last year. They came from Stark Bros. They are in a permanent raised bed. The bed was double dug to about 18”. Alternate layers of compost and dirt filled it to a rounded top supported by an 8” frame. A 12” trench was dug and The crowns were planted, leaving just a tip exposed. As they grew they were mounded with compost. When they turned to ferns they were heavily mulched. We did not cut the asparagus last year. We did cut some of the ferns for decoration.
The stuff in the greenhouse is rockin’ and rollin’ as well. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage will go in the ground next week. Freeze is predicted for Tuesday. I will wait until after that to plant.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
False Spring
False Spring
Saturday morning the air was warm enough to go outside without a jacket. What a great time to plant the spring garden. Saturday saw carrots, radishes and beets sowed into a row 3’ wide and about 25’ long. Sunday was for Swiss chard, Tokyo cross hybrid turnips, curly mustard, mesclun mix and kale in one bed of 3 rows. Potatoes and onions went into another row.
The soil was too alkaline for potatoes so the first step was a heavy dusting of sulfur. It made me think about George Bush. Then I worked in a whole bunch of leaves so that the soil seems to be about ½ leaves and ½ dirt. Then the potatoes went in and a side row of onion sets. I still need to plant arugula and lettuce. Spinach has survived from the fall garden; but it never got big enough to pick. Maybe this warm weather will bring it up.
The weather man (fickle as he is) has promised us a week of spring like weather. I am quite sure it will be followed by more hard freezes and possibly some snow. I hope we won’t get early bloom on the flowers and fruit trees.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Saturday morning the air was warm enough to go outside without a jacket. What a great time to plant the spring garden. Saturday saw carrots, radishes and beets sowed into a row 3’ wide and about 25’ long. Sunday was for Swiss chard, Tokyo cross hybrid turnips, curly mustard, mesclun mix and kale in one bed of 3 rows. Potatoes and onions went into another row.
The soil was too alkaline for potatoes so the first step was a heavy dusting of sulfur. It made me think about George Bush. Then I worked in a whole bunch of leaves so that the soil seems to be about ½ leaves and ½ dirt. Then the potatoes went in and a side row of onion sets. I still need to plant arugula and lettuce. Spinach has survived from the fall garden; but it never got big enough to pick. Maybe this warm weather will bring it up.
The weather man (fickle as he is) has promised us a week of spring like weather. I am quite sure it will be followed by more hard freezes and possibly some snow. I hope we won’t get early bloom on the flowers and fruit trees.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Snow
Snow
Charlotte has another beautiful snow day. All the little growies in the greenhouse were snug and happy. All the little growies in the garden were hiding under a white blanket. Most growies really love snow. It gives them a warm blanket, slow release moisture and it fixes nitrogen in the soil. Have you ever noticed how green the grass is when the snow melts?
There are not many growies in my garden to benefit from the snow. The spinach is growing very slowly. The mustard & turnips have frozen several times. The salad greens look disgusting. Even the collards look sad. Maybe the snow will perk things up. The last snow did not seem to help.
The grapes got a good pruning last week. This was their first winter so they really got chopped back hard. They had a very strong growth last summer; but now they have been trimmed back to 2 laterals with 3 buds each. You won’t believe how hard it was to cut off almost the entire years growth. I am told that is what is required to build healthy vines. There will probably not be grapes this year; but we can harvest some grape leaves to stuff.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Charlotte has another beautiful snow day. All the little growies in the greenhouse were snug and happy. All the little growies in the garden were hiding under a white blanket. Most growies really love snow. It gives them a warm blanket, slow release moisture and it fixes nitrogen in the soil. Have you ever noticed how green the grass is when the snow melts?
There are not many growies in my garden to benefit from the snow. The spinach is growing very slowly. The mustard & turnips have frozen several times. The salad greens look disgusting. Even the collards look sad. Maybe the snow will perk things up. The last snow did not seem to help.
The grapes got a good pruning last week. This was their first winter so they really got chopped back hard. They had a very strong growth last summer; but now they have been trimmed back to 2 laterals with 3 buds each. You won’t believe how hard it was to cut off almost the entire years growth. I am told that is what is required to build healthy vines. There will probably not be grapes this year; but we can harvest some grape leaves to stuff.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Finally a Garden Weekend
Finally a Garden Weekend
Saturday morning I planted 4 flats of plants. Sunday morning some of them had already germinated. Sunflowers and Nasturtiums are unbelievably fast. I also laid off several rows in the garden and tested the ph. I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong with my ph meter. None of the spots I tested was less than 6.1
I have not added lime to the soil in 3 years. I add lots of leaves and compost. I was under the impression these things would make the soil more acid. I added sulfur to several rows last year. A spot from last years potato row, where I had brought the ph below 5 was the lowest ph. It was 6.1. I guess I will have to add more sulfur this year.
Next weekend I would like to plant potatoes, sugar peas, radish, carrots, onions, greens and salad greens. I am debating whether to till the soil or just plant. I tilled everything really deep at the end of the season last year. It has been heavily mulched since then. Maybe I will just pull back the mulch and plant the seeds. The potatoes will be the exception. I prefer to incorporate the leave into the potato bed. Also I need to add sulfur. The sugar peas of course will be inoculated. I may plant them without removing the mulch.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Saturday morning I planted 4 flats of plants. Sunday morning some of them had already germinated. Sunflowers and Nasturtiums are unbelievably fast. I also laid off several rows in the garden and tested the ph. I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong with my ph meter. None of the spots I tested was less than 6.1
I have not added lime to the soil in 3 years. I add lots of leaves and compost. I was under the impression these things would make the soil more acid. I added sulfur to several rows last year. A spot from last years potato row, where I had brought the ph below 5 was the lowest ph. It was 6.1. I guess I will have to add more sulfur this year.
Next weekend I would like to plant potatoes, sugar peas, radish, carrots, onions, greens and salad greens. I am debating whether to till the soil or just plant. I tilled everything really deep at the end of the season last year. It has been heavily mulched since then. Maybe I will just pull back the mulch and plant the seeds. The potatoes will be the exception. I prefer to incorporate the leave into the potato bed. Also I need to add sulfur. The sugar peas of course will be inoculated. I may plant them without removing the mulch.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
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