Clstratton- a long ways to go in self-sufficiency!

[dacjohns]

Speaking of greenhouses in Alaska. When I lived there as a kid we had one in one of our backyards (we lived in two different houses there). It was so awesome to walk in there in the dead of winter and smell the earthy smell of things growing.

I've been thinking about that greenhouse a lot lately. I remember huge heads of something... I don't remember if it was lettuce or cabbage. Was the greenhouse heated? How were we able to grow stuff in that much cold, with that little sunlight, even in a greenhouse? Maybe Papa Bear can help fill in the details.

Not now. I'm brain dead.

 

[clstratton]

Checked the seeds in the basement yesterday. More than 50% of the broccoli has sprouted. Not bad considering it supposedly takes 10-14 days to germinate. We planted them exactly a week ago, but the seeds didn't get water until a day or two later. So hooray for broccoli. Still waiting on the peppers though. They are supposed to take 10-12 days, so I'm not worried yet. In about two weeks we will do the tomatoes, then when it gets nice outside (it's snowed twice last week) we will plant corn, pumpkins, green beans, cilantro, onion sets, cucumbers, and carrots. I'm getting ansty, especially since the sun is shining brightly today.

 

[clstratton]

Went down to Utah this weekend to visit the relatives. On the way down we picked up a bicycle for me that we got off of Craigslist. Then we stopped in Sandy, UT to pick up some food storage buckets. $6.50 for a 6 gallon bucket with lid (not a gamma lid though). Then we hung out with family for a few days and came home. Checked the plants downstairs, and now most of our peppers have germinated. Only two or so that haven't done anything yet. Some of our broccoli has stalled out, so we will probably plant more seeds in the ones that haven't done anything yet. Or that ones that have stopped. We'll also probably plant the tomato seeds this week too.

When we left Idaho on Friday, there was about 5 inches of snow on the ground. There was none when we got home on Sunday. Also, we had two daffodil flowers, so maybe Spring really is here. Maybe. The soil is still too moist to start working it without compacting it, so I've been trying to be careful with the flowers beds. But some weeding does need to get done. I think this year we will put down some more mulch. It's been a few years. Also got to get out the loppers do do some more pruning on the trees. Always more work to do, right? At least we don't have animals we have to take care of.

 

[clstratton]

Finally planted the tomato seeds. So far I am hoping for three Roma plants, nine Cherry tomatoes (Supersweet 100), and nine Early Girls. Also replanted some broccoli seeds, since some of them failed to sprout. And all the jalapeno peppers have sprouted. There's one we are keeping an eye on. Hopefully it was just a little slow to sprout. Also bought one of those strawberry planters, complete with around 20 plants, at Sam's Club. I don't know why anybody buys those planter pots. They are just about impossible to work with. How is anyone supposed to keep the soil inside the pot, and prevent it from spilling out the side holes? I don't get it. But DH did the best he could. Hopefully it does well for us. I would love to eat strawberries from my garden again this year.

Also, DH and I started planning what we are going to do with the backyard. Last year we had an addition put on the house, so the backyard looks pretty bad. We are hoping to put in a berry patch: strawberries, raspberries, and serviceberries (a plant native to my area that tastes like blueberries). We are also going to put in a fire pit and a slightly wooded area (our lot is only about .28 acre), in addition to the garden which is already out there. I'm excited for the yard to finally get done. We've been in the house for 3.5 years.

 

[dacjohns]

Every time you turn around you mess up the back yard. No wonder it isn't finished. Are you waiting for your cheap labor to visit?

 

[clstratton]

We always welcome cheap labor. Especially when cheap labor brings free babysitting.

 

[dacjohns]

As long as we can go for walks and look at the animals.

 

[clstratton]

Yeah, any time. We would love to have you.

 

[dacjohns]

You need an avatar.

 

[clstratton]

I am my father's daughter. It's been a while. We've been busy.

Planted grass in the backyard, and put in the garden. We have tomatoes, peppers, broccoli (all started from seed in the basement), then we put in onion sets (red and yellow), planted green beans, corn, acorn squash, Snack Jack and Sugar Pie pumpkins, cuccumbers, and carrots. I think that is all. I also have a few strawberry plants and raspberry plants.

Dug up, divided and gave away a lot of irises. About 8 trash bags full. Planted some irises in the backyard, next to the deck. Built a retaining wall with DH, took about two hours. Not too shabby, and it looks great. Dacjohns came to visit for a day in his great trip out west. Wish he could have stayed longer. Maybe another time. Abigail had a great time with him. She loves her Grampy. Bryant was ambivalent, but he's only nine months old, so what do you expect. Now he's crawling and trying to play with the DVD player. Silly boy.

Of the veggies in the garden, the corn, green beans, the Snack Jack pumpkin, and the onions are all starting to come up. We have lost one jalapeno pepper plant, but have 17 more, along with two bell peppers from a neighbor. And the grass is starting to fill in. Rain yesterday and today, hopefully tomorrow too. Sure saves money on watering when it rains. Time to get ready for the library.