January Jump-Start (Garden Dream and Plan Thread)

[sumi]

Well done, Beekissed! And thanks for sharing your tips. I should probably grow a few onions myself, though I'd go for a smaller type. I'm the only one here that eats them.

@treerooted planning is fun, but be prepared for things changing once you get going in the garden! I never plan too much ahead any more. I just get in there and get going (and usually end up with twice as much as I originally planned!)

 

[treerooted]

It's true @sumi, but if I'm planning to sell then planning is really important! You can make changes as necessary, and adapt to that years conditions, but market gardens need to be well organized.

My other garden isn't nearly so well planned out as it's just for personal use.

 

[treerooted]

One old fella said, in order to plant them evenly spaced in your seedling tray, mix the seeds with some of the soil thoroughly, then just sprinkle the mix over the top of your potting soil in the tray. That worked like a dream...these sprouts are VERY evenly distributed throughout the tray.

I remember when I worked on a farm one spring we did the same thing with direct-seeding tiny seeds using a seeder in the garden. It couldn't seed carrot seeds very well so we'd add a certain amount of soil and it really helped!

 

[Beekissed]

Those onion seeds are STILL popping out of the soil, so even more have germinated while I was gone this weekend. I had to remove the plastic wrap off the top of the tray to allow room for the sprouts and also let air in there...don't want it to mold and I saw a little white fuzz in a corner of the tray.

Also moved them to a cooler part of the house now that they've germinated...we are having some warm temps here, got windows open in the house, it's that warm.

I am hoping and praying I can get them to the garden without killing them or stunting them in some way. I never know when I'm going to kill whole trays of seedlings out of clumsiness or forgetfulness.

 

[Mini Horses]

I spent a little time looking at frost dates, looking at germination and maturity dates, back-peddling on the calendar to see when to start seeds to set out at....whatever dates....so I could chart what I will grow by dates. Start XXX, transplant XXX, direct sow, plow the pasture and overseed, etc.

Well it became a sizeable project and I had to stop to get ready to go to work. But I have much of the info ready to chart out so I can "attempt" to be organized. I just don't want to be looking at a tilled area and go ya needed to start seeds a month ago!!! Yep, been there, done that.

All said & done, I'm thinking first of Feb I could start seeds! That's only ONE week away

 

[Beekissed]

Sweet little sweet onion sprouts...tender and green, reminds me of the first grass of spring!

 

[treerooted]

I just did some of my seed starting dates as well, though they're subject to change.March 14 is my earliest date so far.
My dad will start onions mid-late February.
So long to wait for anything to get started...

 

[NH Homesteader]

I'm with you! I haven't even figured out dates yet but I know they're far away!

 

[treerooted]

I'm with you! I haven't even figured out dates yet but I know they're far away!

Sooooo far But that's also what makes planning now fun Though I know you're planning a smaller garden this year.


Because of the market-garden potential I wanted to get an idea of how spring would play out. If it goes ahead everything will have to be thoroughly planned out by the end of February.

My biggest worry now is that I've chosen 20" beds instead of 30" and feel like I'm committing some sort of sacrilege and will regret it forever!

 

[baymule]

Y'all are so organized. I garden by the sawed off shotgun method. Just pull the trigger and blast it. Back tracking on the calendar from planting date to planting date? My planting dates are because I want to plant NOW, so I do.