Sunday, February 28, 2010

It's planting time!

This week I started getting some of the seeds planted. I was a little late getting those onions in the dirt, but the peppers and tomatoes are right on schedule. Planted so far are:
  • Red Zeppelin Onions (gotta love the name! haha!)
  • Candy Onions (in place of my favorite Expression which were "out of stock")
  • Red Marble Onions
  • Hardy Scallions (the first planting... these will continue every few weeks)
  • Peppers: Peacework, Revolution, New Ace, Carmen, Jalapeno, Valencia, and Flavorburst
  • Tomatoes: Brandywine, Green Zebra, Oregon Spring, Pruden's Purple, Amish Paste, Juliet, and Sun Gold Cherry
I'm very excited about the new peppers and tomatoes I'm trying this year. Those would be Peacework, Revolution, and Flavorburst peppers; Green Zebra, Oregon Spring, and Pruden's Purple tomatoes. I've discovered that tomatoes and peppers are my favorite vegetables to grow. I enjoy starting them in the house and watching them come up, transplanting them, turning the house into a jungle, moving the plants out to the cold frames and greenhouse, and then planting them in the garden. Then comes the REALLY great part--watching the plants really take off in the garden soil and produce their fruit. I really enjoy the challenge of coaxing early tomatoes and peppers in short Minnesota growing season.

I am hoping to put up a hoophouse for my tomatoes and peppers this year. I would love to extend our harvest season another month or two. I've been doing some research on these things, and currently am trying to decide if we have the know-how to build one from scratch or if we'd be better off with a kit. Cost will most likely be the deciding factor. So, most likely we will be building one without the assistance of a kit. Thankfully I have been able to find a few different websites and books with very good instructions. Of course, that won't happen for a few more months--we have to wait for the snow to melt first!!!

In the meantime I can create my little jungle inside the house. I'll be posting photos as everything starts getting green. Spring is just around the corner!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had a lot of fun helping you plant! Let me know when you need more help!

Becky said...

Hi! I'm a gardener in Manitoba, just to the north of MN. I have about 4 weeks less time between killing frosts.

I have tried growing seedlings indoors, but have had no luck at all. I'm looking forward to seeing your process. I currently buy plants.

Last year I wasn't healthy, so I grew nothing, but the year before I had an awesome crop of tomatoes (Sub Arctic Maxi and Bush Beefsteak), a great potato crop, and lots of experiments that taught me what, when and where to plant things. :)

Take care,

Becky

April said...

Megan, next week we need to pot on! (That kinda like "rock on" haha!) The tomatoes will be ready for bigger and better accommodations. You with me?!

April said...

Becky, welcome to my blog! If you look in my posts from about a year ago you will find a lot about how I start my seedlings. (I was having some major gardening withdrawal last year, and it made for some very detailed posts. :-) Keep checking in and if you are wondering about anything, just ask! I am no guru, but I can share MY experiences!

Next winter I want to attempt winter gardening with unheated hoophouses and coldframes (ala Eliot Coleman). I've been dying for fresh greens--the store greens don't begin to compare with your own homegrown ones! So I'm hoping that by this time next year, I will be happily munching on fresh lettuce, carrots, endive, spinach, etc. etc.

I'd love to hear more about your garden, too!