seedlings

Winter Sowing Update: Day 21

by Michael Nolan on 9 March 2012 · 1 comment

in Articles, DIY, My Garden

3 weeks ago today I started my first winter sowing container outside made from a 2-liter soda bottle. It is a green bottle which is why I loving refer to it as my tiny greenhouse.

I know. Clever.

My Earth Garden: Winter Sowing Under the Steps

Because we live on an elevated slope that catches a lot of wind from three directions, I needed to find a secure location for my winter sowing container. As luck would have it, the front steps provided just such a shelter, allowing for adequate light and protection from wind and accidental flooding.

After preparing the container and adding seeds, I stowed it away in the Fort Knox of winter sowing containers (seen above).

As I go into the house, I have made it a habit to look between the steps to see if there is condensation on the inside of the bottle. If the condensate is minimal, I give it a quick spray with a mister bottle and return it to the secret hideaway. I have only added moisture twice in the past three weeks. To put this into perspective, my indoor seedlings have required watering almost daily. They’re needy and starting to get on my nerves.

Thinking that somehow three weeks was the magic number (don’t ask me why), I pulled out the greenhouse this morning and took a closer look.

My Earth Garden: Winter Sowing Tomatoes

When what, to my wondering eyes should appear but 3 Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomato seedlings! Yes, three. I know you can only see 2 in this photo, but there’s 3, I swear. Fine, don’t take my word for it.  Here:

My Earth Garden: Winter Sowing Tomatoes

Recap: As of Day 21, of the 7 seeds planted in this winter sowing container, 3 of them have germinated successfully.  Daytime temperatures have been quite warm for the most part though temps at night have dipped into the low 40s more than once.

I look forward to seeing how these seedlings fare over the next couple of weeks.

{ 1 comment }

What is Winter Sowing?

by Michael Nolan on 17 February 2012 · 4 comments

in Articles, DIY, My Garden

My Earth Garden: Milk Jugs for Winter Sowing

Winter sowing is one of those ideas that you hear and though you hadn’t considered it before, you wonder why because it just makes sense. Exactly as you might imagine based on the name, it is the act of sowing seeds outdoors in the winter.

The idea makes a lot of sense because it works similarly to a tiny greenhouse; you add soil and seeds to a container, cover the container (allowing for ventilation) and place it outdoors in a sunny location.

I have been thinking a lot in the past few months about my posting back in September (“Have We Made Gardening Too Complicated?” – 9/26/11) and how Ruth Stout’s methods were so simple and uncluttered. That thinking made me decide to fully embrace the concept of winter sowing this year for the first time. The beauty of winter sowing is that it works even if there is snow on the ground and it serves two great purposes for the plant-happy gardener:

  1. You save space by not having to find room for seed starting trays.
  2. You save time by not having to harden off your plants before transplanting.

My Earth Garden: Winter Sowing in a 2 Liter Bottle

Above you see the first winter sowing container we will be using this year. It is a 2-liter soda bottle that has been cut open leaving about 2” around the base. I used a knife to puncture several drainage holes around the base before filling it with soil and giving it a good soak.  Next I added 7 Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomato seeds and took the container outdoors.

My Earth Garden: Winter Sowing in a 2 Liter Bottle

In the photo to the left you can see the 2-liter soda bottle planted and soaking up some sun outside. In the time it took me to move the bottle outdoors and go inside for my camera to take these photos, the condensation had already begun to form in the bottle.

You will also notice that the cap has been removed. This is absolutely necessary when winter sowing in bottles in order to allow for adequate ventilation. You wouldn’t think that it would get too warm inside a winter sowing container considering it is winter and all, but the truth is that it can get pretty darned hot and you don’t want to cook your seedlings.

In this case I did not use anything to secure the top and bottom of the bottle together, but when I move on to the milk jugs you see in the first photo, I will follow the advice of winter sowers who have done this many times before and use tape to secure the pieces together so that they don’t lose too much moisture and they aren’t blown off by wind.

I’m looking forward to winter sowing lettuce and the first hand-germinated dandelions as well.  With all of the jugs and bottles we have saved up, who knows what all I might come up with.

Do you winter sow? Tell us about it!

{ 4 comments }

Our Garden Bed Diagrams

by Michael Nolan on 3 May 2011 · 2 comments

in Homesteading

At the risk of being accused of OCD, I share these diagrams of the new garden beds planted here on the homestead.  Fresh on the heels of being called sexy by Ecosalon.com, I guess I felt the need to prove that I’m more gardener than sexy.  When the beds are all finished, these diagrams will be complemented with photographs that will join them in the garden notebook for this season. (I’ll talk more about garden notebooks soon.)

okra_bed

Three rows of bush beans and two rows of Clemson Spineless Okra are virtually maintenance free once they are established.  They were started from seed on 5/2/11.  The Black Beauty Eggplant seedlings as well as the tomato seedlings were started indoors on the homestead in March.  The “? Tomato” was a volunteer seedling that started in a leftover bin of peat moss, so it won’t be identifiable until there are some tomatoes on it.

herb_bed

This herb bed is absolutely gorgeous. It is a combination of some of the most aromatic and beautiful herbs around.  We’ve already used basil and parsley!

tomato_bed_1

This is one of two tomato beds, this one including tomatillos and wayward bell pepper and dill plants.  The Homestead 24 tomatoes as well as the San Marzano heirloom came from our recent trip to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale.  The rest were started from my personal seed collection.

tomato_bed_2

The second tomato bed was actually planted first.  It includes seven tomato seedlings that were all started from seed here on the homestead.  The banana peppers were also started here.  The mini bell pepper was a purchase from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale, and it is already producing!

Here’s the rundown of what has been planted since the last update:

  • 5 Boston Pickling Cucumbers
  • 5 Yellow Straight Neck Summer Squash
  • Sunflowers
  • 3 Large Red Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 4 tomatillos
  • 4 Aunt Ruby’s German Green Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 3 Livingston Golden Queen Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 3 Black Sea Man Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 4 Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 2 Grandpa’s Cock’s Plume Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 1 ? Tomato
  • 2 Black Beauty Eggplant
  • 2 Brussels Sprouts
  • 5’ Cowpeas / Purple Hulls
  • 5’ Mangetout Oregon Sugar Pod
  • 6 Zucchini
  • 2 rows of Clemson Spineless Okra
  • 12 Romano Bush Beans

{ 2 comments }

Tuesday Photo Update

by Michael Nolan on 12 April 2011 · 2 comments

in photos

As I have been neck deep in busy lately, I wanted to take just a few moments to share some of the beautiful that’s going on around the homestead.  Here is today’s mini photo essay:

bean41211

The first Asparagus Bean seedling of the year has been up for a couple of days now.  The other 4 are breaking the ground today after last night’s storms.

Asparagus beans are delicious and unusual, with the average bean measuring in at well over a foot in length.  Each bean.

I will be growing bush beans off site at the secret gardens, but I am excited to see these “yard long beans” get their start.  The climbing wall will be built for them next week and in no time will be covered with green!

I’m ready to dig out my canning recipes for dilly green beans, and the asparagus bean is a perfect candidate for it.

onions41211

The onion bed is full of activity, with three different types of onion sets already growing incredibly well.

Purple, yellow and white onions are all sharing half of a large bed that will soon be home to horseradish and a few annual flowers as well.

These onion sets were a great find on a recent trip to Virginia to visit family and I am looking forward to using them in the kitchen for a cool summer salad.

greens41211I can’t say enough about these Georgia collard greens.

Remember that these greens (three plants in total) were salvaged from my old farm a few weeks ago where they had overwintered in the garden untouched along with a bed of turnips.

I transplanted these three babies and  have had some delicious meals from them.  Sadly it appears that the next batch I pick may be the end of these diehards for the year.

I will be sad to see them go!

purplewild41211

Don’t wild flowers rule?

These have the most vibrant purple blooms.

I’m afraid that I am going to be forced to cultivate these.

How is your garden growing?  Seedlings will be making their way from inside to the outdoors over the next few days here, and the tomatoes will be in the ground.  Nothing says Garden Season like tomatoes in bloom!

{ 2 comments }