Downriver 2022 - Garden Adventures

[Downriver]

Well, it's March and about time to start this Glog. My intent is to cover all things garden, sans peppers. Peppers may appear here occasionally, but they will be the star in the Downriver 2022 - Pepper Time glog.

So, I've done nothing to prep the garden this year, although the time is approaching. They're calling for 2-4 inches of snow Saturday (3/12), but after that we're looking at a week of days with highs around 60F, give or take. I expect to make some progress then. Here's some of what I'm starting with. I'm not too worried - I have until mid-May before it'll be safe to plant out.

 

[JJJessee]

Hey, DR. I hope your 2-4" snow creeps across the mountain and provides a blanket for me too. Sauturday night's 22F is a little low for comfort(but I knew the risks). I don't usually put much in the ground this early , but I've got transplants of beets, cabbage and radishes that have been out a week, plus new growth on spinach, kale and cilantro that wintered over. Last year things just got too hot too quick for cool weather crops. So thought I'd err on the early side for once

Good luck 2022,
j

 

[Downriver]

Haven't really done anything in the garden lately. Weather has been crappy. It was in the teens this morning. That's ok, I still have plenty of time. Looks like daytime temps are moving into 50's / 60's soon. Nice weather to work outside.

In the meantime, selected tomatoes for this year.

I planted seeds on 3/22 and most were up in 4-5 days. Nice. (I only planted half the cells)



Probably have to re-pot in a week or so.

Next up, bean selection for this year. That's almost as hard to do as peppers lol.

 

[skullbiker]

Haven't really done anything in the garden lately. Weather has been crappy. It was in the teens this morning. That's ok, I still have plenty of time. Looks like daytime temps are moving into 50's / 60's soon. Nice weather to work outside.

In the meantime, selected tomatoes for this year.

I planted seeds on 3/22 and most were up in 4-5 days. Nice. (I only planted half the cells)



Probably have to re-pot in a week or so.

Next up, bean selection for this year. That's almost as hard to do as peppers lol.

Nice list and quick starts.

 

[JJJessee]

Same weather over here cross the mountain. Wind has been brutal as usual too. Almost got a pot of onion seedling I forgot and left out.
Weather looks decent on the 14-day forcast. I haven't drop a tomato seed yet.
Bean-wise, I'm giving Trail of Tears, and maybe Contenders another try.
Have fun out there.
j

 

[Downriver]

Nice list and quick starts.

Thanks SB. Looking forward to trying the Tomatoberry. Thanks again for the seeds!

 

[Downriver]

The first week of April was pretty nice weather, causing the peach trees and blueberry bushes to begin flowering. Then, the next week the weather shit the bed and turned cold again, with freeze warnings popping up. We have two young peach trees and this year was their first good bloom. Same with the blueberries. I decided I didn't want to lose the fruit if I could help it, so I decided to cover them. Ordered some covers on Amazon and got them in two days (gotta love Prime). So, we bagged all of them.



We ended up with 5 of 7 days with freeze warnings, one in the teens. The bags stayed on for the week. We were pleased to see the blossoms still open and enjoying themselves lol.


The peach trees completed their bloom, but the blueberries were still going strong when another cold-front came through last weekend. Ended up covering the blueberries again from a few days. Took the bags off yesterday and they still look great!

 

[Downriver]

Friggin frost again last night and tonight. Re-bagged the blueberries yesterday. Grrr.

 

[JJJessee]

Wow that's a tremendous set on the blueberries!

 

[Downriver]

Yepper, I took the bags off a few days later and they're still in good shape. Bloom is pretty much over and berries are starting to form. Now I got to get a net over them before they ripen and the birds eat them all lol.

I was looking at the young peach trees yesterday, and each one has about a dozen tiny peaches on them. Those frost bags sure did the trick. Now I gotta figure out how to keep the deer from eating them.

 

[Downriver]

Had a dead multi-trunk Slippery Bark Elm over close to the neighbors' fence that needed to come down. Called in a tree removal company to do it the right way. (If you look in the upper lefthand righthand corner, you can see one of them up there getting ready to top that branch)



I had them chip what they could into mulch. This is heading to the main pathway in the garden. That's why I posted about this tree in the first place lol.

 

[Downriver]

Spring is here and the wildlife is frisky.



The cat is not impressed.

 

[Downriver]

After 15+ years, I needed to rebuild one of the garden gates so, a week or two ago I did. Hauled it down to the garden and hung it.

 

[Downriver]

More black snakes. There's actually TWO in the first photo. I think there was a little hanky-panky going on, lol. One followed/chased the other into the bushes. Then, I saw ANOTHER one up closer to the house just a few hours later! He was a little bigger than the first two. Geez. I've seen more snakes this year than in the last 10 years combined.

 

[Downriver]

Looks like the blueberries survived the late Springtime freezes and are going to produce. This will be the most productive they've been so far. Now, if I can get them covered with netting before they ripen. Birds LOVE blueberries. There's a pair of cardinals that just sit in a nearby tree all day, waiting for the color change, lol.

 

[Downriver]

Got the first four varieties of beans planted yesterday.

French Gold (snap)
Worchester Indian Red Pole (lima)
Kelvedon Marvel (runner)
Old Fashioned Whipporwill (cowpea)

Sorry, no pics. Just close your eyes and think "dirt", lol.

Hope to plant next four varieties Friday.

Still working on clearing rows for tomatoes. Maybe by Friday as well.

 

[Downriver]

Got the blueberries covered with bird netting, and have been picking berries the last few weeks. Berries are on the small side, probably due to heat and low rainfall. They're still good and sweet though! I'll probably add them to the drip system next year, to provide even and consistent watering. Still lots to be picked.

 

[Downriver]

Speaking of drip system....I have been a soaker hose guy for 15-20 years. Problem is they develop leaks or simply break after a few years. Now they're so expensive, I decided to look at drip irrigation a little closer. I found a "starter" kit that included 100' of drip line. Since my rows are 25' long, the math was pretty easy. And since I have 4 rows of beans, where to test it out was also an easy decision. I really like how it works, and so do the beans. I'll probably be expanding the system next year.

 

[Downriver]

The prepping of tomato rows was completed, and all the tomatoes are planted, caged, and beginning to grow in earnest. They might be a little late, but we should still get plenty of tomatoes. Fingers crossed.

 

[Tybo]

Spring is here and the wildlife is frisky.



The cat is not impressed.

Hey DR. We have those snakes here also. People call them Black Racers but I'm not sure of the correct name. I've also heard them called Black Rat Snakes. Either way, I'm glad to see them around. They are supposed to keep the vermin population under control and I've even heard they will kill venomous snakes like the copperheads and rattlesnakes we have here in VA. Come to think of it I haven't seen a venomous snake around the house since we've lived here. We did have one of these black snakes living between our porch and house (there was a gap) that was close to 6 feet long! I haven't seen it this year though.