The soil dries out very quickly as you can tell. We have a dehumidifier in the basement which sucks all of the moisture out. If we didn't have it, I'd be growing mushrooms as well. I just have to make sure I water everything frequently.The cabbage and cauliflower seedlings are doing very well. They're actually looking robust which is nice for how cold it is in that basement. It gives me hope that those broccoli seedlings will toughen up as they grow.
See! Some are even starting to sport their true leaves. Just a few more short weeks and they'll be in the garden.
I'm hoping to get the additions to the beds on this weekend and fetch the compost to refill the beds. It's going to rain on Sunday, so if I'd need to get it done on Saturday if anything.I know the added depth is going to be a huge asset when it comes to larger harvests. I don't know why I didn't just go ahead and make the beds to the depth I wanted to begin with. Hindsight and all that, I suppose.
I'll be starting some lettuce and spinach seedlings here in a week or two. The fun's really about to begin!
The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.
Love the sprouts! (even if it does keep reminding me that we haven't started our seeds yet...)
ReplyDeleteWhat depth are you going to make your beds? We're tearing ours apart and rebuilding them this year and so I wonder if depth was an issue with ours. They were about 12" - 15" deep.
The seedlings are looking good! I've got a few started under lights also and I'm hoping the veggie beds will dry out enough to be able to dig in a couple of weeks. I'll see what El Nino has to say about that...
ReplyDeleteHi badgeroendous! It's a bit of a story. I started off with two 8 inch that didn't perform well. Raised those to 16 inch and built more 12 inch which are FANTASTIC!!!
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of the year I built two more 6 inch and an 8 inch even knowing the failure of the first 8 inch. I'm raising the 6 to 12 and the 8 to 16.
I honestly believe depth has a lot to do with it. Maybe not as much if your soil beneath is workable, but mine are on cardboard or landscape fabric. I do have three 6 inch beds that are open to the ground beneath and those do fine with the 6 inch depth.
Michelle, Mother Nature is one fickle mother, isn't she. At least if our crops fail, we can always blame her and still feel good about ourselves! HA!
ReplyDeleteHey Ribbit, what are your night time temperatures right now? Will you give them any protection once you plant them out? I can't when to start mine. I would love to utilize my hoops to give them a head start.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the 30's at night, but that's no guarantee we'll stay there. February and March are usually really cold, but no, I won't give them any cover. Last year I went out and got some straw for the coldest nights, but I don't know if I'm going to bother with it or not. Broccoli's pretty hardy and the broccoli I had out in this month's 8 degree weather came out just fine.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see all the little seedlings and they are doing very well too. I have to wait to plant things outside until mid april...
ReplyDeleteThe only things I have planted are in the coldframes - and no sprouts yet! No broccoli for me this spring, because it's not recommended for spring planting in Alabama. Your seedlings look great!
ReplyDeleteOH! You've started your seeds already. ::sigh:: They're beautiful!.
ReplyDelete::Pines away for spring.::
It's nice to see the beginnings of a summer garden, Spring is just around the corner!
ReplyDeleteWow, Dad. April is a long time away. You must have to plant spring and summer crops almost right on top of each other.
ReplyDeleteReally, EG? Not for spring? How odd.
ReplyDeleteTHanks, JJ.
ReplyDeleteKelly, I can hardly wait. Now I just have to find a rain free weekend to fix those boxes which doesn't look like will happen soon.
They look great! I am still organizing my house and moving furniture looking for that perfect place to put my seed flats!
ReplyDeleteRibbit, the seedlings are looking good and healthy. It makes me anxious after seeing these. ;)
ReplyDeleteI wish the broccoli ones looked as good as the cabbage. It has me nervous.
ReplyDeleteI think you are really smart to raise the depth of the beds if you have mesh underneath. Plants really need a deep amended soil to grow proper root systems. Only shallow rooted crops like lettuce can do well in a 8 inch depth container (which is what you really have if the bottom is covered).
ReplyDeleteGood work on the seedlings.