Get Me To The Country: April 2022

This month I have pushed hard to get as much as possible planted early. The higher food prices rise, the harder I work. Our last frost was a few days ago so now its time to focus on the warm weather plants.

Bill was able to plow this section by stopping to rest and breathing carefully. It wasn't easy, but he did it. I'm so proud. We are slowly getting everything done.

Deep paths were dug between the rows to create water drainage if (when) there is a huge storm. The garden is situated on a sloping hill so rainwater runs down the field across the garden and into the woods. I learned this lesson the hard way after losing the whole garden my first year. Weeds, leaves, and twigs are going to be thrown into the deep ruts so eventually, the paths will become full. This saves me the trouble of hauling stuff to the compost pile, waiting for it to decompose, and then carrying it back to the garden.

Before / After

The first row on the right beside the yard has just been planted with cool weather vegetables, kale, cabbage, and Chinese greens. They will be harvested before hot summer arrives and then long vining winter squash will be planted in the empty spaces. The plan, which is subject to change, is to let them grow over the short fence and take over the yard. We need a huge amount to store and feed us through the winter.

The second row will be fast-growing beans followed by sweet potatoes. The potato vines will be allowed to spread to the right over the path and into the squash bed. It will be a mess but should produce an abundance.

The third bed has just been planted with Orange Icicle Tomatoes.

Below is last year's crop on June 29th. They are covered with the first fruit of the season but it developed blossom end rot. It was either caused by a calcium deficiency in the soil or the roots being unable to access enough calcium due to extreme water fluctuations from dry to wet. No other tomato, pepper, or melon developed problems. Even the watermelon that grew below them was fine. This variety of tomato is susceptible so I should have tossed the seeds. However, after being treated they recovered and produced more than any other plant. They are being given another chance.

This will not happen again, I vowed.

All winter long we tossed eggshells into these pots to decompose. The compost will be added to the soil to make sure there is plenty of calcium.

The Orange Icicle tomato plants are spaced further apart so they will not need to fight for water. Around the roots I added a pinch (1/2 teaspoon) of Epsom salt because I have been told it might help, internet opinions differ. Next, I threw in a little 13-13-13 fertilizer. Thank goodness I was able to find some. Lastly, a pinch of Calcium Nitrate was also added. If this doesn't work, nothing will.

The next row over is the garlic, onions, and romaine lettuce. The lettuce seeds were saved from one plant two years ago. I didn't think they were viable and so I broadcast heavily. Oh, was I wrong! Every seed germinated! It has encouraged me to focus more on seed saving.

The next bed to the left is a narrow row that has bok choy, napa cabbages, and anything fast-growing. All will be harvested soon then peppers will be slipped into the empty spaces between the onions. Come July, the onions will be finished but the peppers will produce until frost.

The next sections are in the process of being planted.

The assorted kales in the second to the last row close to the field fence are from the winter garden and are bolting. Some are being saved for seeds but there is too much for us to use so they will be frozen or shared. Okra will be planted here and after it is tall enough, late beans will be put underneath.

At the beginning of this month, we dug four trenches in the back of the garden for potatoes. As they sprout, the soil is hoed up around them. This is the first time I have tried growing them like this. Last year covering them in hay worked great but now I don't want to take a chance it may have been sprayed with something toxic.

Three weeks later after a few warm sunny days, the potatoes sprouted.

The back left corner has a patch of Bloomsdale spinach. It is the first time I have ever been successful at growing more than a few plants. I learned the secret - plant early and plant a lot.