April's Garden (2024)

 

It has been a busy month in the garden. Winter weather is finally finished. The summer garden has been held back because we had two late frosts last week. Spring planting began a few days ago.

The new strawberry bed has begun to produce. Last year, I planted four different varieties and chose the two with the best flavor. As they multiplied, they were divided, transplanted and have almost filled both beds.

The empty areas have onions and an unknown variety of grocery store purchased bulbs of garlic.

We have harvested about ten strawberries so far and have discovered the perfect shade of red when the flavor is at peak ripeness. So far, no berries have made it into the house but have been immediately devoured by whomever spies the treasure.

Today, the garden appears to be nothing but potatoes and onions.

Last summer, I tried starting onion seeds. It didn't go well. These are all that survived. The experiment was a failure of outcome but a success in knowledge attained. It was labor intensive watering and weeding tiny seedlings that were the size of hairs, Never again will I make that mistake. 

Since seed starting was fraught with failure, I decided to buy onion sets from a seed company but was shocked at the prices.  It cost over $35 (including shipping) for this amount. Only a few companies sell them in the fall so they charge premium prices. During spring planting season, the same amount can be grabbed from the bulk bin at the local farmer's co-op for about $5. 

Those planted in the fall survived the winter fine without a hoop house. They are larger than those planted this spring and should mature earlier making way for summer crops.  Planting them in the winter was better because they used up garden space that would have remained empty.

Since winter planting is preferred now, this fall I will try two new solutions. First, Reese offered to start onion seeds for me under his grow light (he will have a better success rate because he knows what he is doing.) We won't transplant any until they are a decent size. Secondly, an old farmer friend said to store some of the inexpensive spring bulbs in the refrigerator and plant them in September.  A few bulbs have been saved back to test that theory.

The carrots that were planted last fall and never covered under a hoop house have begun bolting. I wondered how long they would last.  Most have already been harvested but a few still remain. They are odd shapes because I didn't thin the seedlings due to expectations that nothing would live - wow, was I wrong. 

Onions, carrots and Swiss Chard are all that are left from the winter garden. The summer garden should be finished soon and then we can sit back and watch it grow. 

Last Month's March Garden (2024)

Last Year's April Garden (2023)

Through the Garden Gate