Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the middle of a Wisconsin winter

[21hens-incharge]

I went to the garden center that was most likely to have the wave seeds. NOPE they don't sell them but they will have started plants available in late April. Thinking they are just to darn good for them to share lol.

It is ok I really don't have but 2 large pots on the front porch that I like to plant them in anyway.

I did find some regular petunia and pansy seeds as well as merigolds that do not look like a weed. I want to plant a few in the cabbage bed to help run off the bad bugs (not sure it really works but cannot hurt either).

I did get some Beefsteak tomato seeds for hubby and some more heirloom pepper seeds for me. I think those should be seeds I can save from year to year.
I have been doing a lot of studying on growing here in Colorado. I think the year I had bad luck with my taters was more due to it being so very dry and trying to grow in straw. I don't think I was able to keep that wet enough for them to produce. I did get a few small red taters but not enough to have made THAT effort worth it. This time I am planning to do them much differently.

I was looking at growing a few things in pots and am thinking the 3 gallon frosting buckets from the bakery may just be the ticket for that. I can get them for free so the price is right.

I can still plant some of the seeds in the starting trays that I already have in the peat pots. That will be my back up lol. If everything does ok then the neighbors will surely take a few extras off my hands. I checked the moisture in the peat pots and think you all may be right. They are soaking up all the water so will need a lot more watering.

I am moving the strawberry bed since I cannot keep the tall weeds out of them and making that the tomato bed. I will have to block the sun from the ground there for sure or I will have that dang runner grass all up in my maters. I have yet to find an effective way of killing that stuff off. It runs rampant in my back yard and even straight 2-4-D only made it sick without killing it. Probably only got some of the shoots and not enough of the entire plant to kill the root system off.
I have been saving cardboard boxes from work and can put them down to smother the grass. Then I plan to build up the beds on top. Me and my wheelbarrow are going to be the bestest of friends this spring.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm getting tired just listening, for me thankfully most of that initial hard stuff is done. It took a few years to get good soil and to figure out what works best for me and my yard. I'm so excited for you, going to be an adventurous year.

Runner grass, my nemesis too, I go at it in the spring when the ground is damp enough to pull and dig up all those roots, I have dug under plants and just dug stuff up to get at those roots, it's satisfying to get a really long piece with a sprout on the end. Though I always look behind me and those are the grasses the dogs are looking for and the drag them around and eat the leaves. I have a different weed that runs but has weak runner roots that break off easy, that one I really hate and can't keep it controlled.

I think there's a strong patent on wave petunias yet that's why it's hard to get seeds. There a place called Jungs garden here in Wisconsin I think they have them. I just grow the regular non upright ones and cram them in. Petunias smell good but get a bit lanky fairly early and take a while to come back if you trim them up. Mine will self seed but revert back to the wild pink color.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I know you all are going to call me a liar but ..........
I have sprouts in my pots already. I only planted the seeds on Saturday afternoon and already have several brussel sprouts popping up. Still tiny but making themselves known. I am in total shock since the packet said 7 to 14 days.

I may have put them in a bit early.

Might find myself planting tree sized brussel sprouts in the garden.

 

[politicalcenter]

I know you all are going to call me a liar but ..........
I have sprouts in my pots already. I only planted the seeds on Saturday afternoon and already have several brussel sprouts popping up. Still tiny but making themselves known. I am in total shock since the packet said 7 to 14 days.

I may have put them in a bit early.

Might find myself planting tree sized brussel sprouts in the garden.

I believe you. You must have had the conditions just right.

I always start things too early. Then I panic cause I feel like I'm running out of time!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's funny, you must have done things right, now you will suffer the consequences. I still haven't found a moment to start my petunias, maybe in the next couple of days. Brussels I'm gonna direct seed.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Getting some really warm temps around here and WIND to go with them. There are a lot of flowers popping up that in a month will be buried under our heavy March snows. It is mostly the giant daffodil and oddly enough mums. Weird weather so weird plant growth.

The little seedlings are doing great! I did not think I had dropped brussel sprout seeds in the okra pots but there they are popping up. I have 4 out of 12 okra up and little onions too. I have a group of dud tomato seeds so will be replanting those. The seeds were very old so I did not really expect them to grow.

All of the Black Krim tomato seeds have sprouted and are doing well.

I am still planning on doing a greenhouse but planning is all I can do right now.

I need to get new batteries for the camera so I can take a few pics. I think the brussel sprouts are on the spindly side but have time to try again. I will try and get some pics today.

I am hoping everyone is enjoying some gardening related activities.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I took the plunge into getting some greenhouse supplies today. I got 8 second hand shower doors for less than 30 dollars. I know it sounds odd but here is the reasoning.

Shatter resistant, cost effective, small enough pieces to work with and wont block the sunlight.

I did not have the pick up today so will be getting them home next weekend. I may pick up a few more once I get the drawings done and figure out how it will all fit together.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good finds, are they the sliding ones with handles, or just plain glass, I think handles would come in handy, bad pun. I will wait anxiously to see your plans.

We are having a temporary thaw, 40 degrees, I can see my garden beds, easier to figure stuff out when you can see them.

Also put my order in for Gurneys whopper strawberries, as big as peaches, the advertising got me and the ease of pay when you get your plants.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They are of differing frame styles but the glass all matches so I plan to take the metal frames off and mount them in wood. I will have to be sure to remember the different expansion of the parts of course.
Some have handles but I made sure to pick the ones that the handle is mounted to the metal frame. I have 2 old fancy closet doors I got with plans to use them on the coop but they did not comply to the fit I needed so are sitting in the workshop. Not sure yet if I will be able to fit them on the greenhouse either. But they are pretty and it would be nice.

I had to go look for the whopper strawberries. Holy Hanna you will fill a basket quick with them.

 

[politicalcenter]

They are of differing frame styles but the glass all matches so I plan to take the metal frames off and mount them in wood. I will have to be sure to remember the different expansion of the parts of course.
Some have handles but I made sure to pick the ones that the handle is mounted to the metal frame. I have 2 old fancy closet doors I got with plans to use them on the coop but they did not comply to the fit I needed so are sitting in the workshop. Not sure yet if I will be able to fit them on the greenhouse either. But they are pretty and it would be nice.

I had to go look for the whopper strawberries. Holy Hanna you will fill a basket quick with them.

That is great! Maybe in the future we can talk greenhouse. Mine are cheap builds and will need work now and then but I love them. I have a bunch of pictures but I am not good enough with my cell phone to post them. It may also be a good idea to build it much larger than you think you will need.