Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the middle of a Wisconsin winter

[lazy gardener]

Oh, Oh, Oh... See the pretty flowers, said LG!!! You have truly blown my socks off. What an incredibly beautiful garden! IMO, every veggie garden needs LOTS of flowers. Thank you for sharing those pics. You've got me drooling and all aquiver about the possibilities for next season!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

"Oh! Oh! OH! See the pretty flowers, said LG!" What an incredibly beautiful garden. You've got me all aquiver and drooling over the possibilities for next season. Hurry up spring, already!!! Thank you for sharing.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sorry bout the double posts! computer acting up.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I though it was cute, it's okay.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Finally sitting down and organizing and going through my seeds, I probably have enough until the next decade, now to divide them into piles of how many weeks before to start them. We are also putting up a couple of more shelves and lights in my upstairs so I don't have to use the basement which is too cold to grow my seedlings. Next step will be to assemble and clean my trays and cell packs. Anyone else start their own seeds.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I laugh just a bit at trying to start seeds indoors here. We have one stupid cat that will eat the starts down to the dirt.
I am looking at greenhouse kits. I think I have a good spot to put a small one up.

SOOOOO much work to be done.

What do you think of this little greenhouse?

http://www.hayneedle.com/product/po...sku=PTX002-1&gclid=CNaWpfKLoMoCFQgKaQodpFIDkQ

Of course I would price it out and see if making my own would be better.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would think jealousy, I've always wanted a green house but haven't ever made that commitment, I think I would be trying to grow lettuce in winter, I read if you fill barrels of water they will release the heat all night and keep stuff from freezing. I mostly use my shed windows and move my plants in and out, a greenhouse might have to go on my dream list.
That's a good size for one, all kinds out there, now you have me thinking.

I don't have cats in the house, but my dogs have been know to help out by eating some, or knocking them down, at one point I had to move all my house plants upstairs because the dog enjoyed tossing them around the house. Thankfully dogs grow out of making that kind of trouble, cats I don't think ever do.

We are also discussing plowing up a patch in the field to try to grow sweet corn and pumpkins, but I'm unsure how much damage the chickens would do to growing corn, probably dig up the seeds before germination, I have a two foot tall fence around some of my gardens and they don't go over it, but you can't plow with a fence around an area.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I had a couple 20 foot long rows of sweet corn 2 years ago. The hens got to run they yard than and once it had sprouted they left it alone. Could you do a temporary short fence around the area to keep them out until it had sprouted well? I don't think they like the leaves as I never saw anyone take a stab at it. Now the cabbage did not survive the onslaught that year lol.

I have also been reading alot on the bonnie plants site https://bonnieplants.com/. I have found some interesting information on there. I like the heirloom varieties they have.

Home Depot carries them so that is what I usually get for young tomatoes. I tried from a local greenhouse one year and got nothing for my efforts that way.

I really need to run and get some chicken food before I forget today. I will be back on later.

 

[lazy gardener]

Finally sitting down and organizing and going through my seeds, I probably have enough until the next decade, now to divide them into piles of how many weeks before to start them. We are also putting up a couple of more shelves and lights in my upstairs so I don't have to use the basement which is too cold to grow my seedlings. Next step will be to assemble and clean my trays and cell packs. Anyone else start their own seeds.

Yep. Big time seed addiction here. Several years ago, I went to my son and DIL's house to help them plant their first garden. We tilled and tilled, and tilled some more, then we unwound about 25' of heavy chain from the tiller tines that had been buried in the ground... then we tilled some more. DIL showed up when we were getting ready to plant. I went to the truck, and pulled out my boxes of seeds. We sat on the lawn and looked everything over. Her comment? "You have a serious problem here. Why are you keeping all of those seeds. I think it's time for a family intervention!"

I laugh just a bit at trying to start seeds indoors here. We have one stupid cat that will eat the starts down to the dirt.
I am looking at greenhouse kits. I think I have a good spot to put a small one up.

SOOOOO much work to be done.

What do you think of this little greenhouse?

http://www.hayneedle.com/product/po...sku=PTX002-1&gclid=CNaWpfKLoMoCFQgKaQodpFIDkQ

Of course I would price it out and see if making my own would be better.

My cat is also a menace to all things growing. He loves to graze on my spider plants, and will go to great lengths to get to them. Knocks over 3 plant pots, spilling contents onto the floor and down the heat ducts in his efforts to get the spiders! Then, when I start seedlings, he LOVES to climb into a seed tray, and lay on top of the little plants. I have 2 of the little mini green house frames. I can set one in the window, with 2 legs on the window sill, and the other 2 legs on the bookcase that I built. It has 3 shelves. I can then set my trays there, put a florescent light over at least one tray, and wrap tin foil or plastic around the 3 sides away from the window. Provides a lot of light, and traps a bit of heat, Keeps the cat out. I have a big set up in my basement, but haven't used it for a few years because of the heat required to keep it warm enough. But, when stuff gets up and going well, I can move some of it down under the big florescent fixtures, with the bulbs just about touching the leaves, and they do ok there then.

I would think jealousy, I've always wanted a green house but haven't ever made that commitment, I think I would be trying to grow lettuce in winter, I read if you fill barrels of water they will release the heat all night and keep stuff from freezing. I mostly use my shed windows and move my plants in and out, a greenhouse might have to go on my dream list.
That's a good size for one, all kinds out there, now you have me thinking.

I don't have cats in the house, but my dogs have been know to help out by eating some, or knocking them down, at one point I had to move all my house plants upstairs because the dog enjoyed tossing them around the house. Thankfully dogs grow out of making that kind of trouble, cats I don't think ever do.

We are also discussing plowing up a patch in the field to try to grow sweet corn and pumpkins, but I'm unsure how much damage the chickens would do to growing corn, probably dig up the seeds before germination, I have a two foot tall fence around some of my gardens and they don't go over it, but you can't plow with a fence around an area.

You can easily have a hay bale cold frame. Super easy to construct, then when you're done with it, just remove the covering, remove the twine, and kick the hay around for garden mulch. Works great! Or you can buy a couple of cattle panels and make a super easy green house. Check out Back To Eden gardening. It will make tilling become a distant memory! Your gardens are absolutely drop dead gorgeous!!!