The Yellow Farmhouse Garden

The lovely weather we had on Mother’s Day Weekend, even though it was coolish, really got me itching to put my annuals outside to start hardening them off. But then, we had ice on the birdbath so I had to curb my impulse. Still, I thought “this week I should be able to get those plants out there, maybe by the end of the week.” Now, I don’t think I will take the chance. It is supposed to get down to 39 degrees on Wednesday Night and down to 43 the next night. Its still too chancey. I like to have my annuals outside in a sheltered place for a week before I actually plant them. So these cold nights will delay my planting dates for maybe another week.

For hardening off annuals and vegetables seedlings, the best way is to gradually acclimate them to the outside. At home with just a few plants you could put them out on the east side of a shrub, tree or building if it is not a breezy location. Just a few hours of sun the first day, a couple more hours the second day, 6 hours the third day. Make sure they don’t dry out. A dry, breezy day with suck the water right out of them. If you are a working person, start doing this routine on the weekend and then by the time Monday comes you’ll be up to 6 hours and they won’t need so much babying. But don’t forget to water them before you rush off to work.

To make it slightly easier, let the movement of the sun do the work for you. Put the plants just a little ways a way from the shrub, tree or building on the east side. The shadow of the shrub should start to creep over the plant at just about the right time. The next day, move the plants farther away so the shadow doesn’t hit them till 2 hours later. And then move them even farther away the next day. Keep a eye on the frost and make sure you water when needed.

Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants and Salvias are a few that do not like temperatures below 50 degrees. So wait alot lot longer before you put them out.

I got to quit now and bring my houseplants inside from on the porch! Bye now, Judy

Earlier this week, we planted our main onion crop.

We sowed the seed in the greenhouse back in January into flat trays. From this method you get what is known as “Onion transplants”, which are simply onion seedlings.

In this part of the country, onions can only be grown by transplants or “sets”. Onion sets are small, dried onion bulbs that are planted directly into the garden bed. Sets are readily found in garden centers.

Normally, we like to grow our own transplants because we can get the varieties we want.

This year we planted two beds of “White Spear” which is a green onion used for “veggie trays”.

Two beds of “Copra” were also planted. These are a yellow onion used for cooking. They are quite strong freshly sliced, but turn very sweet and flavorful when cooked. They also store exceptionally well.

For slicing onions on burgers and sandwhiches we planted a red onion called “Mars”. In years past we liked to grow “Burgermaster”, but seeds of this variety have become scarce.

Transplants are sold in all garden centers either in small trays or in semi-dry bundles of a couple of dozen or so. Here’s what ours look like:

We usually dig shallow furrows using a “V” shaped hoe and line up the transplants at a spacing of 3/4″ to 1″ for our green onions and 1-1/2″ to 2″ apart for our regular onions.

The distance between rows in our beds is quite close…just far enough apart to comfortably get a hoe in between. You really can use whatever distance you like. I have seen rows as far apart as 24″ or more, because the gardener was using a rear-tine rototiller to cultivate between the rows.

Tuck your transplants into the furrow about to the depth they were originally growing, (where the white bottom begins to turn green). Firm the soil around them and give them a drink of water. They will begin growing right away.

• Keep in mind that onions cannot compete against weeds at all.
• Onions need adequate water…no drought
• They need lots of leaves on top if they are to grow large bulbs, so fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilize early on in the season

In this photo you can see some of our onion beds. The large, full-grown onions in the forground are our winter onions. These are able to survive the winter so you can harvest a crop of green onions early in the spring.

Later on in our kitchen, we’ll be shedding tears of joy and gladness for our onion crop.

Bob

I just learned today that one of the varieties of Broccoli we grow in our garden, “Marathon”, has 35% less calcium and magnesium per serving than other Broccoli hybrids.

I liked growing Marathon because it seemed to be easier to grow than other varieties.

Ease of growing is a good criterion for selecting a variety to grow, but it does not trump nutrition in my book.

Bob

Spring flowers that are blooming now, such as tulips and daffodils, need to be planted in the fall in order to produce flowers in the spring.

This is true for other not so well known spring bulbs such as these Grape Hyacinths…

and these Anenomes…

Now is a good time to pick out a spot in your yard where you might want some spring color next year.

Watch for bulbs being advertised in July through September in gardening publications. Bulbs are available in all Garden Centers September through November.

Bob

Those of us who enjoy gardening feel a certian relaxation and sense of well-being while plying our craft.

Recently, scientists have discovered a bacterium that lives in garden soil that can improve the symptoms of depression as effectively as anti-depressant drugs.

The findings were published in the medical journal Neuroscience. For an easy to read article on this story click here.

Somehow, these bacteria activate our brain cells to produce a chemical known as serotonin. A lack of serotonin in our systems is thought to be a cause of depression as well as anxiety, aggresssion, IBS and a number of other disorders.

Maybe there is something to the idea that past generations had fewer cases of mental health issues. After all, at one time, most of the population lived on farms and worked the soil.

It’s also said that people in poorer countries seem to be more contented and at peace. Could this be due to their close ties to the soil?

All this confims what gardeners already know…gardening is healthy for mind, body and spirit. We now have scientific proof! (as if we really needed it).

Bob