Week 3: A Little of This and A Little of That

Last weekend I spend most of my time transplanting over 250 snapdragons and approximately 118 nicotiana plants into the 3-hole packs.   Besides transplanting the flower seedlings I found time to transplant most of my tomatoes, ground cherries and tomatillos seedlings into individual pots.  The weather was wonderful outside last week but I spent most the weekend in the basement trying finish transplanting all the seedlings.  I only have two starter trayes left to transplant that includes 30 paste tomato plants, 18 eggplants, about 50 purple basils and another 50 green basil plants left to do.

I was hoping to start my cucumbers, butternut, acorn squash, and pumpkins last weekend but there is only so much time in a day.  I did find some time on Sunday morning to go outside and plant golden pea pods, sugar snap peas.  I put in more short rows of radishes, carrots and spinach.  The spinach and radishes from the earlier sowing sprouted a week ago.

I have run out of room on my plant stand, so I moved my cabbage, Brussels sprout, broccoli, cauliflower, and petunias out to the 3 season porch.  I would like to bring them outside to harden off but the nights have been in the mid to upper 30’s and I am worried that it is too cold for them.  The plants are more protected on the enclosed porch and seem to be doing well.

Today is the first day this week we will see the sun and I am hoping to rototill one of the gardens where I want to plant the cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.  I may just plant them before I harden them off outside.  If I do that, I am going to cover them with a ground cloth to protect them from the direct rays of the sun.

This weekend I will finished transplanting all my seedlings and plant the cucumbers and squashes in started pots.  I use to never start plants for cucumbers and squashes but in the last 4-5 years I had the replant seed directly is the soil least twice before they germinate.  When I mentioned this problem to other gardeners, agree that they are having the same problem.

Wednesday evening on my way home from work, I stopped at the local nursery and pick up more soil and flats for the weekend project.  So I am ready to finish the last of the indoor gardening this weekend. 

Note: We got frost this morning.  I guess it was a good thing that I did not put the plants outside to harden off.  I just hope the radishes and spinach that sprouted in garden survive.