Last summer was the first time I planted my entire garden by the signs-it was also the best producing garden I’ve ever grown. The process of having to plant certain crops at certain times is restricting-especially if the weather isn’t cooperating on the appropriate day. But overall I find planting by the signs forces me to be better organized-it forces me to look ahead at what’s coming up and what I need to get in the ground.
Earlier in the month I planted cabbage, lettuce, and spinach-they are all moving right along.
Over the last few days, I planted my Spring root crops-beets, onions, and radishes. I’m especially excited to see how the Hailstone Radishes turn out since I’ve never even seen a white radish.
I plant all of my Spring veggies in raised beds I’ve made at one end of my garden. I line the path that runs between them with newspaper. It’s amazing how a couple of sheets of newspaper can hinder weeds when they began to grow. Laying the newspaper can be aggravating-especially if it’s windy. After I get a sheet laid down-I throw some mulch, dirt, or rocks on top of it too hold it down till it becomes part of the ground-a good spray with the water hose or watering can will also help it lay down. (yes they wear those cowboy boots with shorts too)
As I was looking through my box of Hometown Seeds, I took a moment to look back at my planting by the signs posts. Hard to believe in 2009 I had never even attempted to plant by the signs-unless it was a pure accident.
Tipper
tipper
when i was a child we sometimes put out white(icicle)radishes. but if you dont like them hot …better not try them, of course over the years that may have changed
they do resemble an icicle
have a happy day
Tipper, I got my first batch of roots, turnips, carrots, beets, radishes in on Tuesday, plan on doing more Monday when Dirt and I get back, Monday is supposed to be an okay day, not as good and Tuesday and Wednesday were but onions arrived on Thursday and the Potato bed is still a bit wet, hope it doesn’t rain over the weekend.
I get off track sometimes because of weather and life but then I try to get right back on!
I think cowboy boots go with everything!!
Every summer when the weeds get ahead of me, every Fall when we have to work to put up all that produce, every time I have to find a place for all the empty fruit jars, I swear I will not raise any more gardens. My wife Kasie just yawns and doesn’t look up from her solitaire; she’s heard it all before.
This year I’m going to plant cabbage again. Homemade kraut is much,much better than store-bought.
And, I’m going to put those round watering trays around my tomatoes and I’m going to get all the tomato cages set and in-place BEFORE the plants start falling over.
But, next year … next year, I’m not messing with a garden any more.
Maybe I need some cowboy boots.
Did I sign up? If I didn’t, I’d like to try it again this year if that is possible.
Thanks,
Stacey
SWPA
Tipper,
I’m running about 3 weeks behind
on everything this year. Darn flu.
Gotta take time out soon and fix
my garden…Ken
I forgot! We will also plant corn, both sweet and field-type (yellow dent), and maybe some other things. It depends on how tired we get…we are in our 60’s and 70’s and are slower than we used to be! We plant corn here “when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear”. They are just right toiday…if the squirrel has big ears!
Mary Sunshine
We used to plant “icicle” white radishes…long and all white. Sometimes they got hot in our dry weather. We don’t eat radishes much, but I may plant a few red ones.
We can’t really plant by the signs here. Our sticky black clay has to be planted whenever it is able to be worked. When it is wet, it is impossible to do anything with, and when it is dry, it is hard clods, so we have to strike when the iron is hot! Many times, we plant in the clods and ask God to bless our efforts…and He always has! Our soil is fertile, but difficult to deal with. Our summers are brutally hot, so we have better gardens in the fall. We have our first spring garden this year in several years. We have collards, beets, spinach, Swiss chard, carrots,English peas, onions, and potatoes up, and the cabbage, brussels sprouts, and broccoli transplants are doing great. Today, we hope to plant green beans, blackeyed and purple hull peas, squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, okra, and tomato and pepper transplants. It is exceptionally windy, so the transplants may have to wait a few days.
Mary Sunshine
glad to see your new growth and what a great idea with the newspaper, recycle and keeps from using pesticides and plastics that pollute the earth. radishes and cabbage and lettuce are making me want some. i like eating radishes fresh picked, like apples. yum and leaf lettuce on a mater sandwich. yum again.
We’re needing the ground to dry up a bit. Still too wet to plow…
Yes, we follow the moon phases to plant and it does seem to make a difference!
We’ll be planting by the signs down here in SC. Provided I can get the time to get the garden plowed. LOL
I remember white radishes when I was a kid. The ones we had were more oblong than round and had a stronger “kick” than the round red ones.