Not Spring Yet

 

One more day and February will be over. It should be snowing but it was a wonderful day out side. We are suppose to get snow tomorrow night and in to Monday (the 1^st of March.) so it looks like planting will have to hold off. Welcome to Colorado. I have been thinking of putting up a hoop house this year, I will be posting it on my blog if I do. I would like to plant kale and some other cold crops.

I have a question for this blog. How would you react if your neighbor started raising chickens?

Would it even bother you?

The reason I ask is the Home Owners Association will not let any one raise chickens where we live. We are zoned agriculture and all lots in our area are 1 acre or more. Please leave your thoughts in the comment area. Thank you

Till Next Time

Happy Planting

Up-Side down planter

The up side down planters have made a big splash in the last few years. They are a fun and easy way to grow plants. However, there is some things that you need to take in to consideration, the soil will dry out quicker than from a pot and or from the garden. Also if you live in a high wind area they are easy to get knocked over, so you will need to find a place where they are protected from high winds. Your larger tomatoes like Beef Stake and Better Boy's have a tendency to break off the vine. The smaller tomatoes like the cherry do great, even cucumbers and some squash do very good. The plants are also less likely to get diseases then their counter parts growing in the ground or in pots. One theory for this is that the plant doesn't touch the ground or gets splash from watering so less contact less chances of contracting any thing.

Now with that said, you don't need to go out and spend $10.00 to $40.00 for one on the market, you can make your own I have made them from 5 gallon buckets, 1 gallon buckets, to even a juice bottle. (See my You Tube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening ) I up loaded a video making one.

All you need to do is to cut a hole in the center of the bottom of your container, about 2 to 3 inches round. Use a coffee filter (or two double them up) cut it to the center of the filter(s) Do Not cut in half. This will hold the soil in when you are filling your container. Pick your plant place stem through the filter place in the hole you cut in your container fill with potting soil. Keep well watered, place in a safe sunny spot, you should have fresh vegetables in a month or so. Give this a try if you have limited space to grow plants.

Till Next time

Happy Planting

Got the video up on YouTube

Okay I finally got the video up on YouTube it only took me all day but there you go. The title is Transplanting seedlings.  

http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening

I hope that you enjoy the video. Please leave a comment.

Thank you

Till Next time

Happy Planting

 

Transplanting seedlings

It's time for me to transplant the seedlings that I planted almost two weeks ago. I have found out that the plants take better if you transplant them once they get to about 2 to 3 inches. (Now they have grown to about 4 inches.) I know, I planted these seeds early. I did that so I could get some videos up so you can see how I have been doing this for years. I will be making a video of me transplanting the seedlings, I should have the video up on Youtube today.
I reuse pots from the year or three or four years ago. First I wash them and than I will do a bleach water rinse followed by a fresh water wash. The bleach water mix is one table spoon bleach to one gallon of water. I do that to kill any diseases that might carry over from last year.
It's that time of year again to be thinking of you garden and what you will be planting in it I hope that this will get you started.
My Youtube address is:http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening or click on the title to get to my Youtube site.
Thank you
Till next time


Happy Planting

New or Added information

I have decided to expand my blog to cover urban farming this year. I feel that that is more in line with what I have been doing, (there just wasn't a name for it at the time) I just was doing what needed to be done. Now it has been a few years since I have had chickens, rabbits or horses but I hope that some of you might find the information that I have learned helpful or at the least entertaining. A bit of back ground of some of the animals I have raised. Chickens, rabbits, ducks, turkeys, horses, cats, dogs, and fish ( aquarium fish, not for eating) I have canned, frozen and dyed fruit and vegetables. I have grown and from produce that I have bought from farmers markets and the grocery store.
I plan on covering more art, and more cooking. (Two things I love to do and share.)

Till next time.

Happy Planting

Starting plants from seeds up date

I finally got two videos up loaded to YouTube. The address for my you tube channel is
http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening (see link click on title)
While you are there you may as well follow my YouTube blog also. I put videos up all the time.
Just click on the subscribe tab.
I need to transplant the tomatoes and the cucumbers, but it wouldn't hurt to transplant everything that I have planted so far. Now all I need to do is make the time.
Please ask any questions you may have or just leave a comment.
Thank you.
Till next time

Happy Planting

Seeds 2010 season

Okay, I have been getting bombarded with this years seed catalogs. So it must be that time of year were we all buy up all the neat seeds that we hope will grow in our zone.
I was going to just use only the seeds that I have left over form last year and the year before. I was doing good till I started looking at the King of all seed catalogs Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
This catalog is so good that they call it the “Pure Seed Book” I love it.
So I have decided to do an inventory of last years seeds and I have 71 packs of seeds, now that is more than enough for my 1/10 acre garden and than some but, I looked at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and I know that the germination on old seeds go's down (right?) so I have justified getting more seeds, and I will be ordering seeds I don't have so all is good.
I will only be ordering 12 more packs of seeds. (Not to bad)
I have started seeds indoors last week. Mostly herbs, but I did plant some lettuce, I am ready to be eating my own green once again. I am thinking next winter I will have two flats of lettuce going all year.
It looks like I will be out side in the next few weeks getting the garden ready for planting. I will keep you informed as to how it is going.

Till next time.

Happy Planting