Saturday, March 26, 2011

Further spring planting, seeds are iffy

Today we chopped at the clover more, trying to kill it for good, and then tried to plant among the stringy roots that were left. What a pain in the *ss. We dug a foot of path out about 2 inches down and threw the soil over the beds. Over the entire area we were going to plant (about 120 square feet) we spread about half an inch of compost, 5 lbs of fertilizer (4-6-2), and a couple pints of mixed agricultural lime and dolomite lime (heavy granules vs. powder). [Turns out this is not the difference; dolomite lime has more magnesium and according to the woman at Walt's Organic Fertilizer Co., should only be applied once evey four years.] Over the area that we direct-seeded carrots and beets, we spread 1 or 2 inches of compost to plant the seeds in, then covered them with sifted compost in little trenches. What we planted today:

Broccoli: 4 DiCiccio transplants that I started under lights several weeks ago and have kept out on the deck the last week after hardening off for a week. They were transplanted into potting soil at the same time the lettuce was transplanted into the ground. Today we transplanted them from 2' or 3" pots, having mixed a couple tablespoons of fertilizer into the dirt below their holes. They were planted 2 plants per row, rows 2 feet apart (24 inches on center).

Raab: 4 Sorrento transplants, same story as above.

Mesclun mix: about 8 square feet, direct seeded, scatter-sown.

Carrots: several kinds, several rows, direct seeded. Rows about a foot apart (for all seeded crops).

Beets: Bull's Blood, Early Wonder Tall Top, several rows, direct seeded.

Kale: Russian Red, 3 plants per row, two rows, direct seeded.

Radishes: A long sloppy line poked into the ground at the last moment perpendicular to the lettuce.

We seeded about 10-15 seeds/inch, an accident. Needless to say, we should get a decent number of sprouts despite the tough seeding situation.

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