Easter Harvest

This week saw the micro-greens moved outside into a cold frame even though the nights have been close or below freezing. The crop growing in the trays will do better in a cold frame than in the greenhouse. Seedlings are sprouting daily. The first peppers are up and the second seeding is in the ground. The first seeding of tomatoes are warming on the heat mats and the first tray of lettuce seedlings have sprouted and been thinned. They too are soon to be transferred outside to the cold frame. Seedlings are moved into a cold frame as soon as possible to provide more growing space in my small greenhouse. Usually only those plants that need the warm temperature of the greenhouse stay there longer, like annuals, herbs, peppers, and tomatoes. But eventually, they too will be move outside to hardened off.

In the garden the spinach planted last fall was harvested for the Easter dinner table along with most of the rest of the parsnips. This years garlic crop is out of the ground and growing nicely as the pictures show and the sorrel has sprouted and soon will be on the menu. You will continue to note that we like lettuce and greens in this garden and on the table throughout the growing season.

We could use some rain as the ground is drying out and I really do not have time to rototill the garden this early in the season. I want to set up the rain barrels so that I can water the cold frame plants with rain water so I am hoping for rain to fill them.

Happy Gardening

Cold Frame Plans - Part 2

Cold Frame pattern for 4 foot by 4 foot piece of plywood






Cold Frame Vent Stick


In Cold Frame Plans - Part 2, you will find a list of materials to build the style of cold frame that I like to use. And in this post, you will also find the directions for constructing a cold frame.
Part 1 - which was posted first (or under this posting),, discusses the advantages of, and some methods for, using cold frames.

Materials for two 4 foot by 4 foot cold frames:
1 - 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of 1/2 inch plywood - exterior grade
(You can have the straight cuts made at the lumber yard, but will need some way to make the two diagonal cuts to finish this portion of the project)
4 - 1 by 3 inch 8 foot pine boards
4 - 1 by 2 inch 8 foot pine boards or a bundle of lath strips to secure covers
2 - 3 foot pieces of 18 gauge perforated angle steel
1 - 2 inch by 2 inch lumber made into a ventilation stick. Cut notches in a 2 foot piece and use the stick to prop the cold frame lid open to allow for ventilation.

Hardware:
8 - 4 inch metal L-brackets
4 or 6 - 3 1/2 inch hinges
50 - 1/4 inch 1 inch hex bolts, nuts and washers
2 simple handles help when moving the frame
Supply of wood or drywall screws for task (3/4 inch)
Assorted tools used to complete task - hacksaw, drill, some sort of saw for lumber, screwdriver, wrench, and hammer.

Cut your plywood to the desired dimensions from the pattern above. Cut the angle steel into four 7 1/2 inch pieces. Join the box with angle steel on the inside of the front and back panels with the bolts and nuts. Use the washers on the outside. Bolt the four sides together. The finished box dimensions will be 48 inches by 49 inches and the lid you make should be constructed with these measurements in mind. Before making the lid, flip the finished box so that the lid will fit flat on the cold frame. The procedure will cause the box to be at a slant when sitting on the ground and allow more light to penetrate at this angle.

Cut 2 each lid frame boards (1 inch by 3 inch stock) 46 1/2 inches and 47 1/2 inches. Arrange these pieces for a finished square of 49 inches by 50 inches. Attach the board with the L-brackets to the inside. Attach the hinges with one side on the lid and one side on the outside back of the cold frame box. Cut some scrap plywood or paneling into 8 inch squares and then cut them in half to make triangles to attach at the corners of the lid for strength when using plastic to cover the lid frame. I hope the pictures included help in your construction.

Once the lid is made, a variety of materials can be used to cover the cold frame. Plastics that are treated against UV rays will last longer than conventional plastic. Fiberglas is another useful covering but such materials will require additional stock purchases for securing this material to the lid. Even spun polyester row cover material can be used to cover the cold frame lid. Remember to think of the weather and the crops that will be in the cold frame as the determining factor in your choice of cover materials. Lighter materials will need a central support for winter use. One or two supports attached inside the lid will help these lighter materials in a winter environment when snow covers the cold frame lids.

I have never been without these vital garden tools and hope you too can add them to your garden this season.

Happy Gardening

Cold Frames as Season Extenders

A cold frame is basically a box sitting on the soil with a transparent lid that will extend the growing season both in fall and spring. These season extenders have traditionally been used in a variety of ways by gardeners. I use them to grow greens, lettuce, and other cool weather crops throughout the year. These plans are for two frames from one piece of plywood and I have four frames in the garden this season - two for transplants and two for greens and lettuce.

Cold frames affect temperature by producing a micro-climate. This can be easily 10 to 20 degrees warmer than outside the box. The structure is commonly used to condition plants in a sheltered environment so they can then be moved to a permanent location. Season extenders can also be used to protect tender plants in the winter. The cold frame sits directly on the soil and the transparent lid should have the best south facing location possible. The sun will warm the soil and the plants and the absorbed heat will slowly be given off during the night. The nature of the sides and cover will help determine the heat retention of the enclosure. Because the lid is hinged this will allow easy access to the soil and a way to manage the temperature in the frame. Ventilation by lifting the lid is the most common way to manage the internal temperature of the cold frame. Some gardeners use temperature activated lift mechanisms to maintain the internal temperature but this can add to the total cost of the structure. The addition of foam insulation around the side of the cold frame can add to the heat retention, and some foam is foil backed which would add a reflective quality to the insulating.

The use of night covers can also promote a more favorable growing environment. However, such covers need to be easy to remove, should not absorb water, and be attached to make them windproof. These covers will need to be remove each day to allow for maximum light penetrating into the cold frames.

Cold frames affect moisture. High humidity helps protect plants from the effects of cold weather. Plus, spring and fall rains do not then drench to soil or pound young plants. However, the gardener will have to control the water provided to plants in these season extenders. The humid environment of the cold frame can soon turn into a desert if soil moisture is not managed. Hand watering is easily a trade off for more vegetables for a longer time. Additionally these structures also protect plants from wind. A wind chill factor will affect plants by removing heat and moisture. Plants in cold frames are protected from this fluctuation in their environment and as a result avoid this stress.

Cold frames can be purchased or built from a variety of materials. However, a word of caution about home built frames. Glass is not suggested in the construction of cold frames in our Wisconsin environment. Old storm windows are often used in cold frame construction, but they can easily shatter from heavy ice and snow creating a hazardous situation in the garden. There are many types of fiberglass and plastics that are a reliable substitute. Some materials can be purchased that are resistant to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Plastics are especially vulnerable to UV rays and will, in time, become quite brittle

The following post will have plans and measurements for home built cold frames.

Happy Gardening

Pests, Critters and Planning Ahead

Critters and pests always seem to be lurking on the edge of our garden happiness. This week several came to my attention.

Rabbits are a constant threat to a gardener's happiness, and with my crocus blooming, I was aware that they are potential bunny food. Dusting the buds, leaves, and the open flowers with Cayenne pepper is one way to stop hungry rabbits. However this week another old nemesis reappeared and did a number on the crocus flowers as the pictures indicate. The Purple House Finch is a flower and bud eater and all the cayenne pepper you want to douse the crocus with will not prevent the bird from eating the stamens and lower ends of the flowers as the photos indicate. After several clumps succumbed to this invasive species, I put some flash tape on a bamboo stake to frighten them away. Keeping them out of the apple buds and blossom will be another battle but I will try the flash tape there only when the buds are real close to breaking.

Rabbit damage is everywhere on shrubs and bushes. One must be ever vigilant in the early winter to the potential damage that rabbits can do. The photo examples show how heavily they have eaten the bark and on one tree, they even came back after all the snow was melted and ate bark again. The very best way to prevent this sort of damage is to cage all your plants with chicken wire and continue to keep the wire higher than the snow so bunnies can't get into the caged areas and feed. The other way is to remove as many rabbits from your garden environment as possible. The way you do that is your choice, however do not make your rabbits a burden to another homeowner or gardener.

The apple trees are, or should be, pruned. With warmer days and nights, the time is correct for the application of dormant oil sprays. At one time this was an annual event for my fruit trees but research has shown that this spray application may do more harm than good, as the spray kills both pests and beneficial insects. Unless you have had mite infestations on your fruit trees or can identify potential colonies of mites on your trees, most Extension offices are not recommending this spray. I have not sprayed dormant oil for the last three years and have had little of no mite damage. Using the spray on ornamental trees and shrubs that have scale infestations is still recommended but just not on fruit trees. An added note - the pruning from the apple will make good pea stakes for that crop; or you can find some other pruning materials like the ones pictured that you can use for the pea vines to climb. I like to use these kind of sticks because when the harvest is done I can gather vines and sticks and remove the whole planting easily.

The picture posts included this week show the lettuce, onions, and micro-green trays sprouted. Some thinning of the lettuce will be needed but the rest will grow in their containers getting ready for transplanting in the garden.

Early this week, I hope to post the supply list and measurements for a 4 foot by 4 foot cold frame and a brief set of directions for building those season extenders. One of the frames in my garden will be moved closer to the house so I can use the space for hardening off my transplants from the greenhouse which will be happening soon.

Happy Gardening

Seeding while the Snow Flies

The calendar indicated spring but this morning the snowfall seemed to indicate something else. With the greenhouse running (meaning heated) I worked this week on several seeding several crops. Ornamental annuals, Coleus and Nicotiana, were planted and put on the heating mats. Bottom heat is really essential for a number of seedlings especially the peppers and tomatoes but also most annuals who like warm soil germination temperatures. I am researching a new set of mats as the ones I have just don't seem to be as reliable as I would like.

This week's pictures show my seeding methods for onions, and the video shows the deep plastic trays that I early seed for micro-greens. I also started lettuce seed and will continue to plant lettuce all season long. Lettuce is an ideal transplant for empty spaces in a garden at all times so I like to have plants ready and waiting. You will notice that I have top dressed with two different sterile materials to help prevent damping off. I am using a fine vermiculite and milled sphagnum moss. The seeding season will be an experiment to see which I like and which seems to perform the job of protecting my seeding from the fungus.

I seed onions in community flats for later planting out in the garden just like set onions. The flats are filled with a potting soil, lightly tamped and multiple rows are marked in each flat. Seed can be scattered thick or evenly spaced. I usually plant thick and then transplant into the garden as bunches and thin as I harvest. However, this year I have some larger storage onions, Trailblazer and Alisa Craig, that I want to harvest so those were seeded spaced. When I am ready to plant these seedlings I will make a video as to how I get them out of the community flats and into the ground. I also planted a seed variety of Shallot called Olympus Hybrid. We are still using seeded shallots from last year in the kitchen so I am looking forward to this as another shallot for kitchen use.

I also planted lettuce (Tom Thumb, Simpson Elite, Winter Density, Red Derby). Seed was put into nine packs and the older the seed the more I planted. I do have one variety, Red Derby, a Boston type that is pelletized for easier seeding. I like this because I can put an exact amount of seed in each cell and that makes thinning much easier. Lettuce seeds do not get put on heat mats as they seem to germinate better without bottom heat and a cooler location in the greenhouse, sometimes out of the direct light. I also planted two types of Parsley, curly leaf and an Italian. Both seeds were hot water treated ( a way to help speed up germination a bit) and then seeded into nine packs. I planted more curly leaf than Italian because we use the curly leaf as part of the landscape planting as edging. But the Italian is what I cook with because of the nice strong flavor. This seed will take a long time to germinate (15-20 days) so I have to be patient.

This weeks video is the planting of micro-greens that went into a large plastic, wallpaper, tray that will get me an early crop of Mesclun, Arugula, and radish. The trays are never filled with more than 4-5 inches of soil so that later in the season they can go outside to finish growing as the weather cooperates. The seed is either planted in rows or scattered, and in this case some lettuce was spot planted in between the rows of greens.
Earlier this week, on one of our warm sunny days, I did clean one cold frame and plant spinach in a third of the space leaving the other empty soil for later plantings to lengthen my harvest time.
A productive week seeding but there is much more to plant. I hope to work on some cold frame plans for next weeks post. Building two of theses season extenders in the next few week would be a good idea as these seedlings will soon crowd my space in the greenhouse and need to be hardened off outside.

Happy Gardening

Let the Seeding Begin

The gardening pace quickens with official arrival of spring. Crocus are blooming in the yard and the naturalized daffodils have shown themselves, and the species tulips are up so its time to protect them all. Dried blood and Cayenne pepper are my solutions to bunnies lunching on my spring bulbs. Yes, I do treat after a rain but I buy the pepper in big shakers and liberally use it. I will even shake some in the bird feeders (the birds can not taste it but the pesky squirrels don't like it) for this remedy is much cheaper than the commercial products that are basically the same thing. Don't shake Cayenne pepper on a windy day!!!

Also the greenhouse heat is officially turned on. Even though this is a week earlier than last year, I have several plants that will need to be seeded now to be productive. Susan and I sat and went through the seed packets again and arranged them by groups like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce. Then I grouped them by maturity so the late ones will get seeded first and the early ones seeded last.

Nicotiana (Saratoga Lime), coleus (Giant Exhibition Limelight), blue fescue, parsley (Double and Giant of Italy), and the some peppers (Pasilla Bajio, Yummy, Blushing Beauty Hyb.) will be the first seed to be started. The greenhouse is expensive to run, so five to six weeks is about all I can afford in heat, but that seems to be good enough to start all the plants I want or need. Geraniums are out from under the fluorescent lights in the basement and up in the greenhouse to get accustomed to full sun and harden up before I make this year's cuttings. I usually do the same with spider plants that have been inside all winter and are a bit sad looking. I will make new plants and the old ones will filler in containers or end up as compost.

The excitement builds as many migratory birds have returned and most of the yard is snow free. Just a small amount on the north side of the house remains. I want to get the rain barrels started but will wait until the waters of Green Bay are ice free. That is my signal that I can set the barrels up and wait for rain to fill them.

Happy Gardening

Spring at Last

After a very relaxing two week stay in warm, sunny, Florida, we have returned to wonderful warm spring weather and the sounds of all kinds of birds in the garden.

One of the adventures on the trip was a visit to the Ellenton, FL. location of Earthbox a container gardening system with merit.

The Earthbox is made from recycled materials, is 15 inches by 30 inches by 12 inches and has a water reservoir in the bottom. This patented product has a good record of vegetable production and the site in Ellenton provides good examples of what one can produce with this system. The above pictures attest to their claim of being able to produce 30 to 40 pounds of tomatoes in Florida's climate. I think this would work well here in Wisconsin for patio growing of vegetables. The initial cost of the boxes is noticeable but because they seem to last a long time I think they would be a good investment if they were taken indoors in the winter. I am very tempted to look into getting at least one to see what I can produce in an Earthbox. As soon as I can find a local supply source I will pass the information along.

I planted greens yesterday in my tray system and will make that an entry later in the week as now that the growing season is fast approaching I want to make more posts each week.
Happy Gardening