For me, it is deeper than spring fever. It is spring frenzy. A season of bipolar tendencies. I want to be outside and get this done and that done. I enlist help much to the chagrin of the family. There is so much that we need to do before the summer season is upon us, especially now that we are going to be quite dependent on the garden. Let's go, go, go! And seeds. How do the seed catalogs know to get their product in the mail during such a time? Yes, I have to try something new and yes, I still have those, but I am running low and don't want to run out. So that order gets mailed. Yes, I could order online but why waste such a gorgeous day not walking to the mailbox a half-mile a way.
So during this two-day frenzy state, we accomplished: one oak tree cut down, cut up, split, moved by wheelbarrowfuls back up to the house (about 1/4 of a mile trek two ways, about 12 trips-too much like a story problem from school, nevermind, okay about 6 miles with the wheelbarrow, can't just leave it hanging out there), and stacked for next winter. We cleaned out the goat barn, the chicken coop, made a new spring compost pile and filled that with our barn refuse and leaves that I raked off of the garden. We mulched the blueberries with pine needles we raked up from the back woods. And I got a few clothes on line of course, ready to reduce that dryer usage.
As with any good "frenzy" there is regret. My regret is starting those said seeds a bit too early. Some are okay, and I do have to admit that I have shown great restraint in only sowing a few tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts. And mistakenly okra that is already germinated...yeah, about that... I have many more seeds to start, but am painstakingly waiting at least a couple of weeks before doing succession seeding. Oh the agony! Yes, I have this massive, commercial sized greenhouse that came with the farm, and I have used it in the past, but right now, I want to take a step back and learn lessons in smaller, cheaper quantities. So, along with a cheap little 4-rack greenhouse at the local farm store, one of the projects that had to be done was making a light box for the seedlings once they sprouted. I watched a few YouTube videos and decided on one I thought we could do. We used an old tote that was just sitting out by the tool shed, foil, duct tape and a brooder lamp. We tried to find the right light bulb. So many kelvins, lumens, watts, etc. So far, so good. My wee ones are doing pretty good. I put them in the tote just after packing lunches at 5:30 am until after supper cleanup around 7:30 pm. If they look a little dry, I add just a bit of water to the trays in the morning. I do not want to make the mistake I made last year: keeping them too wet and too dark, the horror of damping off.disease! So, now I wait for the other seeds to sprout up and join their fellow seedlings in the box. I am waiting patiently for their true leaves to appear and then a couple more so they can move to the little greenhouse shelves for a few weeks until we move that little greenhouse onto the deck during the day and gradually harden them off or get them in the ground...sorry, I had to clap my hands with joy just thinking about it. What? Today is January what?? *sigh* And the bipolar cycle is complete...CRASH!
No comments:
Post a Comment