Lazy J Bar C

Lazy J Bar C

Monday, January 30, 2012

Cool Weather Crops

Woo-Hoo! I got out in the garden last Monday and got some seeds in the ground! Not everything I was hoping for but quite a bit. I still have to get some lettuce and spinach planted. Here are the "before" pictures of the beds prepared for planting.

I have one cabbage that made it past the grasshoppers and birds from last fall so I planted more cabbage and cauliflower in this bed.



This bed is planted with collard greens for the chickens.



This bed is planted with turnips, rutabagas, beets, radishes and snow peas along the trellis in the back of the picture.

I watered everything well and then covered with plastic to help the seeds germinate.



The other half of this bed I planted with broccoli.


Today, we have sproutage! YAY!!




I really haven't been gardening for very long and it always gives me a sense of satisfaction and thrills me deep in my soul when I plant seeds and they grow into wonderful FOOD that will nourish our bodies! Nature is truly amazing!

I'm linking up with Heidi and her Country Garden Showcase at My Simple Country Living.

For all of you who think you can't garden in the dead of winter (like we can here in the high desert), check out my previous post Grow Your Own Sprouts. Talk about a "gardening" project with almost immediate gratification! All these lovely sprouts took less than a week to grow! :)

28 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

'sproutage' - totally a word i'd use. :)

Farmgirl Heidi said...

Dear Candy,
Your raised beds look great SO do all those tiny seedlings. It amazes me just how much a little plastic helps speed things up. I hadn't yet seen your seed sprouting adventure. I am going to check it out now Great progress in the garden! Thanks for sharing.

Heidi

Susan said...

You must be reading my mind! I just pulled out my sprouting jar and I'm looking forward to 'sproutage' of my own ;o) I love sprouts, but have been leery of buying them. I always forget how easy it is to make your own! Thanks for the bacon-bakin' tip, too!

Candy C. said...

TWG,
;-)

Heidi,
I always want to leave a comment when I link up with the Garden Hop but there is never a place. Your pictures last week were AWESOME and I enjoyed your vacation pictures from this week!

Susan,
Sprouts on a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich...mmmm! :)

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Woot-woot!
sproutage.

Hmmm... I'm still growing cabbage I planted in the fall- and brussel sprouts and broccoli.

I should probably start thinking about planting my other beds soon. I want to be done before the heat hits ...and those dreaded grasshoppers. We didn't have a winter to speak of --so I'm expecting them (grasshoppers) to be back with force.

take care.
Pat

Candy C. said...

Pat,
I had a real problem last year "forcing" myself to pull up cool weather crops so I could get the summer things planted! ;-)
I am NOT looking forward to this year's grasshoppers! :(

Tombstone Livestock said...

good job going at it from seed. I spent yesterday replanting some of my strawberry plants. I have them in a cinder block planter and the soil had slowly disappearing out the joints. So I added some compost from the sheep pen and then some potting soil and replanted. Today I finally found some lettuce and argula plants at the nursery, will get them in planters and add seed in between, that way I can have lettuce sooner.

My broccoli plants have little heads forming. Also have parsley and cilantro and chinese cabbage plants to put out. I seemed to need instant gratification starting few plants and then putting seed in too.

Narcissus are blooming alreaey and daffodils are poking their heads up ... spring is not far off, need to get big garden ready for squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and corn.

Teresa said...

I am so jealous of being able to be outside and in the garden. I am thinking of trying some lettuce or spinach inside. I've never tried sprouts, but I keep thinking I really want to try it some time.

Candy C. said...

TL,
Good idea going with plants and seeds. It will be a looong time before the broccoli seeds I planted have any heads forming! LOL!! I just hope they make it before the stinkin' aphids show up!

Candy C. said...

Teresa,
I run out in between baking batches of bread and sometimes even take my timer with me so I don't get carried away outside! I'll bet you could do lettuce and spinach in containers outside as long as they were up near a building and kind of protected. You'd probably need to cover them too *if* your weather ever turns cold again! LOL!!
You really should try growing sprouts, it is SOO instant gratification! ;-)

Tombstone Livestock said...

Aphids ... yuck, I bought a bag of lady bugs several years ago, watched them crawl up the tree and fly away. Made comment last time I saw them for sale about just throwing my money away. Guess there was something I didn't read in instructions .... let them out of the bag at night. Still don't know if I will try that again tho.

Amy Dingmann said...

Looks GREAT! Can't believe you are planting already - and then I have to remember where you live! I can't wait to get my hands into the earth up here! :)

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Strangely enough my cabbage and collards are still alive, even though it's been cold and we've had ice and snow. I have not eaten them-they are one of the only green things growing so I just leave them be.

Unknown said...

Good going! "Row covers" work great too- spun fabric keeps the temp 10+ above...

HIBISCUS HOUSE said...

You have a beautiful plot and a green thumb to boot.

Sharon said...

I sprout a half gallon jar of mung beans for the chickens. They love them and so good for them. Reminds me, I need to start a jar. Thanks

Candy C. said...

TL,
I have heard that from other people too about the ladybugs!

Mama Tea,
It will be fun starting a new garden at your new place! :)

Kathy,
It always surprises me how much cold some of the veggies can withstand!

Candy C. said...

Nancy,
I'm thinking row covers to replace the plastic just to keep the stinkin' sparrows from eating all my newly sprouted plants!

Dolly,
Thanks! :)

Sharon,
I keep meaning to grow sprouts just for the chickens, thanks for the reminder!

Michelle said...

I am going to try growing collar greens for my chickens thanks for the idea

Jen said...

Cool. We garden but my husband does most of the plannin & usually tells me what to do, I really have no clue. I love watchin the garden grow into wonderful food we get to enjoy. Pretty cool about the bean sprouts.

Candy C. said...

Michelle,
Your chickens will thank you! :)

Robyn said...

Candy
I like the looks of your garden boxes. Very practicle! How fun to be gardening in January.

I also enjoyed your fine feathered friends. I hope they stay out of your garden.

Candy C. said...

Jennifer,
Let me tell you, I didn't have a clue when I first started either! I'm still learning SOOO much!

Robyn,
I find the boxes work best for me here in the high desert to hold in the moisture. I'm going to have to cover my seedlings with row covers to keep the little sparrows from eating them!

Kateri said...

Your raised beds do look great! i'm a bit envious of those little green plants. it will be a month and half (if the weather cooperates) before I can get anything in the ground here.

Candy C. said...

Kateri,
I do feel fortunate to be able to grow a garden year round here! :)

Clint Baker said...

Such a wonderful blog! My neighbor is from Arizona, she says West Virginia is a lot different I would say it is! LOL

Candy C. said...

Clint,
Yeah, I'll bet it is a WHOLE lot different up north in WV!! :)

Clint Baker said...

Yes, she says its a different type of heat here!