Leaves of April

This is when gardening starts to really pay off! You've been nursing all of these little seedlings and plants for weeks and constantly watching the weather to make sure they are protected from frost on cold nights. So here it is, the end of April and as I look out across the raised beds where I plant roots and greens I see the many leaves of April.
The leaves of the mixed greens, spinach, mustard, butter crunch, red sails, red salad bowl, romaine, and swiss chard. The colors and textures are amazing and I love seeing the light through the leaves. This is the time of year when I start to plan our meals around what is growing and ready to harvest in the garden. It looks like for this first week of May it's going to be lots of wonderful salad!

Go with the flow! (but use frost cloth!)

 So, I don't know what the weather has been like for you in your part of the world. But I know that here in Owings Mills, just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, it has been unseasonably warm for weeks. I can't get over how it seems to be late spring already. We have had several 80 degree days, and many days are in the mid to upper 70's with lows at night only in the 50's. This is crazy and it's really messing with my time table for starting seeds. 

This weekend I decided to just go with the flow because at this point my seeds will never be plant ready for the garden before it's bolting weather. So, I will save my seed planting of cole crops for the fall harvest. With that said, I went to my favorite garden center in Westminster, Maryland. (Bowman's) I went ahead and bought my cole crops and a few lettuce plants to get things started.

Today, I had an opportunity after work to plant the first Cabbage Neighborhood which at this point is a combination of cabbage, lettuce, and greens. I will be interplanting the other companions after I see which way the weather is going to go. I'll probably get some of the root veggies interplanted this weekend.

So, it was 78 degrees today and I was able to get the first bed of the garden ready. But with a couple of years experience, I also know to expect the unexpected. I used my fiberglass rods to create my hoops and then covered the bed with frost cloth that is anchored with lawn staples.

I'm going with the great weather and getting things rolling- but I'm prepared for what we sometimes call the 'broccoli snow'.  You never know . . . 

First Seedlings of 2012

First Seedlings

I planted my seedlings on the 12th and one week later, I already have seedlings coming up in the trays that I used the seed heat mats. I think I may have to look into purchasing a couple more. Right now, I just rotated trays so that the ones that have not sprouted yet are now on a heat mat.


As the seedlings grow, I will slowly lift the lights higher so that the lights are always about 2 or 3 inches above them. This will help to keep them from getting too tall, too quick and they will develop into stronger plants.

Light/Hood Over Seed Tray

Right now, it is the cabbages and Pak Choy that have started to germinate and produce seedlings. I have one Cherokee Purple Tomato seedling at this point. The tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers usually take a little longer to germinate and grow into seedlings. I have the tomatoes on a heat mat, I'm curious to see what kind of difference that makes.

Cabbage Seedlings

I got my heat mats a couple of months ago from Amazon for only about $12.99. It seems now I can only find them for about 14.99. (I knew I should have bought more than 2!) Right now, I'm content moving them around.

The lights that I use are for plants and I have them in hoods that you would normally place over the top of an aquarium. My husband helped me to figure out a way to attach them with wing nuts, washers, and small metal brackets. This allows me to move them up and down as needed.

I hope to plant the rest of my seeds I need right now either later today or tomorrow. If I plant a little each week, the rotation of plants will be ready and healthy by the time it is time for outdoor planting. You have to remember to allow time for hardening off your plants. If you don't do it slowly, you will lose plants and/or set back some of your plants. I always plant a few more than I need. You never know when there is going to be a mishap and it's nice to have a few extra to share with family and friends. I never have trouble finding someone to take extra tomato, eggplant, or pepper plants!