More Winter Stuff

Today I sowed a row of Pac Choi and four rows of mache in the bed where the dry beans had been.  I also sowed some more carrots, romaine lettuce, chard and kale.  The squirrels have been very busy burying nuts in every open spot of soil, so I covered both beds with some bird netting.  Hopefully, it will discourage the squirrels from digging in the nice soft soil.

The brassicas are looking really good.  I've caught a couple of white butterflies inside the netting, so I'll have to watch for caterpillars.

Aftermath

The snow has finally gone so I went out to survey the damage.  Many things are done.  The mizuna, chard, and lettuce that were uncovered did not survive, but the kale looks o.k.

 It looks like the spinach may be o.k, but not the tatsoi.

I think the winter broccoli will make it, as well as the parsnips, although the tops look bad.

The biggest surprise is the bed I covered.  I had expected the mache to survive, but the leaf lettuce looks pretty good, too.

Out With the Beans, In With the Greens

I pulled out the remnants of the pole beans.  I managed to find two meals worth.  As you can tell by the sky, I finished just in time to beat the thunderstorm.

Next (after the storm had passed through) I sowed three rows of mizuna in that bed and three rows of mache in the melon bed.

That should be the end of fall planting.

UPDATE:  The timing of the mache planting was excellent.  We had salads with it right through January.  Next year I need to plant more, because they're pretty puny.

More Lettuce

In my attempts to get the lettuce planting timed just right, I've planted two more rows in the melon bed (two melons remain).  One row is Arctic Tundra Mix, with Red Sails added, and the other is Provencal Winter Blend.  It has some extra stuff in it besides just lettuce.

The bed of spinach, mizuna, chard and kale is doing well.  It's in the old potato bed (sigh!).

Moving On

I guess it's like falling off a horse and getting back on.  Today I planted the old potato bed with a double row of spinach, a row of kale, a row of chard, and a row of tatsoi.  If my timing is right, we'll have lots of greens all winter.  I feel better already.

Winter Greens

Today I planted all my lettuce, mizuna, arugula, and tatsoi starts in Bed 8.  I rigged up a piece of shade cloth, because it's still warm (in the upper 80s).

 At the other end of the bed I put in some rainbow chard starts.

I also planted six 'Rudolf' sprouting broccoli starts in the bean bed, Bed 2.  I pulled out the second planting of bush beans.  I decided I rally didn't need them, and I do need the space.

Today we also put in edging along the bed against the back of the house.  It has a two-by-four edge that just isn't high enough to hold water and soil in.  So we put in a 5" plastic strip, screwed to the board.  I think it will be much better.  Now I can actually add compost to the bed without it spilling out on the walk.

Fall Salad Greens

I pulled the last of the big kale plants (they were getting kind of strong flavored).  In that bed (Bed 8) I moved several small lettuce plants that were eking along.  Now they look dead.  We'll see.

Then I sowed a four foot row of romaine lettuce, a row of 'Bloomsdale' spinach, and a row of 'Super Gourmet' lettuce, along with some roquette and mizuna.

Fall Crops

Yesterday I went to 13th Street Nursery and snagged the last broccoli and the next-to-last cauliflower.  I got a six pack of each.  Also some seeds to start more.  I got 'Broccoli Blend' and 'Rudolph,' a green sprouting broccoli. I started three and two six packs of each, respectively.

I also started two six packs of 'Red Sails' lettuce, and one each of 'Valmaine' romaine, tatsoi, arugula, 'Bright Lights' chard, mizuna, and a pot of 'White Lisbon' scallions.

The 'Red Ace' beets and 'Yaya' and Danvers 126' carrots are up.