by Briscoe White | Feb 15, 2010 | Flowers, Gardening, Growing |
Working in the greenhouse this weekend, I performed the daily tasks so everyone else could be home. One task is checking the germination chamber twice each day. The seed flats are left in only to the point of germination. The seeds do not sprout at the exact same time. Depending on the seed, they germinate over a range of time from one day to several weeks. So, when the first few seedlings are seen, we move that flat to the greenhouse.
Germinating seeds is more like fun than work. From so little, so many plants spring forth (no pun intended). The germination chamber is great for seeds, but disastrous for seedlings, they quickly stretch and are to weak to stay upright. That is why we check twice a daily, even one day in the germination chamber will ruin seedlings.
The seedlings pictured were my amazement for the day. At 8:00 AM there was no plant life visible in these flats. When I returned at 4:00 PM the tomatoes, moonflowers, and morning glories had all grown to one-inch tall seedling! That is some fast growth!
by Briscoe White | Feb 12, 2010 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
We’re still riding out the storm(s), but look how well the plants are doing. They don’t even know it’s cold outside! See you next week!
by Briscoe White | Feb 8, 2010 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
Once again we have survived a winter storm. Even though we were covered up with snow, then rain and sleet, and then some more snow we feel lucky. Because even though temperatures were down in the teens, the wind only blew for a short while. For us, this means the power lines did not go down. What a luxury! We do feel lucky!
All the little plants growing towards their ship dates never suffered temperatures below sixty degrees, though we did have to use both gas and wood heaters at times. This is a winter that doesn’t quit!! Those of us that stay on the farm during storms get used to an isolation that takes a few days to wear off.
Another storm is due tomorrow, so I guess we will stay in survival mode a few more days. It is hard to think about gardening right now. The ground is frozen and covered with ice, most days it is to cold to be outside for long. But as growers we know that spring is only a few weeks away, and if our customers are to be ready to plant we have to get these plants through to spring! So, Mother Nature, bring it on again. We will last it out knowing it will be over soon! Hope springs eternal, and I am sure hoping for spring
by Briscoe White | Feb 5, 2010 | A Year in the Life.., Basics, Gardening |
The third major storm of the winter is with us. It looks like another long weekend of babysitting the greenhouses. They are full of young plants, so someone will be here to make sure they stay warm and safe. Today as the snow flies outside, our greenhouse staff members are busy transplanting young herbs and annuals to their final pots. In a few short weeks these plants will be traveling to gardens far and wide. It is important they not get cold!
Being the one left to keep things running, I plan to use this time to plan my early garden. The beds we have in a cold frame are ready to plant, we are just waiting for warmer temperatures. Maybe after this storm we will sow seeds. But before we plant, we must have a plan. The general idea is to grow the herbs and annuals offered by The Growers Exchange, planted in situations similar to homeowners with limited space. We also intend to grow plenty of good things to eat, including lots of herbs. Whilst snowbound I will map out the details of our plantings. Any ideas would be appreciated, we do hope for a free exchange of ideas for this garden project. But first we must get the greenhouses safely through this storm!
by Briscoe White | Feb 3, 2010 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
We always believed our LP gas heaters helped us heat our greenhouses without much environmental damage. Over time we became convinced that burning wood is environmentally better than burning gas. It is hard to believe on the surface because the gas heater makes no exhaust you can see, they do not smell and do not need cleaning. The wood burner on the other hand is smoky and smelly, but is a fraction of the cost for gas. We also must tend to the wood stove several times through out the day, someone has to add those hundred pound logs.
Being tree lovers, we recognize different species as we throw logs to the fire. These trees were cut and on the way to the lumber and chip mills but purchased by us. Knowing they were cut anyway makes it bearable. The carbon released is already in the environment and therefore better than that released by fossil fuel. We also learned that LP gas escapes the system from the well head to pilot light, each molecule has twenty- four times the greenhouse effect as a carbon molecule. So we switched to wood heat last winter. It is a lot cheaper, but a lot of work. And we do hope, a more environmentally friendly option.
