This week I did a couple things I said I wouldn’t; planted outside (it’s still too early), started seeds inside (I have bad luck with this) and bought tomatoes (that I’ll have to babysit indoors for weeks).
The weather has been exceptionally nice and despite that fact that in our neck of the woods freezing frost is still likely until the middle of May and possible even into June, I just couldn’t resist. So I planted some of my vegetable garden.
Planted Outdoors April 20th
Onions, potatoes and cool weather lover, peas went into the ground last week. Since the first two grow underground I took the chance, figuring a frost will only damage the greenery above ground and probably not cause much of a problem for the vegetables underground. So far so good.
The other challenge I have is deer. This is the first year that I haven’t had my entire garden in 10′ tall fencing. Plants with a strong taste/odor are generally undesirable for deer so I took a chance with the onions out on the deer “plate”. Sure enough I had tracks in the dirt the day after planting but my visitor only pulled up one onion and then spit the whole thing out about three feet from where it was planted. The rest (10 rows) remained untouched and those little toes continued on out of my yard.
Seeds Started Indoors April 22
I got all my heirloom seeds in the mail weeks ago. I just love ordering seed from Sand Hill Preservation Center, a family farm dedicated to preserving our genetic resources. They are based out of Illinois but spent years developing plants in Sandpoint Idaho so I can select seeds for our short growing season, including a watermelon that is ripe in only 76 days!
I planted some of the watermelon (to try to get a head start and so I can share with my grandma), three varieties of sweet peppers, and two different tomatoes. I NEVER have good luck with tomatoes indoors because I can’t keep it warm enough but the rest should do alright.
Tomatoes
I know, I know, I couldn’t help it! My husband just shook his head when we ran into the store for a quick shop before church and I stuffed five tomatoes and four jalapeno’s into my hand basket. He wouldn’t even let me get a cart. Stinker.
My Heirloom varieties are Pink Brandywine, Mr. Stripey and Mountain Pride. Then I got two Early Girl hybrid tomatoes and four jalapeno’s.
One of our favorite garden treats is fresh salsa!
How about YOU?
My mom says that if you put Irish Spring soap by your plants it will keep the deer away… they don’t like the smell. Good luck!
I got a few plants and a few seed packets… hope to get em planted this weekend!
Hi Jessie: I”m sorry about your onions I wish I can plant here too, well at least in the house in Priest River, the deer eats everything, last year I planted a lot of flowers (my first spring in that house) and I planted the ones that they love,
bad experience) ha, ha, ha, this year is the new dog that we have… Oh well…. I wonder what time are you girls coming tomorrow, send me a E-mail K
Blessings
heh heh… can you say VENISON?
Heh heh!
Soap and I’ve also heard human hair. Let us know what you plant!
Rosie, I’ll call ya.
Is it really too early? I have peas outside that measure an inch above the ground and just today my youngest and I planted spinach, lettuce, carrots and cauliflower. All the packets say “as soon as the soil can be worked” so I gave it a go. Hopefully it’s not too early for the rest of it! I have tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and peppers and pumpkins in my window! I planted the pumplkins far too early b/c they are HUGE already. I’m going to have to start setting them out during the day to acclimate them and hope they don’t go into shock when they are permanently relocated. I am probably doing this all wroing (my first real garden experience) but I just couldn’t resist!!!
As far as the seeds, I talked to the owner of the local hardware store and she said if I understand what she was saying, if the seeds are organic they have not been tampered with and if they are heirloom they are not tampered with (hybrid, test tube) and you can save the seeds and they will reproduce. Is this what you understand?
Yes you are good.
I should have qualified. Too early for anything that can be killed by frost. I usually plant everything on one long weekend. This is my first year planting in stages. Yes those plants you have in the ground are cold weather lovers, you should be okay. If we have a hard frost it can damage the above ground foliage but they will quickly recover.
I can NEVER resist!
When you do relocate the pumpkin, tomato and such watch the weather closely and cover on any nights 35 degrees or colder (just in case). Smaller plants you can cover with milk jugs.
Organic is not necessarily the same as heirloom or non genetically modified (GMO) but the rest is correct. Many organic growers also are “seed savers” (keep the original, purest seeds- heirlooms). Organic just means not grown with chemicals. Yes, absolutely save the seeds from the heirloom (non hybrid) plants.
Link a picture of your garden if you like. I’d love to see what everyone is growing!
We have freezes late, too. I won’t put out tomatoes until mid-June. But i’ve hopes for the onions & garlic that are out now. Just got strawberries to plant, too. My neighbor’s look wonderful, so i thought i’d take a chance.
Oooo, sounds good!
kateekat, I don’t know where you are, but my strawberries are already flowering ~ those in the front yard anyway. It’s crazy, but the back yard is always 2-3 weeks behind! lol. I’m in N. Idaho.
You’ve got to mean not in Idaho cause, man the strawberries are not ready here!