Samssimonsays: Blazing Acres journal

[sadieml]

Good luck! If you can get some grow lights on them, they may make it even indoors. Let us know how things go.

 

[samssimonsays]

It was FINALLY nice enough for the goats to be outside in their pen! Poor things have not gotten to be out very much since December. The dogs of course got to get out and let off some of that pent up energy when we went for our walks (2 whole walks in the woods in one day!) with the goats getting out their energy as well.

Olive was wanting to spend all of her time with me.

Ollie and TIlda waiting for me to let them out

So, not only does Olive smile, but so does Ollie!!! I have weird animals....

ALso, I love his beard coming in (He turned a year old the 27th!)

Why, I am not sure. But he absolutely LOVED it up there.... Me, not so much.

Here Rumely was blowing bubbles in the puddle while Stella judged him. Because that's what Collies do, JUDGE everyone and everything.

 

[samssimonsays]

Seriously though.... I just love this boy.

 

[babsbag]

Your goat on top of the cages is a classic but I bet the cages were not happy about his antics.

When I start plants in the winter I use those little plastic greenhouse kits that have one cell for each plant. Then when you transplant them you don't have to disturb the roots. With you being so far north even in a good window they probably aren't getting enough light this time of year so a grow light would be a good idea. I grow mine in my shed with a grow pad heater under them and grow lights that are on a timer for about 16 hours a day.

Another thing to watch is that the plants don't get too much water. If you are growing them in totes you need to drill holes in them. Soggy roots will kill a plant faster than being to dry.

I haven't started any plants in a while. I have my favorite varieties of tomatoes and peppers that the nursery now carries so I let them do the work. Squash, beans, pumpkins, etc. I just grow from seed from the soil is warm; the plants seem to do better than transplants. The one thing that I cannot grow no matter how hard I try are melons of any kind. Just doesn't work for me and I love a good homegrown watermelon.

 

[OneFineAcre]

They get long and spindly when they aren't getting enough sunlight.

Sure do.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I wouldn't think that lettuce and spinach would be a plant you would start and then transplant.

When we've grown spinach and leaf lettuce we just seed directly in the garden. You need to have it in beds with the soil really finely broken up. Broadcast evenly. After it comes up, you may want to thin out some of the plants because they grow better if not too crowded. This usually how you want to do greens.

 

[samssimonsays]

This is all great advice! Most of the lettuce and spinach as well as swiss chard has died now so I will be just planting them in the ground as per your advice.

 

[Latestarter]

The three you listed are cool weather crops so can (& should) be planted before last frost. I used to live in New England and harvested Swiss chard right through the winter. Spinach won't tolerate quite so much cold, and lettuce is the weakest of the 3. You could probably plant the first 2 outside right now and start harvesting leaves in about a month.

 

[samssimonsays]

The three you listed are cool weather crops so can (& should) be planted before last frost. I used to live in New England and harvested Swiss chard right through the winter. Spinach won't tolerate quite so much cold, and lettuce is the weakest of the 3. You could probably plant the first 2 outside right now and start harvesting leaves in about a month.

We have too much snow and frost for anything to grow yet. Was below zero this morning near me lol. But I will for sure plant them as soon as the snow is gone!!!

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry... location, location, location... I have the windows and doors open for fresh air right now @ ~50 degrees. Should be up near 60 soon but the sun makes it feel much, much warmer.