Midwest Gardening 2024: Late Start in the Greenhouse Part 2 with Video

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A quick GREENHOUSE video---I wing it, so bear with me when I stall and knock stuff over. I've never claimed to be perfection, snort.

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A few other views of what's going on. Short pots of Rununculus and some Heirloom tomato seed starts. The tomatoes will need to be transplanted next week.

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Two different kinds of peppers which will be transplanted into larger pots next week. It will be at least a month before they go into big pots and into the garden. I will be sharing with 4 families on these. The Oxalis on the right was overgrown for it's nursery pot...so I planted it in one of my favorites.

Down below is all the equipment I need to grab just inside the door. The curry comb is used for fish scaling...lol, not gardening.

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Another shelf is holding containers waiting to be planted a bit later.

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These are all the transplanting pots waiting for the seedlings. 

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Ixilis bulbs and the tray of Coleus which are just beginning to color out...which will need transplanting next week, I share these also with friends and family.

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I still haven't figured out where to hang my tools...working in an updated space is always a challenge. We lowered the table shelf by 4" and that is much better for working on. I have two temperature gauges which you definitely have to keep an eye out.

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Underneath the work table is my dirt bin, which holds a mixture of compost dirt and purchased potting soil. I'm using moisture control soil this year because it was so hot and dry last year. Our compost soil has waste, leaves, and peat moss added to it...so it's got a very nice quality to it. We dump all our pots into the compost pile at the end of the season, and churn it up...and then reuse the next year.

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I had the heater on very low the other day because it was so cloudy. Last night we didn't even need the heater and low temp was 49 degrees this morning at 6am.

Almost all the rust oblong planters hold veggies: Lettuces, onions, radishes, spinach and two with Nasurtiums...which are pollinator favorites. I will be moving the veggie planters out on the railings as soon as they begin to grow---probably the end of next week. (I'll need the space for all the transplants!)

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I've started more trays of Marigolds all sizes, and Zinnias. End of next week we will start the warm season plants: Zucchini, Summer Squash, Pumpkins, Squash. 

There will be something new going on every week, Spring is a busy time for gardeners. Now if Hubby can get some of the garden tilled, we will be set for business (Beets, turnips, onions, and who knows what else.)

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Almost all the mess is gone from our project....now to get the deck scrubbed and the waste cleaned up on the deck. We are SHISH KA BOB_ING this weekend with the kids, it's supposed to be in the 70's and we will 

PLAY YARD GAMES FOR SURE! 

WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THIS WEEKEND?

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Love Your Creativity

Happiness is Homemade

Metamorphosis Monday

The photos in  this blog are my own or I have permission to using them from family. Any others will be attributed to source if possible.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog 

without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi

Midwest Gardening: Late Start in the Greenhouse Part 1

 The weather has been hideous this Spring.  Today is the first sunshine and above 40 degrees we have had in ages(April 5) Long range forecasts show us frost free after Sunday.

DRUMROLL PLEASE! 

We will finally move all the plant starts into the greenhouse on Sunday April7. Only about three weeks late!

NOT: It was beastly Sunday with rain, cold and wind!!!!

Anyway these Photos are from March 30th. It was crappy all week though and everything looks the same today as when I wrote this post, April 5.

In desperation, I planted a faux bush in a pot for Easter just for COLOR!

The pond is very sheltered and that's the only place where the Daffodils were/are actually in full bloom.

In the back yard we are still going through all the stuff from the greenhouse and working it back in.

Several storms and wind damage are apparent everywhere. 

The garden itself has pretty much cleared of all the weeds, tiny bits of moss are growing. I love that the frost pushes up missed pegs. When I do clean all the flower beds all the leaves and refuse will be great mulch for the garden when it's tilled.

The Greenhouse on April 2. I had started to move back in...not even sun and the temp was now over 60. Hubby dragged in all the planters from around the yard and we lined the floors with them for the dirt to warm up. 

I'll be planting those on Sunday April 8-9.

The block floor is still settling and we swept the excess sand around to fill in between the patio blocks. Once water is sprayed in there...it will settle more. We will hook up the hose to the sink this week and bring out the heater.

I can't wait to have radishes/lettuce/onions. I may try a planter with beets also. I'm also starting Sugarpod peas in some round pots with bamboo trellis towers. Last year I got one pea pod from 3 packages---seems the bunnies ate everything despite our fences. I might try some spinach in a container also, all that was eaten also.

We eat a pound of fresh spinach a week. Actually growing spinach will be a savings and super fresh and delicious!

All the containers aren't where they will stay, but we have to clean up the yard. I think I have a plan.

Hubby did a great job finishing off the plastic wall panels (waterproof) over the insulation. This should keep critters out and really keep the greenhouse warmer in cold weather. 

We have a storm/screen door on the front (south side) and a huge fan and 5 windows to adjust the heat build-up. The fan can suck up the dirt off the floor to the ceiling and it sounds like a jet on high. Upside the low setting is perfect for making our plants stronger, it seems they love a little 'wind' during their growth.

Hoping to have some more shelves under here for planting. We usually have a large container of dirt in this area, a mixture of compost and bagged moisture control potting soil. This area is on the north side so the sun streams in here and hits this area early in the season. Perfect spot for pots and planters.

I recycled an entire garbage can of containers, trays, and pots, weeding through all of them and only keeping enough to put in the black trays. These containers are all ready for transplanting or starting our cucumber, squash, pumpkins, zucchini in two weeks. The greenhouse will be stuffed for  then. I will be transplanting the tomatoes into my McDonald's plastic glasses. One thing, they are stronger than anything the greenhouses give you for pots and taller---allowing roots to be strong and longer. 

The great watering can collection...I found three more today to add...I will have to find another place for  all these. This will be a good place for some of my large pots to start.

More when I can actually work in the greenhouse!

What Plans do you Have for Your Garden?

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Tuesday Turn About

Vintage Charm

Love Your Creativity

Happiness is Homemade

You're the Star

The photos in  this blog are my own or I have permission to using them from family. Any others will be attributed to source if possible.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog 

without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi