Midwest Gardening 2024: Late April Greenhouse Check

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Good Morning, Dear Readers! It seems they have declared April the time to be aware of Ecology. OldNewGreenRedo is always mindful of preserving our earth and ecology. So on to this post.

After a last week in Chicagoland's few glorious days, we were back to shivering cold and gray skies.

Oldnewgreenredo

We amped up the greenhouse heater with a timer and the heater runs at about half power from dusk to dawn. This seems to be working perfectly, keeping the greenhouse in the 50 degree range at night. (Our Chicagoland evening temps have rattled in the low 30's to around 40.) The new patio block floor  and insulation absorb sun and heat during the day and helps to keep the greenhouse heater from having to work over time. 

BEING Eco-friendly---We are looking into small solar panels for electricity in the greenhouse for the future.  In the last two years we have updated our heating/cooling in our home which is passive solar to begin with, and a new insulating roof has also reduced our heat bills dramatically.

oldnewgreenredo

In the greenhouse, about 9AM in the morning, I do a physical check of the and it's in the 40's outside, but in the greenhouse it is 66 Degrees and 33% humidity. I spot water all the plants and go back inside for coffee.

oldnewgreenredo

Since last week, everything seems to be popping up...many plants needed to be transplanted last week,  which I did on Saturday the 20th. Here we have trays of flowers...marigolds, and the Nasturtiums on the left. 

Again, this is the last year I'm using seed planting pods, WHY???You ASK? I've observed they dry out so quickly when the plants are too big to have the plastic covers on, and they are very restrictive on root development. I'm just using up what we have. When I transplant I rip them open and the roots have barely done anything in the tightly compacted dry medium. I think it is a waste of resources and funds.

oldnewgreenredo

These are all tiny plants, but I'm so excited I got germination of Snapdragons and Balsam. At the price of six packs of flowers now---a $2-3 package of seeds is definitely the wise way to go. I have some Peppermint Zinnias going on the left and I had 100% germination on those. 

Normally I plant old/harvested seeds, but I had a lot of poor quality tall Marigolds and Zinnia flowers last year, with flaws and poor germination, I'm starting with some new seeds to improve my stock as you will. I'll plant the older seeds directly into the ground, what makes it, makes it. If they do, they will cross polinate with the new flowers and strengthen (theoretically?)

Inside the greenhouse I constantly move the boxes and pots around when watering so plants get different strengths 

of light each day.

oldnewgreenredo

More flowers---just planted a week ago.

oldnewgreenredo

Major success with two packages of Coleus...now I can see which will be which color and size. White hasn't showed up yet,...disappointed, but maybe soon. I had Giant and Standard sizes in the mixed seed packets, which I'm beginning to be able to identify.

oldsnewgreenredo

This planter is on the top shelf...partially full of flowers---Zinnias I believe, and we will see, I can't read the label here. This one is planned for the front frog pond at the front side of the house. I may try putting the Balsam in the bed around the pound. We moved the overgrown Phlox out last year. We always have pollinators around the water of the pond, and they love Phlox and Balsam. 

oldnewgreenredo

These Dahlias were planted in mid March---and clearly the larger pots have encouraged growth. Even clipping the tops off haven't deterred them at all. I have a big yellow enamel stew pot that has seen better days that I will drill holes in for some of these...clearly these Dahlias are BONKERS.

oldnewgreenredo

The purple Alyssum continues to thrive and thicken. I'm afraid I will have flowers before I can move them outside into planters and flower beds. I had planned these for along my edges of the front flower beds and in container planting.

oldnewgreenredo

I transplanted the Red Chrysanthemums to the pots on the left. I hope they perk up---they seemed unhappy in the trays. The Ranunculus on the right are what has survived. About half just laid down and died-perhaps too much sun/water/air---who knows? When we do have sun here in the Midwest it's piercing and hot and magnified in the greenhouse.

NOW TO THE VEGGIES!

oldnewgreenredo

All the Veggies seem very HAPPY! 

My pots of PEAS are all up and safe inside from being nibbled by the local critters. 

oldnewgreenredo

I'm excited at our SNOW PEAS progress and the sprouts 

are even grabbing on the netting.

Last year I had critters in the greenhouse everything was getting nibbled on. 

So Far, so Good!

oldnewgreenredo

The large planters on the new floor are thriving---this is Radishes and Spinach...I took the plastic covers off for all the photos and will leave them off during the day. 

I replace them at night where they can be used to further protect tender shoots from the cooler temps. Plastic lids make a greenhouse within a greenhouse as it helps retain the dirts' day warmth.

oldnewgreenredo

I have a few of the larger planters up on the shelves, and they are really growing well, here Lettuce and Onions

oldnewgreenredo

I'm not sure what's going on here---those two plants look like beans? I have Spinach and something else planted, which is just starting to come up on the left.

oldnewgreenredo

Gourmet Lettuce mixture on the right and white Onions on the left.

oldnewgreenredo

This is the last planter I planted last week with softball size Cantaloupe, which is not up yet. I'll move it into a sunnier location. The other one to the right is full of Nasturtiums and radishes. 

Nasturtiums bloom early and continue to frost and are excellent for pollinators. Besides, the blossoms are edible...and look very pretty on a sandwich or on top of a salad.

oldnewgreenredo

All the Peppers got transplanted to tall McDonald's plastic glasses which have a hole drilled in the bottom. A ECO-REDO project. Using milk/soda/or cans for planting are excellent ways of recycling. I think we are on our 8th year of using these glasses. I did recycle a few cracked ones this year. Tall containers  are excellent for Peppers and Tomatoes---encouraging strong, deep roots. 

I pinch off the bottom sets of leaves and plant my transplants very deep with as much stem under the dirt as possible. This builds very strong plants.

oldnewgreenredo

Here are the Tomatoes---

I've planted Heirloom BrandyWines this year. Their stems are so thick and hardy---we are hoping for an excellent crop. I have them in the shade until they adapt for two days before in full sun.

oldnewgreenredo

I know I'm impatient, but the Caladiums were planted in early March and we have nothing going on here. I have the package covers and receipts so I may have to claim a failure and get my money back. Caladiums are notoriously slow...so I'll give them one more week.

holdnewgreenredo

It's 9 AM on the 22nd of April. I've pulled off all the covers and watered everything, preparing the plants for a 1/2 day of glaring sunshine. 

I also dealt the IXIA..bulbs today which have been drooping. I noticed a couple of stems getting stronger but still flopping over. 

(NOTE TO SELF: Plant in tall containers or with collars next year)

oldnewgreenredo

I started with some electrical wire-(which I use over and over each year to support plants and sticks), old tall plant markers and one stick...

This really is a GREEN REDO..with OLD CRAP.

I wove one piece of electrical wire around the stick/markers. Then I wove another criss-cross in between the plants about 6" up.

oldnewgreenredo

I hope IXIA doesn't mind being touched (mangled) by my hands...as I straightened them all up. I left them on the bench, and will put back in shade if they droop further.

Always a new challenge---when you are a gardener.

oldnewgreenredo

I turned the fan on low and left the windows closed but opened the door screen window 1/3, but, I anticipate by 11 AM  I'll have to open everything up. Meanwhile, I watch the temperature monitor in the house to give me an idea of what's going on in the greenhouse.

INSIDE THE HOUSE: Oh, well, inside it says it's 94...so I have to go out and move the gauge into the shade...in out, all day, checking and enjoying the scent of warm dirt!

BACK INSIDE: 10 AM and it's 73 degrees in the shade and Humidity 39%.

PERFECT!!!

You hardly ever get to say that, if you are a GARDENER!

Happy Gardening!

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April Midwest Gardening: Not so Pretty--Spring

It's April 11 and this week in Chicagoland, we have had 70 degree temps to below 30 several nights, rain, wind (35-45mph), snow, sleet, and well---meatballs--basically.

Such are the seasons here in Illinois. Spring???? Not Yet!

This little protected corner---actually produced some blooms on Monday, it was 70 degrees. I don't know what has survived the crazy winter yet, last year I lost a third of my perennials. 

We will see what survived, soon I hope.

We try to garden GREEN.

Two weeks ago, I started on winter clean-up in grass areas of the front yard. In the backyard here is one of three carts full of branches and twigs picked up on our front lawn. Our lot is 80x120. So far, I have picked up 2 1/2 carts and 4 garbage cans full of twigs/branches. It was a tough winter.

There are still a lot branches on the roof---it's so windy today---we will probably have another cart full. We don't have a fireplace (no hydrants in our area), so they do get burned in a firepit. We use the ashes for fertilizer.

I don't clear the flower beds of leaves in Fall, or in Spring until past the frost date, May10 or so. This is because, bees, butterflies and other helpful bugs need places to nest over the winter. If you remove everything---they have no place to winter over. 

Then you have no insect activity for pollinating.

Lots of GREEN tips on the site below, 

Clean-up with positive impact.

In Fall, we ran the lawn mower over everything and the excess chopped leaves were dumped in the garden or into flower beds. Honest it was clean. But so much wind and ice this winter---these leaves are probably from Iowa.

This used to be our lettuce bed---but it has too much shade, now. A rethink, we can remove the railing and add it to the garden. Hubby is a lover of wood and our exterior wood is non-harmful.

Shade and water is a BIG issue in this back area---the walk on the right is sand, gravel and smooth river stones. Great for drainage.

This week I cleared all the leaves and branches to see what was left in the backyard. We added the NW roof extension last year--and a final post solution is on the list for this year. You can see we  rerouted the drainpipe...which puts it away from the house. 

Much of the problem is due to the clay soil and the gentle slope. We have been averaging 3 or more 100-year rains, in the past few years---and that much water, 6-7inches at a time, is not what our lot was designed for. One year we had 19" in two weeks. 

Behind the grill and deck, you can see the water pools here, we have to improve drainage.

It's sunny now---but it is basically 1-2 hours of filtered sun a day here. The tree is a Silver Maple and last year had spotted leaves. The plan is to make a curved sand, gravel, and river stone pathway down the hill for our cart---and then a softer solution for under the playground equipment. 

You can see how bad the grass is---we have seeded, reseeded, sodded, re-sodded constantly since 1984. Nothing has grown here now for three years now, except moss. Grass Seed is drowned or washed away and sod just dies after one season.

In the way back corner, the neighbors started a huge wood pile 

on the lot line next to our compost pile.

So this area is also on the list. This area has also become too shaded 

for planting and seems to be a slug farm.

Our biggest disappointment this winter was this, below.

We paid over $400 for a greenhouse---we basically setup in Spring 2018. We had bought from this company before. Our previous greenhouse we used for over 10 years---It had only one issue with the door zipper and size. It needed to be moved out of the shade---so we decided to expand and buy a bigger one, since we had to move it.

This is the state after one summer and one winter ---the plastic totally deteriorated.

Unable to use it as is---with our horrible temps---we covered the roof with plastic to at least protect the equipment and wood shelving inside. The company's website is basically shut down. 

It's there, but no replacements or new products are for sale. 

We usually plant all our own plants from seed---so this is very disappointing and our tomatoes are now, 12" high inside of the house. (next post---what we came up with temporarily.)

Hubby thinks we can use the frame and build plastic corrugated paneling around the frame and have a semi-permanent house---as the frame is heavy tube aluminum. 

Not for this growing season, though as it will involve lots of ladder work.

This is another item to fix. I've been hiding the condition of this seat with cushions---but I think I have to replace the canvas this year....The frame is still in great shape, it needs a refresh of paint.

You can see the covers we put on the legs to keep wasps from nesting in them.

Another area that needs attention is our back stairs and deck. North side exposure holds snow and leaves until it is well, 70 degrees. We still had snow here two weeks ago.

We have more than a few bad spots on the deck. These we will replace with composite planking. Probably not the whole deck though. $$$$$ 

Here's the garden. Hubby never got the fall tilling done because of heavy rains. I'll dump the leaves I remove from ALL the flower beds---when frost is no longer an issue.

List for this year---in order of importance.

DIY List for Spring 2019. 

1. Dig out a pathway wide enough for the cart to steer and also slow drainage. Terrace the rest of the slope for shade plantings. (I have plants to transplant for this as well as started Hostas from roots in pots.) 
2. Deal with the Greenhouse---make it usable in two weeks with plastic at this point, and then a permanent solution later. 
3. Get all the clean leaves from the flower beds tilled in or placed into the garden and tilled in. (This is great for replenishing the nutrients in the soil)
4. Finish off the posts for the roof and come up with a design solution for the drain pipes.
5. Fix or ditch the swing! It will need some new paint also. 
6. Replace the back stairs and at least half a new deck in composite.
7. Replace the roof on the grill gazebo---it's here and ready to go. 
8. Raise the roof on the play set the Grand is so tall now! no pic for now.

HOW BIG IS YOUR SPRING LIST??? 

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