First Seeding Day

Some of the seeds that we have ordered. Today begins the planting for our 2015 wonderful garden. Let the games begin!

Flats to fill in the greenhouse. Left side, 50 cell flats. To the right, 12 pots in a flat for planting onions and leeks. 25 per pot :) Yup, we have really good dexterity (and eye sight).

Our planting area. Notice Lisa's coffee cup.

Tracy, a friend from my junior high school years, stopped by. I remembered she has the BEST handwriting so she became our tag writer. Thanks Tracy!

Here Lisa is pre-drilling her 25 holes for each of the 25 onions she will plant in each pot. Focus was one of our key words today. Lisa has it! She planted 7 kinds of onions/shallots/scallions today.

Anna on the left, is due with her 4th in April. She is planting celery in a 50 cell flat. Angie on the right, is planting 3 kinds of basil. 

The seeds that need bottom heat are on the black propagating mat set near 75 degrees. We placed clear domes over each flat to hold in moisture and heat.

Angie planting leeks in the pots. I have no idea how she handles these tiny seeds with her beautiful nails.

See you next time on the farm.

Lorrie

January on the farm

Cleaned up asparagus bed.

The lumber to build up the raised bed around the existing asparagus bed.

The finished bed with added compost. The existing asparagus will grow up through the soil and then more will be added to top it off. We don't want the asparagus to get worn out before it gets to the top where the light is.

Old worn out raspberry canes have been cut out and tossed. Because raspberries are a biennial plant (canes live two years), after fruiting on their lateral canes they are done. Cut at the base and toss them.

Florencio mulched all the artichoke plants. Last year we lost all but 3 to the hard winter and then replanted from seed. The drip irrigation mainline is holding the straw from blowing away.

You might be able to see the uniform looking dirt clods. The resident gophers are hard a work. Grrrrr.

Tomatillos after they have broken down. Lace-like outer shells are frilly!

Tomatillo seeds have scattered. They tend to grow all over the garden and we tend to NOT pull them.

Blueberry bushes. The old, thick stems are slowly being pruned out, a few a year, which encourages new growth.  

These are thinned out and showing their new growth. Happy dance!!! 

The red stems are this variety are the new ones. Blueberries fruit on 1-3 year old wood.  These very tall bushes with the berries out toward the ends of the branches. We are trying to increase production on our wonderful plants, while keeping them short enough to pick.

Another variety of blueberries. You might be able to see the light brown wood down low to the ground, more tan part way up the plant, then newest growth is the pinkish-red. The pinkish-red is where the fruit will be borne.

The pruned off part of the blueberries added to the burn pile.

The large King apple tree by the greenhouses is extremely old.

Florencio has pruned off the right side of the top and is continuing on. Quite the job.

Florencio will be pruning the orchard also. All the shoots above the large branches will be pruned off. Sometimes called "water sprouts".

Purple sprouting broccoli that was planted last year. Soon to sprout the purple broccoli, we hope!

Mt. Hood overseeing the garden. A beautifully clear winter day.