Sunday, January 22, 2023

Planting Log: January 22, 2023

Two years down the road from the last post - yikes! A lot has changed, and a lot has stayed the same. The citrus continues to struggle, despite my best efforts to cover and protect them during several below-freezing nights over the Christmas holiday. Several herbs have run their course and need to be replaced. I'm still fighting nutsedge and other weeds in the beds, but gradually winning...I think. 


Pictured at right are the Persian lime, Meyer lemon, Variegated lemon, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Satsuma orange. I know most of these just look like shriveled, brown sticks, but they are all alive, miraculously. The Satsuma (shown at left in the back corner) did especially well and still has many green leaves. That being said, I'm not sure I want to nurse these trees through another year if they're not going to produce any fruit again. I got nothing last year - not even a flower. I will trim them and fertilize in early March and cross my fingers.


Anyway, moving on to the veggies:


Bed #1: 
  • Chard:
    • One Bright Lights transplant bought at Lowe's and planted on 1/16.
    • Two Garden Rainbow (Renee's Garden) started from seed and transplanted in early January. Struggled during Xmas freeze, but rebounding now.

Bed #2:

  • Artichoke:
    • Colorado Red Star (bought from Baker Creek Seeds, but no longer on website?) - Seeds started October 13, 2022. Transplanted to garden early January. Slow growing, but survived the extreme cold. Could perennialize, apparently!
  • Broccoli: 
    • Green Magic (transplants from Lowe's) - Planted in mid-December. All but one of these died when we had the three nights in the mid-20s. This surprised me. 
    • Bought an Artwork transplant at Lowe's - planted on 1/16.
    • Seeds ordered from Scheeper's: Tyrian Purple and Purple Peacock.
    • Existing seeds to consider starting: Gypsy. Cauli-broc purple variety, Jacaranda (Territorial Seeds). Also, Green Magic again (Johnny's - old seed from 2020).
  • Cauliflower: 
    • Started several from seed and transplanted in mid-December but most died from the Xmas freeze. 
    • Bought a six-pack of generic white variety from Lowe's - not yet planted as of 1/22. Looks like one is struggling, so I'll probably only plant five.
    • Bought a Graffiti transplant from Lowe's - planted on 1/16. 
Bed #3 (all direct sown on 1/16):

Bed #4 (pictured at right):

  • Kale: Purple Moon - Planted this in May and it's still going, despite the freeze knocking it back a bit.
  • Onion sets - Short day sampler from Dixondale Farms. Varieties are 1015Y Texas Super Sweet, Texas Early White, and Red Creole. Planted November 19.