So, back on February 26th, I did a post on how we had started planting at the farm. I had started a ton of seedlings for various seed starting classes and they needed to get into the ground. The weather had been beautiful which was not typical for late winter around here.
Then we got some actual winter. Sam and I put row cover over the seedlings and then doubled up on it for further season extension weather protection. If it had been spinach under the cover I would have had zero worries but baby lettuce and baby broccoli do not tolerate multiple days in the teens, even under cover so we lost about 25% of the plants from the cold snap. It did not help that I did not have time to put hoops under the cover. That would have held the fabric up higher and helped the microclimate. It did help that I had planted right next to the driveway so the asphalt would soak up and release heat locally.
No worries. The best part of having your own seed starting grow station is the ability to have plants ready to go into the ground every two weeks. We had started dozens more lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower seeds. I figured it would take me hours to plant but then Sam and a bunch of her co-workers at The Southeast Ohio Regional Kitchen came out with her and we planted everything plus turned over two more beds of cover crop in an hours. Big Thanks to them!!!
We filled the whole bed and replaced any dead planting. Started more under the lights as well.
Covered them up and had some nice rain a couple days later. I will check on them this week. Cover will stay to protect for deer plus we have some cold nights still.
Speaking of cover crop the rye is going like crazy and will take off towards three and four feet tall here shortly.
(gallery pic credits: Naomi S.)