Zone 5 - Check-ins!

[Zapatay]

Hi Guys - Are we ready for the fun to begin? I'm so pea pickin' excited, I can't stand it.

Alrighty Jal - What have we done so far?

Speaking of peas - They are popping thru. Not sure what'll happen from here but I'm thinking of adding an additional 4x6 spot for some corn this year. I have some time before I need to till that.

Things I've done:
Beginning preparation of all existing beds.
I added the compost bin of beautiful soil to a small bed I have running along the side of the house (I had a compost bin (worms) thru-out last autumn and the worms did a great job!)
I've uncovered my pile of composted manure and straw and all seems well - I plan on putting that into my new bed for corn perhaps?
I've purchased some fencing to help keep my dogs out of the garden. (jerks ate my cabbage and broccoli last year)

Behind on:
Broccoli Cabbage - I didn't have time to start this - I'm hoping I can find some transplants at local nurseries.

[img]https://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q157/zapatay/lulusping.jpg[/img]
My 4yr old digging up worms for fishing... lol (Strawberries coming thru)

[digitS']

Well, my part of the world has a zone 5 winter but we still haven't had a 60°F afternoon yet this year. Just shows how the extreme cold of December and January doesn't quite get us to a reading on spring . . . when it's spring .

So, I'd have to be behind all the rest of you but if I can't set a good example maybe a bad example will help .

I got onion plants, sets and the shallots in the garden last week!

Okay. And, my tomato plants are really suffering from a lack of light. Plus, it is cloudy, trying to rain and there's plenty of wind today . . .

Steve, bad example zone 5'er

[ruggr10]

Here in Maine's zone 5, still have everything inside. I have been taking certain plants outside to get some natural light. Not really hardening them off since we going to Mexico on vaca soon, but I like getting them the extra light. I will be adding compost to some beds today and getting lettuce and pea seeds in the ground.

I received an order earlier than I would like for my 3 beach plums and I put them in yesterday.

I will start tomatoes indoors today.

It is pouring rain today, but I don't care anymore. I'm putting lettuce and peas out... I'm going to make spring come whether it likes it or not!!!

[gixxerific]

Zone 5 here but a bit more south that you all. I am in mid MO around St Louis.

So far I have added compost and all beds are ready.

Planted peas, lettuce, chard, onions, carrots, radishes, garlic (from last Oct) cabbage, spinach, a few other things. All or most coming up. Garlic is going gangbusters. I also have volunteer garlic, onion, lettuce, basil coming up here and there. I have starters for tom's eggplant, peppers, more basil, etc. I just planted a ton of flowers here and there last weekend. Yard has been seeded and fertilized with corn gluten.

I am sure I'm missing something and I have only just begun.

Let the planting frenzy begin.

[tedly]

Got peas, carrots, lettuce, onions, radishes, and mesculin mix seeds in the ground. Radishes have started to sprout. A chunk of the main garden is tilled up. 3 sides of the rabbit proof fence are up, just trying to figure out the gate before I do the last side. Frames for the pea trellises are up, just have to run the twine. Managed to kill a bunch of my tomato sprouts. Actually I'm not doing so good on any of the stuff I started indoors. Just trying to spend at least an hour a day out there and enjoy the sun after a long winter.

[jal_ut]

Today, watching the snow melt. The ground is too wet to get on. In the fall I planted garlic, Egyptian onions, and shallots. They are coming up.
On March 3 I planted some spinach seed. It is up. A couple of weeks later I planted some onion seed. Haven't seen it appear yet. I also got a chance to plant onion sets and plants.

The weather forecast is calling for more rain/snow tomorrow. I have no idea when it will get dry enough to plant. It is time.

[ruggr10]

Alright... you got me motivated..

I planted some peas, carrots, lettuce, and Pac Choy in my raised beds. We'll see what happens. Also, my garlic is finally peeking out of the ground.

[gixxerific]

The weather forecast is calling for more rain/snow tomorrow. I have no idea when it will get dry enough to plant. It is time.

Sorry to hear this. I know how you feel. Though you are just getting to where you need to be out there I have been there for about a month. We have been getting heavy snow or rain at least once maybe twice a week. It seems like just when it's about to be drying up we get more rain. We just can win.

Good luck James and the rest of you as well.

[orgoveg]

I got carrot, onion sets, spinach, nettle, garlic mustard, beet, broccoli, turnip, lamb's quarters, wild violet, kale, and cauliflower direct-sown a couple of weeks ago. Everything has sprouted except carrot and beet.

Anyway, I'm in zone 5b. In a few days, I'll be sowing cabbage, collards, lettuce, dill, and black mustard.

[Stella Blue]

Garlic was planted last fall, and sprouting great!
Strawberry plants (Fort Laramie and Honeoye) were planted last week.
Tulips and other perrenials are popping up.
Lettuce, spinach, carrots, chard, and radishes are sown.
I've got peppers started in December which are producing like gangbusters already, waiting patiently to be transplanted outside.
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, cilantro, dill, sunflowers, and broccoli are coming in and out of the garage as weather permits.

I'm hoping I didn't start some of these plants indoors too soon. So far they are all standing up straight and looking very healthy.

Oh yeah, also planted 4 apple trees and 2 blueberry bushes and 1 cherry tree. Next year we'll add 2 peach, 2 pear, 1 more cherry, and raspberries.

[Zapatay]

... also planted 4 apple trees and 2 blueberry bushes and 1 cherry tree. Next year we'll add 2 peach, 2 pear, 1 more cherry, and raspberries.

Goodness Stella, you are on fire.

I have no idea when it will get dry enough to plant. It is time.

From the rest of your post, there are definitely things happening and in a month or two your garden will surpass all dreams that I have of my garden being.


Radishes!!..... Those will go in this evening! How could I have forgotten?

[BrianSkilton]

Zone 4b here. Today we had a 78 degree day in South Dakota, which is quite hot for spring. But tomorrow's high is 45, with a low of 39, and the rest of the week is 40s and 30s. Right now I have some cold weather stuff out inside wall o waters to protect them from the below average temperatures. Anyway, one minute it's 78 degrees and sunny and the next minute it's 30 degrees...some jacked up weather.

[tedly]

Woohoo! Got the first carrot and lettuce sprouts today!

[shelleyinmichigan]

Started so far here in NE lower Michigan:

Hot Lemon Peppers!
[img]https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g66/shelleyn_2006/hotlemonpepper.jpg[/img]

Brandywine and Super Beefsteak!! (also have 19 Romas not in picture)
[img]https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g66/shelleyn_2006/varioustomatoes.jpg[/img]

Other various peppers - California Wonder, Sweet Banana, Jalapeno (not shown Pepperoncini, Habanero)
[img]https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g66/shelleyn_2006/variouspeppers.jpg[/img]

Also started Jade Hybrid Cauliflower just for kicks (I don't usually touch hybrids of any kind but this one is just too colorful to ignore.)

Still need to get the seven basils and other herbs started, but getting these little beauties into their own apartments will be plenty indoor gardening for today

[tedly]

Snowing every night for days and hail the last 2 days. Yeah the snow melts by afternoon, but I'm over it!

[hit or miss]

5b here! I have carrots, spinach, onions, swiss chard, beets and dill planted. Garlic is doing good and I planted 5 sweet peppers last weekend. We're having very dry weather and I am having a heck of a time getting seeds to sprout. I'm watering daily with a decent sprinkle to keep the top moist. So far, the seeds are sprouting very spotty and I have replanted most of it except the carrots and dill. Temps are running from the 30's to 96 and so are the winds!

Such is the life of a gardener! I'm eyeing this weekend to put in the rest and plant more seeds for the warm weather crops.

[digitS']

graupel . . .
the 3rd day for storms and the 2nd day it snowed on me while tilling! the tiller is still running but I took off my gloves to snap the picture .