I tried using one container but decided that it just didn't drain as quickly as I'd like... Considering that my strawberry plant was killed partially by root rot I picked a smaller container with better drainage and began filling it. I should have poured instead but I scooped. When I was finally done scooping about 30 minutes later I got one of those small rake looking things and a measuring tape. Why the tape you ask? Well, the back of the seed packaging said to plant the Bloomsdale Long-standing spinach 1/2 in. deep. So I measured the prongs on the small rake tool and raked through the top of the soil at 1/2in depth, abouts. Then I tore open the seed packet and was kinda shocked by how many seeds are in 1 package. I'd gotten 2 for 2 containers. You live and learn, I guess. So I put about 7 seeds in each row. If all of them germinate then I wasted like 38 seeds. I figured my chances were better that I'd get 3 to germinate by trying an overload of seeds. I'll definitely thin them out when they start growing if all of them do or more than 3.
Once I had completed the spinach container I decided that I needed to measure the interior wall of my raised bed considering that I hadn't moved the back wall in that meticulously. I knew it wouldn't come out to my originally planned 5x3 foot raised bed. It came to about 4.5 ft by 2.5 ft. Not exactly what I had expected but closer to that then I had figured. So I took a spade and started drawing the lines in the dirt. I had 6 1x1 square foot plots and on the perimeter I had one 4.5ft by .5in plot and one 2.5 ft by .5 inch plot. Although all of the plants I had plotted wouldn't fit into my square garden perfectly I decided not to be so disappointed by this and instead to be happy that I would have the space, in some sense, for each veggie selected. I am going to use the off-plots for the carrots. One variety in the 2.5 plot and the other in the 4.5 plot. I'll just plant 1 row instead of 2. That'll get me more than enough carrots. I hope.
Once I had sectioned the dirt off with a spade I went inside to find some pieces of wood to use to hold my ties and string. I came back with 4 chopsticks, 1 paint mixer, 8 kabob sticks, and twine. I remeasured and used the bricks to hold one end of the string and the paint mixer, chopsticks, and kabob sticks to hold the end that ran to the concrete blocks. It took me awhile to get everything just right. I had to measure down the middle twice and remeasure each square once I realized I had gotten the middle off by 3 inches or so. Chopping the dirt up with a spade and tape measure wasn't as efficient as I'd thought. I finally got it right and my raised bed had transformed into a garden. Somehow, those string sections made it look real and fancy almost. I know it sounds silly but my picture of a garden includes those strings so "installing" them was kind of the last piece of building. All I need now besides the plants is a sign for the gate that allows entry to the side yard from the backyard. Then I'll be set.
As far as the container...
My spinach seeds should show something green in about 7 days but I don't know it may be more like 14. I told my mom this and she asked immediately "when can we eat it!?" I replied and said that it would be less if we picked the baby leaves. She said "baby spinach is better! With tomato though! When will they be ready?" And I replied again assuring her that spinach and tomato would be available together at some point in the summer but not as soon as the spinach, of course. I don't actually know this to be true but she sounded more disappointed then I was about sledge hammering my finger (still feel bruised btw). So I made a big to-do about how if we pick the leaves just right the others will keep growing. I read this somewhere but only once and I don't really know what "pick them right" means. I guess until I can plant the "ALFD" (after last frost date) plants I can look into harvesting the spinach and should. I never thought I could have an on-going crop. It'd be like having a home grocery store. Every time I want a spinach salad I just run out to "Patch Market" and pick the spinach fresh out of the container. That is kind of, REALLY COOL! I wish all the others were like that! Maybe they are?! Even if none of the others are on-going I'm pleased to try "picking them right." I told her she'd have to pick the spinach up herself considering that I've slaved over a small container to "make" it for her. I won't make her pick it all up herself but the same site that said to "pick them right" said that it would be better to eat the leaves the same day or moment (forgot) they were picked. So she'll either have to pick them up, get me to drop them off (some task she can get me to do almost anything) or eat day old spinach. I'm pretty sure the spinach in the store is about a month old so that won't be that bad.
No comments:
Post a Comment