Just when everyone started busting out short and sandals and leaving their jackets at home…
A winter storm in the forecast!!
A week after I finally moved my squash outside and started hardening off some tomatoes and cucumbers, we were predicted to get about 6” of snow and two nights of below freezing temperatures.
Frost protection
Frost / snow hatsSquash tentHerb shelf tent
I set out to protect my plants from low temperatures, planning some insulation and wind barrier. I used an old bed sheet, some clear plastic bags, a camping tarp, and miscellaneous clear plastic recyclables with air holes drilled into them. I secured most in place by sticking a bamboo grilling skewer through one of the air holes and into the soil a few inches. This seems to work great to secure them against the wind.
In some cases I brought plants in containers back inside. I had just felt the relief of being an almost empty-nester when plant after plant returned to crash at my place!
Snow protection
Frost is one thing, 6” of heavy wet snow is another. I reinforced my cloth and plastic sheet covering with additional bracing to hopefully withstand the weight of the snow. Folding chairs, extra trellises, container lids, etc. were all in play.
Aftermath
So far… pretty much everyone survived! My squash plants are definitely less cheerful, sustaining some leaf damage. I did lose a few of the weaker plants. But in all, I’m very pleased with the survival rate.
I created a scheduling spreadsheet to manage my garden planting timing. It’s based on dates from farmers almanac for Denver, in addition to instructions on seed packets (using the almanac frost date as reference date). It’s the beat way I’ve found to take all of the info from multiple sources and put them in one place so I can see them in order. Gotta love a spreadsheet.
Plant starts
Current state of the bathtub greenhouse. Note the butternut vine in the left that is now as tall as me.
Started on 4/1 (kale, chard, arugula, dill, poblanos, green onions)
4/44/44/54/54/10 cosmos4/10 green onions4/10 poblano peppers4/10 dill4/10 chard and kale4/11 scout seedlings sent out overnight to see if it’s ok to go outsideKale, dill outside hardening offGreen onion and arugula outsideBaby poblano peppersBaby Swiss chardBaby kale (Russian red)
Started on 3/17 (Honeynut,butternut, cucumber, zucchini, biquinho peppers, tomatoes)
4/10 tomatoes!4/10 cucuberates galore
Tomato problems. I’m not sure what’s happening but I’m trying to fix by spreading them out more, trimming bad leaves, and being mindful of overwatering. Come on tomatoes, we’re not even outside yet! You got this.
Started in January (zucchini, butternut, basil, rosemary)
Full blow living room zucchiniFirst zucchini of 20224/18 Bebe butternut4/18 another Bebe zucchini
I harvested a zucchini! I really wasn’t sure what would come of my January squash plants, but I have started so see some fruit appear in the last month. Since they are still indoor plants until the weather warms up, I’ve had to keep an eye on them and pretend to be a bee in order to pollinate (see Zucchini post). I don’t anticipate optimal fruit production from these guys as they’re a bit stunted, but it a impressive how well theyr
Plot progress
4/34/5 first tiny radish leaf?4/10 oniony something?4/10 lots of mystery sprouts4/10 Asparagus?4/104/10 carrot seeds in groundSurprise!Purple surprise!SpinachSnow peas!
Ollas
Until the garden water gets turned on, my sophisticated water supply system.
I interred some ollas and learned one important lesson: a funnel is very useful for filling them. I grabbed a 3-pack at the dollar store and it was the best purchase I’ve made all month.
They seem to need refilling once every 2-3 days or so at the moment, but it’s not very hot out. I’m hoping that being buried underground will keep them fairly well insulated from the heat. I have verified that the soil around them is moist, but I don’t really know if they’re going to be effective on their own. I planned on using them more as a drought failsafe. I’ve still been surface watering every few days since I’m trying to get some seeds to germinate.
Dig a hole. Insert olla. Bury olla. Cover hole. Ollas 2.0, trying a different bottom capTesting for leaks
Community
I set up a garden Facebook group for members. So far many have joined but not many are posting.
We have our second work day this weekend, I think we are weeding the paths and placing new gravel.
Gravel.
Some good news: we should have water turned on a few weeks earlier than expected! Bad news: someone stole our water valve so someone has to come out and fix it. Urban garden problems.
I started all of these seeds on March 17. On day 5 things started to get exciting! (This post running late)
Day 5: Signs of life for tomatoes, honeynut squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. Day 8: Honeynut and tomatoes get up-potted
Garden plot update
I’m having trouble committing to a layout, but I do have some early volunteer plants from the plot’s previous owner. My best guess is that the green guys are garlic.
I started laying out a rough grid but didn’t want to go crazy because I assume it will be easier to plant and mulch without working around a grid.
Indecision townEarly volunteers
Premature plants update (started in January)
First cucumber blossomCucumber making itself at home
My one remaining cucumber plant popped out it’s first blossom this week. It appears to be a female flower with a teeny cucumber behind it, but I don’t have anything to compare it to. It’s also making itself right at home grabbing onto the shelves for stability.
This is my first season with cucumbers and I am delighted to report that cucumber seedlings and roots really do smell like cucumbers! Unexpected, but I guess of course they do.
This baby was evicted from the shelf for taking up too much space. She can try her luck at climbing. Butternut squashThe greenest Zucchini plantPollen bank
Pollen can be hard to come by as squash blossoms usually bloom for about a day, and there has to be a male and female flower in bloom simultaneously for the fruit to get fertilized. As such, I’m using my indoor plants to bank pollen in the freezer. I’m not sure how effective it will be but it’s my backup plan.
ROAD TRIP 