Hello Everyone:
Much has changed since the previous post. I would take a few photos for the next installment and within a week the photos would be out of date.
I was relieved that the melt was steady - at no point was there any significant amount of water flowing into the road ditch.
As well, there was very little surface pooling, suggesting that the water is soaking into the ground.
Good signs for our water table this year.
Grass requires only one degree to start growing, so the plastic mulch will be out in a few days to keep that suppressed. The mulch will also help hold moisture in the beds.
Most of the work is in the nursery - seeding peppers, tomatoes, onions, parsley, etc.
As of this writing, I already have the first spinach, lettuce, and snow pea beds ready for planting.
These are the first round of green onions germinating in a seedling tray.
Two weeks later the onions are promoted up to their cell packs. They'll continue to grow for another six weeks until they are ready for transplant.
The parsley is coming along. I'll likely have more transplants than required, though I always prefer more than I need in case of any losses from damping off infections, mice or earwig infestations, or spilled trays.
If I do have extra, I will offer the surplus seedlings to CSA customers who want some extra for a container in their kitchen or back yard.
I'll likely have extra hot pepper plants to give away to CSA customers as well.
Lots of other work to do while waiting for the ground to thoroughly thaw out.
All of the bird boxes now have predator guards on them. With a bit imagination and some left over metal flashing, it is easy enough to protect the bird boxes from most predators. Protection from Jays requires a little more work.
I rely on the finches, bluebirds and barn swallows to help manage the insect population; the finches in particular seem to have a taste for hornworms and potato beetles.
Off to inspect the property to see what winter has left behind....