October 26, 2017

Good morning,  planting summer veggies very early into the garden provides me with some welcome benefits.

When I first started planting early it was mainly to have well established plants going into the angry months of May and June. This is when we can experience the hottest and driest conditions that Far West Texas can throw at a gardener.

I find it easier to keep a plant with a deep root system hydrated. Seedlings with root systems that are less than 12 inches deep are more of a challenge to keep hydrated. Of course with the use of mulch it makes this hydration thingy less difficult. None the less 100 degree heat and single digit humidity is very daunting.

So this is why with the use of agriculture fabric, planting the first tomatoes  the middle of February and the rest of the summer veggies the first of March is made possible.

On the outside this looks like it would be very foolish because after all we can get some very cold over night lows. The garden has experienced the low teens and has still survived.

With the use of fabric the day time heating can be harvested and allowed to keep the veggies nice and comfy through the night.

Once the middle of February has arrived, we begin to experience  increasing 60+ degree days and fewer freezes at night. The fabric moderates and protects the seedlings during this transition.

Through extensive  testing for early spring plantings it is imperative to have a minimum cavity  for which the young seedling to grow. This cavity needs to be 6 inches or less. This does a few things: allows for some very nice warming in the day, higher humidity around the seedlings,and with a smaller cavity the heated earth does not have to keep a large amount of air warm.

Originally the hoops  holding up the fabric was erected to "full mast" (18 to 24 inches). With small seedlings it was quickly discovered that the young seedlings could be desiccated and some times frozen at night because there was too much cavity to be moderated. Trial and error decreased the size of the cavity.

With the use of fabric this is all made very simple. There is no need to remove the covers and recover every day. In fact it is much preferable to just leave the plants covered. There is the need to pay very close attention to upcoming cold snaps. This problem is fixed with the use of an extra layer of fabric in waiting by the bed. It is paramount to keep an eye watchful for the seedling that have grown and are touching the fabric. This is where most if any freeze damage is found. Any cold will transfer through the fabric where ever any foliage is touching the fabric.

This all sounds like a lot of work It really isn't but is extremely important to pay an ever watchful eye towards upcoming weather events.

Besides having established and fruiting veggies there was another advantage that was discovered. Having well established plants before my pet RKN become active, allows the plants a fighting chance and at the least a crop. With the use of my thyme oil extract, the plants seem to keep on growing through the nematode infection.

It really is all about adapting to the conditions that are provided by Mother Nature.

It really was a surprise on Wednesday waking up early and seeing the thermometer setting at 37. So it was to the garden to drain the drip system and make sure everything was covered. The low at sunrise was 34 so it looked like I escaped a freeze. But by mid day there were some nipped basil, tomatoes, and what remained of my summer squash. Funny it was only the bottom leaves of the okra that got nipped. 

I am starting to get a few tomatoes and I may have a last bean harvest to go. There even might be a few eggplants and chilies. Today could be the last harvest of summer veggies.

Kohlrabi are sizing up, Boc choy, looking good, still very hopeful of a good cabbage harvest, Cauliflower and broccoli look very nice, peas are up, A bit of an aphid attach in the spinach / asian green bed, parsnips was a bust, turnips are ready for sale, the new bed of chard / kale is being harvested, winter lettuce is coming along, and the next bed of carrots is nearly ready..

With the veggies in storage the fall transition is coming along, I do not expect an interruption of veggies. I love it when a plan comes together.