Green house update: Week 2
This is kinda late but there wasn’t that much progress before so that’s why I’m sharing now 😅
So far we have a lot of things germinating, especially our leafy greens, like the spinach and lettuces. Our fruits are taking a little longer but that’s to be expected.
If you swiped towards the end you probably saw there were various plants I didn’t know. That’s because I didn’t plant all the seeds. I was facilitating a class while they were planting them, but of course we didn’t have enough name tags so some seeds got mixed up. So now we’re growing a bunch of stuff idk what they are. It’ll be a fun mystery once it comes time to transfer!
I also have a couple of hands helping me now so it takes a lot of responsibility off of me 🥹 though I am having such a fun time water and checking on the seedlings progress. I’m glad I don’t have to do it everyday now especially as spring break is coming up I get a few days to relax and not be at school.
Last update: We had a two containers of kale and cauliflower left outside as an experiment. Last year they tried to grow kale and broccoli in the greenhouse, but because of how hot it was ( and there was no way of making it cooler 🥵) they all bolted (for my no gardener friends I’ll do a little explanation on why 😉: Kale, Broccoli, and Cauliflower and some others are all in the Brassicas family which essentially means they are fall early winter crops. You can totally get away with growing Brassicas in early spring, but it’s nearly impossible in the summer since the heat makes the plant grow flowers. And flowers= seeds= can no longer eat which is also called bolting) So our idea this year was to keep them outdoors during the tail end of winter so they can have time to grow before it gets too hot. Most Kale plants can tolerate temperatures as cold at 32 degrees so I felt comfortable with keeping it outside. And we foolishly thought no snow cause it was already went 2 year without snow and it was the beginning of February.
Well… we had not 1, but 3 snow storms back to back and tons of flurrying. So I don’t think we’ll be getting any kale and cauliflower this year 😅🥲
#Lemon8Diary #captinlemon8 #gardening101 #greenhouse #greenhouselife #gardening #garden
As we move into the warmer months, maintaining an optimal environment in your greenhouse is crucial for plant health. Leafy greens like spinach and lettuce thrive in cooler temperatures, while fruits generally require a bit more time to establish. One common challenge for greenhouse gardeners is bolting, which occurs when plants flower due to excessive heat—this affects brassicas like kale and cauliflower. To prevent this, keep your greenhouse well-ventilated during the day and shaded during peak sunlight hours. Additionally, mulching around the base of your plants can help retain soil moisture. With spring break approaching, it's the perfect time to take a rest from daily watering. Make sure to enlist some help for monitoring your seedlings, especially if you're juggling other responsibilities. Using a spray bottle can minimize water dispersal and make it easier to care for smaller plants. Finally, while experimenting with outdoor growth may have challenged your kale and cauliflower plans due to unexpected snow, consider using cold frames to protect young seedlings. These strategies can lead to a successful gardening season filled with bountiful harvests.
