Eleven Corn Came Up In the Second Planting Yesterday

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Bob Bauer
April 21, 2017 (Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 2 minutes

April 21, 2017

Eleven corn came up in the second planting yesterday, and there was a frost this morning. I found an old box fan in the barn loft, and blew air across the garden, so I didn't have to cover everything up. Moving air can help keep frost from damaging plants. You can put an overhead sprinkler on in the garden on a frosty morning to mitigate damage also. Not only does the sprinkler move the air with water droplets, but the water coming out of your well is 55°..

We've had such a wet spring that I'm reluctant to put more water on the ground. I was reminded how I was taught to not water the garden until the top half inch of soil has dried out. The reason for that may have been to inhibit pillbug and sow bug activity, because as crustations, they breath with gill like structures, and can't survive in dry soil..

April 22, 2017

Happy Earth Day everyone. We as a civilization have not been very kind to our Mother Earth, but hopefully, if greed doesn't get in the way of our enlightenment, we will be able to solve some of the problems we've created. We have the capability of sustainable organic agriculture, but sacrifices will be required. On our own small earth plots we can more easily be successful. Keep the ground covered. Mulch breakes down more quickly when find, so use coarse on your pathways..

The soil does not like the sun. It dries out and blows away. I found cracks in the ground surrounding my mounds on the wet side of the garden, which is a sure sign it needs mulch. The soil, that's like a sponge, is losing its air and water pockets, becoming denser and less friable. I would be wise to scarify the ground there, filling in the open cracks, before putting down the mulch..

April 23, 2017

I got the six pepper plants in today. I've been hardening them off by giving them increasing amounts of direct sunlight each day. I've burned a lot of pepper plant leaves in my day by not taking long enough to acclimate them. They always look so hearty that I forget how damaging UV can be. I hardened off the tomato too, but it has brown spots on its leaves, as if I didn't give it enough time..

Now I've got three eggplants to harden off. I don't even like eggplant because it has no taste to me, but I think maybe the cook is going to try some new recipes. Wish me luck..

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