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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >What have you got growing, James, and when did you sow, transplant, etc?
> 

The weather has taken the wind out of my sails on that account.  The plan I 
used the last couple of years was to errect a temp green house in the 
garden, right over a couple of growing beds that are groomed in the fall for 
the 
purpose.  It's a construction of t-posts, 1" pvc pipe, and polyethylene 
sheeting.  I only expect to get one season out of the cheapie sheeting and so 
far it has not disappointed me.  When I'm through with it in the garden, it 
will be used to cover hay stacks for the summer but by the fall (when the hay 
stacks have been combed and no longer need it) it is disintegrating.  The 
trick is to throw it away before it crumbles into tiny pieces.

Not sustainable, I know, but ....  My alternative should the cheapie poly 
not be available (and I much doubt it will be available forever) is to use 
the canvas made for the purpose.

Anyway, in this area which is usually between 10x10 and 10x20 depending on 
how things lie for that year, 3/4 of it is cold and 1/4 is over a pit of 
fresh manure covered with 6" of dirt.    An green house 1/4 that size or 
smaller would be completely adequate, but not as much fun.

But this year the continuous cold and clouds tipped the scales on this 
scheme.  The cold is not so bad, although it does depend on SOME days above 
freezing, of which we've had precious few.  But sunlight, quite a bit of it, 
is 
not optional.  The cold has been so pervasive and penetrating (not helped by 
copious wet) that even the hot bed has failed to heat up.

Soooo ... I've started little trays of cabbage, collard, kale, broccoli, 
onions, and leeks in a  sort of "bookcase" type frame that fits into the 
south 
facing windows for that purpose.  It isn't ideal and the plants only do 
well if they are removed to the green house when they are not much taller 
than 
1".  

A break in cold conditions isn't expected through March, and this will not 
be a good thing.  Between now and the next couple of weeks is when I usually 
seed peas, fava beans, carrots, beets, and spinach dircectly in the garden. 
 But it's too wet and cold to even consider it right now.  If the weather 
breaks to more seasonable conditions, I will seed them in the 'iffy' beds 
where they may or may not survive, but it's a small expense in seed and labor 
so it's worth the gamble.   

Also I have some spinach and radishes under bottomless milk jugs but they 
are not making any progress against the cold and lack of sun.  I have two 
fallow beds piled up with bout 30" of fresh horse manure.  I dug out several 
2'x3' south facing berms and covered that with plastic as a backup for cold 
weather seedlings.

Like you, Bev, I left  half the potatoes cached in the potato field.  Much 
to my surprise there is not freeze damage after all those days in the single 
digits.  BUT it is very had to get to them and most likely a depressingly 
large portion of them will be pig food this spring.

James</HTML>