Are we past the last frost date?

The problem with the last frost date is that it is different every year.  Some years the last frost is early, other years it comes late. So when planning to plant out frost-sensitive crops, you have to guess what the weather will do based on previous years.

Generally, you hear about the 'average last frost date'.  But I don't really like planning my planting dates based on that because it is the AVERAGE last date--meaning half of the time the last frost is before that date, and half of the time it is after.

"You mean to tell me that there is a 50% chance that I'll
endure freezing weather when you plant me out on the
average last frost date??" -Tomatoes

I'm a pretty meticulous planner, and my plants and I would really like to have more information than just the average last frost date. The best comprehensive resource for frost information I've found so far is the National Climatic Data Center website. They have information about spring (and fall) frost dates for all areas of the country. Click here for the pdf information on a bunch of North Carolina areas.

It includes 3 different temperatures (28, 32 and 36) and 3 different probability levels (10, 50 and 90). Below is the pertinent information for Chapel Hill, NC:

Better than your average last frost data for Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

I know what you're thinking: So how do you use this table? For example, let's consider the 90% probability level for the spring season at the 32-degree threshold.  The table shows the associated date is March 24. This means that nine times out of ten, a temperature as cold as or colder than 32 will occur later than March 24 during the spring season. Those aren't good odds if you are thinking about planting out tomatoes.


On the flip side, April 30 is the 10% probability level for 32 degrees. This means that 1 time out of 10, a temperature as cold or colder than 32 will occur later than April 30.  I'm willing to accept a 10% frost risk when planting out tomatoes. For more sensitive plants (like eggplants and squash) I would probably wait another week or two.

For the fall season, the probability level represents the chance of NOT having a temperature as cold or colder earlier than the computed date.

Given the above odds for various temperatures (and the projected forecast), I think I'll plant out my tomatoes sometime later this week!

Harvest Totals: January 2012

Last year, I was pretty good about weighing my produce and writing down how much I harvested.  I just did it for the season as a whole though, and this year I want a better idea of how much I harvest and when I harvest it.

The chickens were the stars of January's harvest.

For that reason, I am tallying up my harvest totals each month, and tracking how my harvest changes from month to month.  I created an elaborate, yet simple, spreadsheet that allows me to input the pounds harvested of each crop, and the number of eggs.  Based on the value per pound, the spreadsheet calculates the estimated value of the produce, and gives me a total for the month and for the year.  I've selected the value per pound based on average market and grocer prices for each organic produce item.  I've assumed organic, small farm raised eggs can go for $4.00/dozen.

Only greens were harvested in January.

I've even included costs (such as seeds, potato seeds, supplies and chicken feed) so that I can get an estimate of my Return on Investment (ROI).  For January, our ROI is negative because I've included the cost of all the seeds and other supplies that I bought for the spring and summer growing season.  Before long, we should have a positive ROI!

Here is the chart generated by my spreadsheet; every month I will update it.

January isn't exactly known for being a big harvest month, but I managed to harvest over 5 pounds of greens and 94 eggs, with an estimated value of $43.00! 

I can't wait to see my spring and summer totals!

Garden Organization: Seed starting!

It is finally that time of year again!  For the avid gardener, seed starting season is more exciting than Christmas.  I was beyond thrilled to be starting to grow vegetables again.

In December, I made my list of what seeds to start and when, so now all I have to do is follow my preset instructions.

Sturdy plastic tray.

I use heavy duty plant trays to support the cheaper multi-cell black plastic plant trays used for starting seeds.  I LOVE the heavy duty trays compared to the cheaper black plastic ones available at hardware stores.  They are more expensive, but they should last forever and they are very durable and don't bend under the weight of soil and plants.

72 cell flat, resting in durable tray.

I filled the cells of the seed starting tray with moist seed starting mix.

72 cell flat with seed starting mix.

I used a pencil or screwdriver to make a small hole for the seeds.  And then I added 2-3 seeds per cell, and gently covered with more soil.

Use a small object to make holes for seeds.

 I placed the tray on a seed heating mat to raise the soil temperature. 

Seedling heat mat.

 And I covered the tray with a clear plastic tray lid.

Seed starting tray with lid.

I check the soil every day, and when it is starting to get dry, I use a mister to moisten the soil.  A mister makes watering tender seedlings much easier.

Use a mister to water seedlings.

Five days after planting (and right on schedule), I awoke to lettuce seedlings!

Lettuce seedlings.

I put them directly under fluorescent lights (T8) to simulate sunlight.  The little plants will enjoy about 16 hours a day of light until they are ready to be taken to the garden.

Seed tray with T8 fluorescent lights.

Are you ready for seed starting?

Garden Organization: Seed storage

Do you grow your plants from seed?  If so, how do you store the seeds?

Because I'm just a home gardener, the normal seed packages frequently contain more seeds than I need in one season.  But many of those seeds are good for more than one season, especially if stored properly.  So what's a gardener to do?

Well, first she does her research!  This is what I found from NC State's horticultural department:

"If seeds are obtained well ahead of the actual sowing date (or are surplus seeds), store them in a cool, dry place. Laminated foil packages help ensure dry storage. Paper packets are best kept in tightly sealed containers and maintained around 40^oF in low humidity. A good storage location would be an air-tight jar or a sealed, Zip-Lock-type bag in the refrigerator."

I love when gardening directions are really specific--frequently they are a little vague.  But this one told me to use a Zip-Lock bag and put them in the fridge!  I can't screw this one up!

I have a bunch of paper seed packets, especially since I just had my new shipment of spring seeds come in!  So in addition to storing them properly, I wanted to organize.

I decided to divide things up by plant family, because they would probably be planted around the same time. I used an index card to write down what was in each group.

  Then I put each group and the index card in a sandwich bag.

  Next, I put all of the sandwich bags into a large gallon bag, ready to pop into the fridge.

I feel so good about myself when I organize something. :)

How do you organize your seed collection?

Garden Organization: Time to plan spring seed starting!

Lettuce and radish seedlings

It's hard to believe, but it is time to plan the spring garden, and most importantly what needs to be started from seed and when.  I found that making a spreadsheet of this information was useful.  It can be challenging to know when to start plants inside, and when to move them outside, so having this information in a convenient organized location is very helpful.

Spreadsheet of indoor seed starting and outside planting dates.

I like to plan what goes into each tray in a logical order.  It takes a bit of time to organize this information, but really pays off when it is time to start everything.  I also like having everything in a spreadsheet because I can easily sort information alphabetically, by start date, outdoor date, or tray number.

Seedlings under grow lights

I do the same thing for the direct sow seeds (including a first and last outdoor date), but I haven't calculated the number of plants I need yet--since it is less urgent at this point.  I will fill in that information later in the season.

Spreadsheet of direct sow seeds with first and last sowing data

Now would be a good time to purchase seeds that you don't already have.  I'll be placing my order with Sow True Seeds this month. I'll also be organizing my seed starting supplies, washing my trays, etc.  Spring will sneak up on us before we know it.

Some of last year's seedlings under grow lights

Happy garden planning!

Garden Organization: Reflecting on last season

As a vegetable gardener, it is important to keep track of what you grow each year.  And, it is equally important to track whether or not you liked it!

With the weather cooling, and garden activities slowing down, it is the perfect time to sit down and reflect on last year's garden.  Here are some questions to consider asking yourself:

• What did you grow? 
• What variety did you grow? 
• Did you like the flavor?
• Was it productive?
• Would you grow that variety again?
• Anything you would change? - For example, did you plant too few or too much?

Hopefully, you already wrote down where you planted each vegetable and how many plants you had in spring.  But if not, now would be a good time to answer those questions too!

If you are like me, you won't remember the answers to these questions when spring rolls around, so I find it most helpful to write the answers down.  This would be a great time to invest in a notebook to be your garden journal or, if you are tech-savvy, create a garden folder on your computer.  I am a bit of a rebel, so I actually keep some information in a notebook, and some information on my computer.

Here is an example of a spread sheet I created to document my opinion of last year's garden:

Spreadsheet to track garden performance

I like having this information in an electronic spreadsheet because it is easy to sort the information by whether or not I want to grow it again, or alphabetically.

By having a written record of this information, I can more easily plan next year's garden. 

Did you have any varieties that you loved or hated this year?