27 March 2010

Garden 2010

Working a ton lately, including a day shift tomorrow, so this is just a brief popping-my-head-in-to-say-hello post. I wanted to share a couple pics of the first seedlings I'm starting for this year's garden. I built a small "grow op" in the cellar with a seed tray heat mat, a fluorescent fixture with full spectrum (2800K) bulbs, and Mylar sheeting to reflect the light as evenly as possible. First up are the peas - crowder peas & butterpeas, to be specific.

032710Crowder_Peas

The butterpeas are in the background and crowder peas in front. These are both very southern crops, and lifelong favorites of mine. I tried growing both by direct sowing them last year, since our southern exposure and proximity to the ocean puts us firmly in USDA Zone 6, with the front of the house even being functionally a Zone 7 microclimate. They did okay, even with all the rain, but they just never had time to produce adequately, so I'm hoping starting them indoors & early will make a big difference. So far so good.

Next up are my brandywine tomatoes, which are just sprouting.

032710Brandywines

You may recall that I lost all my tomatoes last year to late blight, thanks to the incessant rain. I'd grown brandywines the year before and am convinced it's the ultimate fresh tomato for flavor. Buying tomatoes from the supermarket is nothing short of an act of desperation for me, so having to pull up all my plants and throw them away last year was traumatic and sad. Hopefully we won't have a repeat this year, but by getting them started now, I'm hedging my bets that I can harvest at least some if this does turn out to be another blighted year.

In the same flat as the brandywines but not yet germinated are more artichokes. Since we have a bit much sustained cold for them to overwinter here, I'm starting new seeds, which I'm remembering are a bit slow to germinate. We should have enough chill yet to come that I can set them out in near-freezing weather to fool them into thinking they've gone through a winter, as they're biennials that don't set blooms (the chokes are actually flower buds) until their second year.

I was dismayed when the artichoke seed arrived to see that the variety had been patented, information that was not provided on the website, or I wouldn't have bought them. I am generally opposed to patenting plant varieties, since a) I see it as an affrontery to nature to try to patent a living organism based on its genetics, and b) the patent means that nobody can legally propagate or collect seeds from the plant without obtaining permission from (which generally means paying a licensing fee to) the patent holder, which I find repugnant. Of course, having seeds in hand, I decided I was better off making use of them and planted them despite my ethical objections.

Hopefully they won't taste bitter as a result.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Argh. I'm 100% with you on the patented seeds. What arrogance, to patent a living organism! I'm gonna try Brandywines this year -- should get the seed started today. We are firmly in zone 4, so our season is too short to grow them in the ground, but I am going to try planting one or two in a tub on the deck. Fresh garden tomatoes -- mmmMMM!

Michelle M. said...

Our orange trees are blossoming and smell out of this world.

Can't wait to see your peas and tomatoes on a plate!

Lisa/knitnzu said...

did you get the artichoke from johnny or fedco?

Molly Bee said...

OMGosh! I'm sorry I read your blog today...and looked at your plants. If they die, I take full responsibility. As much as I love and nurture animals, I am lethal to plant life; I suspect even through the internet. Sorry!

Christine said...

Oh signs of spring, even if they are being grown inside, still ROCK! YAY! I'm hungry already for fresh veggies now.
C

tornwordo said...

You better put them out soon because it's supposed to be downright hot this weekend!

Sheepish Annie said...

Patented seeds? Fine. I want to patent my next child. That way, I have to get paid to be a grandma. Yup. That is perfectly logical.

Luuworld said...

i love pictures of growing plants. please post some new pics when they're all grown up!

i wish i was better with plants though. i gave sweet peas a go last year, but they somehow turned yellow and died on me.

elizabeth said...

Good luck with your tomatoes! We bought a "kit" from a local garden center and have high hopes. It included a 25 gallon tub, since we've had bad luck with our soil in the past. Now if I can keep the squirrels away, I'll be happy!