In the Big Garden
10/20/2019, 8:00 AM – On our 24th anniversary, we planted in the big garden four vegetables. The weather forecast is for cooler evenings are regular rains as the days begin to cool with highs only in the 70’s. Counting on that being true, and that we can mitigate a hot day with hay and cold well water, we planted the following even though the soil temp is at their max:
- the north 30-feet of Row 6 with a double row of Diakon Radish seeds maybe 1″ apart– denser than called for. [the radishes came up well with good germination.]
- The south 20-feet of Row 11 with Nates Scarlet Carrot seeds. We did not dilute them with sand at 10:1 as I forgot to do so. But, they are thick as the package said it contains 200 seeds. So, 10 seeds per foot.
- the north 30 feet of row 12 with a double row of Corvair Spinach seeds. [the spinach did not germinate at all likely due to high soil temps]
- The italicised text above is updated as of 11/16/2019.
They were planted about 1/2″ deep in a groove made with the rake handle. Used the rake to pull soil into the groove then lightly tamped it with the tines of the rake for all but the carrot. We used our hands to whip a little dirt on the carrot seeds then patted it down.
In Mary’s garden
We planted the eastmost row with a double row of Salad Bowl lettuce. Made a very light groove with the handle, sprinkled in the seed, and moved a little dirt over them by hand and patted it down.
12 Noon
Bright clear sunshine with an air temp of 82. Soil temps in the spinach row were 83-85. The max germination temp is 75 so covered the row with hay and watered it with the cold well water.
Concern for the carrots planted a few days ago caused us to water them to hopefully cool them.
The lettuce seeds we planted this morning in Mary’s Garden are still in the shade. Soil temp is 72-73. Covered the row with hay to hopefully prevent the sun from heating it up too much.
3:15 pm
- Soil temps in the spinach row with the hay was 79-83. The row was in the shade of the pecan orchard maybe for 30-45 minutes. Adjacent rows that had not been planted and that were also already in the shade were about the same.
- Soil temps in the lettuce row in Mary’s Garden with hay covering was 80-82. The hay was placed before the row left the shade of the pecan trees and while the sun was still hitting it.
