Springtime in the Garden

 The weather has finally turned warm enough to start planting early spring veggies.  The soil is just under 50 degrees F, so peas, lettuce, spinach and onions are now in the ground.  Garlic and rhubarb are looking healthy, and in another 3 weeks (unless weather turns cold again), carrots, turnips, kale, squash, cabbage and brussels sprouts will be planted.  It won't be until early June that temperature sensitive veggies will go in - tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, etc.

But even though planting is finished on the early vegetables, there is still a lot of prep to do.  The compost needs turning, the greenhouse needs a good cleaning and the solar powered, thermostatically controlled ventilation fan installed, the garden pump needs a new seal installed, and composting and soil amendments (all organic) added to beds. Every year we do soil testing through the University of Vermont and results are shared with gardeners so that they can amend their beds for pH, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, as well as several trace elements.  It always amazes me the difference in soil within the 90'x90' garden.  Soil testing is highly recommended - check with your state's agricultural department to see where you can get this done for your own garden.

While pole beans won't be planted until early June, I constructed the trellis today.  I normally create tepee-style structures to support the pole beans, but I saw a picture of a trellis that I thought would be worth a try.  Not only will it be sturdier, but it will be easier to harvest the beans.  While the picture I saw reflected a trellis made of thick bamboo poles, the cost of these would have been almost $200, so my trellis is fashioned out of saplings I cut down from the woods that border the garden.  Here's a photo of the finished product - 

Simple to make, the poles are lashed together with twine, with more flexible branches woven horizontally for extra support.  It seems pretty sturdy, but I may put a t-post at each end to give it more stability.  With ten vertical poles on each side, I should have room for lots of beans, including cranberry beans grown from seeds saved from last year's harvest.  I'll be sure to report on my experience with the trellis as the year progresses.

It's been reported that ramps (wild garlic) have been spotted, so we'll be foraging sometime next week for this delicious green.  Stay tuned!