Warm day today

We have been eating arugula salads this week (twice so far). The
EarthBox is great for arugula and other lettuce. Not so great for
strawberries.

Some of the seeds I planted 4 days ago have sprouted. The tallest
three are radish. One other that sprouted should be the Cherry Tomato
(unless a radish seed accidentally got in it's cell). I'll be able to
tell when they get a little bigger.

Started Summer Seeds

Today, I started two flats (9 cells per flat) of seeds for transplant in early May.  Here are the seeds I started, and quantities:

First Flat:

• 3 x Crenshaw (Burpee Early Hybrid Crenshaw 51904A)
• 3 x Honeydew (Burpee Orange Sorbet Hybrid 54684A)
• 2 x Cantaloupe (Burpee Honey Bun Hybrid 54700A)
• 1 x Artichoke (Burpee Imperial Star Hybrid 56705A)

Second Flat:

• 3 x Radish (Burpee German Giant 52305A)
• 2 x Bok Choi (Burpee Joi Choi Hybrid 52753A), with toothpick marker
• 2 x Tomato (Burpee Brandywine 50062A)
• 1 x Cherry Tomato (Burpee Sugar Snack Hybrid 54742A)
• 1 x Squash (Burpee Hybrid Zucchini 62364A)

Early Spring Planting

Transplanted arugula seedlings into the earth box today. They are 2
weeks old from seed. The new seeds from Yamagami's seemed to produce
larger seedlings and more peppery flavor than the Burpee seeds. I
planted those 4 seedlings on the left side of the box, nearest to the
water pipe.

One of the two Artichokes has sprouted.

I also received Asparagus root crowns from Burpee this week. I soaked
them in a bucket of water for about 30 minutes before burying them 6-8
inches under ground in the low brick planter I built this year. I
also mixed in some of Horace compost, which had about 5 earth worms.
I'll be hand watering these asparagus until I hook up the drip system.

Early Arugula

I sowed these arugula seeds 1 week ago today. Would transplant them
in the earth box, but we've been having overnight frost and some
prediction for snow in the bay area.

The middle spot contains artichoke seeds, but they don't appear to be sprouting.

'A' is for Artichoke and Arugula

Started seeds indoors today. Just a couple 'Imperial Star Hybrid'
Artichokes by Burpee. Also Arugula.

I decided to do an 'arugula grow-off' between two seed brands. I have
4 starts of 'Rocket Arugula' by Burpee (2009) and 4 starts of 'Rocket
Arugula' by Kitazawa Seed Co from Oakland, CA (2011). I picked up
these seeds from a shelf of Asian vegetable seeds at Yamagami's in
Cupertino, CA. I liked that they are local and the old fashion
packaging.

I plan to grow all 8 arugula starts in my EarthBox, which I just
filled with dirt and organic fertilizer today.

Pre-Spring Garden Prep

I pulled weeds and turned the soil today.  I also raked-in the last of my Bountiful-Gardens "Compost Crop Mix" seed packet.  It will grow a mix of wheat, vetch and rye in the spring, which I can turn under and make compost.  I did it last year too.  It looks like weeds.

Cleaning Up

This weekend was cleanup day. I removed the failing melon and zucchini plants, as well as many many weeds. Also took out the Roma, which performed well, but looked about dead now.

This little eggplant seemed to healthy and thriving though. It's got a couple little flowers, but no eggplants. It's October. I don't think it's gonna make it, but I decided to let it live out it's prime. It's been sunny and warm this fall anyway.



The cherry tomato continues to produce. I trimmed off a little, and decided to leave it. Turned off the auto watering.

I plan to put out some more nematodes, due to finding new grubs in the traditional melon raised bed -- it never works though. I may need to pick them out like before. :(