Northern Gardening - P-Day
Having seen that today is the new moon (supposedly the most optimal for planting root vegetables) and googling many an ancient Druidic fertility incantation I proceeded to sew the seeds of what I hope won't be my frustration. After all, I could have sown almost a month ago, so I have missed a lot of the potential growing season.
My choice of seeds was limited to what I bought years ago and never got around to planting. I feel that hardy root vegetables and fast growing crops will do best given the circumstances. Consequently I have chosen decidely unsexy vegetables for this year - rutabagas (indestructible), beets (never had much luck with them), leaf lettuce and green onions for the bathtubs. For the washing machine drum I have dared to plant sugar snap peas, mainly because it is close to the wall of my shack and I can rig something for them to climb on in the lee of the prevailing wind.
To even further strengthen my odds of something to poke up eventually through the soil, I used the most up-to-date gardening techniques and stripped down to my sandals. And proceeded to sow my seed. Sorry, no money shot!
I also planted a few flower seeds which my son brought back from Montreal. I really don't know what will happen, but since this is experimental, it's all good.
After purloining a garden hose frommy employer someone and borrowing a nozzle, I watered the beds and covered them with polyethylene sheeting I "found" somewhere. This is to keep the heat and moisture in, as well as deterring the neighbourhood urchins from playing in the beds.
I now realize that the distance between the top of the soil and the plastic cover is only about 2", so I figure I have about 14 days to figure out a way of tenting the cover so the plants will head room to grow.
Any of you DYI-ers out there with some ideas?
My choice of seeds was limited to what I bought years ago and never got around to planting. I feel that hardy root vegetables and fast growing crops will do best given the circumstances. Consequently I have chosen decidely unsexy vegetables for this year - rutabagas (indestructible), beets (never had much luck with them), leaf lettuce and green onions for the bathtubs. For the washing machine drum I have dared to plant sugar snap peas, mainly because it is close to the wall of my shack and I can rig something for them to climb on in the lee of the prevailing wind.
To even further strengthen my odds of something to poke up eventually through the soil, I used the most up-to-date gardening techniques and stripped down to my sandals. And proceeded to sow my seed. Sorry, no money shot!
I also planted a few flower seeds which my son brought back from Montreal. I really don't know what will happen, but since this is experimental, it's all good.
After purloining a garden hose from
I now realize that the distance between the top of the soil and the plastic cover is only about 2", so I figure I have about 14 days to figure out a way of tenting the cover so the plants will head room to grow.
Any of you DYI-ers out there with some ideas?
posted by nanuk at 12:49 PM Permafrost
16 Comments:
Shit grows up there? What are you growing Lichens or moss?
The lettuce and beets are up already - film at 11.
yep - pee is a great soil conditioner. poo for fertiliser.
bathtubs? Are you growing in your bathtubs?
Can't wait to see how your little seedlings get on :)
xx
pinks
ps - why not use some of those big rocks on the corners of the bath tubs so that you get a few more inches between the top of the plastic and the soil? You'd have to keep the plastic pulled taut to prevent it from sagging down into the soil, but worth a shot.
xx
Pink - good eye. I have put 2x4s on the long ends and a 2x6 in the centre to "tent" it more.
Re bathtubs - hundreds of them in our dump, but most have been twisted by earth moving equipment. But if this works, I'll add 3 more for next season.
Proof of concept - beets and leaf lettuce already sprouting and look vibrant (but I REALLY hope the rutabagas work out).
My next step is a stone wall around the perimeter, but I need my youngest son to help.
Thanks for your hints.
Fish parts make good fertilizer too, they stink, but plants love em. I use some crap in a bottle from a salmon canning plant (none of the salmon was wasted) -- smells strong enough to knock a buzzard off a shit wagon at 200 yrds, but the rose bush really loved it.
SO how's the arctic farmer today?
The polar pot farm coming along?
You could grow Popsicles...
mmm popsicles...
how's she growing in the land of err...frozen vegetables?
xx
Try this Polarbud, helluva buzz bro...
How's the permafrost garden coming?
All our plants cook off out here...
Neighbors steal your watermelons yet?
you need to protect it with Barbed Wire :D : D
or you can also dig some mines on the field :D
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