Ready- Set- Go!

By Paul Rodman

The forsythia is in bloom, so what, you may ask? In this part of the country the forsythia bloom sets off a flurry of activity for gardeners. When this occurs in is a fairly accurate indication that the soil has warmed to about 50 degrees and the daylight has lengthened to set about growth in most perennial plants.

It is a sign that you should begin to prune and fertilize roses. I have about half of my 60 or so roses completed. You should prune and fertilize hydrangeas as well.

I have some lettuce planted and will follow with onions as soon as the soil dries out a little.

I also want to get my tomato garden tilled as well as a plot in a community garden that I will farm this year.

I have a couple of straw bales aging in the garden. I want to expand my straw bale growing this season. I will have several here at home as well as a church garden and the community plot. This is an excellent method in which to grow vegetables in a small area.

Most of the straw bale crops, tomatoes and cukes will be donated to a local food pantry.

The tomatoes under lights in the basement as well in the greenhouse are growing well and before long it will be time to begin to harden them off. As a matter of fact we had a day last where the temperature reached d80 degrees. I set a flat of tomato plants out on the deck for a few hours to get some natural sunlight. After bringing them back indoors under the grow lights they experienced a growth spurt unlike anything I’ve seen before.

I want to try a method for staking up my tomatoes this year called the "Florida Weave”. You string garden twine between posts. The tomatoes are attached to the twine and you keep adding twine as the plants grow taller. Take a look at this practice on You Tube. Go to You Tube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRohHQ7mMBw 

After all of the anticipation, the 2013 gardening season is under way; let’s hope the weather cooperates so that we can get-er-done!