Biding Time and Planning

At the moment, I'm trying to talk myself into going to town since I'm out of coffee, but it's not working. I did go outside this morning (when it was less windy and SUNNIER) to check on the plants in the greenhouse and to put away various things ahead of the upcoming storm of the next two days. In the garden (such as it is), the three Black Krim tomatoes in the front of the first row may be the only survivors, if even they make it the next few days. (Okay, besides the ones in the manure pile which are still doing fine, but I'm not thinking about those right now. Ever have the feeling the universe is laughing at you?) So I'll  hopefully be planting tomatoes again next week, probably a combination of some homeless plants (I still don't know if I'll be able to pick some up that way, let alone how many) and nursery plants. Let's not discuss the additional costs of the garden this year thanks to some rain and bad timing.

I also took stock of available containers, which came out to 6 washtubs in the shed plus 2 more in the greenhouse, 1 large square outdoor plant pot and 3 rectangular, 7 five gallon buckets, and an otherwise unclaimed trash can if I'm desperate (no, but for the sake of completeness, it's part of the count). I also have some large plastic tubs laying around with nothing in them that could be drafted, but I think it's covered. The main thing to decide is which ones I'm willing to drill holes in the bottom of for drainage, although in the case of the outdoor plant pots, they already have them.

At this point it will be going on at least another week before the ground will be dried out enough to suit me, and that's assuming no more than a light shower falls after the rains on Monday and Tuesday. I'd really like to pick up some seed potatoes and plant those in containers as that's the most time sensitive item on my list of things I'd still like to have a crop of come fall. The beets are overdue for transplanting, so there's that, and I'm mostly just impatient for lettuce and radishes. The onions I'm still hoping to plant in the ground, but they really need some more space. The ones I transplanted to individual cells yesterday are doing surprisingly well considering onions are supposed to be sensitive to having their roots messed with - and I chopped a couple of inches off of them, top and bottom! I'm still trying to figure out why people say starting onions from seed is difficult. I'll give these a couple more days before I transplant the others just to be sure though.

I'm afraid to look under the pumpkin and melon peat pots to see how badly the roots have grown through and tangled together.

The sage and oregano would be just as happy in a container anyway, and I've been thinking of picking up some rosemary to pot up for overwintering in the greenhouse. I could also start carrots (no clay soil to grow through!), kohlrabi, and lettuce. A trip to town on Wednesday for a few supplies and planting on Thursday I do believe.

SO, for planning purposes and the put my thoughts in order, a couple of lists. First, still need:
  · Dowel rods - for staking plants while they're still potted up
  · Burlap - for the potato buckets (using this bottom watering method)
  · Hardware cloth - also for the potato buckets
  · Another bale of BM1 - I could use soil, but I'm a little bitter towards clay right now and the BM1 mixed with manure is still cost effective
  · Seed potatoes, tomato plants, and a couple of rosemary

Second, the rough plan (best laid plans and all that - this would be Plan C or so):
  · Carrots - in the deepest container, naturally
  · Radishes - I'm leaning towards the rectangular plant pots for these as they're not terribly deep
  · Lettuce - transplanted and some new starts, possibly two containers
  · Kohlrabi and Beets - containers
  · Oregano and Sage - the most flexible for new homes, so whatever is left or individual pots
  · Rosemary - pots
  · Leeks, Onions, Melons, and Pumpkins - soil planted, unless I get desperate*

*It would be more convenient to carry them onto the ark if they're already in pots or tubs.

Third, things still to go into the garden once it DRIES OUT OMG:
  · Beans (dry and snap)
  · Corn
  · Cucumbers
  · Basil
  · Cilantro
  · Onions
  · Leeks
  · Melons
  · Peppers
  · Tomatoes (stop laughing!)
  · Pumpkins
  · Rutabaga (seeds started late June)

Plan D is a 65'x80' raised bed with field tile buried underneath for drainage and, atop the whole thing, clear plastic stretched over a roof frame.
This is Plan E. Or, oh hey, why not this one? AHAHAHAHAHA.