First day out in the garden and an update on seedlings!

                                                         BACKYARD NEWS                                                                        

Today was about 60F and sunny. I have been taking my onions and leeks to work with me so that I can adequately put them out for a few hours then take them back in side to prevent shock when they actually do get thrown into the garden. Each day I increase their time out by about 2 hours, so since Monday, they now experience 6 hours a day.

Additives sitting in their own designated bins

I purchased aged manure (0.5 - 0.0 - 0.0), mushroom compost (?), and another type of compost (I will fill it in when I retrieve my notes from work!). I used a flower pot to mix in equal parts of peat, garden dirt (I had a lot due to excavating my backyard for a patio last year), and manure/mushroom compost/compost into a wheelbarrow. I wish I knew a little more about this company and its nutrient content, but its already been mixed in.

Basically, last year, I foolishly dumped backyard dirt into a pot and expected everything to be ok. The results were compacted plants that were probably unhappy. The soil dried out quickly and also compacted as my backyard contains a lot of clay which is generally very fine.

Actual backyard dirt completely molded to last year's pot sitting on the newly made soil mix.

To break this up I and retain moisture I added the above ingredients (I don't agree with peat and I am looking for a better alternative but I got a HUGE bag at the end of the season last year for 4 dollars).  My total for 2 bags each of the manure/mushroom compost/compost and 1 giant bag of peat was roughly 21 dollars. 

Note nice fluffy soil complete with one of my planters I got garbage picking in a well off neighbor hood

I also turned a box that will house the leeks and planted lettuce, radishes, spinach, and Gailan this evening.

                                                                  SEEDLING UPDATE                                                                 
Out of the new batch of seedlings, the Melrose, Carnival, and Early Jalepano peppers have grown (waiting on the California New Wonder).  I was able to get another Goldenrod to sprout (total of 4 now as some of the first batch not under intense heat conditions have come up) as well as all the Butterfly Weed.  I got a few Black Eyed Susans and Lavender along with Sage and Rosemary. However, I just saw this evening that one Eggplant is starting to come up. I thought hot peppers were slow but they really take a long time.  I have given up on the Eggplant that were sitting on a heating mat but probably only have soil temperatures around 65F.  The one that is sprouting has had a meat thermometer in it which says 85F during the day when the light is on and about 70F at night when it gets turned off.