this week in the greenhouse

Onions are up and growing. Parsley seedlings are just starting to pop up. Cherry tomatoes and eggplant are germinating. Still waiting for the peppers to show signs of life. I've given them the warmest spot available (on heat mats inside the house) but they are taking their time. I don't blame them, given all the chilly days we've had.

Yesterday Jeff and I sowed a few trays of bok choi and butterhead lettuce. Next on the sowings list is kale. I've tried growing many different kale varieties in past years and loved them all, but this year I've decided to go with my all-time top 5:  Red Russian, Rainbow Lacinato, Ripbor, Beedy's Camden and Tuscan.

Out in the fields, the snow has almost entirely disappeared. Garlic is coming up and last year's parsley beds are coming back to life - definitely the greenest place on the farm right now. 

seeds sprouting, snow melting!

Greenhouse work has begun. This week I'm sowing onion seeds. To save space in the greenhouse, I like to sow about 400 seeds per flat, in a rich, compost-based potting soil made by the nice people at Ideal Compost.

Onions grow slowly at first, but it won't be long before there are thousands of sturdy little seedlings ready to plant out in the fields. With so much snow still on the ground, the warm days of May seem like ages away, but according to the greenhouse planting calendar, it won't be long!  From now on, I'll be following a schedule of weekly greenhouse sowings, timed (hopefully) so that each batch of seedlings will be ready for planting when the outdoor conditions are right. Slow-growing, cold-tolerant onions and leeks are always first on my sowing list. Next will be peppers, parsley and scallions, soon to be followed by tomatoes.