On 2023-05-18, songbird  wrote:   
   > fos@sdf.org wrote:   
   > ...   
   >> cauliflower, broccoli, kale, carrots, and brussels sprouts seeds went   
   >> in the soil a cuople weeks ago. got some sprouts of everything despite   
   >> the squirrels rearranging my nice straight rows, the lack of rain, and   
   >> really cool to cold nights.   
      
   >   yes, we just had a frost last night but i'm hoping it is   
   > the last.  aforementioned peas and beans did sprout and   
   > are growing but i covered the beans last night due to frost   
   > warning and they're still alive today.  no more frosts in   
   > the forecast for this coming week.   
      
   >   those are all cool weather crops so they should be ok.   
      
   we had one frost last week and i didn't cover anything. all cool weather   
   plants. i never planted vegetables outdoors that early and took a chance.   
   got lucky i guess.   
      
   >> planted asparagus crowns in whisky barrels last year. had a very warm   
   >> snap for a week around easter and it took off. harvested twice off each   
   >> crown and am letting them grow now. picked up two more (half) barrels   
   >> and a pkg of crowns yesterday. is one of this weekends projects.   
      
   >   were they pretty large crowns?  that sounds a bit heavy   
   > on the harvest, but i hope they'll be ok.  :)   
      
   last year was the first time i even seen an asparagus crown so i   
   wouldn't know small from large i think. bought them in two three   
   packs. the ones i bought last week were in a ten pack. i have them   
   resting covered in damp peat moss at the moment. the largest in that   
   pack as not as large as last year and the smallest are what i'll say   
   tiny. by the end of this three day weekend i'll have them planted in the   
   new barrels.   
      
   the two barrels i set up last year were at opposite ends of the garden.   
   the west side of the garden gets hammered by wind, the east side is more   
   protected. the asparagus in the barrel on the west side didn't do as good   
   as the the other side.   
      
   we harvested once from the "weaker" plants and twice from the larger   
   ones. all crowns are growing at least several stalks.   
      
   >> garlic is doing amazing. only 7 of 120 cloves planted didn't grow and   
   >> most of the stalks are already bigger than the largest half dozen we   
   >> had last year.   
      
   >   it has been really dry here so i've had to water anything   
   > i expect to be sprouting or growing much including the garlic.   
   > it looks to be doing ok.  i hope the forecast for rains   
   > tomorrow holds.   
      
   i've been watering daily for weeks to keep the seeds moist. saturdays   
   rain was very welcome. the garlic i've taken your advice about not letting   
   it dry out. am growing grass too so there's that. once the veggies are   
   taking off we'll be working on planting a natural & native habitat. we   
   just planted flowers in seven hanging pots with a couple more still go.   
   i'm working on being smarter and more miserly with water usage, i think   
   we're over watering our very well draining gardens. the 12-14 thousand   
   gallon per quarter twice a year water and sewer bills are nearly twice   
   what we use in the winter. :)   
      
      
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