The lettuce bed is planted. Larry dug the ground last weekend, piled up brush and burned it off this week. Then he raked the soil and planted the seeds.
He built a frame a few years ago and covered it with chicken. Now when the bed is planted he simply covered the chicken wire with clear plastic, places it over the bed and we have a nice little hotbed. Even in the extreme winds we had Wednesday evening the cover stayed in place. And if it snows? Not a problem; it will provide extra insulation if the temperature is very cold, and if it warms up the snow will melt off the cover quickly.
Now I'll be out there peeking under the cover, looking for the tiny signs of green that show the lettuce is germinating. With any luck we might have lettuce on the table by the end of March. He planted radishes in the hotbed too, and this weekend I'll be looking for onion sets.
Rushing the season? Who, me?
Super cool! I had been thinking about coming up with some sort of cold frame that could fit onto the tops of raised beds ... when I build 'em. Pushing the season? You go ahead and push! We're on your side.
ReplyDeleteDo you have to water? Or do you have enough moisture that it stays moist under there?
ReplyDeleteA cover on your raised beds would work beautifully, Mouse. When the weather warms up the cover comes off, and I just keep succession planting the bed.
ReplyDeleteNo, watering isn't necessary. The moisture holds for a good long while, unless we have a very unusually dry spring. I can't recall ever watering the lettuce bed after it's planted.
Rushing the season sounds great to me. especially after having nice weather last week and snow today (ugh). I started turning the soil in my little veggie garden last week. Its really rich this year.
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