Bibb / Limestone
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 57 days
18 seeds
06/02: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: 7 of 18 (39%) have shoots 0″ to 1/2″ tall.
06/10: 17 of 18 (94%) have shoots 0″ to 1/2″ tall.
06/14: 16 of 18 (89%) have shoots 1/4″ to 1/2″ tall.
06/19: 16 of 18 (89%) have shoots 1″ to 2″ tall.
06/23: Planted out.
07/07: Started ongoing outer leaf harvest.
07/18: 5″ to 8″ tall, with diameters 6″ to 8″. Leaf harvest continuing.
07/24: 6″ to 9″ tall, with diameters 6″ to 9″. Leaf harvest continuing.
07/28: Still edible but they’re bolting.
08/01: 7″ to 15″ tall, with diameters 4″ to 9″. Leaf harvest continuing.
08/04: Last leaf harvest. Dug up for compost.
Harvest: 35-63 days
Tall Utah, #5270R, Improved
Expected germination: 14-20 days
Expected harvest: 125 days
36 seeds
06/02: Planted 2 per cell in 18 cells.
06/06: No visible change.
06/10: No visible change.
06/14: No visible change.
06/19: 27 of 36 (75%) have shoots 1/4″ to 1/2″ tall.
07/06: 28 of 36 (78%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
07/10: 29 of 36 (81%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
07/10: Planted out.
07/18: 1-1/2″ to 2-1/2″ tall.
07/24: 1-1/2″ to 3″ tall.
07/30: Rather than thin I transplanted half the plants to form a second row.
08/01: 2-1/2″ to 4″ tall.
08/07: 3-1/2″ to 5″ tall.
08/15: 3″ to 8″ tall. Some crowded by winter squash.
08/23: 5″ to 12″ tall. Some crowded by winter squash.
08/30: 7″ to 16″ tall. No longer crowded. Those that had been shaded are tallest.
10/13: Used a black plastic garbage bag to blanch about 2/3rds for eating raw. Remainder designated for cooking.
10/13: Started occasional harvest of cooking celery. Stalks thin but juicy and tasty.
Early Snowball A
Expected germination: 8-10 days
Expected harvest: 55 days
9 seeds
06/02: Planted 1 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots just visible at surface.
06/10: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 3/4″ to 1″ tall.
06/14: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 1-1/4″ to 1-3/4″ tall and another 1 (11%) is struggling at 1/4″.
06/19: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 3″ to 4″ tall and another 1 (11%) is struggling at 1/2″.
06/21: Planted out.
07/01: Heat stressed – added shade.
07/05: Removed shade.
07/18: 10″ to 13″ tall.
07/19: Hosed off as a precaution against aphids which we had found on related plants nearby.
07/22: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
07/24: 14″ to 18″ tall, with foliage diameter 14″ to 17″. Some aphids but much fewer than before.
07/28: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad.
08/01: 17″ to 20″ tall, with foliage diameter 17″ to 19″.
08/02: Sprayed some leaves with 0.001% spinosad against aphids.
08/07: 15″ to 25″ tall, with foliage diameter 13″ to 20″.
08/15: 17″ to 27″ tall, with foliage diameter 16″ to 20″.
08/23: 21″ to 28″ tall, with foliage diameter 18″ to 22″.
08/30: 21″ to 29″ tall, with foliage diameter 14″ to 24″.
09/18: A few plants have 1/2″ to 3/4″ heads.
Long Imperator #58
Expected germination: 8-12 days
Expected harvest: 77 days
72 seeds (we’re planning on 72 more later)
06/02: Planted 2 per cell in 36 cells.
06/06: No visible change.
06/10: 10 of 72 (14%) have shoots 0″ to 1/2″ tall.
06/14: 62 of 72 (86%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1″ tall.
06/19: 63 of 72 (88%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
06/23: Planted out.
07/18: 9″ to 11″ tall. Taproots about 1″ long and 1/4″ thick. Unfortunately shaded by rutabagas.
07/24: Approx 12″ tall, with taproots 1″ to 2″ long and 1/4″ to 3/8″ thick.
07/28: Thinned out about two dozen baby carrots, for stir fry.
08/01: 12″ to 19″ tall.
08/07: 11″ to 20″ tall. Crowded by rutabaga.
08/15: Approx 16″ tall. Crowded by rutabaga. Sample was 5/8″ thick and 2″ long.
08/23: 12″ to 22″ tall. Crowded by rutabaga.
08/30: Harvested: 29 carrots averaging 2-1/2″ long and 3/4″ thick. Many twisted.
Harvest: 89 days
Sierra Gold
Expected germination: 7 days
Expected harvest: 90 days
9 seeds
06/02: Planted 1 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: No visible change.
06/10: 6 of 9 (67%) have shoots 0″ to 1/4″ tall.
06/14: 7 of 9 (78%) have foliage 1-1/2″ to 2″ diameter and another 1 (11%) is just emerging.
06/14: 8 of 9 (89%) have foliage 2″ to 3″ diameter.
06/21: Planted out in hill with black plastic mulch.
07/18: 6″ to 8″ tall, with foliage diameters up to 14″.
07/24: 9″ to 11″ tall, with foliage diameter 16″ to 29″. Flowers developing.
08/01: 9″ to 11″ tall, with foliage diameters to 50″. Huge numbers of yellow flowers – perhaps a hundred. Vines now growing a couple of inches per day.
08/04: Startled animal must have run through patch, snapping off some leaves and a couple of feet of vine.
08/04: Pruned to fit in assigned area.
08/07: Patch is approx 10″ deep and 73″ by 45″. Still many yellow flowers. A few marble size gourds.
08/15: Patch is approx 13″ deep and 80″ by 42″. Still many yellow flowers. A few gourds 3/4″ to 1-1/2″.
08/23: Patch is approx 13″ deep and 86″ by 50″. Several yellow flowers. A few gourds to 4″.
08/29: Was over pumpkin and starting to encroach on sunflower #2. Moderate pruning.
08/30: Patch is approx 16″ deep and 92″ by 42″. A few flowers. A few gourds to 4″ long and 3″ diameter.
09/22: Removed two sunflowers and trimmed squash to provide better light to melons and pumpkins.
09/22: Moved plastic cover from (a few) tomato vines to (all) melon vines.
10/13: Dying back fast. Harvested final gourds and cleaned up.
Harvest: ???-133 days
Yield: 6-8 gourds about 1 lb each
Copenhagen Market Early
Expected germination: 10-12 days
Expected harvest: 66 days
9 seeds
06/02: Planted 1 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 1/2″ tall.
06/10: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 3/4″ to 1″ tall.
06/14: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 1-1/2″ to 1-3/4″ tall.
06/19: 8 of 9 (89%) have shoots 3″ to 4″ tall.
06/21: Planted out.
07/01: Heat stressed – added shade.
07/05: Removed shade.
07/18: 9 to 14″ tall.
07/19: Found and hosed off some aphid colonies.
07/22: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
07/24: 10″ to 14″ tall, with foliage diameter 10″ to 15″.
07/28: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
08/01: 11″ to 21″ tall, with foliage diameter 15″ to 18″.
08/02: Sprayed some leaves with 0.001% spinosad against aphids.
08/07: 11″ to 18″ tall, with foliage diameter 16″ to 18″. First heads starting to take shape. Crowded by rutabaga.
08/15: Approx 16″ tall, with foliage diameter approx 16″. First heads starting to take shape. Crowded by rutabaga.
08/23: 9″ to 17″ tall, with foliage diameter approx 12″. Forming slowly. Crowded by rutabaga.
08/30: 11″ to 17″ tall, with foliage diameter 7″ to 13″. About half have loosely formed heads. Crowded by rutabaga.
09/01: Harvested first head. Healthy but loose. MHJ reports not much flavor cooked but very nice in coleslaw.
09/15: Dug up remaining cabbages.
Harvest: 91-105 days. Only three modest heads. Poor crop may be due to limited sun and/or overcrowding.
Catskill
Expected germination: 7-14 days
Expected harvest: 90 days
18 seeds
06/02: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: 17 of 18 (94%) have shoots 1/4″ tall.
06/10: 17 of 18 (94%) have shoots 3/4″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
06/14: 16 of 18 (89%) have shoots 1-1/4″ to 2″ tall and another 1 (6%) is struggling at 1/4″.
06/19: 17 of 18 (94%) have shoots 2″ to 4″ tall.
06/21: Planted out.
07/01: Heat stressed – added shade.
07/05: Removed shade.
07/18: 10″ to 15″ tall.
07/19: Found and hosed off some aphid colonies.
07/22: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
07/24: 14″ to 18″ tall, with foliage diameter 17″ to 24″.
07/28: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad.
08/01: 17″ to 22″ tall, with foliage diameter 13″ to 19″.
08/02: Sprayed some leaves with 0.001% spinosad against white fly.
08/07: 19″ to 26″ tall, with foliage diameter 14″ to 21″.
08/15: 22″ to 28″ tall, with foliage diameter 18″ to 28″.
08/23: 25″ to 32″ tall, with foliage diameter approx 22″.
08/30: 28″ to 32″ tall, with foliage diameter 15″ to 25″.
Green Sprouting Calabrese
Expected germination: 14 days
Expected harvest: 80 days
18 seeds
06/02: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
06/06: 14 of 18 (78%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1″ tall.
06/10: 18 of 18 (100%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
06/14: 18 of 18 (100%) have shoots 1-1/4″ to 2-1/4″ tall.
06/19: 18 of 18 (100%) have shoots 3″ to 6″ tall.
06/21: Planted out.
07/01: Heat stressed – added shade.
07/05: Removed shade.
07/18: 14″ to 19″ tall.
07/19: Found and hosed off some aphid colonies.
07/22: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
07/24: 14″ to 22″ tall, with foliage diameter 10″ to 20″.
07/28: Sprayed with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
08/01: 19″ to 25″ tall, with foliage diameter 17″ to 24″.
08/07: 22″ to 35″ tall, with foliage diameter 14″ to 22″. First few heads are 1/2″ to 1″ diameter.
08/15: 26″ to 40″ tall, with foliage diameter 18″ to 24″. First few heads are 1″ to 3″ diameter.
08/22: Started harvest.
08/23: 29″ to 41″ tall, with foliage diameter 20″ to 24″. Several heads are 1-1/2″ to 5″ diameter.
08/30: 31″ to 41″ tall, with foliage diameter approx 24″. Four heads are 2-1/2″ to 5″ diameter.
Santa Anna
Expected germination: 6-8 days
Expected harvest: 65-70 days
36 seeds
06/02: Started soaking in a jar of water overnight.
06/03: After 15 hours soaking, planted 2 per cell in 18 cells.
06/06: A few have swelled and are now visible at soil surface.
06/10: 12 of 36 (33%) have shoots 0″ to 1-1/2″ tall.
06/14: 10 of 36 (28%) have shoots 1″ to 3″ tall and another 3 (8%) are still trying to launch their beans.
06/19: 10 of 36 (28%) have shoots 2″ to 4″ tall, 2 (6%) have launched beans but no leaves, and 1 (3%) is still trying to launch its bean.
06/23: Planted out.
07/05: Healthy but growing slowly.
07/18: Finally started moving this week. Leaf mass is up to 22″ and runners are up to 37″.
07/24: Leaf mass is up to 30″ with runners up to top 60″.
07/24: Henceforth “Beans, Pole #2″ plant is merged with these.
08/01: Three runners have topped the trellis. First white flowers appeared this week.
08/07: About half the runners have topped out. Many flowers in white/butter colored pairs. Many more buds. No beans yet.
08/15: Most of the runners have topped out. Many flowers – some white, some butter. Several 1-2″ matchstick beans.
08/20: Started harvest as one plant is ahead of the rest and needed picking. Got one portion.
08/23: Most or runners long topped out. Some flowers and a few young beans.
08/29: Harvested a couple of portions.
08/30: Well topped out. Many flowers and a few small beans.
09/06: Yielding nicely now – perhaps a couple of pounds per week.
Most of our early starts failed to germinate. We believe this was due in part to insufficient moisture, as the swiss chard finally germinated after we watered heavily. There may also have been a problem with the compost-based potting soil pH, as it turns out that our pH meter is worse than useless.
The swiss chard, and a second wave of radish, germinated nicely after heavy watering. However we then lost about one seedling per night. We finally tracked the problem down to a lone earwig, which was biting the young shoots just below the first leaflet. Since sending the earwig to meet its maker we have lost no further seedlings – but all that we have left of the early starts is four radishes.
Today we planted the main wave of starts, about two weeks before we take them to Seattle. In all we planted four seed trays of 72 cells each, most with two seeds per cell. I’ll create separate posts with the precise details. We used a premium commercial potting soil this time.
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