Verbena
Florist, mixed colors
Expected germination: 14-20 days
Approximately 18 seeds
7/18: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
7/29: Noted first seedlings.
–MJH
Radish #4
French Breakfast
Expected germination: 5-7 days
Expected harvest: 23 days
18 seeds
07/18: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
07/24: Two cells excavated, perhaps by squirrel.
07/24: 8 of 18 (44%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1″ tall.
08/01: 8 of 18 (44%) have shoots 1-1/2″ to 2-1/2″ tall.
08/04: Planted out.
08/07: 1-1/2″ to 3″ tall, with foliage diameter 2″ to 5″.
08/15: Started harvest.
08/15: 2″ to 5″ tall, with foliage diameter 2″ to 7″. Many holes in leaves.
08/23: Completed harvest.
Harvest: 28-36 days
Pumpkin #2
Jack O’Lantern
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 110 days
5 seeds
07/18: Planted 1 per cell in 5 (of 9) cells.
07/24: Two cells excavated, perhaps by squirrel.
07/24: 1 of 5 (20%) has a shoot 1″ tall.
08/01: 3 of 5 (60%) have shoots 1-1/4″ to 2-1/2″ tall.
08/04: Planted out in raised mound.
08/07: 3″ to 4-1/2″ tall, with foliage diameter 1-1/2″ to 4″. Crowded by winter squash.
08/12: Moved to new mound further away from winter squash.
08/15: 4″ to 8″ tall, with foliage diameter 3-1/2″ to 8″.
08/23: 4″ to 8″ tall, with foliage diameter 5″ to 9″.
08/30: 7″ to 13″ tall, with foliage diameter 7″ to 13″.
09/22: Removed two sunflowers and trimmed squash to provide better light to melons and pumpkins.
Lettuce, Romaine #3
Parris Island
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 60-70 days
18 seeds
07/18: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
07/24: One cell excavated, perhaps by squirrel.
07/24: 16 of 18 (89%) have shoots 1/4″ tall.
08/01: 11 of 18 (61%) have shoots 1/4″ tall – remainder probably lost to heat.
08/04: Planted out.
08/07: 1/2″ to 1-1/4″ tall, with foliage diameter 1/2″ to 2″.
08/15: 1/2″ to 4″ tall, with foliage diameter 1/2″ to 8″. Very uneven.
08/23: 2″ to 4-1/2″ tall, with foliage diameter 1-1/4″ to 5-1/2″. Uneven.
08/30: 3″ to 7″ tall, with foliage diameter 2″ to 7″.
Lettuce, Butter #3
Bibb / Limestone
Expected germination: 7-10 days
Expected harvest: 57 days
18 seeds
07/18: Planted 2 per cell in 9 cells.
07/24: 17 of 18 (94%) have shoots 0″ to 1/4″ tall.
08/01: 13 of 18 (72%) have shoots 1/4″ to 3/4″ tall – remainder probably lost to heat. Half of the survivors are severely heat damaged.
08/04: Planted out.
08/07: 3/4″ to 1-1/2″ tall, with foliage diameter 3/4″ to 2″.
08/15: 1″ to 2-1/4″ tall. Some crowded by winter squash.
08/23: 2-1/2″ to 5″ tall, with foliage diameter 2-1/2″ to 4-1/2″. Some crowded by winter squash.
08/30: 3″ to 6-1/2″ tall, with foliage diameter 2″ to 5″. No longer crowded.
Carrot #3
Long Imperator #58
Expected germination: 8-12 days
Expected harvest: 77 days
36 seeds
07/18: Planted 2 per cell in 18 cells.
07/24: One cell excavated, perhaps by squirrel.
07/24: No visible change.
08/01: 12 of 36 (33%) have shoots 1/4″ to 1″ tall.
08/07: 14 of 36 (39%) have shoots 1/2″ to 1-3/4″ tall.
08/15: 14 of 36 (39%) have shoots 1″ to 3″ tall.
08/23: 12 of 36 (33%) have shoots 4″ to 6-1/2″ tall.
08/29: Planted out.
08/30: Stressed. 0″ to 5″ tall.
10/13: Harvested a couple of 2-3″ carrots.
Harvest: 87-TBA days
Brown Bread
We make bread with a bread machine, and if I am careful, the bread turns out velvety and delicious. Because it tastes so much better than “shop” bread, we eat it nearly exclusively. Bread is chemistry, if not alchemy: I think it’s important to measure the ingredients exactly, especially the yeast; and to use bread flour, not the all-purpose kind. (The label on the bag of flour should at the very least mention bread.) Getting the water-temperature right is a tricky issue that I assume you have mastered.
Your bread machine will dictate the order and method, but here are the ingredients for our brown bread.
Makes a 1.5 pound loaf.
- 1 cup + 3 T. water (80 degrees f.)
- 2 T. oil
- 3 T. molasses
- 1 1/2 t. salt
- 2 T. dry milk powder (skim is OK)
- 2 cups white bread flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat bread flour
- 1 1/2 t. active dry yeast*
*We use the granulated kind that comes in a jar. I prefer a brand that at least mentions bread machines on the label.
Portulaca
6 plants (pony-pack)
07/15: Bought.
07/16: Planted in upstairs window boxes.
–MJH
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