Starting Seeds

drip tape, small hoops, bailing twine, plastic mulch and floating row cover

I have started some onion, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seeds this week. Last year we moved into the new place in March and I did not have many starts so the spring garden was a little late. I will be able to plant lettuce, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower under a hoop house to keep the rain and frost at bay. My goals in the garden this year are to improve water management (irrigation) and timing. I am planning to use more floating row covers, small coldframes and plastic mulches to start my season earlier and extend it later.

rain collection from the shed roof

To help with irrigation I am collecting rainwater and using drip tape. We have water provided by a municipality and they sent us a letter stating that our rates will be increasing. I don't like to use city water to irrigate, it seems like such a waste to use treated water on a garden. There has to be an old well on this property and If I can find it I will use it for irrigation. The rainwater I am collecting is nice but it is dry here in the summer and I cannot easily store enough water in the rainy months to provide irrigation all summer. I plan on using the stored rain water to make some compost tea in the containers and irrigate with that concoction. It is called chemigation when irrigation water is injected whith chemical fertilizer. There must be a term for irrigating with compost teas or organic fertilizers, perhaps organigation or compostigation, they just sound like dirty words.

drip tape close-up, a hole every 8 inches