Journey of a Seed Sower...sowing caledar 2012

When is the best time to sow veggie seeds in the Pacific Northwest? Seattle is just like most other places and is dependent on the Last Spring Frost date! Whether you are starting your seeds in/out doors or direct sow in the ground it all comes down to timing and the freezing bite of mother-nature.

After speaking with many nurseries, gardeners, bloggers and local sites, the consensus for the last frost day here in Seattle is Mothers day weekend. 
However if you want to be really sure of the last spring frost date in your area and you like the science, check out http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov - Climate Norm's very cool tool, just enter your State then location and it bases the date on local weather patterns. You can choose from a 90% chance of frost, a 50/50 chance of frost or play it real safe and opt for the 10% chance of frost.

• My 50/50 date would be: April 11th
• While my 10% date is: April 27th (which I would feel safer using)
• Mothers day this year is May 13th (I figure by this date it will be safe for me to start sowing or transplanting to the veggie beds! I'm so not a risk taker when it comes to sowing for the first time!)

So why is the last spring frost date so important? Basically most seeds prefer to be sown when the ground is warmer and the last chance of frost has passed as to not burn any new shoots or freeze and shock the seed (I can relate, who likes being in the garden when it's freezing anyway!)
But in saying this, I am surprised by how many cold season seeds thrive in these conditions, many of the green's like lettuce, broccoli and pea's love the colder weather and its been suggested to plant before the last frost as it can make for a tastier yield, they kinda like it...crazy seeds!

My Sow calendar for Spring 2012

March 12th - 18th - set up an area for indoor sowing!!
March 19th - 25th - Start sowing tomatoes indoors/coldframe (10-14days germination)
March 26th - April 1st - Indoor/coldframe sow onions* (21-30days germination)
April 2nd - April 8th - Indoor/coldframe sow broccoli (6-10days germination)
April 9th - April 15th -  Indoor/coldframe sow lettuce (2-14days germination)
April 16th - April 22nd -
April 23rd - April 29th - Transplant Broccoli (thin12-18in apart)
April 30th - May 6th- Direct sow beans (6-8days germination, thin to 8in when plant has 4leaves)
May 7th - May 13th - LAST SPRING FROST -
May 14th - May 20th - Direct sow carrots (14-23days germination) Direct sow cukes (5seeds per mound)
May 21st - May 27th - Transplant lettuce (10-15in apart) Transplant onions
May 28th - June 3rd - Transplant Tomatoes (1.5-3ft apart) Thin carrots (1in apart) Thin beans (s.a)
June 4th - June 10th - Thin Cukes to best 3/mound

*onion thinning - 25mm(1")-50mm(2") apart and then again later to 10cm(4")

Like most things in the world of gardening, this is all subject to change and is a rough outline for what I should be doing during what week. It might help me stay on track better when I work the plan and not just guess as I go. I have had so much wonderful advice on what to start when and little tips that fellow bloggers have suggested. Check out the awesome comments here on my I have my veggie seeds...now what? post! Thank you for all your wonderful advice!!!

Frozen in time....Seattle ice-storm 2012

We have all heard the story of the boy who cried wolf...You know the one where the weatherman cries..."the snow storm of the century is coming" only to then get 2inches of snow 3yrs in a row. Needless to say, we all have grow tired of his false predictions and our trust in the wild claims is non-existent!
On Tuesday with barely any snow sticking to the roads, we were told of a wild and crazy snow storm to hit Seattle that night. This year dubbed "Snow-mageddon" with tongues planted firmly in cheeks we all said...ah ha sure! The schools were closed in advance and we all laughed at the overreaction...yet again!

Then to our surprise, Wednesday morning we awoke to find 6inches of soft fluffy snow! Wow, weatherman finally got it right! Off to sled and enjoy the gorgeous winter weather. Gulp! Now if that wasn't bad enough, we were then told to "brace" for the biggest ice-storm Seattle has seen in over 30yrs. What do we do? The weatherman actually was right last time, could he be two for two? No, surely not! So we return to our old-ways of disbelief and believe its another Seattle overreaction!

This time we woke to another inch of snow, so we thought. It was actually an inch and a half of ice! Weatherman was right yet again, I will never doubt again!! (well until next time) The trees were weighed down with the freezing weight that clung to every branch. My poor plants, my poor plum tree, a tree I have no problem walking under, now its limbs hang only a few inches from the ground. It is quite a site out there, I only wish I could capture the coating of ice that is over everything. So with camera in and hand and wrapped inside a plastic bag (ie, fancy waterproof technology) I was able to snap some pics. It feels like you are seeing everything with double vision.

My little helper showing just how close to the ground the plum tree branches are...yikes!

As I type this the snow is now falling once again, gone is the fun winter wonderland of snowball fights and sledding. Now its an icy freeze that has frozen my garden in time and they are predicting more...

My Jasmine seen here covered in a solid layer of ice, wishing I had of covered them in burlap!

 

Hedges of Dwarf Boxus and Hebees protected mainly by snow. 

The unprotected parts entombed in ice-cubes or dripping with icicles. 

 

The branches and new tiny shoots of the plum tree, as if dipped in glass!

 I thought my eyes were going funny with this picture, its like seeing double vision due to the layer of ice.

 Ahh sweet sweet Magnolia, frozen in time as if a curse has been placed on you!

Stay safe and warm my treasured tree! Maybe I should've brought it inside...hehe

Cascading branches of the Pussy-willow. You can see the thin branch with the added weight of the ice.

Very tentacle like.

Hydrangea in bud, crossing my fingers for this years bloom and safe longevity.

With more snow and ice in tonight's for forecast, it is now really scaring me in regards to the safety of my plants. What do I do? Is there anything I can do? What do you do when ice/snow threaten your plants with sheer weight? Do you try and shake it off? leave it alone to protect from the freeze? I am really at a loss and am "bracing" myself for the worst still to come...losing plants!!

Snow Apocalypse 2012 is here.....

For the true meaning of this please refer to my earlier post!

The snow is here! The snow is here!! For all my friends out there (who I know are so worried for my well-being) I am safe...but only just! For my East-coast/Alaskan/Minnesotan (or anywhere that regularly gets snow) friends, yes Seattle is pathetic! We have 3in and I am hunkering down in my house till this ghastly storm blows over. I thought I should post a blog, just in-case I am found buried alive or worse yet, stranded in my car in my last attempt to out-drive this crazy weather and these freak blizzard conditions.
Thank goodness they have closed down schools (Ok it is Martin Luther King Holiday, but that is besides the point) as well as a number of local businesses, its close down mode for Seattle, with 15min snow storm updates on the news. With 2 more inches predicted tonight and a whooping 5in for Wed I don't know how Seattle will ever survive!

My garden is taking the brunt of this snow blast, with trees barley clinging on to life, suffocated by mounds of snow. The hessian bags which were donated to the cause, never made it on in time to protect the Jasmine, but will come in handy if I need to make huge sand snow bags to keep the floods that may follow, out! For now they are doing a wonderful job of protecting my front porch....

 Doing a lot of good here...lol! If only all my good-intentions came to fruition!

Here are some of my brave plants, taking the freeze head on. Praying for my Jasmine (which is growing around the base of the column) hoping it survives! It took a beating last year and after many months of TLC, I was able to nurse it back to health. It is not a fan of freezing weather, it lost most of its shinny evergreen leaves and outer limbs to the frost. This year I covered the roots well with mulch, fingers crossed. Not sure if it will take another apocalyptic storm though?

  Jasmine...stay strong!!

Winter hits my wisteria vines, but these suckers would survive a nuclear explosion, seriously!!

My Magnolia tree...look at all those gorgeous juicy buds! (it helps if you squint)

Think warm thoughts, my most favorite of trees!! Last year the buds were burnt by the frost which resulted in withered and brown poxed flowers, there really is nothing I can do to prevent this.

(sorry for blurriness, taken on cell phone)

So after braving some photos, a quick inspection of my garden, some shaking of limbs, a snow-ball fight and some daredevil sledding. I am now safely recovering back in the warmth of my living room enjoying hot-cocoa and Harry Potter movies, but man its hairy out there....

It's deceptively beautiful!

Love the feel of fall!

Its like Fall came with the changing of the month! September is here and bam!
Misty mornings, cooler evenings, the comforter is back on the bed, layering clothes and digging out the wet weather gear has started! Oh I love this time of year in the Northwest!

Especially because it means the garden is at its fullest, lushest and greenest! And I can get back out there and start planting/relocating and getting dirty again! It really is one of the best times of year for your plants.

I was a little sad yesterday on my weekly trip to Fred Meyers, to see the garden department is now only half the size, a sure sign that winter and a dormant garden is coming!

This change of year seems to happen so quickly, one minute your playing with the kids under the sprinkler, enjoying the heat of summer with a mojito and the next your starting to see the leaves change on the trees and your deflating the kiddie pool.

This cooler weather is refreshing and good for the soul. Although I am going to miss the endless sunshine, not having to worry about the rain and weather determining what you will be doing that day. But I think rain or shine I am going to try and enjoy my garden for as long as I can!