Time to get watering
The sun has finally decided to show itself and the last two days have been absolutely glorious! This is really great news for the garden. You will see your little seedlings spring into action and start producing new leaves, and all your little seeds should start sprouting. Usually it takes around 2 weeks for your seeds to germinate. Longer for beets and carrots.
This means that you have some tasks to accomplish. Watering begins! Watering deeply is very important to the health of your garden. If you don’t water long enough, the roots of your plants will grow up towards the surface and your plants will be stressed. For an Essential Garden (10′ x 3′) I suggest at least 20 min per day when it is not raining.
Watering in the morning is best, since watering in the evening encourages slugs. Speaking of – now is the best time to address your slug population. Check under stones, clear debris away from your garden and keep an eye out for any slugs or snails to remove from your garden. Each slug can produce 4000 eggs in a season, so being proactive is important.
Keep your floating row cover on. It is not absolutely necessary, but it can be helpful in keeping your garden cozy and safe. If you are motivated, you can remove the cover on warm sunny days, and replace it at night. If you do not have one – let me know and I’ll be sure to get one to you.
Once the outer leaves of your lettuces get big enough to your taste, you can start harvesting them for your salads. Simply head outside with your salad bowl and a sharp knife and remove a couple of leaves per plant. Cut right at the base of the leaf – and make sure not to take too many from any one plant!
Let me know if you have any gardening questions. I love to hear from you.
Best,
Tereska