18 pots of Olympia Spinach (Pacific Northwest Seeds) and 17 Encore Lettuce Mix (Johnny’s Seeds) were seeded indoors on March 13th in one cup pots at 2 seeds per pot. Germination was 100% and 83% and they were thinned to one plant per pot and grown under lights for 2 weeks then into the greenhouse on trays for 2 more weeks.
14 square feet of bed was fortified with 1.5 gallons of one year old composted Chicken Gold, 1/3 lb of Lime, and ½ lb of Rock Phosphate. Tilled in with my little Mantis tiller, raked flat and smooth with the back of the bow rake, and marked out with the row marker on 8 inch square centres. I was tempted to work with 10 inch centres this time since I had surplus space in that bed but declined – the tighter rows will shade out weeds more easily once the crop is established.
I first sat the pots in a tray of water for an hour to absorb water up through bottoms making sure no dry patches in the root balls. One month in one cup pots was just the right amount of time – the root balls were not too root bound but just able to keep their shape when flipped upside down and pot tapped upwards on the rim to dislodge the pot.
I planted alternating spinach plants with lettuces so that when the spinach finishes before the lettuces, they’ll leave more room for mature lettuce plants.
Covered the bed with 2 by 6 inch grid fencing wire sections elevated on 6 inch overturned empty pots --- to keep the cats away.
In the morning I won't soak in one gallon of fish fertilizer mix to give them that transplanting boost. It's probably too close to harvest for that kind of treatment with a chance of some fish getting on the leaves. It is such wonderful stinky stuff -- but not this time. I'll hope the ancient chicken already mixed in the soil will do the trick instead.
Happy Gardening.
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