Summer Week 3: Planting

This is the spacing adjustment on the Planet Junior hand planter. The little dial spins up the threaded rod to adjust the opening at the base of the planter and let more or less seed out of the chute. I like the examples of seed sizes, from a different time, when Parsnips and Salsify were common vegetables.

THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• Salad Mix
• Stir-Fry Greens
• Spinach
• Collard Greens or Pea Shoots or Lambsquarter
• Beet Greens or Cilantro
• Fresh Garlic

Click on the links above for information and recipes about these crops.

COMING SOON:
Shelling Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
Fava Beans
Arugula
Cucumbers

Last week was prime for planting. It was cool, but dry, with the promise of a good rain, followed by a good warm spell. We replanted the beans, pickling cucumbers, and summer squashes—something ate half of the rows, or they rotted. Hard to say which.

This is the Planet Junior hand planter that Mike’s dad used for planting their Southcenter farm. Still in operation, but the wood handles have been changed. It works great for everything except the tiniest of seeds.

I used the old Planet Junior to plant by hand certain crops—the third planting of bush beans, some more shelling beans, and parsnips and salsify for winter. The Planet Junior doesn’t have set apertures, so it lets odd-shaped and large seeds fall out easily. I also used this to get the corn planted. (Yay, corn this year!)

For most row crops, except large seeded things like corn, peas, squash,etc. that need lots of space, we use the 1941 Farmall Cub with belly-mounted Planet Junior planters. This way we plant four rows at a time, and calibrate the cultivator implements to the same spacing to eliminate some hand-work.

Mike used the 1941 Cub tractor with belly-mounted planters to sow the uniform seed crops—another sowing of dill, cilantro, and spinach, more beets, chard, and kale, and some kohlrabi, purslane, and odds and ends. These planters use set seed measurements so they make for even, uniform sowing.

We also finally got the winter squashes and pumpkins planted, and Mike started making beds for cauliflower, broccoli, and the BIG planting of basil.

Things are looking good for next week. The pea plants are loaded, both sugar snap and shelling peas, and we’ll be able to open the u-pick area. The new carrots, turnips, and arugula are looking great, and the cucumbers are blooming like crazy. Even the tomatoes are kicking into gear finally. Summer is finally on the way!