Time to Plant - April 16, and Hide and Seek with Rhubarb!

Time to Plant - April 16, and Hide and Seek with Rhubarb!

When I went to check on the pea seeds I saw that they had soaked up all the water and had expanded to double their size!  Some of the peas had fallen out onto the kitchen counter.  I scooped them into another bowl and added more water just in case they hadn't absorbed enough!

After breakfast, I drained the water from the bowl and then sprinkled in some legume seed inoculant. This inoculant contains Rhizobium bacteria which converts nitrogen from the air into a useable form for legume seeds (such at beans and peas).  This gives the legumes the ability to provide their own organic fertilizer!!!

The inoculant looks like black dirt.  


Next I made a furrow in the soil about 1" deep.  The package indicated that the seed should be planted 1" deep and 2" apart.  

In the picture above, you can see the pea seeds placed in the furrow... 2" apart.


The seed package also indicated that rows of peas should be spaced 12" to 18" apart. In the picture below, you can see the furrows in that arrangement. 

Next, I lightly covered the pea seeds with soil and then made sure that I labeled the row.  See picture below.

Next, I planted Cherry Belle radishes.  Reading the instructions on the package, I planted the radish seeds about 1" apart in a furrow 1/2" deep.  See the picture below.

Some of the seeds rolled out of my hand a little bit quicker and ended up being planted a bit closer than 1" apart.  More like 1/2" apart!  That's OK.  When it is time to thin them, we will eat the thinnings!

I covered the seeds lightly with some fine soil and labeled the rows.

I also planted Bright Lights Swiss Chard, following the instructions on the seed packet.


With the rain clouds moving in, I decided to wrap things up for the day by looking for the rhubarb.  

Rhubarb is a perennial plant that dies back in the winter and then regrows in the Spring and Summer.  I always place some distinctive rocks around the rhubarb plants because the first time I planted rhubarb, I did not do that.  The following Spring, there was absolutely no evidence of the rhubarb!  I  was living in Grand Coulee, Washington at the time and my wonderful neighbor, Madeleine, helped me to find the elusive plants!  Ever since then, I have delighted in the hide and seek that the rhubarb plays with me!

I went over to the area where I remember the rhubarb plants to be and located the rocks which I had placed next to the plants.  I had to get down on my hands and knees, but I found the rhubarb plants coming up in between last autumn's  fallen leaves (and a dandelion).  There it is... white and pink buds with just developing chartreuse colored leaves... barely coming up from the ground.  And it has multiplied!  Now there are at least two of the plants!  Great news!  Even more rhubarb for rhubarb pie!