March is always a busy gardening month here at my farm. If my crew isn't prepping and cleaning the beds outdoors, they're starting seeds and transplanting seedlings indoors.
Many of my vegetables are started from seed every year in my greenhouse - onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, etc. I use seeds from my favorite sources and seeds I find during my travels. Last week, I started several trays of eggplants and peppers.
Here are some photos.
I grow bounties of delicious eggplants every year. I try all different kinds to see what grows and tastes best and what I should plant again the next season.
Asian eggplants are often sweeter in flavor and vary more in shape and color than their American counterparts.
I also grow all kinds of peppers. They can be served stuffed, roasted, or eaten raw in salads and alone.
Bell peppers start out green and change color as they mature. If left alone they will turn yellow, orange, red, or even purple, depending on the variety. The longer the pepper stays on the vine, the sweeter it becomes and the more nutritional value it has.
Seed starting trays are available at garden supply shops and can be saved and reused every year. They are usually made from plastic, biodegradable paper or compressed peat.
When starting from seed, it is best to use a pre-made seed starting mix that contains the proper amounts of vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. I use Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix.
Once all the packets are pulled and organized by type, Ryan determines what order the seeds will be started in the trays depending on how long it takes each plant to germinate.
I enjoy trying seeds from various vendors, but Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds are two of my go-to sources.
Ryan fills the seed starting trays with mix and pats down lightly into each compartment.
The soil should be level with the top of the tray before starting.
Seeds are started several weeks before the last frost in the area. If you’re not sure, check online or ask garden center associates when the last frost usually occurs in your location. And be sure to read the valuable information on the seed packets.
Ryan creates a quarter-inch deep furrow in the middle of each compartment by pressing a finger gently into each cell. This can be done pretty quickly, even with multiple trays. The depressions are just deep enough to hold the seed in place.
One to three seeds is dropped into each cell. Pepper and eggplant seeds are small, so one must take time dropping them into the tray cells. It’s also a good idea to keep a record of when seeds are sown, when they germinate, and when they are transplanted. These observations will help organize a schedule for the following year.
Ryan places a label at one end of each row indicating the variety of seeds that are planted.
And then he adds more soil, covering all the seeds and leveling off the top of the tray. He lightly pats the soil down, so the seeds have good contact with the seed starting potting mix.
Now onto the eggplants… My greenhouse cat, Blackie, watches with some interest.
These wooden pot labels are from Johnny’s. At just about four inches long, they’re perfect for marking trays, pots, or even rows of a certain variety out in the garden.
Eggplant seeds are also very small. Ryan drops the seeds into the cells directly from the envelope. Germination is never guaranteed, so multiple seeds are planted. This provides a better chance at least one will take root. The seeds will be selectively thinned in a few weeks.
Once all the seeds are planted, Ryan covers the trays with a top layer of soil mix and pats it down gently to ensure good contact.
I am fortunate to have the room in my greenhouse for all the seeds I start every year. Because I share so many of my vegetables with my family, I am sure to grow many crops.
The trays are all given a good watering.
Within the next week sprouts will start appearing in the trays. I hope these blogs help remind you what you can do to get ready for the next gardening season. If you can, start some seeds today.
Protecting homes and maintaining the landscape sometimes means cutting down trees.
I always feel badly when trees are cut down. Trees are extremely important to our environment - they are the world’s single largest source of breathable oxygen, they absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, and they create an ecosystem to provide needed habitat and food for birds and other animals. However, like all living things, trees do not live forever, and occasionally they need to be removed. Trees that are dead, diseased, or growing improperly can fall and cause injury and damage. Recently, several trees were taken down from around my property because they were deemed unsafe by the town. A team from Bizee Bee Tree Service came to help and did an excellent job.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This grapple loader is attached to a knuckle boom and truck. It is controlled by computer and an operator on the ground.
The machinery is brought in to remove this maple and several others marked with green. All the trees being cut down are large, dying, and pose a risk of falling.
This is co-owner and operator, Massimo, from Bizee Bee Tree Service in Mahopac, New York. He is holding the computer that controls the knuckle boom and grapple loader.
Massimo directs the grapple up to the top of the tree getting cut down first.
The grapple is positioned tightly around the limb as an arborist in the bucket cuts from below using a chainsaw. Every precaution is taken to do this safely and efficiently.
Once a limb is cut, the grapple carefully lowers the limb to the ground.
The grapple is able to safely maneuver in tight spaces and carry very heavy loads.
Because the tree is large and near other trees and power lines, it is taken down in sections.
It doesn’t take long before most of the tree is cut down. For smaller caliper trees or limbs, the grapple is also equipped with its own computer operated saw.
As branches and limbs are brought down, they are put straight into a chipper, which is a machine used for reducing wood into smaller, more manageable wood chips. The machine consists of a hopper, a collar, and internal blades or cutting teeth.
Massimo controls the grapple very carefully, but also watches that his crew is safe at all times.
Here is another 15 to 16 foot section of the tree now cut. There are only a few feet left of the trunk to remove.
Here is Massimo bringing the grapple loader back down for the last time – it has done its job.
It is returned to the knuckle boom truck and locked into place.
The rest of the tree can now be cut from the ground. It is sawed as close to the base as possible.
Big trunk pieces are shortened even more at ground level.
Then another grapple picks them up…
… and puts them into a nearby truck for hauling.
Sometimes a grapple can pick up multiple pieces at a time.
And then all that’s left is the stump. A stump grinder will be brought in next to grind the wood into chips taking the stump down to below ground level so it is not visible. And that’s one down, several more to go.
We've been lucky this week - the weather has been mild, pleasant, and perfect for doing outdoor work and pre-spring chores around my farm.
The crew is busy with many projects, including raking and cleaning the garden beds, restoring my long pergola, cutting down dead trees in the woodland and chipping all the fallen branches. Down at my stable, outbuilding windows are getting cleaned inside and out, while walls are being retouched with fresh paint. It’s a strong start to a refreshing season ahead.
Enjoy these photos.
This time of year is always busy. Once the weather starts to warm up, everyone is outside working on spring season tasks. There’s a lot to do on a working farm.
Here’s Pasang, my resident tree expert, tending to his chainsaw in between cutting trees. Lubricating the chain and bar cools the engine while flushing out saw dust and other debris. Maintaining the equipment properly is paramount.
The crew has removed lot of dead, damaged, and diseased trees. Many of them are ash trees infested and killed by the emerald ash borer.
Once the trees are down in one area, manageable tree limbs and branches are put through the chipper.
The chipper is pointed back toward the woodland, so chips can top dress the remaining healthy trees.
Here’s Adan picking up smaller branches around the field.
Up by my wood shop, Pete works on painting the last of the wooden beams for the pergola restoration project. What’s the color? My signature “Bedford Gray” of course.
And I hope you’ve seen glimpses of my pond on my Instagram page @marthastewart48. This project is nearly complete. I’ll be sharing lots of photos showing how it was all done in an upcoming blog.
Here’s Matt from my gardening team – he’s raking carefully around the daffodils down near my allée of lindens.
Nearby, Ryan trims the dead foliage around the growing hellebores.
These hellebores are just starting to wake up after the long winter. Sometimes known as Lenten rose or Christmas rose, these plants are long-lived, easy-to-grow and thrive in shady locations. I’ve had hellebores in my gardens for many years, and I find it so rewarding to have blooms that start in March, and continue through spring until the end of May.
Cesar is removing the industrial weed cloth from my old vegetable garden. Last year I used the area as a flower cutting garden. It’s an excellent growing space that’s filled with nutrient rich soil.
At my stable, Carlos “II” is cleaning the windows inside and out. During the year, debris and film can build-up on windows, sills and tracks. Windows should be dusted and washed regularly to keep them sparkling clean. For my windows, I like to use a white vinegar and water solution. Vinegar safely kills germs and is much more economical than chemical cleaners.
Fernando is inside the stable, retouching areas with paint. Everything looks so much better with a good coat of fresh paint.
Here’s Jimmy mucking out one of the donkey stalls. Mucking refers to the process of removing soiled bedding. It’s an important part of daily stable management to keep the stable clean and its equine residents comfortable and healthy.
Elvira is at my vegetable greenhouse picking fresh spinach from one of the beds. I use spinach from my garden every day for my green juice.
This is carpentry master Dmitri Logvinski of Logvinski Construction LLC rebuilding my pergola. He’s measuring and carefully cutting the beams that will run the length of the pergola and support the rafters.
Each of these cedar beams is carefully measured, and trimmed as needed on site. I’ll be posting an entire blog on the project soon.
And down in my Winter House basement, lots of organizing is going on to get all my glasses, plates, platters, etc. ready for the season’s gatherings. This year, Easter is on April 20th.
Spring cleaning is underway and everyone at the farm is doing their part. I’m looking forward to a very productive spring season. What’s on your spring cleaning to-do list?
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