The Electric Heater Saves the Day

We have had a few cold days over the last week and a little snow as well. Right in the middle of this cold spell the propane heater decided to have mood swings. One hour it would work great and then the next hour it would turn off. Wednesday it decided to turn off for much longer than an hour and by the time I made it out to the greenhouse after my class the temperature inside was exactly 32degrees. My heart sank... I had 20 tomato plants and almost as many squash and peppers that can't freeze. I rushed to get them out of the greenhouse and into warmth. I decided not to take the chance of the heater turning off in the middle of the night again and completely ruining all the progress I had made, so the tender plants are back in my apartment. The kale, spinach and arugula have stayed in the greenhouse and seem to be doing great! They love the colder temperature.
When I got the tender plants home and examined them my spirits lifted, most of them had none or very minimal damage from the freeze! Those that did get too cold have dead spots on the outer edges of their leaves, but all seem to be recovering. It didn't complete kill any of them. I am truly shocked and amazed!
Wednesday night we got the heater back up and running, but the following day the mood swings continued until it decided to just completely stop working. Last winter I used a very small space heater to keep an indoor greenhouse warm, so that little guy has been plugged in over the last few days and has stepped up and been a greenhouse hero. The little electric space heater has kept the greenhouse above 40degrees for the last several days in a row. I couldn't be more thrilled.
And in case you were wondering the worms have survived this entire ordeal. I moved the dirt around a little this afternoon just too check. I think it is a little too cold for their liking because as fast as I could uncover them they were working to bury themselves back in the dirt.

Worms and Transplants

With the arrival of the worms it was time to fire up the heater and get the greenhouse warm!

So into the dirt they went. 

If you ever decide to put 1,000 worms in dirt make sure the dirt is warm. These little guys were excellent escape artists and I'm sure I lost more than a few of them as they looked for warmer dirt. After a little while with the heater on it warmed right up and they settled in. 

I also took this opportunity to transplant a few of the crowded plants. I got a little carried away with how many seeds I put in each pot. Only 2-3 next time, not 5. 

Here are a few pictures of the root systems of zucchini. 

This is just a little guy that hadn't even poked out of the ground yet. 

The tomatoes were only one single root with with a few little branches. 

It was pretty fascinating to see the different types of roots. 

Ephesians 3:17- Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your ROOTS will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

Progress

It is coming together! Benches, heater, and worm composter are ready to go. I was surprised at how much room there is. I thought it would be a lot tighter. 

We were able to use repurposed stuff for almost everything. The worm composter is an old plastic drum. The shelves are from an outdoor deck that was torn out. The heater is an old bathroom heater from a renovated house. 

I have 1000 worms on the way for the composter!! I can't wait to get them started and making some dirt. 

Lots of Seeds

 I finally had time to plant the seeds this evening! I have had dirt in the pots all week but just didn't have time to fill them with seeds.  

This was the planning stage. I wanted to make sure I had enough pots. It worked out pretty well. 

One of the best things I did last year was write down which plants were which. When they are seedlings they all look the same. They are stubby and green. 

There they are on the greenhouse ready to go! I gave them a little water and I made sure both lights work. And now we wait. 

The first seedlings

The basil has begun to sprout. Still waiting in the peppers to make an appearance. 

Hopefully I can get a few more seeds in the dirt soon!

Adventures in Gardening

This past year I took on the challenge of gardening. I do consider it a challenge. While it might seem simple and dull to some, it truly was a daily adventure. As I undergo round 2 of the gardening era I would like to jot down and pass along some of the stories I encounter.

So the adventure begins and the first seeds have been planted!

I am starting them in my apartment. 

Jalapeños, Sweet Basil & Sweet Peppers

 The greenhouse is moving right along. We were able to get it covered in plastic today.
I am still missing a heater and benches/shelves, but hopefully both will be added soon.
Almost ready for some plants.

Bicycle Touring Part 1

I bought a bike. It only seemed fitting after working all summer at a bike shop. It's a green Surly Crosscheck with white Ortlieb panniers. Once I had the bike the only logical thing to do was ride it out of town. The only road from Skagway goes to Whitehorse in the Yukon. From there flights were cheap to Vancouver. So on September 30th Mike and I loaded our bikes and climbed the pass out of town. After 2 1/2 long cold days (the second night dropped to below freezing, we woke up to everything covered in ice) we arrived in Whitehorse to friendly faces a hot shower and a warm house! The next day we hopped a flight to Vancouver. It was a bit of culture shock to be in a real city after 4 months of Skagway, but fun to see a new town.
The next afternoon we battled the one-way street of Stanley Park and made it to the ferry to Vancouver Island. We spent the night right outside of Nanaimo and woke up the next morning and rode south. At Crofton we caught a ferry to Salt Springs Island and rode the 20ish kilometers to the other end of the island. It was beautiful and such a relief to be off the busy Highway 1 of the main island. One more ferry back to the main island and a fast 20 mile ride to Victoria. While smaller than Vancouver Victoria had plenty to see and do.
The next day Mike and I parted ways in the morning and I caught my final ferry ride to Port Angeles, WA to meet up with Dad. He was there at the dock waiting for me when I arrived! And so began our Pacific Coast bicycle tour.