Planting Peas/Fighting the Cold Weather/Using Planting Paper

Welcome back.  Almost 3 weeks ago on May 3rd I planted peas.  They have started to sprout but are pretty sparse. I will  have to replant to fill in the row..  Gardening isn't always successful.  I normally have very good gardening results overall.  Usually the weather is the culprit for poor gardening outcomes.  This Spring definitely has been very challenging in regards to weather.

I chose a good year to try using a cold frame. it has proven to be a life-saver for my lettuce and kale.  We have had many very cold nights with temperatures down to the mid twenties.  We have also continued to have snow well into May.  

The above photos were taken on May 9th, the day before Mother's Day.  I remember snow on Mother's Day in years past, but I don't think it was 2 to 3 inches and temps down in the mid twenties.

Getting back to the cold frame, I even added some heat using a heat tape which turns on when the temperatures reaches freezing.   I kept asking myself if this effort was really worth it, but I had some nice lettuce and kale plants started and didn't want to loose them.    

Usually in late April and throughout May, I have lettuce, kale and other greens started in the garden, even onions.  This Spring the temperatures were unusually cold from mid-April to mid-May.

Planting Peas

In my previous post I hinted at a "planting paper experiment".  It all started with the peas.  I have been trying to come up with a way to cut down on weeding and cultivating once the planting is done.  It would be a great time and back saver.  The latter is becoming increasingly important to me with my ongoing back condition.

I have tried mulching with straw and hay, which does work but does in the end increase weeds and grass growing.  I did some research on using newspaper and cardboard.  I finally found garden paper which controls weeds, then decomposes by the end of the growing season and can be tilled into the soil.    

When I planted the peas, I had not yet received the rolls of garden paper.  Enter the new paper grocery bags now being used in NY since plastic bags have been banned.   I cut open some of these which we received from the groceries being delivered during this Covid-19 crisis.   

   

I anchored the paper using landscape fabric staples and extra soil/stones.  I then used a box cutter to cut a strip wide enough to allow the seeds to be poked into the ground and to sprout properly.  

Fast forward to May 24th.  As you can see the sprouts are pretty sparse.  I am going to replant the empty spots and see what happens.  To speed up germination of the replants, I will soak the pea seeds about 8 hrs.

Stay tuned for further updates on the peas, and the planting of the "lower garden".  I have recently planted tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, onions, peppers, pumpkins, and more.