Sherrieflower's Blog

Last Day of April - so we should be Frost Free!
Apr 30, 2008 | 5:01 PM PST
Tags: frost free date , growing food indoors

Today is the last day of April so we should be frost free now for the rest of the season.  The cold front that came through the last couple of days is on its way out now.  Touch and go there the last couple nights tho'.  Getting down to 31F.  I prayed over my apricot, nectarine and peach trees and some research showed me they should be good to 28F so they came through ok.  I noticed some of my potatoes got nipped tho -- I think they will bounce back - hope so.  Last year we had a horrible cold front for 2 weeks that plunged us back into winter with lows in the 20's and so I didn't get any apricots.  It turned my bleeding heart into mush and did a lot of damage everywhere.  Nature amazes me with its awesome resiliency  -- the bleeding heart  came back with new growth and looked better than ever.  Anyway - sure didn't want any repeats of last year.  Its like one last reminder of winter before we plunge into the growing season and the impatient gardener can get a real set back if not careful. 

My daffodils are on their way out and high winds blew all the magnolia blossoms off the tree but the red buds are looking their best ever - flowering quince still going strong and that Judd Viburnum- wow -- the scent will arrest you if you get within 10 feet of it. It smells so good!  Full bloom now. 

Mama goose is still on her nest tho' I expect to see goslings any moment now - it has been about a month.  A male wood duck has been visiting the pond for the past several days.  I'd like to see them nest here too.  The male wood duck is a real work of art - such striking plumage!  Saw the fox in the front yard again this morning.

 
This year I am growing a patio tomato in a pot, and I'm going to grow a pepper and a cucumber in pots too with the rest in the garden.  Hopefully - I'll be able to bring them in - in the fall and keep them productive awhile longer.

Does anyone have experience growing food crops indoors?  hydroponically or otherwise?