Continue sowing cool crops every two weeks for continuous harvest through early summer. The farmer plants in waves, the poet plants in rhythm, both understand abundance requires timing.
Succession schedule:
Lettuce: sow every fourteen days until May, then pause until August for fall restart
Radishes: sow every ten days, harvest young, succession provides constant crunch
Spinach: final spring sowing mid April, then wait for fall
Peas: final sowing early April, trellis immediately, harvest before heat
Carrots: sow every three weeks, different varieties for different uses
Beets: monthly sowing provides continuous roots and greens
Kale: final spring sowing, then fall sowing in August
Arugula: quick crop, succession every two weeks
Asian greens: pak choi, tatsoi, mizuna, plant in blocks
Begin warm season seeds indoors in mid April, six to eight weeks before frost free date. These plants demand heat, resent cold, require careful transition.
Sow indoors:
Tomatoes: six to eight weeks before transplant, bottom heat speeds germination, provide strong light to prevent legginess
Peppers and eggplant: eight to ten weeks before transplant, slower germination, require eighty degrees soil
Basil: four weeks before transplant, pinch for bushiness, wait for warm soil
Cucumbers: three to four weeks before transplant, use biodegradable pots to avoid root disturbance
Squash and melons: three to four weeks before transplant, large seeds, direct sow also works
Beans and corn: three weeks before transplant or direct sow, nitrogen fixers, plant in blocks
Okra: four weeks before transplant, heat lover, wait for warm soil
Sweet potatoes: start slips from tubers, six weeks before planting
Microgreens: year round, quick harvest, nutrient dense
April's nights still kill. Watch forecasts, protect plants, accept some loss, replant quickly. The farmer protects with materials, the poet protects with attention, both accept nature's power.
Protection methods:
Row cover: floating fabric, one to two degrees protection, drape directly on plants
Cold frames: glass or plastic tops, ten to fifteen degrees protection, vent on warm days
Hoop houses: plastic over hoops, twenty degrees protection, roll sides for ventilation
Water teepees: plastic bottles over seedlings, individual protection
Mulch: straw or leaves around plants, moderates soil temperature
Timing: cover before sunset, uncover after sunrise, trapped heat cooks plants
Forecast watching: know your microclimate, valley floors freeze first, slopes stay warmer
As grass grows and mud dries, animals move outdoors. Rotate them, manage pasture, observe health, adjust feed. The farmer moves animals with purpose, the poet watches animals with wonder, both understand the grazing covenant.
Turnout sequence:
Poultry: move to pasture coops, provide shade and water, rotate every three to seven days, watch for predators
Pigs: rotate through paddocks, provide wallows in heat, supplement feed, watch for rooting damage
Goats and sheep: begin rotational grazing, move every one to three days, watch for parasites, provide mineral supplements
Rabbits: outdoor hutches if weather stable, protect from predators, provide fresh greens
Pasture management:
Rest periods: forty five days minimum between grazings, allows regrowth
Stock density: high density short duration builds soil, low density long duration selects plants
Water access: move water with animals, prevents trailing and erosion
Shade: provide in every paddock, prevents heat stress
Parasite monitoring: fecal counts, FAMACHA scoring, selective treatment
Before heat arrives, test your irrigation. Check lines, clean filters, adjust timers, observe coverage. The farmer tests with gauges, the poet tests with attention, both understand water is life.
Testing sequence:
Flush lines: open ends, remove sediment, check for leaks
Clean filters: backwash or replace, monthly maintenance prevents clogs
Test pressure: aim for operating pressure specified by emitter type, adjust regulators
Check coverage: observe wet patterns, adjust spacing, add emitters if dry spots
Set timers: program for early morning watering, adjust for rainfall, seasonal changes
Train plants: water deeply less frequently, encourages deep roots
Drought preparation: mulch heavily, choose drought tolerant varieties, accept some loss
Weeds emerge with crops. Stay ahead, mulch early, hoe small, pull young. The farmer weeds with tools, the poet weeds with patience, both know the weed never surrenders.
Weed strategies:
Mulch: apply immediately after planting, four inches minimum, blocks light
Hoeing: stir soil surface weekly, severs weeds at roots, do when dry
Flame weeding: propane torch for paths and bed edges, kills seedlings instantly
Hand pulling: for large weeds, remove roots, do when soil moist
Cover crops: outcompete weeds, plant between cash crops
Stale seedbed: prepare bed two weeks early, let weeds germinate, flame or hoe, then plant