Astronomy

Night Sky this Week

Venus is now appearing in the morning in the night sky this week. After being the “evening star” for months, it rises an hour before the sun rises. You can easily catch it in the early dawn of the morning.

Saturn rises a half an hour after Venus but is lost in the sun’s glare. It becomes easier to spot as the year goes by.

Jupiter is hanging out between the horns of Taurus the Bull next to the orange star Aldebaran (the eye of the bull). It is hanging around high in the west around 9 PM. On Wednesday, the Moon passes north of the planet.

Mars is in the constellation of Gemini near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini in the east. You cannot miss it, due to its red color. The red-orange planet is overhead around 9 PM. The half-lit Moon will pass by the red planet on April 4th and 5th.

This month is the best time to view Orion, Canis Major, and Canis Minor, which are some of the most magical sights in the southern sky, around 10 PM. It starts with Orion, the Hunter, which is in the southwest. You’ll spot his famous belt—three bright stars lined up perfectly in a row. Above the belt is Betelgeuse, a huge red star that has a warm, reddish glow, while below it is Rigel, a brilliant blue-white star that shines like a diamond. Orion is hard to miss and is often the first constellation people recognize in the winter.

Not far behind Orion comes Canis Major, the “Greater Dog”. This constellation is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky is to the south. Sirius steals the show with its intense, bluish-white sparkle. It’s like the sky’s spotlight! In mythology, Canis Major is one of Orion’s loyal hunting dogs, always by his side as he roams the celestial hunting grounds. Sirius shines bright above the southern horizon.

Trailing after is Canis Minor, the “Lesser Dog.” It’s a smaller constellation, but it has Procyon, a bright, cheerful-looking star. Even though Canis Minor doesn’t have as many standout stars as Canis Major, it still plays an important role in completing the picture. You can find it a bit to the northeast of Orion, lining up neatly with Sirius and the Hunter’s belt.

Scorpio floating in the night sky

As Orion sets later in the evening, Scorpius, a summer constellation, rises in the east, standing on its tail.

There will be a partial eclipse of the sun on Friday, however, it will not be visible in the middle or western part of the country.

Enjoy this stunning celestial lineup throughout the week of April 4th! The universe has quite a spectacle in store for us.

Real Estate (Farm & Ranch Land)

Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season. With a simple setup and a little care, you can grow strong, healthy plants before moving them outside.

First, choose your containers. I use plastic seed trays. Some use old baking pans, clay pots, or such. Just make sure they have drainage holes. Fill them with a light, well-draining seed-starting mix, which helps seeds germinate easily.

Next, plant your seeds according to the instructions on the packet. A general rule is to plant them about twice as deep as their size. After planting, gently water the soil with water to keep it moist but not overly wet. I place the trays in water and let them soak up from the bottom, so I do not disturb the seeds by watering over the top of the seeds.

To maintain humidity, cover the containers with plastic wrap or a humidity dome until the seeds sprout. Most seeds need warmth to germinate, so keeping them in a warm spot (65-75°F) or using a heat mat can speed up the process.

Once the seeds sprout, remove the cover and place the seedlings in bright light. A sunny south-facing window works, but if you don’t get enough natural light, use grow lights for 12-16 hours a day. Keep the lights close to the seedlings (about 2-4 inches above) to prevent leggy growth.

Water your seedlings carefully, keeping the soil evenly moist but not soggy. As they grow, you may need to thin them out, snipping weaker ones so the strongest plants have room to thrive or transplant them into another container after they get their true (adult) leaves.

For vine crops, I sow a few seeds into a 4 inch peat pot and plant the entire pot into the garden.

Starting seeds indoors

Flipping through Seed Catalogs

Every winter, when my garden is just a sad, frozen patch of dirt, I like to curl up with a hot drink and flipping through seed catalogs. There’s something magical about those glossy pages promising lush tomatoes, towering sunflowers, and exotic melons you’ve never heard of but suddenly NEED to grow.

Every page was filled with “must-haves,” and before I knew it, I had circled half the catalog. Instead of narrowing it down like a reasonable person, I convinced myself that I could totally plant everything. A garden bursting with rare vegetables? Why not! A 10-foot-tall corn variety? Obviously! How about a type of zucchini that is so big it is described as “legendary”? Sign me up!

I placed my massive order and eagerly awaited my seeds, dreaming of my future jungle of homegrown produce. Now the seeds have been coming every day.

Then, reality hit. The catalog photos hadn’t fully prepared me for just how many seeds I had ordered. I had somehow ended up with enough seeds to feed a small village.

The most important thing to learn in ordering seeds, especially online, is to whittle down that list several times.

Here is a brief list of when the seeds need to be planted indoors before planting outdoors:

Vegetables

  • Tomatoes – 6–8 weeks before last frost
  • Peppers (bell, hot, etc.) – 8–10 weeks before last frost
  • Broccoli & Cauliflower – 6–8 weeks before last frost
  • Lettuce – 4–6 weeks before last frost
  • Cabbage – 6–8 weeks before last frost
  • Onions – 10–12 weeks before last frost
  • Pumpkins & Squash – 3–4 weeks before last frost
  • Cucumbers – 3–4 weeks before last frost
  • Melons (watermelon, cantaloupe) – 3–4 weeks before last frost

Flowers

  • Marigolds – 6–8 weeks before last frost
  • Petunias – 10–12 weeks before last frost
  • Zinnias – 4–6 weeks before last frost
  • Sunflowers – 2–4 weeks before last frost

In Winner, South Dakota, the average last frost date—when temperatures last drop to 32°F—is typically May 15th.

I have planted onions and cabbage, which are cold tolerant in the garden at the end of April, but wait till after mid-May for the warm season vine crops.