spring!!!

 
 
The first day of spring – one of my favorite days! I have 8 trays of seedlings planted so far. Some are doing very well. A tray of wild flower seeds I collected are taking their time to sprout. No problem. Sometimes these take 30 days or so. I am working on planting my tomato seeds now. A few days late now for me. I have the pots clean and set in trays.  I’ve pulled out the seed packets I’ll plant. Maybe I’ll have time to plant tomorrow morning. Tomorrow…
 
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my planting progress

 
 
I’m planting way too many varieties of vegetable seeds this year. Last year, I cut back on different varieties and planted only my favorites. This year, the opposite. I’m planting a few plants each of many different varieties. I have a big Excel list to keep track of them all. So far I have planted: Feb 5: rosemary and thyme Feb 23: lots of onion varieties, also celeriac and parsley. March 4: 11 cabbage varieties, also escarole and endive. March 10: 4 basil varieties, 5 marigolds, 5 eggplants, and 15…
 
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red-winged blackbirds return – a sign of spring

 
 
I was surprised to hear a red-winged blackbird today. Everything is snow covered and seems quite wintery still. I looked up when they returned to my yard in previous years: 2015: March 27 2016: March 5 2018: February 25 2019: March 12 I also looked at the site Journey North, a citizen reporting site. These dates fit with their observations. Some springs are late, some early. This looks like a pretty average one based on the blackbirds.
 
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2019 variety list

 
 
Arugula Beets Boro Bok Choi Asian Delight, Mei Qing Choi, Win-Win Choi Broccoli Bay Meadows, Diplomat, Piracicaba Brussels Sprouts Dagan Cabbage Alcosa, Minuet Napa, Red Express, Tendersweet Carrot Amarillo, Bolero, Mokum, Scarlet Nantes Celeriac Mars Cilantro Slo-bolt Corn Northstine Dent, Painted Mountain Dent, Jerry Petersen Blue Flint, Robust 997 Popcorn Cucumber Boothby’s Blonde, Diva, Japanese Long, Max Pack, Straight Nine, Tasty Green Endive Dubuisson Escarole Rhodos Fennel, bulb Fino Gourds Autumn Wings Mix Greens Misome Herb Basil Eleonora, Basil Purple Opal, Basil Sweet Thai, Basil Tuscany, Dill Teddy, Parsley Italian…
 
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Happy New Year

 
 
Today is the first page of a 365 page new book, a 365 day new garden season. A new slate, fresh soil, new plans to make. May all your New Years dreams come true.
 
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Thanksgiving

 
 
Max Coots: A Harvest of People Let us give thanks for a bounty of people: For generous friends, with smiles as bright as their blossoms. For feisty friends as tart as apples; For continuous friends who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them. For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible; For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn; and the others as plain as potatoes and as good for you. For friends as unpretentious…
 
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Kathy Martin
This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy thinks the garden is his, even though I do all the work. We're located near Boston, in USDA zone 6. I have bees, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, too. I use all sustainable organic methods and strive to grow all of my family's vegetables myself. -Kathy


weeks and counting until my last spring frost

What I planted recently

Jan 21
thyme, lettuce, escarole

Feb 21
celery, celeriac, parsley, leeks

March 11
cabbage, kale, arugula



What I'm planting soon

April 1
peppers, eggplants, marigolds, beets

April 12
tomatoes, basil, sunflowers

Make your own customized planting calendar. Try out my app!
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My garden this week

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17 years of archives!

Check out the food pantry farm I helped to start up:

Aurelia's Garden

Flickr

Skippy’s vegetable of the month – Egyptian walking onions!

“I envision a day when every city and town has front and back yards, community gardens and growing spaces, nurtured into life by neighbors who are no longer strangers, but friends who delight in the edible rewards offered from a garden they discovered together.” – Greg Peterson

"What can happen to a seed is a miracle."

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