February 21, 2010

winter sowing

I found 3 plastic milk jugs and planted then today. Two seeds I collected: Purple cone flower (Echinacea) and Feverfew (from Victoria’s garden). Also a package of lavender seeds. I used wooden labels inside the jugs. (Last time I did this, I wrote on jugs and ink washed off.) I tucked then the jugs in with some old hay out in the yard – and put my gnome in charge of them.

February 20, 2010

potato order placed

I meant to order these a few weeks ago, but didn’t actually do it. Now the order is placed – the day after the discounts ended 🙁 I’m excited about the varieties I found though. Three of the four show resistance to late blight!! I should have had these last year. I got only 4 orders – last year I got 5 and this was a bit too much. Here are the Moose Tubers’ catalog descriptions: Irish Cobbler Early. Buff skin, white flesh. Slightly larger than a golf ball, great…

February 19, 2010

building a hoophouse

I just love hoop houses and low tunnels. Here’s a link. Maybe I’ll get to try one this year.

February 19, 2010

onion sprouts

More and more little onions sprouts keep popping up.

February 18, 2010

snow day

This is the same stone wall I photographed a few days ago. Everything looks different today. Here’s my garden:

February 17, 2010

lights are ON!

I have sprouts!!! My lights are on! My first sprouts of the 2010 season are Ruby Ring onions. Of eight onion varieties I planted, these are the first ones up. No sign of any of the others yet. Welcome little Ruby’s!

February 16, 2010

on ecological landscaping

I have been reading about different landscaping ideas, since I’m replanting my front yard. Here’s a thought-provoking article that Victoria sent me: Native Plants: Restoring to an Idea by Toby Hemenway (http://www.ecolandscaping.org/news/?p=100) “…. If I grow some of my own food, that means that somewhere out in the country, a farmer won’t have to plow so close to the riverbank, or could let some of that back field go wild. That land has a far better chance of functioning as an ecosystem than my yard will….Much of our efforts in…

February 15, 2010

black capped chickadees

I took these photos out in the woods. The chickadees are all over the branches on most of the south facing slopes. So many of them. Most are singing their quiet winter “tswweet”. Some call variations on the loud “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” warning when Skippy and I approach their territory. I also hear the melodic two note spring song “dee-dee” that pairs use to call to each other. Even though its still winter they are preparing for the breeding season. And there are lots of intermediate vocalizations. It seems they have lots…

February 15, 2010

seeds planted

I ran out of wooden plant labels, so I have temporary labels cut out of yogurt containers. List:Kale, Wild kale mix (Territorial)Kale, Tuscan (Sand Hill)Kale, Winterbor (Sand Hill)ParsleyThyme, German winterEggplant, Black BeautyBroccoli, Blue Wind (Johnny’s)Broccoli, Marathon (Johnny’s)Tomatoes: Orange Blossom, Box Car Willie, Beaver Lodge, and Cherokee PurpleEggplant, Black BeautyEscarole, broadleafCollardsLettuce, Rouge d’Hiver (Ohio Heirloom)Lettuce, black-seeded SimpsonLettuce,Big Boston (Burpee)

February 11, 2010

ordering seed potatoes

Moose Tubers discount ordering deadline is Feb 19! I’d better get my order in. This year I’m planning to grow just two varieties of potatoes: a Russet (Burbank) and a blue (All Blue) potato. (BTW, Burbank is the famed Russet McDonald’s and most fast food places use for fries. The most common variety grown in Idaho. I’m just curious to try it. I grew the newer Rio Grande Russet last year, which was excellent. All-Blue is the most widely grown Blue potato. I should balance these selections with a rare…

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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