January 16, 2008

collecting plastic bottles

I’m going to try winter planting this year in plastic milk bottles. (Several bloggers have posted about doing this recently: wintersown.org, My Skinny Garden, Old Roses.) So, since it was recycling day in my town yesterday, I drove around and collected a dozen empty one gallon milk bottles. I have ordered a few types of seeds that I hope will do well with this simple method of planting:Purple coneflower (Echinacea)Zebrina hollyhockRudbeckia I’m wondering if any vegetables/herbs would do well:onions (from seed)dilllettucebeets S&Pwinterplanting

January 15, 2008

snow day

So much for our winter thaw and the bare ground. Today we got about 8 inches of fresh white powder on the garden. A good day to stay inside and look out the window.

January 15, 2008

50,000!!!

Well my counter hit 50,000! Amazing. I have to take a minute to thank everyone who stops by my site. I used to feel that gardening was a lonely activity. Occasionally one of my neighbors stops by and talks. Skippy always hangs out with me. But its different with a blog. I look around my garden and think – this is a story I could tell. And I take a photo and write up a post. Then I hear comments from all corners of the world. And from very close…

January 12, 2008

mid-winter thaw

After some very warm days and a lot of rain, my garden has thawed. I’m always surprised how much is growing, even in the middle of the winter. My winter rye crop is growing nicely. I use this as a cover crop over the whole garden – to add some organic matter. That’s what all the grass-like shoots are. My garlic top sets have turned into tiny little shoots. Last years garlic row surprisingly is a nice row again – I must have missed some cloves. This fall’s garlic is…

January 12, 2008

time for a celebration soon

Once my site meter hits 50,000, I think it will be an occasion for a celebration. Lets see – a nice carrot martini? I always like a cause for toasting.Topic: martini!

January 10, 2008

seed order

Last year I thought the 25 packs I ordered was too many. This year my list has 39 varieties. I am very excited about growing sweet peppers, lots of fresh green soy beans, many different colors of tomatoes, early carrots, and sweet white onions. Sand Hill Preservation CenterBeets: Chioggia, Lutz, Ruby QueenCarrots: Coreless Amsterdam, OxheartParsnips: Cobham Improved MarrowKale: Tuscan, Red Russian Kale Onions: White Portugal, Yellow Sweet Spanish Peppers: Sweet ChocolateTomatoes: San Marzano, Giant Belgium, Purple Calabash, Cherokee PurpleChickens: three buff Orpington female hatchlings (not)Johnny’s Selected SeedsBeans: Isar, Tongue Of…

January 9, 2008

garden plots under snow

A good day for a walk through the community gardens. Temps were up in the 50s. Bright sunlight. Still a lot of snow. I’m sure it’ll cool off again, but it’s a nice midwinter respite. communitygardeningBelmont Victory Garden

January 8, 2008

a plan for my new gardens

It seems like I will even have some extra gardening space this year. Very unusual for me. I’m used to squeezing in this here and that there. I don’t have the plot assigned yet, so I don’t want to be too certain about it, but I have been assured I will be able to get one. Drawing out a plan now gives me some idea of how many seeds to order. S&Pgardenplan

January 8, 2008

leftover seeds

Before I did too much circling in my catalogs, I checked out my leftover seeds. I was surprised to see so many. I won’t need to buy as many new seeds as I thought this year. Between the leftovers and the ones I saved, I have many seeds. I am excited about some little watermelon seeds I saved from a delicious melon I bought from my CSA. (I’m hoping it wasn’t a hybrid.) I also have several types of wildflowers that I will plant outside in plastic milk bottles in…

January 5, 2008

catalogs!

Don’t you love garden catalog season. My favorite ones (Sand Hill and Johnny’s) just arrived. They are in a stack next to my computer for quick access when I need a break from my work. I’m hoping to get my seed orders out soon. S&P

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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