Welcome to Garden Friday!
Guess who came-a-calling this week?
These bluebirds were captured by C yesterday
and seemed very interested in one of the two new birdhouses installed.
How exciting to be able to enjoy watching these sweet things
raise a family.
It has sure felt a lot like spring this week!
Yesterday's high was 77.
Wow, I could get used to that.
It was a busy week for me,
as I was occupied with tidying up several gardens,
none of which were mine.
One of the first tasks I want to tackle this weekend
is reorganizing and tidying up my outdoor work area.
I'm also hoping to get to the actual garden zone,
to rake up leaves, check on the cover crops
and pull out any stray veg that didn't stand a chance this winter.
The good news is that Big K and I found seed starting mix in the store.
We picked up a few bags so that we can get a jump start on sowing in trays.
(Of course, you realize, when I say "we", I mean me.
Big K is not a dirt lover.)
Oh, it did my heart good to see those shelves filled with gardening rations.
I've just been itchin' to get something started!
I pulled out the seeds for the spring garden
that I can start within the next four weeks.
This weekend's selection will include beets, broccoli, bush beans,
cabbage (red), kale, lettuce, spinach and tat soi.
Toward the end of the month or just into March,
I will start carrots, snap peas and Yukon Gold potatoes.
From the looks of it, I really need to use my growing space
much more efficiently or build some more beds.
It seems that every year, I yearn to try new things.
One thing is certain,
my mouth is anticipating
some home-grown lettuce and kale.
Here are just a few of the varieties ordered from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
This is the first time I've ordered from them,
and I'm looking forward to seeing how they do.
One of the things I like about this company
is all the research, trials and information they share with their customers.
Real people growing these varieties have given ample feedback,
which makes it so much easier to make selections.
All of the seeds from this company are organic and open-pollinated.
That's the way I like to do business.
How are things shaping up in your spring garden?
Welcome to Garden Friday!
Planting time is growing closer
and we hope to have a successful season.
Until we can get our hands dirty,
a little planning has to take place.
The first seed order has been officially placed!
This is the first year I am ordering from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
I first learned about them on one of my favorite PBS shows,
"Growing a Greener World".
They are a conscientious company that originated in the founder's backyard.
He began saving seeds as a teenager, selling to friends
and now owns this amazing company
that offers over 600 varieties of heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid seeds.
If you want to learn more about the story, read this.
High Mowing offered me free shipping on orders of $10 or more.
I had no problem meeting that amount!
The first step in my seed ordering process
is to see what I have on hand.
No need to spend money on varieties I already have,
and that way, I can try a few new things this spring.
I made a list of all of my current seeds
(this is only page 1).
My seeds are divided up into four containers (two shown here).
The spring/summer seeds and the fall/winter seeds take up two bins.
I have two other bins, one for herbs and one for flowers.
I gathered my containers, made my list
and began to peruse the seed catalogues.
Because I was able to obtain quite a few seed packages
from Extension's big giveaway last fall,
and was gifted some by fellow gardeners,
I don't really need to order too much.
Of course, that doesn't mean that I won't.
I am starting to lean more toward heirlooms,
based on the ability to save seeds year after year.
That really appeals to my common sense
and longing for self-sufficiency.
My seeds are organized in alphabetical order,
to make it easy to find just what I'm looking for.
Once I made note of what I had on hand,
it was a bit less daunting to narrow down the new acquisitions.
Those seed packets all look so alluring.
I also had my planting guide nearby,
so I know when I need to start seedlings.
I'm sure there are plenty gardeners who are just itching to sow
s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g!
Lettuce and kale starts will most likely be sown in the next couple of weeks.
I have a new place to cultivate them
that I just recently decided on.
With the state of the weather around these parts lately,
starting seedlings should help me get through the worst of it.
My order should get here early next week.
It's like my birthday and Christmas
all rolled into one when that box arrives.
How's your spring garden planning coming along?
