NYT Article on Urban Garderning

Pretty interesting!

(PS: Forgot to mention, I got to pet Charlie, a 3 month old pig who lives at the farm we buy our meat from. Charlie was very cute, and very big, and I am sure he will make a lovely slab of bacon someday.)

The News From Here is Mostly Disappointing. Mostly.

- I gave up my Community Farm plot. We are in the midst of finding a new home, and then we will be in the midst of moving. There just isn't time. Plus, we could potentially end up living an hour from the plot.

- My seedlings have remained pathetic. I'm resigned to the fact that I'm going to have to buy some bigger ones at the nursery. There is no space in our house for a grow light, but I'm getting one next year, that's for darned sure.

- Critters. Digging in my outside containers. I'm going to try cayenne pepper and see if that works to discourage them. The containers need some attention this week, as they're covered in a blanket of neon green maple tree buds.

Here's the good news, though: PEAS! Beautiful, gorgeous 7" tall sugar snap peas. Keeping them on my porch seems to have dissuaded the marauding squirrels. (You'd probably be dissuaded too, if you say our neighbors' great dane using the porch.) They apparently like the warmth, and the rain, and the little hit of slightly soured milk I gave them instead of dumping it down the drain. I'm hoping they'll actually bear fruit soon. I can hardly stand the wait.

There is a critter digging in my containers. Die critter, die!

I am normally not prone to violence against wildlife, but the stupid squirrels ate my peas and some carrots, too, last year. I made the right call in putting the peas up on the porch rail. Little pests are much less likely to come that close to the house.

In less cranky news, we've gotten lots of rain yesterday and today, so hopefully I'll see some green in those containers soon. You know, if the squirrels don't get to them first.

Let's Get This Garden Started

I was out this morning, finally planting outdoors. Our containers were never brought in last year, so I had a bit of work to do with them. Only 1 immediate casualty, a small terra cotta pot that fell apart during winter's extreme temperature changes. A larger terra cotta container is also showing signs of stress, so I probably won't use it for a whole lot this year.

Everything that I'd ordered has now been planted. The outdoor containers are now home to carrots, beets, radishes, bush beans, kale, chard, and a whole lot of green onions. Indoors, I think the seedlings are taking a bit longer than they ought, but there are still six weeks before they go in the ground. I unfortunately lost one or two by leaving the cover of the seed started on too long...it wilted the seed leaves, and the seedlings didn't last long after that. But that's why you plant multiples!

My peas are doing beautifully. There's a patch of 3 or 4 that never came up, but the rest have really taken off. I think next weekend I'm going to start a second batch to see if I can't get some later ones. I don't think it'll work, but it can't hurt to try. The rest of the seeds will be saved for a late season planting.

Next weekend will also be for more pictures.

Our house has gone under agreement, so we're hoping to be moving soon. Mid-season of course, but I planned for that possibility. I'm so clever.

I'm off the waiting list - there's a half plot with my name on it in the community garden nearby. So all my seedlings will have homes, even if it's not in my own backyard.

The proof is, in fact, in the pudding

Seedlings, Day 3.


Seedlings, Day 5.


More Day 5.

I wrote down what everything was, but now I'm a bit suspicious that I've made a mistake somewhere. If not, we're looking at Cayenne pepper, both tomato varieties (San Marzano and Principe Borghese), eggplant, and some oregano. There are a few others just starting to break through to the surface.

Who ever would have thought tiny green things held so much excitement?

Finally

I started seeds yesterday!

In my mini greenhouse from Territorial Seed, I planted seeds for anything that wants to be started indoors. Cayenne peppers, mini bell peppers, two varieties of tomato, two varieties of basil, chives, eggplant, and oregano. I also did a couple of experiments to see what the difference really is between indoor-started and direct sown with kale, pac choi, and green onions. With the greens, I figure at the very least I can use the snippets as micro greens. The onions should grow fine, there was just a note on the packet that said direct sown seeds would be "more uniform." Whatever that means. Anyway, who can't use more baby onions? Also started a couple of sunflowers. They came free with my seed order, so why the heck not? My garden could certainly use a little color.

I used up the rest of my first bag of potting soil by starting my sugar snap peas outside. I can't wait for those babies to mature. I tried growing them last year too, but it was like they were suicidal. First, they swelled up in a rainstorm and floated out of the dirt and got eaten by wild critters. Then when I pushed them back down, they sprouted and got eaten by wild critters. This time around I tried to be smarter, and put them on the railing right outside my door. Hopefully this will discourage wild critters.

Next weekend I will start the other outdoor starters. Going to need more potting soil before then!

I definitely have too many seedlings for the garden right now....I planted 50 peat pots. I should hear early next month if I'm going to get a plot in the community garden nearby, so I'll have some things to start there. If not, I'll send some extras to my grandparents and parents and in-laws in small containers. They all enjoy the vegetables I bring them, so this would mean no waiting!

I feel very clever about using water leftover from hard boiling eggs to water the seeds. Conservationist, that's me!

Now they sit for a day undisturbed before I try watering them again.

I would also like to point out that Sinfest has started its gardening for the season, too.

Hopefully, we'll see some green popping out from the soil too, so there'll be pictures again.