Springing Ahead

After a week of travel, timezone jet lag and leaping ahead an hour, I returned home to find my spring garden well underway.Blueberry BlossomsThe blueberries and strawberries are already in bloom and hoping the 33 degree overnight currently forecast for Monday night doesn't damage them.Strawberry BlossomsThe collards, cabbage and kale have been hardened off and were transplanted yesterday near the sprouting spinach, pak choy, lettuce and sugar snap peas.Spinach, Collards and Snap PeasThe 8 spears of asparagus that have been harvested so far have been well  worth the 1 year wait and I hope some crowns that have not yet produced will begin to send up spears soon.  In the meantime, I am becoming an expert on making a little asparagus go a long way in dishes.

Then There Was One

This morning I did my final pass thinning the tomatoes, peppers, collards, cabbage and kale down to a single plant in each starter cup and then I crossed my fingers that no fungi or pests find my singletons between now and when they move outside.For now the 38 tomato plants are vigorous and hale and I am excited that fully half of them are from my own saved seed.TomatoesI added a few new varieties this year of both slicing and cherry tomatoes and plan to save seed from all I want to grow again next year.The cabbage and collards are nearly ready to be hardened off and will join the lettuce, spinach and leeks I will be direct sowing this weekend.Collards and CabbageNow that the 2 week forecast has no nighttime temps below freezing it is time to get the spring garden into full swing!

Starting My Garden Early

While Punxsutawney Phil and the meteorologists work out their differing predictions for the end of winter, growers are already hard at work preparing for spring, summer and fall.January plant starts included cabbage,Cabbage Startschili peppers, bell peppers and rosemary.Chili StartsNow that February has begun, the seed starting kicks into high gear with oregano, collards and lots and lots of tomatoes with 8 varieties and a total of 38 plants this year!GerminatingThe new starts will welcome roommates in my growing nook for the cilantro and basil I grow indoors each winter.  I purchased inexpensive shop lights, metal wire shelving units and florescent tubes 5 years ago so I never have to go a grey winter day without their bright colors and fresh flavors complimenting meals.Winter HerbsThe minimal, initial investment for the equipment has more than paid for itself already and now as my garden diversifies and the number of indoor starts continue to expand each year with no additional infrastructure costs to date, I consider this money extremely well spent.Happy Spring, whenever it comes :)