It’s been pretty warm the past few days, so patches of gardens and the lawn are finally starting to emerge from the snow. That said, it’s still a little cool outside for anything but plants that require cold stratification so we’ve set up some folding tables in one of the sunnier rooms to get the more sensitive plants started.
It’s bittersweet, starting so many plants in the open - our cat Maeko, who passed away last year, was an unapologetic seedling murderer so while I love getting to start more plants it’s kind of reopened the wound. I’ll probably end up killing a few seedlings in her name.
The other new wrinkle to our early season work is Juniper, our six month old who is very interested in everything I’m doing, so we’re involving her with skills-appropriate tasks.
What’s growing on with you all?
It’s mild and wet in the Pacific Northwest. It’s been in the 40s, mostly. I was hoping it’d be closer to the 50s but NOPE! I started a bunch of plants in February - lettuce, kale, several hundred onions, spinach, carrots, you name it. I transplanted them a week ago during a spat of more normal 50s weather.
I have a good cold frame cover over my raised bed plot, and thank goodness…everything appears to have survived, despite local 30-43F degree weather here. That includes one dip to 31F! I’m super happy! Spring 2025 friends:
- Cilanto
- Chevril
- Parsley
- POTAT! 2 KINDS!
- Carrots
- Russian Kale
- Lacinto Kale
- So many lettuces!
- Mesclun
- Spinach
- Chard
- Mustard Greens
boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew
I’m glad to hear everything survived! Here’s to a good season!
The snow is almost all gone further south here, and I’m gleefully watching the garlic I planted last fall start to pop up. The pot of chives is also starting to show some green.
The six weeks before average last frost date has snuck up on me, I really need to get my seed starting started!
mostly my anxiety 😝
but more seriously, I need to plant the rest of my tulip bulbs - I converted most of my lawn into gardens, but now I don’t have the time to grow food in the gardens like I planned, so I need easy to maintain perennials that look nice so my neighbors won’t think I’m neglecting my yard (because I totally am).
Ugh. I feel that down to my roots 🫂
We go pretty hard on herbs and fruit bushes in the spaces our neighbors can easily see, maybe that’s a path worth exploring for your space? Bonus points if what you select have different size and color flowers - they’ll attract beneficial insects to help mitigate pest pressure and that can entice them to lay their eggs in the habitats you’ve built so there’s an endemic population ready to help year after year.
Here’s hoping you manage to get some of your gardening time back to relieve some of the anxiety 💕
Sowed most of my herb seeds last week cause the temperatures were so high (15C+) that I figured all the February - April ones were good to go. Parsley, thyme, oregano and sage are in. Gonna do basil and Indian cress later. I’m very curious to see how they all do :)
Very nice! Fingers crossed for no ridiculously cold periods, I can’t wait to see how they all do for you
It definitely got way colder this week, but shouldn’t be too bad
Waiting for things to start growing and the rest of the snow to melt. Shouldn’t be much longer. BTW, ‘Juniper’ is such a beautiful name for your child. Well done!
It’s coming, slowly but surely (mud season, that is). And thanks! We wanted to name her after something that is beautiful, ecologically important, and native to Maine.
Starting seeds. My peppers and tomatoes are underway. Cucurbits will follow April 1st :)
Awesome! What varieties are you growing this year?
