True Leaves...

It would seem that some seedlings in these parts are having some lofty ideas on become bona fide plants in the future. True leaves are unfurling, almost before our very eyes. And there are some pretty eagle eyes around here keeping watch over the progress of these little upstarts.

The kids monitor them at least twenty times a day to see how things are moving along. That is a lot of pressure but these little shoots are they are holding up well!

I think it is time to revisit The Gardener. I am sure Lydia Grace will have some inspiration for us going into this gardening season. My girl already has her very own plans for a sowing apron... she has designs on a flower garden to attract the bees and butterflies. A true entomologist in action!

Have a wonderful Friday & Easter Weekend everyone!

Starting Seeds...

 

It has begun!

This weekend we pulled out the grow light and egg shells we have been saving to start some seeds.
While we did purchase some seeds at the nursery last week I also went through my seed box to see what we could still use and do a bit of organizing. I had to shuffle around a few packets, as the months in which we can start things have shifted just a wee bit! My garden notebook reminded me of just how much our growing season has shifted.

I love using this old tool box to store my seeds. The months of the year cards came in an old metal file box I thrifted many moons ago. I used the alphabet cards and box for my recipes, but the months cards sat lonely and in need of occupation for quite some time. It finally hit me to use them for seed organization and they work great. But as you can see things go a little messy at the end of last season so I have some rethinking to do about how to organize those succession planting seeds. I do have a little project coming out in the next issue of Kindred that I think is going to help a little... can't wait to share that with you!

This weekend we started:

Mustard (mircorgreens on the windowsill in the kitchen)
Tomatos (three kinds)
Peppers (two for now... more to come. Many more to come.)
Basil (two varieties)
Watermelon (oh, yes! We could not grow it up north.)
Sugar Baby Pumpkins (kiddo request)
Pickling cucumbers (Great Grandma's Mustard Pickle recipe will be put to use again this summer!)
Baby greens (My favorite thing to grow... so good and easy.)
Zucchini (Is a garden really a garden without Z?)

Have you been making garden plans?
What are you starting this spring?

Winter Garden: Turnips and more...

Yesterday warmed up to a balmy 7 degrees and I had some garden clean up on the long list of "things to do before we move." The thaw would certainly make things easier. Messy... but easier.

The "frost" cover had long since blown off my kale, mache and turnips. They were quickly covered in snow and I gave them up for a loss... 

When I went out to remove the frames, as they are being passed on to a wonderful gardening neighbor, to my shock I saw little bits of purple popping out of the ground. Turnips! 

  

 

These are the very late seeded turnips that I figured I would harvest for greens in the fall. With the move and other excitement I neglected them... Without any babysitting from me they went right on growing. Oh how fun is that?

I harvested them. Steamed them up. Drizzled them with olive oil. Sprinkled a little salt. And relished in the fresh taste of food right out of the ground in the middle of January!
The working man was pretty impressed and very happy to have a treat like this on the table as well.

What about the kale and mache you ask?

The kale, being a bit more exposed, was looking a little rough but still going quite strong. No doubt it would have continued to thrive under the frost cover.

I had to dig under a good layer of snow to find the mache. It was bright green and beautiful under there. I nipped a few leaves and they were tasty. It would have been fun to see them take off in the spring.

After my experience with the cold frames and now this in the main garden I am officially hooked on winter gardening. Considering it was snowing yesterday in our soon-to-be new home I can still put everything I have learned to good use.

My winter garden inspiration is from this book. An awesome resource for year-round gardening. The author lives just down the road from us here in Nova Scotia. 

Have you ever had a winter garden? I would love to hear about it...