Volunteer Arugula In The Greenhouse
Thanks to all of you for the enthusiastic response to my new baby blog--it's really inspiring. This is just a quick note to tell you about a few things I plan to write about here soon. Some of them are in response to your comments and questions, some are pretty much just for my benefit, and some will hopefully be helpful to those of you with gardens of your own. All of them should make this a more well rounded, interesting site:
--The one gardening tool I absolutely cannot live without (and it's only $12.98)
--My very favorite edible gardening book
--More about minding the moonsigns (and a list each month of the "good" planting days)
--A bit about raised beds (including why I love mine so much)
--Growing greens: lettuce & beyond
--A new feature called From Garden To Table (a record of what I eat when from the garden). Six things went into Sunday's salad--not bad for the end of March in Zone 5!
I've also been snapping lots of photos, like the one above taken yesterday. I'm really looking forward to having an ongoing, detailed visual record of what's going on in the garden for the first time.
In the meantime, if you're interested in starting seeds, there is quite a bit of handy information in the comments section of this Farmgirl Fare post. And if you have a gardening pal who might enjoy this blog, I hope you'll spread the word. Thanks so much. Wishing you good growing.
You're a zone 5? I hate you! Here in Tallmadge (near Akron), Ohio, we're also zone 5, but I live in a condo and have to rent garden space at a horse farm 30+ minutes away. So while you're already growing great things, I'm just starting seeds in trays and holding my breath til I get the call we can start heading out to the prepared plots. I'm sooo jealous!
ReplyDeleteI have to say I love seeing all your garden and food pictures - please keep them coming!
Do you stick with a select, reliable batch of veggies each year, or do you also try to work in new stuff? I couldn't resist while going through the Tomato Growers and Totally Tomatoes catalogs for the first time this year - I've got at least a dozen varieties of tomatoes (mostly heirloom) that I'm trying this year - perhaps double what I did last year? Six of those are cherry tomato types! Insane, hunh?
I forget what zone I am in. Though I do recall a very vivid day in April a few years back we got a good solid freezing rain! My poor houseplants which I thought were safe were all devestated. Live and learn -- now I am going by storm cycles. Record your weather in January and Febuary -- and its likely you will have storms about the same days each month for March and April. I am expecting one more good solid COLD storm right around Easter.
ReplyDeleteAwesome blog, Farmgirl! I'm hoping to learn something about gardening here. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow. I *wish* I knew what I was doing in a garden. And I wish I had time to tend a garden. Alas, with a full-time job and photography on the side, I settle for buying my veggies. But, oh, how fun it would be to dig in the dirt and grow something.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea and I am looking forward to reading about your gardening adventures. I'm rather annoyed because normally I would have planted my tomato seedlings by now. We're having a very wet year out here in Northern California, so there has been a delay in planting things. The soil is like chocolate pudding!
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so glad you'll be talking about greens - I actually have some arugula of my own coming up right now. Not quite as big as yours, but getting there. As a relatively new gardener, I'm looking forward to getting your tips for, well, everything. Thank you for starting this blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeph,
ReplyDeleteOh you don't hate me. Great to hear from you. Technically we're in Zone 6, but because we're so far down in this little valley, we get earlier and later frosts than Zone 6, plus we get lower minimum temperatures in the winter--down to 15 below F--so I figure we're more like Zone 5 (not that it really makes a huge difference).
I think it's wonderful that you're able to rent garden space, though I bet that 30 minutes seems like a million miles sometimes.
I am a sucker for trying new things in the garden, so each year finds me starting seeds that I've never grown before--usually at least a couple of different tomato varieties (always heirlooms of course). And then whatever strikes my fancy in the seed catalogs--this year I went a little crazy in the Oriental Greens section. And it's hard for me to resist any kind of bush bean. Oh, and lettuce. I am always ordering way too many kinds of lettuce. But I'm a sucker for anything that is described as "heat tolerant" and "slow to bolt."
I do have my favorites that I grow every year--from seeds that I save if I can. I always save the seeds from my best tomatoes and peppers.
Do I think you're insane for trying a dozen types of tomatoes this year? Of course not. You just have gardening fever! (which, by the way, is totally incurable.) : )
P.S. I created what I think is a very nice chocolate almond biscotti (as per your request), and one of these days I'll actually get around to posting the recipe on Farmgirl Fare. Thanks for your patience--and the inspiration.
Hi Heather,
That's very interesting about the storm cycles. I've never heard of that. Something else I need to keep track of now, LOL. Though I guess I don't have to start until next year. Will be interesting to see if your cold Easter storm prediction comes true.
Hi I.G.O.,
Thanks so much. Well you definitely won't learn anything about horses here--not that you probably don't know everything already. Your horse woman blog is too cool!
Hi Sarah,
Maybe someday you'll have the time and space to tackle a small garden. In the meantime, the more you know about how things are grown, the better veggies you'll be able to buy. Plus it's always nice (at least in my opinon) to look at photos of somebody else's garden. I once read that it's impossible to truly enjoy your own garden and see it in its best light because you're always noticing everything that needs to be done rather than focusing on the beauty. I think that's true, though I do put extra effort into turning a blind eye to all the work out there I know I'm not going to get to. : )
Hi Sher,
Chocolate pudding is good. Chocolate pudding soil is not good.
Hi Erin,
Hooray for volunteer arugula is what I say--I have so much of it coming up in the greenhouse right now, and I am absolutely thrilled. Two nice things about arugula: it is easily started from seed, and ready to eat in less than a month. It adds such a nice peppery punch to all kinds of salads and sandwiches. Definitely one of my favorites.
Arugula will quickly bolt and become bitter in warm weather, so if anybody is thinking of growing some this year, start your seeds now!