Seed Starting Time!

3/4/14

I have been anxious to start this year in gardening.  I didn't get to spend a lot of time like I wanted to last year due to traveling and many of my ideas for projects and seedlings to plant never happened.  I had a garden, but the output was not at all like previous years, mainly due to my absence and inattention.  Here are the projects I want to finish this year:

1. Greenhouse: from the used windows I have had sitting on my back porch and in my shed for several years.

2. Build more cold frames and replace the glass in the one I have.  (Stupidly, I let the lid slam shut on a below freezing day and the glass shattered.

3. Finish sewing the plastic cover for my PVC pipe greenhouse.   I have been constructing this cover out of very heavy duty opaque garbage bags I received for free because a business closed and they were throwing everything away.  Great deal for me.  I am using polyester heavy duty thread so it doesn't rot away at the seams.

4. Double the garden size: move the fence to block off the entire back section of the lot. Basically, this is the entire part of the yard that gets sun.  The rest gets shade most of the day due to neighbors towering pine trees.  

5. Potato Tower: saw instructions online. I will have to do further research and post as we go along on this one.
6. Use baskets I obtained for free off freecycle.org to make a hanging plant space on my porch.

7. Grape Harbor

8. Start year round gardening.

Please see the post labeled Thrifty Gardening that I update periodically.

That is enough to keep me busy for the moment. :0)

Cherries and Raspberries

I was out in the garden, like every other day, and I can't believe what I just found....cherries!  That's right!  I grew cherries!  I have 8 cherry "bushes" that are supposed to be dwarf and not get over 6-8 feet tall.  I planted them 2 years ago and figured it would be years before I see any fruit.  I noticed a handfull of blossoms this spring on one little tree but paid it no mind...but was shocked to find little cherries hanging there in the leaves!

Just so you understand why I think this is so amazing...I live in the immediate suburbs of the city and my garden is huge for a city garden at 30 ft x 40 ft, but really small when compared to a rural farm garden.  I grow in every inch of space I can. Here's to my first real cherries!

This picture shows my raspberry bushes in their 3rd year.  This is the first year I have really gotten a harvest, however, none have made it back to the house because I ate them all right in the garden...LOL...Yep! ALL of them!  You have no idea the taste difference between what is in the grocery store compared to homegrown raspberries! I am hooked.  These were a little tart, yet sweet...like a candy, truly. This photo is a view from the back of the garden.  The white wooden gate, which DH made for me, is really the front of the garden.

In Full Swing

When you are new to gardening, you don't realize how much space a squash plant takes up.  Even though I am a seasoned gardener, I have lapses of thinking properly when faced with flat after flat that has to go into the ground now.  Last year, I made the mistake of planting my squash along the fence in a strip about a foot wide.  Right about this time last year, I was stepping over the leaves like "Hopscotch" to harvest the zucchini.  Not fun..Remembering that, I planted these in a larger bed and gave it plenty of room to expand....or so I thought.  It is now taking over the leek bed next to it.  You can see how it's pulled a few over..LOL

These are a winter squash that you can even use for making pumpkin pie.  I don't think they are "heirloom" but they are open pollinated.  I have harvested five fruits so far and there are probably just as many that will be ready soon.  It is a prolific plant, that's for sure.  I think this one is a keeper for me.

Funny story how I ended up with these plants this year...I bought one of these from the store to try it and left it in the pantry too long. When I cut it open to give it to the chickens, there were seeds already sprouted inside.  So if you know me...you can guess the next thing I did.  Yep, I planted those babies in pots under lights until it was warm enough outside for planting in the garden.  You can see it worked out well for me!  I'll be saving these seeds this year!

First Squash Harvest 2013

First Egg!

Finally!! Just when I was about to give up hope of having eggs from my chickens, hubby discovered a beautiful brown egg in the nest box this morning, thanks to my lovely Silver Laced Wyandotte, Althea.

Chicken Update

Well, chicks have been out in their run for quite awhile now.  They are 20 weeks old, but still no eggs yet.  I got 5 hens and two roos from 7 chicks...not a bad turnout!  I am pleased I got so many hens out of the bunch.  I ended up with a Buckeye, Silver Wyandotte, Golden Wyandotte, Australorp, and an Easter Egger for hens.  The roos are a Chantecler and another Easter Egger.

Silver Wyandotte Althea as a baby (April 19, 2012)
 

Hubby "hypnotizing" Goldie yesterday...

Wild Edibles

I happened upon a local blog about eating wild edibles, a.k.a weeds, and I have become hooked! It is really fun to forage for free food! Today's bounty: chickweed, garlic mustard, plantain, dandelion leaves.  I am excited to make garlic mustard "horseradish", chickweed and garlic mustard pesto, garlic mustard pancakes, and plantain oil.

I also found but didn't harvest yet: violets, Japanese Knotwood, purslane, onion grass, burdock, lambs quarters, wild grape leaves, burberry bush, and a mulberry tree.  All of these are either in my backyard, the adjoining woods, or within a half mile walk of my house.  The mulberry tree came up last year next to our house.  A bird probably dropped some ripe fruit at some point.  It will have to be moved to the backyard.

You are probably wondering if I have lost my mind.  That's debatable LOL...but seriously, you should check out this blog:

http:\\www.foodunderfoot.com

I bought a book on amazon.com last year for mushroom foraging, but I haven't tried it yet.  It's called "Mushrooming Without Fear".  It has really nice color pics, which I think is essential.  Let me know if you try any great recipes on wild edibles that you'd like to share.

Chickens Have Arrived!

I have made the leap to chicken owner at last!  I got an assortment of breeds that are cold hardy and good egg layers.  I have one Australorp, one Silver Laced Wyandotte, one Golden Laced Wyandotte, one Buckeye, one Chantecler, and two Easter Eggers.  Probably half of them will be hens.  Roos are going to take a ride back to the farm!




The Silver Laced Wyandotte learned how to roost on top of the waterer...that's not all she learned how to do up there LOL!  I have to clean the waterer out several times a day. Before I leave for work, when I get home, and before I go to bed.

And the Fun begins: chickens, indoor seed starting, getting a jump on the season

So, with a little bit of time on my hands this evening and dreams of gardening soon, even though a little bit of snow is predicted for tomorrow evening, I began preparing for the 2012 gardening season.  See my article on Thrifty Gardening to see instructions for the trellis I just made from recycling plastic beer/soda rings.

My chickens have been ordered. Yes, I am jumping into a new arena this year: Backyard City Chickens.
The usual response I get is, "Why? Real live ones?" Yes, real live ones..as opposed to dead ones?? I ordered 3 Chanteclers and 3 Easter Eggers (Araucanas), which are some cold hardy birds and good layers.  Cold hardy was very important to me being in Zone 6.   Here's the "why": Can't wait for the fresh organic non-GMO tastiest-you'll-ever-eat eggs, manure for the garden compost, and finally some control over these stupid stink bugs and ticks.  I have also bought seeds to plant the food the chickens will eat, so this year will be extra work in extending the garden to include their food I will grow myself.  Ahhh...you didn't know you could do that, did you? 

I will also be venturing into vermicomposting with redwigglers and raising mealworms for protein for the chickens.

This will also be the year I start the greenhouse out of those old windows I got from Freecycle.org....can't wait for that one, either! I will be posting the adventure as we go along, so keep checking back...

Today, I am starting my indoor seeds for cool weather crops, such as leeks, cabbage, brussel sprouts.....I have a full bank of shop lights over an old counter top down in the basement and a closet with three shelves hubby made for me with lights, as well.  Let the fun begin!

Birdhouse Gourds 2011

My first attempt at making birdhouses out of the gourds I grew this summer was not without some mishaps....the new puppy got about 3 nice ones from the shelf on the patio bar where I was drying a few.  I dropped one bringing it into the house and cracked it.  Another one proved to be mildewed from the inside and the walls were very brittle, but I ended up with 8 nice ones.

I am definitely hooked on growing gourds now.  I traded seed for some Dinosaur Gourds so I can't wait to start the 2012 season!  I have enough of the Bottle Birdhouse Gourd seeds to plant an entire farm it seems...LOL

Update:  I made a couple of these for Christmas presents and I am proud to say that the birds are still using them to this day.  It is also crucial to know the size of the whole to make for the birds.  I Googled birdhouse hole sizes and what birds were in my relatives area before cutting the holes.  I painted the gourds with acrylic paint and sprayed several coats of varnish.  There is something satisfying about seeing birds choose my gourds I grew and crafted myself to make their home.  

2011 Garden

Today's Harvest.....yep...you read that right. Today's harvest December 7th, a balmy 34F and snowing outside.  Here's the secret trick.....I brought 35 pepper plants down to my basement for the winter under lights.

Purple bell , yellow banana, Hot Hungarian Wax, Red Scotch Bonnet,Thai Burapa, Red Bell, Chinese 5 Color Peppers