I drove 118 miles through rural areas in the northeast US yesterday, and was surprised to see a great many fields had been plowed, being readied for spring plantings. These areas grow mostly cabbages and corn.
I felt my gardening urges quicken. When I arrived home, I got busy.
I tried to start some microgreens about a month ago, hoping to have greens to eat in the winter. I made several mistakes, because I didn't look up how to start microgreens, or even which seeds were good for microgreens. I figured I'd try it with old seeds and count my blessings if I got anything to eat. The seeds I was most excited about were, I thought, arugula seeds. I tasted those greens a few times and said "yuck, those do not taste like arugula" before I figured out that they were basil! Now I am very happy to have tiny basil greens to flavor my food with. I had also started some lettuce seeds that did not come up in my garden last year so I thought they were non-viable, but some of them did germinate, and I might keep trying to get them to form heads.
I started pepper seeds yesterday, very early, cuz last year my peppers did not have time to ripen. Soon I'll start okra and eggplant for the same reason.
Anyhoo, here's my seedling set up at present. I'm sure it gives real gardeners a chuckle, but I'm very happy with it!
Most of my garden, however, is inside, and is in full bloom!
First, my orange amaryllis, which I successfully managed to allow to go dormant and to get it to bloom for a second year. My shot does not do it justice, but you get the gist:
When I arrived home, my deep red amaryllis looked like this!:
Oh, Happy me!
And then there is my trusty orchid, the only orchid I have ever managed to get to rebloom, and this one is blooming for the third time. All I do is put three ice cubes on it whenever I remember to do that. Talk about low maintenance!
That's it for this month folks. I have begun serious work outside, mostly cleaning up the mess I left in the fall, but a whole lot of planning has gone on! I have high hopes for this coming season, my sixth season of growing food, and my second year of trying to preserve as much as possible for winter repasts.
This is my entry to The Hive Garden community's monthly garden journal contest for March. Disqualified, of course, because I'm the one giving out the prizes and curating the entries this month!!! Come join us!!!
Wow! The amaryllis and orchid looks amaaaazing!!!! Beautiful/ And goodness, do be proud of your microgreens - something I've never come to grips with! No garden journal for me this week - unless I find someone else's garden to take photos of in the next few days! thanks for doing the wrap up - I'm going to try to support and catch as many as I can! Don't froget to tag me with teh winners so I can send them some HIVE xx
Oh I would have forgotten to do that, thanks for the reminder! You're posting plenty on this big trip of yours. I hope you're finding some time to relax! Is the rig living up to your expectations?
i'm at my mother in laws so we're doing little trips from here, meaning I have tons of little adventures and then sit and write a few on lazy afternoons. I'm about two weeks ahead nearly hahaha - plenty so that it'll tide me over for when we start on down to Spain/Morocco.
Sorry love, I thought you were up for it - are you still keen? I can do this month if you like but I'll definitely need a hand for the next few until we are back in the Uk in June!
oh no I have it, no problems! I got right at it today. I think with a little more organization, it will become less time consuming, and only for one week a month. I got this. Don't worry about it. I don't know where to ask questions if I have them. minismallholding? I sent you a friend request on discord if that works. The chat here (sting?) is not functioning for me, idk why.
YOU'RE TWO WEEKS AHEAD?! lol.
river_flows is my user name on Discord
I can't find the Discord friend request either! I've been looking forever! Yes, Cara can help.
I'll send another if you ever want to use it. I check in now and then.
Oh the green garden is beautiful, off to a lovely start I see (please do be proud of it) and the flowers look amazing. A job well done 👍🏽💕✨
Thank you! I love it, even though it's quite a beginner's set up.
That looks like some fine Basil.
I just got started today putting down some peas and cucumbers inside. It's all systems go now the chilly spell has passed.
I look forward to following your progress.
There you are!! I looked for you in Mexico, but couldn't ever be sure it was you. Tell me all about it!!!! On discord if you like. I have no idea what my name is there though haha
You watched the stream? You couldn't miss me. I was the only one wearing black!
We had a brilliant time mixing with like-minded people, all of them smiling and eager to engage. Max's bar was hopping every night, jam sessions with all and sundry including Andy Kaufman and Steve Falconer. On the downside, the anti-UV net they had covering the audience just didn't work and I was burned to bits on the first day. We live and learn. It's a sombrero and an umbrella for me next year!
I'll join you! I saw Jeff's wife give her approval, but if I'd been her, I woulda decked him for putting me on the spot like that. I don't remember anyone in black, but I still have some watching to do. What do you think of Kaufman? Is he worth $800 bucks an hour for a consult on all things, not just medical? He lives near me, I wonder if people made fun of him for living in NYS. I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS!
They auctioned 30 minutes with Andy and as far as I recall got $1100 for it. He's a fascinating guy with knowledge of many subjects and a knack for explaining things succinctly. I'd say he's worth 800:) I'm tempted to join his fellowship. We need to be able to deal with medical emergencies without running to the hospital and on this I've already learned a lot from him.
I can't say I heard anyone slagging him for being a New Yorker, but I suppose they weren't that type of crowd.
Ok I'll give him a shot then. Given that he is somewhat local to me, he might even get me involved with an in-person community of people.
I can't wait to see you with your black clothes and your sun hat and your parasol next year. You wouldn't consider wearing white?
do you discord?
White? No! Certainly not. It doesn't suit my complexion at all:)
I do hope we both manage to get there next year. I think Jeff half expects us all to be locked down by a world war. He's offering no refunds anyway!
Edit: The only time I ever used Discord was for organising the freewrite encouragers
I'm rather envious of your seedlings setup :) It's very tidy and organized. My tomato seedlings are growing in a pot with some other plants, lol!
Pepper seeds take a while to germinate so it's good that you started early.
The amaryllis is wow! I never tried growing any of it but looking at how beautiful they are indoors, I now want to have some too😊
If you buy them new, they are pretty much fool proof. The trick is in getting them to bloom again. I bought these from Fedco Farms, and they were extraordinarily big and beautiful.
They are truly beautiful. Thank you and I'll be checking out some of the local farms soon!
I love this one, it look very pretty!
I would like to get more orchids, this one has been so easy to care for. Thanks for stopping by!
You're welcome, have a nice day ahead.
Beautiful garden inside house. This is really amazing. Thanks for sharing
Your amarrylis and orchid are gorgeous! The season has started and clean up comes first.
I got the amaryllis from Fedco. They are extraordinary! I'll never buy them anywhere else again.
Those orchids are smashingly beautiful I must say. You grow okra and eggplant too, that's nice.
Over here, we sow directly into the soil, that is, after tilling the ground.
I wish you goodluck in your gardening endeavours.
Gorgeous photos - even of little green seedlings in brown pots. Amazing how bright and beautiful they look. Not to mention the stunning red amaryllis. Of course, you know me. Where does my eye go?
Tell us more about that portrait!
May all your seeds be viable; may all your sprouts grow and flourish!
lol. you would. I'm glad it drew your eye.
It's an oil painting by Gretel Swartzout (not sure of that spelling) who was a waitress in our restaurant in Brooklyn. We had art shows, this was one of the pieces, and I bought it. I still love it, more than thirty years later. I still like most of the art I bought over the years, now that I think about it.
Thank you for the good wishes! I've given up on the spinach, and cooked it all (a small handful) into a meat dish last night. The basil is going to yield enough to make a small batch of pesto, and I'm very happy about that. No sign of the peppers yet. I eagerly await those! I'll be away next week, again (can't wait to stay home for a few weeks, or leave for only short trips to the lake), and I was really hoping they'd show themselves before I left. It's been 13 days since planting.
I got new glasses today, old lady glasses with prism so that I stop seeing double. I feel kinda wonky in them.
You good?
A local artist - and 30 years later you still enjoy her painting on your wall (and how many homes has it adorned now?). That's awesome!
New glasses (with prisms?) - well, even with "old lady glasses" you'll never be Old Lady, not with your vibrant spirit.
I've needed bifocals since age 35. (I went gray at that time too.)
But I had my annual physical today, and Doc proclaimed that I look much younger than I am, and that (the headaches notwithstanding) I am in great shape. He'd put me on Lexapro for the headache and other malaise. Eh. Enough with the pills. Funny thing: this doctor actually read the book I mentioned, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
by Michael Pollan -- because a doctor friend had read it and recommended it, but the friend tried LSD (supervised by other medical personnel) and would never do it again; also, years later, he continued to be haunted by an image of his father who had died before this LSD trip, and he just couldn't unsee his dad, much as he wanted to. So, my doctor says, "Don't go there," don't try psychedelics, but "what an interesting book." I'm almost done reading all of it.
If so many on acic or mushroom trips feel connected to God, love, peace, brotherhood, mind expansion, all that, why is our world still so bogged down in political upheaval and war... you'd think someone would drug all the politicians and town mayors and get us all to love one another.
So. Yeah. "You good?" is a loaded question.
May your greens stay green and young long enough for your return!
My husband grew arugula this year, me and Rudy Rabbit do not like it. We both like Basil.
My husband as a seed-growing set up like yours.