Round and Round the Garden

Don't worry, I won't be tickling anyone's under there at any point in this post, but I have been going round and round the garden a lot lately playing match-maker with my Daylilies ... In fact, I think I'm down to the last few days of this love connection before one of my flower beds turns into a full blown maternity ward. For my fellow flower pervs out there, I've been spending my time cross pollinating the deepest bordeaux red petal, and chartreuse throated Pardon Me, with Nashville Star (I believe?) which fluctuates between a gorgeous oxblood red to sparkling rusty orange with a vibrant golden throat. The latter I acquired from my dad several years ago ... I was down for a visit on a weekend he was loading up to head South for the Winter (it must've been the same weekend I got the chicken wire and bird bath stand that I turned into a mannequin, boy that really was a while ago!). Anyway, he was offloading a bunch of stuff and on his final mosey as he passed the corner of his shop he picked up this sad little plastic pot that housed what looked to be Cousin It's little sister ... "Think you can do anything with this?"

Marked Safe From Juneuary 2024

I know I can't possibly be the only person out here that finds living in an era of pervasive sensationalization ... 

Exhausting.

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Makes Three!

Meanwhile in the back yard, the playpen is hopping!  My dahlias are finally, finally, finally blooming, and with the explosion of color, some new babies are arriving as a result of last year's matchmaking program.  It's been a long slog to this point, and so often it just felt like it was never going to happen this year, so in celebration I thought I'd share a little of what's going on back there.

Bloom Where You Are

First year Dahlia seedlings 2021

 "Don't let yourself get in the way of the things that people love about you."

-Machine Gun Kelly
(No, the other one)

 

What's Crackin'?

It is well, and truly Spring now, can you hardly believe it?!  I can't.  Winter did a number on me this year, I can not lie.  Typically, I look forward to the cold, darker months.  I really enjoy curling up with novels of the American Gothic variety, or I'll take all the time stuck indoors as an opportunity to tear my kitchen apart and reorganize things that got ignored during all those months when the sun was shining - instead of Spring cleaning, I'm a big Fall cleaner.  Around the end of September I like to wrap up my outdoor projects, and turn my focus on the interior of my home, and get it ready to embrace and comfort me for the next several months.  I didn't do any of that last year.  A few posts ago I already mentioned how pretty much my entire year last year did not go to plan at all, and for the most part I was okay-ish rolling with the punches, but by October the wheels really fell off, and it was really ... something.  I honestly haven't had a year like 2021 in over a decade, and I'm really hoping I'm good for another ten years!

One bright spot in 2021 was discovering this absolute gem of a rose shop out of Brenham, Texas: The Antique Rose Emporium.

You've gotta get a load of this place!  You might be asking, what's the big deal anyway, all these places are the same.  No.  They're really not all the same.  At first glance, I could understand why a person would think that, I'm sure I probably thought that as well at first click, but then I dug a little deeper.  Y'all these folks are straight up Rose Nerds, and I love it!  They're experts in rare, and obscure specimens, and down right ancient varieties, made even cooler by the fact that you can shop by year of entry.  Exibit A: Sweet Briar Rose introduced prior to 1551. 

"... a favorite English native that has been recorded in literature from Chaucer to Shakespeare."

**Swoon**

You get a free mini-history lesson all while browsing gorgeous blooms!  What is there to not like about that, my fellow geeks?  I'll tell you.  Not a damn thing!  What's even more incredible is that the plants are sold in gallon pots for a solid third of the price other places are asking for the same bushes.  I was stunned when my boxes arrived ... I honestly expected little 2 - 4 inch pots for 20 bucks a piece.  No, Ma'am.  Full, baby shrubs showed up ready to be popped into the ground and strut their stuff this year, not some sad looking twig in a peat pot.  AND THAT'S NOT EVEN AT THE WHOLESALE PRICE!  Granted, they had to scrap the wholesale program this year because their inventory has been severely impacted by several factors converging at once, but I can imagine when it is up and running, it will absolutely melt my mind.  

After everything that went wrong last year, it's been a real treat to have my order from The Antique Rose Emporium arrive healthy, undamaged, and ready to rumble in the garden.  If you're looking for roses to put in your garden, I hope you'll give them a try, my only regret is that it took me so long to find out about this place!

xoxo

Cheer up, things could get worse ...

... So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse!  

This was a line my mother and her group of friends used to toss back and forth at each other in the 1960s, and I've tried to pin it down for attribution, but so far I've come up with three possibilities: James Hagerty, Robert Lynn Asprin, or Jerome Lester Horwitz, also known as, Curly Howard.  It seems like such a Curly thing to say, so I'm going with that one, except in my head when I hear him saying it, "worse" is always spelled, "woiyse," because, of course it is.

E - I - E - I - Whoa

Dahlias: First year seedlings, 2021

Last Spring, I talked very briefly about the Floret Flower Farm Workshop I joined; I wanted to share so much more throughout the year than I was able to.  Taking a crack at becoming a flower micro-farm started out okay enough ... The first 6 weeks of the year were dedicated to the class itself, garden-planning, and ordering.  The first two parts were great!  The ordering, however, was a little frustrating simply because stock started running out by the time the planning sections of the workshop wrapped up, so by the time I was ready to buy, and thought I knew what I was doing, almost everything I wanted was already sold out.  

A Vision Without a Plan is Just a Hallucination

"Dreams without movement are delusions, escapes, kid's play. You have to put your feet into your dreams if they're ever going to be reality. The dreamers we know and love today are the ones who worked the hardest." -Paul Newman

Grow it Like You Mean it

Bunkhouse Acres, the 20-acre sustainable farm heading into its first year of full-time production, and brainchild of Shellie-Ann Kerns is gearing up for a robust Summer season, and she'd like our help...

Cottage Conservatory

Black Eyed Angels - Delphinium

When I first started gardening on my own as an adult (especially with heirloom varieties) I was interested in seed saving, but kept coming up low on info, and images to walk me through the process for some of my favorite plants.  I mean, I know it's all pretty straight forward; wait for the petals to fall off, pods of some sort to form, and eventually dry out, but I wanted to know what I should be looking for, and when to clip & collect seed pods - whether to wait for them to open on their own, or catch them right before.  So.  Necessity being the mother of invention, I patiently observed what was happening in my garden, and found a method for a couple of my early bloomers that has been successful thus far.

Ostara Calling

Fuchsia Chickadees

On a shortlist of the top three things that performed the best in my garden last year, two of them were a nest of birds, and a few wascally wabbits that hunkered down in the roots of my peppermint plant.  It's safe to say that my garden soil is thoroughly depleted at this point, so I'm spending the first few weeks of Spring looking for ways to bring abundance back to my veggie patch!

Peppermint Patch Bunnies

Ever the optimist, I'm still starting a hefty batch of garden seed indoors this year, mainly so my fine feathered friends don't throw a block party, and pick everything out of my beds before anything has a chance to sprout, but also because I'm hopeful I'll find the right trick to revive my jungle.  I'll report back when I've found the correct formula ... Until then, happy planning & planting!

xoxo

Peas Be Mine!

Princess Elizabeth Sweet Pea

We are currently six weeks out from Spring, although you'd never know it from the view of snow flurries outside my window, right now, and for me that means it's time to start sowing seeds indoors in order to get a jump start on thriving Summer garden beds.

Last year, I accidentally found the perfect location for my sweet pea patch, and they absolutely exploded both in blooms, and in height.  To be honest, my expectations were kind of low since I'd never had much luck with robust sweet pea plants before.  I had done a little research, and also stumbled through blogs, and online articles about all of the "keys to growing sweet peas" I could stand, and it seemed that all clues pointed to starting the seeds indoors, and not waiting until after the last frost to take action.  The truth is though, for all of my indoor-plant-starting, I found no difference between the indoor starts, and the seeds I'd just kind of tossed out there late in the season to sort of fill in any bald spots.  So, I'm left believing that no matter when you plant, as long as you find your Goldilocks location (and you're in a temperate climate) you'll have a full season of hearty plants, and vigorous growth.  For reference, the area my sweet peas did the best had dappled morning light, and what I call afternoon sideways sun - where plants can receive sunlight, but it's not a harsh, direct beam shining straight down on them, it's an indirect exposure to the sun hanging low in the sky.  I'm curious to find out if I can get away with the same laissez faire approach this year, and have the same results, or if my 6 foot tall, late season sowing additions were just a big, wild, and happy accident.

At any rate, February is an excellent time to start poppy, tomato, and sweet pea seeds inside, if back yard gardening is your thing.  For my experiment, I'll be splitting my sweet pea stash in half, and starting one batch early, and adding the rest directly outdoors later in the season.

Happy planting!

Turn the Beet Around!

After compiling last year's list of the 15 Seeds to Order and Sow Now, I've narrowed down, and decided on the varieties I'll be planting in my beds this year for a fall-winter harvest. 

Arugula
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Kale
Leeks
Spinach
Swiss Chard

The key is getting your seeds in the ground a full 2 months before the first frost hits in your region, so right now in the PNW is the perfect time to start turning your soil, clearing spent plants you won't be using for seed saving, and adding any composted material to your garden!

xoxo

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Things are starting to warm up around here, and the seeds I started indoors back in February are now outgrowing their containers, and barking to get outside, which means it's time to map out the blueprint of their new dwellings while I start the hardening off process for these youngsters.  And because I'm such a nerd, this means I'm grabbing blank sheets of paper, my ruler, and makeshift seed-bank (keeping all growing instructions at my fingertips) to plan it all out. 

I Love You From My Head Tomatoes!

This week marked the six week point before Spring, and around here that means dusting off the seed basket because it's tomato time!  My foolproof method includes egg cartons, potting soil, and a large seal-able food container.

I start with a clean egg carton (cutting off the lid to use as a mini-bed to start my poppies in), filling each divot with potting soil, placing about 3-5 seeds per divot, and lightly covering with more potting soil.  After placing the egg carton in the base of the food container, I add 1/4" of water to the food container in order to keep the egg carton damp without disturbing the seeds by watering from the top.  Next I place the lid over top (not tightly) leaving small gaps for fresh air to enter, and place the entire apparatus on my clothes dryer to keep the contents of the container cozy, but not hot.  In 5-6 days vigorous, little green sprouts should be making their presence known!  At this point it's time to move them to a sunny window.

Once seedlings are established (about 2-3" in height), I separate them and move them into larger containers for the hardening off process.  Averaging 2-3 starts per container, I allow them to grow indoors to about 6-8" tall before taking them outside for a few hours a day for bright sunlight, and fresh air.  When Spring storms begin to wane, and it's time to plant the starts in the garden, don't be afraid to plant them pretty deep.  The little hairlike structures along the tomato plant's stem can turn into roots for the plant if covered in soil.  This is great if your starts became a little too leggy to look like they'll withstand even the mildest Summer breeze, just plant them a little deeper than you typically think you should, and give your plant the opportunity to establish a robust root system - after that everything else seems to work itself out.

Happy planting!

Lord Almighty, I Feel My Temperature Rising!

And, not just because I'm a hunk of burning love.  As Summer lulls on, the mercury keeps surging, and it's got me looking for new ways to stay hydrated, and cool

leading me to peppermint infused water.  

Since the menthol in peppermint can actually induce a mild sweat, it's considered a cooling agent, and is quite refreshing in small doses.  Peppermint is also a source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium - some of the crucial building blocks for our electrolytes, which are often easily depleted by guzzling tons of ordinary water in hot Summer months.  Ok, so while we may not be bowled over by the trace amounts of minerals in herbs, and able to forsake all other forms of food (1 Tbs of fresh leaves = 9 mg of potassium), it certainly doesn't hurt to slip 'em into your jug, and infuse your beverage you were already going to drink!

15 Seeds to Order and Sow Now!

July is a great time, in the Pacific Northwest, to buy and even start your seeds indoors for an August planting of your Fall, Winter, and early Spring crops.

Below, are fifteen plants (including my personal favorites) to consider swapping out with varieties who've already had their early Summer hurrah, and produced all they're likely to this season.

Beets
(Bull's Blood, Detroit-Golden)
Broccoli

(Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli)
Brussels Sprouts
(Long Island Improved)
Cabbage
(Golden Acre)
Cauliflower
(Pusa Meghna)
Cilantro
(Coriander - Slow Bolt)
Collard Greens
(Georgia Southern Creole)
Kale
(Scarlet)
Leeks
(Giant Musselburgh)
Lettuce
(Red Romaine)
Mustard Greens
(Red Giant)
Radishes
(Black Spanish, Sparkler)
Spinach
(Monstrueux De Viroflay)
Swiss Chard
(Rainbow, Fordhook Giant)
Turnip
(Gold Ball)

As always, my favorite seed mongers include: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Garden Hoard, and Seeds Now.  Happy planting!

xoxo

Special Delivery: Garden Hoard

My seed stash is officially reaching hoarder status, and I blame it all on companies like Garden Hoard, Baker Creek Seeds, and Seeds Now for dazzling me with their enchanting selections of organic, heirloom, and non-gmo inventory.  But, I suppose all things considered, seeds aren't the worst things in the world to be "hoarding," and you're certainly not likely to find a family of dead cat skeletons under my seed collection, so I figure I'm still within a healthy range.  I am, however, desperate to get them in the ground.  Like, toddler on Christmas Eve all planting season long -- My window sills are already overtaken with the ones I couldn't wait any longer to start, and now I wait for the weather to relax a little since I'm not trying to turn my garden dressed like the Gorton's Fisherman in a monsoon.  I know I'm PNW stock, and like a good rainstorm, but even I have my limits, especially when it comes to Spring yard work.

Until it dries up around here, you'll have to excuse me while I fan-girl out a little bit over Garden Hoard.  Female owned, and operated, Garden Hoard brings us a decent sized inventory cultivated, and grown on their newly-ish acquired Renegade Acres where they've been able to consolidate their growing operation to one location.  What I love most about this business, aside from getting to watch it grow from its infancy (@gardenhoard for those kool kats on ig), is the amount of care, put into every aspect of it.  This is a business that wants to grow, and thrive, run by people who really believe in what they're doing -- and that's something I can totally get behind.  A lot of seed companies will throw in a free packet of something or another, and that's great (who doesn't love a freebie?), but Katie & Christopher stuff orders with complementary seed sowing, saving, and fact sheets that, if you're a nerd like me, can be tucked straight into your gardening book (gigantic 3-ring binder in my case) creating an excellent little quick reference library.  And since they do everything hands-on, personally, it's nice to have pieces of their advice for what has worked for their seeds based on first-hand experience, and not just generic generalizations.  I can't sing their praises enough, but if you're looking to put in a garden this year, especially if this is your very first, I definitely think Garden Hoard is worth checking out!

xoxo

Life After The Day of the Dead: Marigold Drying Instructions

A couple of summers ago I discovered the deliciousness that is fresh Marigold Tea. 

October 2016: Brocade Mix (Tagetes Patula)

Never one to be bowled over by the beauty or even particularly interested in marigolds, I began planting them strictly as borders in my raised garden beds to act as a natural pesticide, and guardian to the other, more tender plants inhabiting the protected interior.

What anyone who's ever grown this little flower possibly most easily recognized for its association with Dia de los Muertos will tell you is how ridiculously easy they are to grow, how prolific the blooms are (they go positively wild with frequent clipping, and proper dead-heading), and how insanely long the growing season is (especially in the mild PNW) -- Last year they were still going strong all the way through mid-November. 

I Leek You A Lot

My gorgeous, although, non prize-winning Musselburgh Leeks

I was fussing with my family tree a few years ago (yup, genealogy nerd too!) around the time I was planning my first solo-garden, and while I sat dreaming of my heirloom seed wishlist I came up with the idea of growing vegetables that my ancestors would've harvested for their dinner tables, or varieties that either originated in or were popular near locations my ancestors inhabited; a few of my favorites have been my Jaune Paille Des Vertus Onions, Weathersfield Red Onions, and since I have both Dutch, and Scottish ancestry I found the Giant Musselburgh Leeks to be totally appropriate.  As it turns out, they're also some of the easiest things I've ever grown in my entire life aside from weeds, and just when I thought my leeks were really cool I googled around a little bit and stumbled upon competition growers *sigh* ... But really, who needs a 20 lb. leek anyway?  I mean, once you're outside of the "Goldilocks Zone" taste really goes downhill on most fruits and vegetables like my Tyrannosaurus Zucchini that's basically only good for grating up for bread recipes, so why bother?  The bragging rights can't be that satisfying can they?  Maybe they can, I've never grown the biggest leek in the county, state, country, world ... So, I wouldn't exactly know, but I happen to grow tasty leeks, and that's all I do need to know!

Ok, so I've got my Giant Musselburgh Leeks, now what?  Did I mention I didn't grow up eating leeks, and had literally no idea what to do with them (if you're like me, you'll probably have to learn how to clean them as well)?  As it turns out, the heavens opened up, and gifted me this recipe for a leek gratin with coconut milk created by Sophie from A Squirrel in the Kitchen.  And yes, in case you are wondering, it did in fact answer all of my leek-related prayers.  Seriously, try it.

Bon appétit!