Toward a Year-Round Harvest

Yesterday's harvest: winter peas, mesclun lettuce, and cilantro - which is growing like it took steroids. We've had rain this week so the plants are happy, but the kids and I haven't got out there much to see what's available for spring planting. That will be next week's project!

Spring Blossoms

An occasionally wise five-year-old exclaimed yesterday, "Oh my gosh! Look at that beautiful tree!"

It is its Week of Gorgeousness. It's a nectarine that was very poorly treated before our arrival, 4 years ago. Last year it yielded maybe a pound total of tiny little guys, the year before a handful. We keep mildly planning to replace it in its spot with an apple tree. But in the meantime, it sure has a glorious spring blossom week.

Planting on Impulse

Speaking of garden planning... didn't do any of that, but did get inspired by the warm weather to put a lot of shoulder season seeds in the ground this afternoon. The kids participated - not saying "helped" because that sets expectations incorrectly - with digging in compost, sprinkling seeds, and watering. I insist on covering up the seeds myself because "gentle" is just not in their vocabularies.

We sowed beets, green onions, cilantro, sugar snap peas, and lettuce in the ground, and basil in a small container. We didn't put in too many of any one crop. It was a bit of a frenzy to use up the 2013 seed packets. (Although my husband says that doesn't matter.) Can't wait to see the results!

Planning Your Garden, Pt. 1

It is getting to be that time... the time when all gardeners' fingers start itching to plant, no matter how industrious they've been over the winter. Before I muster the internal fortitude to document how I "plan" my garden, I wanted to share the NurtureStore's approach for doing it thoughtfully and artistically, and involving your elementary-school-age kids in the process. We'll cover other approaches as the season dawns. 

I May Never Have to Water Again...

... if it keeps raining like this. Which, apparently, it won't, but in the meantime it's like Nature is watering the planet on my garden watering schedule. Super convenient and so many happy radish and cilantro plants! I am a happy camper too when I go outside to pluck my cilantro bunch for my dinner garnish. I am the only cilantro fan in the family so it warms the cockles of my thrifty heart to just pick what I need instead of paying 99 cents for a big corporate block of cilantro, 90% of which will rot over the course of the week. THIS is why I keep trying.