Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!

Years ago, my husband started giving me dahlia tubers instead of bouquets for Valentines Day.  He and I both like the idea that he is giving me my favorite flower, and also that I will end up with lots of bouquets throughout the years - not just one in February.

I ordered several (translation:  lots), and I will be putting up a list of my newest dahlia varieties, along with the places where I bought them from.

We have several Valentine traditions in this home.  I always have something chocolatey for the kids.  I used to bake heart shaped sugar cookies, which were really lovely,  but now that my children are older, I don't see the need to make such a fuss.

I also always make hand-made valentines for my kids.  I know they don't expect them anymore, but still, I like to pull out the red paper and glitter and see red hearts in the kitchen.

I always put a vase of mini carnations on the table.  They last for weeks.

No Hallmark cards any more, no fancy dinners at restaurants.  My husband is disabled and can no longer walk, due to multiple sclerosis.  It is what it is, but I don't want him worrying about picking out cards and crowded restaurants.  The dahlias are perfect.  We celebrate by watching a movie together.  This year we watched A Little Chaos - a movie about gardens, romance and France.  It was pretty good.

Changing the topic here - I also started growing sweet peas today.  It's probably too soon to start - I don't know what I was thinking! I have been inspired by Erin at Floret Farmer Farm.  I did order a bunch of seed packets from her, and I can't wait to grow new things.

Winter 2016 - And Looking Ahead

 

 

 

 

 

Every fall I welcome the end of another gardening year because I need the rest.  Last summer, I really welcomed the end because my vegetable garden had gotten away from me.  Far, far away from me.  Once I have dug up my dahlias and boxed them up, I am DONE.

 

I worked part-time over the summer while I interviewed for full-time jobs, and then unexpectedly (happily) found a full-time job in September - my first time working full-time since I had my first child twenty-five years ago.  What an adjustment! For the first couple of months I wondered if I would be able to manage anything other than working and coming home to cook and clean (barely).

 

I decided that I am not going to grow all the vegetables that I've grown in the past.  There are plenty of farm stands here in Western Massachusetts.  I even contemplated giving many of my dahlia tubers away and just keeping ten.  Like I could limit myself to 10 dahlias.  I was just tired.

 

But God was very wise when He created the seasons because He knows all things need rest.  After the rest comes new life.  I felt that new life within me after the first dahlia catalogue appeared in my mailbox.  Suddenly, I found energy to spend hours and hours searching the internet in my quest to find the most stunning dahlias.

 

I did enjoy caring for my potted herbs over the winter.  They looked a little unhappy around Christmas, so I stuck them under my grow lights.  I also enjoyed growing this lovely red amaryllis bulb.  I've never grown these before.  I brought it to work when it first started growing, and my coworkers seemed to enjoy watching the flower open into this spectacular bloom.  Note to self:  get more than one bulb next year. 

 

I spent January ordering dahlia tubers, and the last couple of weeks choosing and ordering seeds.  I love this part of the season.  I'm growing mostly flowers this year.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will be starting my lists:  list of  seeds, list of start dates, list of chores to do, list of things to buy, list of favorite sites, list of goals, list of mistakes, lists, lists, lists.

 

 

They're All In

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Ahh! To stand in a meadow full of blooms, wearing a flow-y, floral sundress with flowers tucked in my hair....

Actually, I have been living in my jeans and garden boots these days, and I'm in pain most nights from digging and hauling and bending!  I grew nearly 200 seedlings this spring that had to be transplanted, dozens of dahlia tubers to get into the ground, and a multitude of seeds to sew!  And I'm still working on expanding my garden - something my oldest son talked me into last summer.  I've been spending so many hours in the garden that I start to question if this makes sense for an already busy mom/wife/teacher. 

But I'm just blown away by all the colors out there - most recently the lilacs, and now the irises, peonies, and rhododendrons.  My family has been enjoying the kale, lettuce, arugula and various herbs for dinner most nights, and soon we'll be picking berries and other things.

Anyway, I love it.  Don't you?

Garden Notes - April 2, 2014

 

 I have a cold frame!!  And it came just in time, too!

A shingle was blown off of our roof this past week, so a friend of ours, Russ, came over to fix it.  Russ is also an avid gardener and grows his veggies from seed.  Actually, he is far more experienced than I am, and I can learn a thing or two from him.

I was at the WMMGA Garden Symposium when Russ came over, and Michael showed Russ all the plants I have growing in the basement.  So, when I got home, I asked Russ for his professional opinion about my plants and he said, "They look good,except your lettuce is getting big. You should put them in a cold frame."

Well, I've been wanting a cold frame and just haven't gotten around to getting one.  Lo and behold, Russ had one to give me!  Twenty bucks!!  And he delivered it on Monday morning, two days later!

The weather is finally warming up a bit.  There were about a dozen robins on my front lawn on Monday, and I see the garlic coming out of the ground. I started bringing my lettuce, kale, spinach and cabbage plants outside on April 1st - yesterday.  Today was about 60 degrees outside, and I put the plants in the cold frame until about 7:00 tonight. Tomorrow I'll leave them out even longer.

I planted my tomato seeds on March 31st and I also got about a dozen-plus dahlia tubers started.  Everything is looking good, except I did lose 2 ageratum plants to "damping off".  My fault.  I watered the soil heavily when I transplanted them.  I was also a little nervous about a cabbage plant because it was flopping over and the stem looked like it was getting thin. However, the leaves look healthy.  I think some of the plants are just getting "leggy".  The lettuce is definitely "leggy".

As for seeds, I'm still waiting on the cleome.  The seeds take anywhere from 14 to 21 days to germinate.  I'm on day 14.  The lavender is also taking a long time, and the spinach didn't do too well.  I only got 2 spinach seedlings from the seed I planted.  I accidentally mixed the spinach seedlings with the pepper seedlings and couldn't figure out why one "pepper" plant had such long rabbit ears! (picture 6)

Time is flying!  I still need to get out and prune my apple trees and other fruit trees, as well as two blueberry bushes.  All the other blueberry bushes are still too young/small.  I also need to get my asparagus crowns in the ground.

Garden Notes - March 24, 2014

I have about 150 tiny plants growing in my basement as of today, with more to come! Last Monday (March 24) I transplanted two dozen or so seedlings into cups.  Their roots had grown through the bottoms of the plugs, which told me they are able to easily draw nutrients from potting soil.  Also, the plants had developed their first "true" leaves, so it was time. Tonight I plan to transplant another 20+ seedlings.

I picked up two different potting soils to try: Fox Farm Ocean Forest (which I am currently using) and Miracle-Gro Potting Mix.  I learned last year (the hard way) that the quality of potting soil absolutely makes a difference in how well your seedlings grow.

I also picked up some Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, because I would like to grow certain flowers in trays rather than grow them individually in plugs.  Sweet alyssum is one example. In the meantime, I continue to sow more seeds:  milkweed, cosmos, cleome, eggplant, and basil.  I'll start my tomatoes next week!

Spring is here, but it still looks a little dreary outside.  I have been battling a terrible cold and cough, otherwise I'd be outside pruning my blueberry bushes and fruit trees.  I need to get my soil tested, too. I took a little walk around the yard the other day and everything is so soggy!  I was delighted to see some daffodil leaves poking through the ground, and also happy to see that all that thyme I grew from seed made it through the winter.  The rosemary didn't make it, though.  This is the second year in a row that I forgot to bring it indoors.