Too Cold!

After some very nice and warm weeks, we've got several rather cold days in a row. It even snowed a bit on early Sunday morning.

In preparation for the snow, I created impromptu covers for kohlrabi and broccoli. Here our dog is checking out the cloches I made from things in my recycling bin. Yes, that's a milk jug and cranberry juice bottle with bottoms cut off, as well as the top lid of container in which a roasted chicken came in.

 For broccoli I used the old Christmas tree branches that were still in my garden. They previously were covering weakly blueberry plants.

 Snow looked quite nice... while it lasted.

Happy Spring!

As I write this, there are only a couple hours or so left until the cosmic event spring equinox. All around the world at this time there are 12 hours between sunrise and sunset. For us in the Northern hemisphere from now on the days will become longer and nights shorter. Welcome spring!

Another nice day today in Arlington and again I worked for quite some time in the garden:

• seeded spinach, dill and cilantro
• planted eight broccoli, four kohlrabi and four asparagus seedlings (we all like broccoli, kohlrabi is an experiment and asparagus harvest might happen next spring, but most likely in two years)
• planted six forget-me-not plants in the side yard
• in between prepped the soil, i.e. dug in some compost in the veggie patch
• mulched a little bit more

• planted a bulb of this calla lily on a big terra cotta container. The bulb is kind of weird looking, I presumed this is the top...

• and finally, I seeded some yellow bell pepper as well as yellow and orange tomatoes in two smaller terra cotta pots. These pots will stay inside. The tomato seeds I saved last year from store-bought tomatoes. Later I read that saving tomato seeds involves fermenting process. Oh well, if they do not come up, no big loss.

The first really busy early spring day

Busy, busy, busy. My order of leaf mulch was delivered the other day and I started to distribute over the garden today. The front yard always gets taken care first.

Three or more years ago I would get my mulch late May or early June, mostly because I wold not plan in advance enough. Last two years it came in April, this is the first year when I got it in March. I'm well ahead of myself, but still felt I did not do enough mulching today.

By the way, I always get leaf mulch. It feels lighter and more natural to me. It also composts better and eventually enriches the soil.

It's been very nice and warm. Some plants have started to bloom and some others are not far behind.

Daffodils

And more daffodils

Blooming willow

Virginia bluebells will bloom soon. BTW, does anyone would like this plant in their garden? I have some volunteers. 

Forsythia bushes putting on the show

It deserves a close-up

My backyard. Lots to do...

Backyard and weed-full flowerbed

Hyacinths will also bloom soon

Lots of seeding and planting planned for tomorrow. I guess the mulch pile will have to wait until the next week.

The first

Yesterday, March 13 I seeded lettuce and radishes. I do not remember ever seeded these so early, but hope they will sprout soon. These two vegetables grow well in cooler weather. Just hope it's not too cool.

Planning (or Lack of It)

If you read gardening literature, there often are references about pouring over seed catalogs in winter. Well, that’s not me. First, I’m not too finicky about one specie over another. Second, I cannot remember ever planning my garden in winter. My thoughts just are not there. It would be helpful, though. Typically, when spring comes I get this instinctive need to dig in dirt and purchase plants or seed packets that appeal to me on the fly. (As in the picture below—these were recently purchased at my grocery store.) I come home and then start to ponder where everything should go.

Lettuce and radishes will be the first ones in the ground, perhaps as early as the next week or two. They do not mind cooler weather (actually, they prefer it). About the same time I will seed dill, my favorite. And carrots shortly thereafter.

The other day I ordered leaf mulch delivery from my county and it will arrive March 17. Earlier than ever! This means I HAVE to clean up the garden from old growth this weekend. Cannot wait.

Watch This!

I've been following the blog "You Grow Girl" for quite some time now, but today's post was especially inspiring. The 25-minute video about living from the land in the city embedded in this particular blog entry is worth watching. Funny how a movie from 1984 is still 100% relevant today. If anything, I imagine Polly, the lady in the movie, would feel less as an outsider and curiosity today when backyard gardening has become more mainstream. Even the First Lady has a vegetable patch.

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2011/02/28/my-urban-garden/