Apr
16
There’s been so much talk about vegetable death around here lately, I didn’t want to bum you out. So here’s evidence that I am not a total dumb ass and am having quite a bit of success in the grow closet.
This is purple passion spinach, also know as orach. According to wikipedia:
Another common use of orach is to balance out the acidic flavor of sorrel.[5]
Good to know, eh? Too bad I’m not growing sorrel! Also in the picture are some cabbage and lettuce starts. All of these babies will be going in the ground this weekend, making way for the next round of seed starting!
Apr
15
Cookin’ the Peas… Cookin’ the Peas! (Sung to the tune of Breaking the Law by Judas Priest)
Oh people. It’s been a rough week in the grow closet. First I committed mass basil murder and now I have sauna-ed my peas to death. Operation Grow My Own Food is off to an awesome start!
This past weekend I did the Willi Galloway paper towel method that I mentioned the other day, and stuck the bag on my heat mat in the closet. When I came home from work and checked on the starts yesterday, an odd roasty smell wafted out. The peas were sprouted – Yay! – but they were also cooked brown and slighty hairy with some sort of mold. Boo!
Sorry peas. I will do better next time. I will not put your sprouty bag directly on the heat mat. I shall place it someplace not quite so warm, like on top of the fridge.
Love,
Erica
Apr
13
Oh people. There has been a mass basilcide in the grow-closet. Look at that poor, lone, brave soldier. Such a trooper. Even though I KNOW this…I didn’t check on the starts for just one stinking day and carnage ensued. Just one day…
So in order to keep my spirits up, I am going to fantasize about making all of the awesome garden projects I have been seeing lately (on Pinterest) using shipping pallets:
Vertical garden! This is an awesome blog if you have limited space and I seriously love, love, love this vertical garden. I have a spot against a fence in my shade garden that could so with some visual stimuli. I would plant it with mosses and ferns.
Lounge chairs! These are so totally brilliant. I would either paint them black, to match the picnic table, or chartreuse green. Then I would make some cushions to make them über comfy for weekend napping.
Potting bench! This is an item that I could really use. Having a dedicated space for potting actives and accouterments would go a long way in help keeping the patio area clean and less white trash looking.
I am pretty sure that I can get my hands on a endless supply of pallets (which might involve prodding and/or bribing the husband) if I work up the gumption to tackle any of these. I am trying not to to start anything new until the bathroom is done and the fence is underway, so in the meantime I will dream and try not to kill anymore seedlings.
Apr
09
Yesterday was a BE-YOO-TAFUL day and I was able to spend a good portion of it out in the yard. Mostly weeding, but I noticed how pretty my rhubarb is at the moment. I planted the rhubarb mainly for decoration and I usually ignore it but the stems look so red and tender I feel like I need to do something with them.
My garlic is looking amazing as well (second photo). I cannot wait for garlic scapes!! In the meant time I will busy my self with sprouting my peas using Willi Galloway’s method. I am not a snap pea fan, really, but she tweeted about these snap pea pickles and that was all it took. I can’t resist a pickle.
Mar
24
So….not only am I starting vegetable seedlings, I am also breeding spiders which I will train to do my bidding and unleash upon the people of Olympia in Phase One in the plan for World Domination. Killing two birds with one stone and such. These are cabbages, or maybe broccoli, and I am not quite sure what to do about the spiders. I suppose I will leave them for now and hope that they haven’t multiplied too much. Yuck.
Looking good! Some of these babies will need to be thinned and transplanted into larger pots soon. I almost killed the whole flat last week because I lost track of time and hadn’t watered in a day or too. Oops!
In this flat I have more cabbages, broccoli, beets, kale, basil, lettuce, spinach, and mustard. Also started but not shown are tomatoes, onions, leeks, and scallions. Oh, and eggplant, which I am starting for the Wendell Berry Community Garden.
I expanded my light system this year and acquired a fancy heating mat which I love, love, love. The next phase is to actually get out in the yard and get the beds prepared for planting. I love this time of year. Even though it’s cold and rainy outside, starting seeds reminds me that fair weather is just around the corner.
