Before I went to bed last night, I encountered the familiar spasms which signal that my late-winter (better-not-be-asthma) coughing fits have arrived for their annual visit. I had two English classes to teach today, so I swallowed my big gun cough medicine and fixed my pillows so I could sleep-sit. Unfortunately, I awakened with the same choking drip-drip-drip so I canceled my classes. It was 7:30 a.m. when I faced this unexpected day of rest, covered up with my Sari Bari, with books, hot tea and . . . oh yay . . . a computer so I can plan my garden! Anna and Rainor came by yesterday and she shared two good websites to explore, so the "seed" was already "planted"! Soon I was transported to the hill country of Fredricksburg, TX and the colorful website of Wildseed Farms. I ordered some wildflower mix for Zone 6B as well as some Velvet Queen and Tangerine sunflowers. Next I clicked my way to Seeds of Change* a site that supports sustainable organic agriculture--this was a little intimidating but I can tell I'll learn alot from it, especially now that my sustainable ag expert (Joel) has moved . . . I've always tried to cultivate and tend my garden using organic methods, but it's time to take another step . . . in organic gardening genetics counts (thanks Anna!) beginning with the seeds. Oops. I usually start with little plantlings that may or may not be organic, so this year I'll sow some literal seeds of change.
Garden Seeds. Urban Gardening. Four Season Gardening. Herbs. Vegetables. Flowers. Click, click, click. I like to experiment with sunflowers so I ordered some Jerusalem Dwarf seeds. Also some new-to-me perennials including Peach Campanula, Gloriosa Daisies, Cardinal Flowers . . . and one "curious" fall bloomer called Pumpkin on a Stick--I hope they're like the little dried pumpkins I've bought at Yarrow Acres in Franklin! Herbs are a must, but I've never grown them from seeds. I hope to cultivate Bouquet Dill, Slow Bolt Cilantro, Rosemary, Lime and Thai Basil, and Sweet Marjoram to transplant after April 15 (here). My big commitment this year is to grow our salad through the fall. I ordered two packs of Peacevine Cherry Tomato seeds, Rubens Red Romaine Lettuce, Little Caesar Lettuce, Buttercrunch Butterhead Lettuce, American and Bloomsdale Spinach, Bush Champion Cucumbers, Pizza Chili Peppers (a mild jalapeno) and a 20-crown pack of Albion Strawberries (please bear edible berries twice!). Finally . . . I will try my hand at some Cranberry Red Potatoes if I can talk my sweet husband into digging out a new little garden patch for them!
And now I must really rest . . . for now I must decide where I'm going to put all those planting boxes until they can be transplanted outdoors . . . then which herbs and vegetables will be good "neighbors" in my deep compact bed . . . then how to amend the soil and keep up with them over the summer. Cough, cough cough . . . oh why didn't I just go on to class?
* Nashville area friends can find Seeds of Change packets at All Seasons on 8th Ave. or The Turnip Truck on Woodland.
4 comments:
mmm, nice sites. how fun. wish we had a garden, but the yard is too shady. i'll just come play in yours! cough, cough. :)
yeah....it sounds like you may need a few new beds! (be sweet to David! ;)
The girls and I just planted some herb, zinnia and sunflower seed that we brought along and the poor little sprouts have been stunned by the heat I think. Wonder how baby basil would taste on a bite of spaghetti?
hope you're feeling better now... but fear that you're not?
love you!
You have to read this book. You can read the first chapter on Amazon
The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming by Jeannie Ralston
It takes place in Houston and Blanco Tx.
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