Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[JSD]

Yes, 5 degrees south of Minneapolis. It's plenty cold for snow (17 degrees this morning), but no snow on the ground. My husband suggests zeriscaping the garden in anticipation of the apparent drought.

[Nick]

We've got anywhere from a foot to foot and a half of snow on the ground and got another couple of inches today. This is actually quite good as Maine has experienced a drought and low water tables for the past two years.

[snowangel]

The recent thread on bussel sprouts reminds me that they have a place in every garden. They can be ornamental, and there is nothing as fun as going out on Thanksgiving morning, wearing one's sorrel boots, and digging them out of the snow. My grandmother (the Wise One about gardening) always said "it's not a good sprout unless it's been through a hard freeze and some snow."

[maggiethecat]

The recent thread on bussel sprouts reminds me that they have a place in every garden.  They can be ornamental, and there is nothing as fun as going out on Thanksgiving morning, wearing one's sorrel boots, and digging them out of the snow.  My grandmother (the Wise One about gardening) always said "it's not a good sprout unless it's been through a hard freeze and some snow."

I wish I had written this, Snowangel. Every word true and pure. Sprouts are like edible (and cuter) Bells of Ireland.

[Dave the Cook]

What, pray tell, are "sorrell boots"?

[snowangel]

What, pray tell, are "sorrell boots"?

I mis-spelt. They are "sorel" boots. Huge, clunkly books, with a tremendous felt liner. One wears them when trudging through mountains of snow, ice fishing, and other such activities. They are made in Canada, and different "models" are rated to different sub-zero temps. Mine are rated to 40 below zero. They are wonderful because one can replace the felt liners when they wear out. Walking through snow drifts in them is a lower body workout, but one's feet are warm (the high today was close to 10 below). I take it you live south of interstate 90.

[maggiethecat]

Actually, Sorel boots, big S. Name after Sorel, the town in Quebec in which they were invented, or manufactured.

Sorry to be pedantic. I just happen to know this one.

[Dave the Cook]

I take it you live south of interstate 90.

About 15 miles north of I-20, actually. Quite a few miles south.

[nervousnelli]

I know I do this a lot but . . .

never mind.

(sorry - I get mixed up about which post was the last one so I address the wrong one and my message ends up sounding like I'm a complete idiot)

Edited February 11, 2003 by nervousnelli (log)

[Hopleaf]

it's probably too early, but I started 16 tomato plants in peat planters. Wish me luck!

[maggiethecat]

it's probably too early, but I started 16 tomato plants in peat planters. Wish me luck!

So what if it's too early? You need to do this for your own happiness. And it might be just fine.

There will always be more tomato plants.

[Hopleaf]

So what if it's too early?  You need to do this for your own happiness.  And it might be just fine.

There will always be more tomato plants.

Yeah! That's what I want to hear. I have been chomping at the bit for far too long. It's been all I could do to not just lose it and start chipping away at the frozen earth with a shovel. I mean, how much planning can a guy take!

So, back to the tomato plants. what I figured was that even if it was a bit early, the worst that could happen is that I end up having to go buy some transplantable tomato plants cuz the ones I'm trying to start don't make it. So what! But if I do get my guys going, I figured it would probably benefit them to get a little more hardening time. I did find some beautiful vine-ripened toms at the grocery store yesterday that really perked up my sandwich today...they got me geared up too.

All this time HAS afforded me the opportunity to get the planning stages (what goes where) down pat. I'm eyeballing these flagstones for my garden path. In fact I happened to notice more of them in the front of the house that were used as a bed edging. gonna snag those and put something else in their place.

Even though it's snowing out there right now, there's baseball on the radio (Cactus League), I hear spring birds everyday and I know the Sun's only three weeks away from officially ushering spring into the picture.

Anyone else doing anything gardening related?

[jackal10]

Still a bit early in the UK, lots to do in the greenhouse.

Outside planting broad (fava) beans.

Varieties Epicure (red seeds) and Purple Flowerd (originally from the Henry Doubleday Seed Library)

Inside setting potatoes to chit (arran pilot, red and blue salad, pink fir apple) ready to plant at Easter

Starting tomatos (Sungold, Fireworks, Gardeners Delight) What do you think are the tastiest?

Starting chilis (Thai Dragon - Atomic)

Peas soon.

[Hopleaf]

Starting tomatos (Sungold, Fireworks, Gardeners Delight) What do you think are the tastiest?

Dunno. I'm relatively new to the gardening scene. Actually, why don't you tell us which you prefer? I planted two varieties, and of course the names escape me now. But I'll check tonight and post their names tomorrow.

[elyse]

I just saw this thread for the first time, and wanted to finish before I posted, but it's too long, and I read too slowly. And it's too important to wait. If you're building raised beds, make sure the wood is untreated. That includes green/pressure treated wood, and railroad ties that might have soaked up oil or are covered in tar. That kind of thing. It'll leach into the soil, and into your vegetation. That goes for wood chips and sawdust too. You don't want to eat more arsenic than absolutely necessary.

Sorry again if this is old information, but it's getting to be that time, and everyone should be safe.

[Hopleaf]

I just saw this thread for the first time, and wanted to finish before I posted, but it's too long, and I read too slowly.  And it's too important to wait.  If you're building raised beds, make sure the wood is untreated.  That includes green/pressure treated wood, and railroad ties that might have soaked up oil or are covered in tar.  That kind of thing.  It'll leach into the soil, and into your vegetation.  That goes for wood chips and sawdust too.  You don't want to eat more arsenic than absolutely necessary.

Sorry again if this is old information, but it's getting to be that time, and everyone should be safe.

Unless you're partial to eating arsenic!

Thanks elyse, that's a good tip. Say, you mention this in regards to raised bed, but I assume the same goes for any sort of edging?

[jackal10]

Starting tomatos (Sungold, Fireworks, Gardeners Delight) What do you think are the tastiest?

Dunno. I'm relatively new to the gardening scene. Actually, why don't you tell us which you prefer? I planted two varieties, and of course the names escape me now. But I'll check tonight and post their names tomorrow.

We have an annual tasting at the University, and almost always Sungold (or Golden Cherry - much the same)wins by a mile, with Gardener's Delight second. Cherry tomatos always seem much more intense than full size or paste tomatos, but it depends whether you eat them raw or cooked or dired, and YMMV.

Also this week I'm starting brassicas, and especially red sprouts. However this is an exercise in frustration, and a sacrifice to the garden gods, as each year the rabbits and the pigeons eat them, despite my best precautions.

Edited March 4, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[elyse]

Yes. I know a lot of scavengers. A couple have had to chuck their entire crops because they picked up the wrong kind of wood (planks, ties, chips, whatever). WHAT a shame.

[JSD]

this is an exercise in frustration, and a sacrifice to the garden gods, as each year the rabbits and the pigeons eat them, despite my best precautions.

I covered my lettuce and other greens with netting, weighted down with rocks. I bought it at a discount fabric store very cheaply. As long as I made sure the wind didn't undo it, it kept the birds out. I'm not sure if it would work with rabbits though.

[snowangel]

I have been chomping at the bit for far too long.

I, too have been chomping at the bit. So, this morning, I donned my Sorel boots, put on a long parka, swept off the top of the picnic table under our pergola, and sat on top of the picnic table drinking my morning coffee. It was 14 degrees, but it felt good. Very sunny, and the sun is gaining push, if you know what I mean. I sat and drank and watched the chickadees on the many purple coneflowers I have but never cut down in the fall (who needs a bird feeder when one has plants with wonderful seedheads?) The cardinals favor the "fireworks" goldenrod. I have several clematises, and the yellow one has these most wonderful "muppety" seedheads that are an explosion of long white feathery things.

When my coffee was cold, I dug my trimmers out of the garage and cut the clematises about 12" up from the ground (I did not take the vines off the fence); this is something I often forget to do, and all of my clematises are new wood bloomers, so wacking them encourages more.

My gardening books are on my night stand, along with my photos and diagrams from last year, and I'm dreaming.

As the snow creeps away from the front of the house, and as the days get warmer, I will check for signs of daffodils peeking through -- there are some that have worked their way so close to the house that they will pop through quite early. There's nothing like seeing that first little crack in the soil!

My favorite day, however, is when I spy that first little red ball that says "the rhubarb remembers it is spring!" That begins the succession of days when I jump out of bed as soon as first light -- before anyone else is up, and go and check to see what is happening.

[Hopleaf]

What a great post snowangel. Thanks.

[sparrowgrass]

My rhubarb is poking its little nose (noses?) out of the soil--likewise the peonies. The daffs have buds and the trees are coloring up. The silver maple will bloom in a day or two, and the ducks are laying!! Must be spring.

We have had a long winter here in Missouri--our kids have had ONE week since Christmas break when they didn't have a snow day or two or three. However, it will be 45 today, 50 tomorrow, and possibly 70 on Saturday and Sunday.

I may be able to get the tiller out by Sunday, and start in the garden. I have lettuce, spinach and pea seeds, and I will hit the grocery store for seed potatoes. I think I will skip the onions this year. I never have good luck, lots of rotten ones and the ones that aren't rotten are always way hot.

AND SOON--time for asparagus. Asparagus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Asparagus steamed, roasted, sauteed, raw. ASPAAARRAAAGUUSS. yum.

Edited March 6, 2003 by sparrowgrass (log)

[maggiethecat]

Snowy and Sparrow: You are writing what amounts to garden porn to a gardener who is looking at a one foot blanket of snow. Whew!

(PS...Don't stop! )

[Hopleaf]

I need a towel.

[tsquare]

With a warm winter, and a typically mild climate anyway, the daffodils in the yard, and all about town are already blooming. The ornamental cherries are pink, white, fluffy and fragrant. Trilliums are poking their noses up out of the ground while clematis is perfuming the air. The overwintering greens - arugula, mustards, chard and kale are starting to fill out, while peas, planted for President's Day (or soon thereafter) are sprouting. Blueberry and raspberry plants are budding, as is the kiwi and the fig.

And soon, I ( the human rototiller) will be turning the cover crops into the soil, preparing the soil for another summer season of tomatoes, beans, potatoes, squash and corn (and other crops that decide to bless me with their presence.)

Happy spring dreaming to all gardeners.