What did you do in the garden today?

[sumi]

Those catalogs are terrible. I just had a peek at our local supplier's website the other day. Just a quick peek. That was enough!

 

[NH Homesteader]

I had a recipe that called for both carrots and parsnips. After seeing the price of parsnips at the one store that actually had them, I just made it with all carrots!

 

[treerooted]

Parsnips are pretty common here, but not necessarily something people normally use. In the grocery store I think they're about twice the price as carrots. I've only bought them at the farmers market, usually to use in roasted veggies. But I think I've made soup with them before.

 

[Mini Horses]

This AM up at 6 & it was only 34 on porch -- much warmer than 10 the day before. Coffee, dress in all the gear, head out. Sun comes up strong & bright, it was warming so fast I had to start peeling clothes. Gloves, headwrap, then my jacket!! Didn't have to tote any water. Wow...it was melting so I knew everyone would have plenty without it.

Was to get to our normal mid 40s but, it is now 54!! Supposed to me into mid 60s by weekend. It feels like Spring.

I had to work, so while I was out I bought some Palmolive original...convinced will have a garden soon & need to kill squash bugs!! Crealbilly recommends it.

 

[Beekissed]

First move towards the garden, Mini! A good offense is the best defense.

Got my first seeds today, from R.H. Shumway... Sweet Candy onions 750 seeds, Napa cabbage 3 grams(whatever amount of seeds THAT is), and Parris White Cos Romaine 1000 seeds.

Will buy my fave potting mix tomorrow for planting my trays of onions this week. The first garden activity of the season!

 

[Hinotori]

I planted english lavender seeds in little plug pots today. They can be transplanted outside here in a couple months. It does well here. Packet of seeds is the price of one tiny pot of it. I'd like a few rows of it.

 

[Beekissed]

Me too, though it does horribly here and we've tried so often. I'd like a whole field of that stuff!

 

[CrealCritter]

I think I'm going direct seed route for hardies again this year. I had good success last year - just popping seeds in the ground very early in the year.

 

[Mini Horses]

Direct seeding works well for MOST. Getting results faster &/or shorter grow season is really what fires up the started plants. Years back you didn't have acres of starts to select from! If you didn't "hoe & sow" you didn't grow.

Some seeds will sprout in colder temps if the seed has been subjected to that cold soil, be healthier than a start and grow just fine...compared to our babied starts. So I look to sunshine outside with a little cover for frost -- a cold frame works well.

I will start a few things this years simply because I want the produce sooner than later. You know, for some of the "white collar" gardeners it's all about beating your neighbor to the first red tomato!

 

[Beekissed]

I'll be starting most things this year, except beans. I just want to be able to really control spacing this year, without worrying about having to expose the ground for lengths of time for small seedlings to pop up, then have to thin them.

Last year my flowers were a jungle, a tangled mess. I had pumpkins, squash and cukes that died aborning due to the massive numbers of squash bugs and squash borers...we've always direct seeded these types of plants, but last year it was a huge mistake.

This year I want things to get bigger and stronger before they are set out and I'd like the flowers to be spaced properly, with airflow enough between them and space enough for better growth.