a little flower.

We tend to live according to the seasons and flow with the weather. June is the month of the garden - and so I find myself almost single mindedly focused on it. I almost feel like I must apologize for yet more garden photos!

One of my biggest challenges is fighting the thought that I am "wasting space" with things that are "just pretty". When space is limited I'm tempted to grow only functional, but we need flowers. They attract the pollinators - wasps, bees, hoverflies, butterflies, birds. They smell good. They add color, make the garden look nicer, and they just make people happy. So every year I try to add more of all flowering types. In a small garden like ours even just small splashes of flowers throughout make such a huge difference.


In addition to the purely just pretty things, I like cross functional. Flowering and useful. I can't help it, I'm a Virgo. Throughout all of the beds I have flowering plants which are ALSO edible or medicinal:: sunflowers, nasturtiums, yarrow, toothache plant, feverfew, fenugreek, valerian, mullein, bee balm, anise hyssop, german chamomile, calendula, amaranth, lemon balm, mints, echinacea...and many are planted in a spot because they are companion plants to something else growing there! I get the pretty and the Virgo covered in one swoop.


This week is a beautiful flower week. So many things won't bloom until mid summer, but the early bloomers are always so pretty after so many months of monotone. And even the bushes are blooming!


The first bursts of flowers are always so amazing, aren't they? I can't wait to see it all in bloom.

"Just living is not enough" said the butterfly,
"one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

- Hans Christian Andersen

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growing.

It starts so innocently. A few flats, a calendar, a few shop lights. But sure enough, soon the need to have green growing things expands and you have ... more!


More...Sprouts. Wheatgrass. Pea Shoots. Microgreens. Seed trays full.


Spray bottles of water for misting, canning jars with a kelp water mixture.


It is all good and very reassuring. All that life, all those bits of green.


Yes, spring is coming!


What are you growing?

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april garden.

I love walking through the garden at this time of year. Yes, there is a lot of work to be done, but there is also so much to see, it is just not as blatant as in August.

So much life.

So much potential.

So much beauty.

We have parsley, lovage, lemon balm, chives, garlic, spinach, lettuce, rhubarb, mint, peas, radishes, mustard greens, mache, spring onions and turnips - most still tiny, but growing so much each week. The currants are showing their beginnings, raspberries are popping up all over, and strawberry heads are looking lovely. The lilacs and tulips are getting close, and the irises have just started to peek up as all of our trees and bushes are showing green.

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley


What is blooming in your garden?

gettin' dirty.

With these warm (hot!) days we have been outside every moment. While we have had plenty of time for playgrounds, parks, and nature walks, we have also spent a lot of time at home, in our yard. It feels SO GOOD to get outside in the warm sun with bare feet to dig, to rake, and get our hands and feet dirty.


All of this warmth and sunshine means the soil is warm (for now) and things are growing. Spinach, greens, chives, garlic, parsley and more are peeking up.


While we know we will be getting some cold wet weather again, we still started some early spring goodness this week. We chose the sunniest sheltered plot with the lightest soil (which had a lot of bunny compost worked in).

We planted radishes, mustard greens, early peas, lettuce mixes, mâche, and spring onions. While raking and planting in our rich soil the birds visited us - robins following close behind, pecking away so close we almost reach out and could touch them. They don't seem to worry about us when there is freshly turned earth to explore.


While working and playing in the garden we have been noticing all of the buds - lilac, currants, raspberries - so much happening, so much to see, even in our little yard.


Here in Wisconsin early 'spring' is mostly just a concept as we are often still cold and snow covered. But this week we have been given a real glimpse, and have enjoyed every minute of it.

jungle stage.

The garden has been growing so much that if I take pix but don't post them, they are outdated in days! We are officially in jungle phase. Tomatoes are ripening, beans and peas are picked daily, raspberries are being eaten right off the cane, and the squash and cucumbers are sneaking their way around bushes and landscaping to snake throughout. There isn't an empty inch! I thought I'd post a few before and today pix - to see how the garden is growing!


The photo above is from the first week of May. Everything is empty! We have a very small yard, and have beds along the side - one side of the garden is against neighbors home, the other side against ours (we have side yards here).


This photo above is from mid-June. Filling in, but still fairly small.


And this is last week - definitely filling in. It has that chaotic beauty today, as everything is so tall and so green.


This photo above is from today - the beans have grown up the whole twine line and have reached the top of the gazebo, while below them peppers, calendula, borage, lemon balm, squash, beans and spinach are huge mixed between other flowers and plants.


Many of you asked about the rain barrel cover (yes, that is my shadow ;)). Well, in May I ran twine line from the ground and tied it into a piece of twine around the top. I just keep clearing the area just around the spout, but otherwise it is covered with morning glories. Next to that the cucumbers are vining up a metal trellis in front of our AC, and squash is going along the ground.


I was looking at photos from this time last year and can really see how much we have expanded the beds. It is amazing how pulling out a landscaping bed even just a foot can make such a huge difference!

So here is my updated list of what is growing right now:

Front porch/pots: potatoes (3 types in 5 bags), tomatoes (4 hanging, 2 pots), peppers (4), squash (1), and several small pots of herbs (basil, parsley, oregano).

Back porch/pots: shisho, oregano, marjoram, 2 types of basil, sorrel, strawberry spinach, lovage, tomatoes (3), peppers (3), savory.


Lower back raised bed: tomatillo (2), tomato (1), strawberries, raspberries, mixed flowers. Plus a small rain garden off of our downspout.

Square bed off back of deck: beets, carrots, garlic, shallots, peas, chives, mustard.

Along side of neighbors house: wonderberries, red currants, peas, kale, dill, beans (purple pole, scarlet runner), watermelon, melon, baby blue hubbard squash, butternut squash (2), tomatoes (orange flesh purple smudge (2), green zebra (2)), peppers (2), nasturtiums, lovage, cabbage, mesclun mix, calendula, chinese long beans, lemon summer squash.


Along side of our house: borage, calendula, peppers (5), tomatoes (3), cabbage, kohlrabi, peas, cucumbers (3), sunflowers, purple pole beans (3), scarlet runner beans (3), baby blue hubbard squash, butternut squash, lebanese bush marrow summer squash, white acorn bush squash (2), potatoes (in wooden barrel), white pumpkins (up arbor), lemon summer squash, raspberries.

Front raised bed: purple bush beans (4), green bush beans (2), strawberries, peppers (2), flowers.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but that is a good list! We have fruit, vegetables, trees, bushes, flowers and more...all mingled and growing happily.


It sounds like we have a big space, I know, but interplanting small quantities within the landscaping rather than planting in rows really allows for a lot of variety in a small space. Having pots helps expand that too. I'm sure our neighbors are wondering what is going on ;), but by keeping the front and back smaller and neater with lots of colorful flowers, it keeps it looking more organized and neat, while the more gangly or bushy plants are behind our line of bushes at the arbor, not as visible from the street. It does also make it seem like we have a secret garden past our lush arbor too - with a center strip - yet plenty of room - left for little boys to play...soccer, sprinkler, T-ball, basketball...

As we expanded the beds a bit this year, we are finding that there are a few things we will change next year to help keep the back areas a bit more accessible, but overall everything is growing great!

How is your garden growing?

From hot to snow.

I can't believe it is already Monday night! Last week we had several days of weather getting warmer and warmer until peaking at 74º and sunny on Saturday. The boys were so happy - they rode bikes, played basketball and soccer in the yard, made up funny games, helped me dig and rake the beds, and played with all the neighbor kids in our busy family friendly alley. We even had a mini bonfire in our yard on a warm weekend night, and made s'mores with all of the neighbor kids.

In the garden we hardened spring seedlings and planted out all of the early spring plantings - peas, early cabbage, greens, radishes, kale, and more. So much garden work, all with the help of my sweet husband - the weather was just right for it all. On Saturday we visited an Earth Day Celebration to pick up our new humongous rain barrel (yay!) to add to our side yard.


And then Sunday came - full of cold and rain. We finished some yard work and headed down to visit a Natural History Museum in Illinois. Dinosaurs, rocks, wigwams, and a great kids room. Just what we needed to enjoy the day.


Today? More cold and rain and a lot of fun indoor play and books to read. Tonight and tomorrow? Snow! We are good with it, though. After a long cold winter we can't take on the full force heat and sun right away - it is too much (and I'm one tired mama after all that planting and garden clean-up!). We need some up and down, some cold rainy days. That is how we start to get that green grass, those vibrant green buds, and what brings our trees a burst of spring foliage. So, tomorrow? Some new fun projects inside, a big stack of new books from the library, and some baking (G wants to make cinnamon rolls). Sounds perfect.

wearing of the green.

Well, while we did not wear green today, we are surrounded by green. Spring is just around the corner and we have living green things on counters, windowsills, tables and racks.


The windowbox tomatoes we started in January are getting bigger.


Mung bean sprouts are just about ready - I know what I'll be having for lunch tomorrow.


Sunflower sprouts are getting going (tasty treat) and the arugula is almost ready to snip for a salad.


And in the basement, the tiniest seedlings are peeking their heads up - growing growing growing! I love starting seeds. It does take a little attention over a few months, but it is so worth it.

For those of you who are starting seeds for the first time this year - here are a few good resources to keep you moving along! :)

>>Book: Gardening from Seed: The Keys to Success with Flowers and Vegetables - Martha Stewart. Good photos showing you the actual seed starting process and supplies.

>> Blog: Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op:: Easy & Inexpensive Seed Starting System.

>>Podcast: Garden Girl TV:: Indoor Gardening #1 | #2 | #3

After a few days of warmth and sun we have cooler (and wetter) weather on its way. With this cold bug we are actually looking forward to some gray wet days so that we can cozy up inside and recover completely. So even as the real spring arrives (sun and 70º does not feel like spring to us - cool and WET does!), we have plenty of green inside, and weeks of new seedlings to start as we go!

seed planning.

This weekend we took some time to finish our seed prep and sort, organize, chart, plot, and plan. We are at our first seed starting week, and have all the lights and warming mats ready to go too. Woo hoo!


I like to figure it all out in advance with all the staggered start dates and transplant dates listed so that when we are busy and out more later in the spring it is all done already and I just have to follow my chart. Being sorted also allows the boys to participate a lot more during the whole process...they can find the current batch, count out seeds, and plant them in addition to helping with the lighting and watering throughout.


For the seeds, I like to use a photo box. I put the seeds in the box, sorted by seed starting date, earliest in front, direct sow later in back. I group them by the start date relative to last frost'ish. Last frost is marked 0 week. So before that is -1 to -11, etc., and after that is +1, etc. I also mark the cards with plant date in relation to last frost. I print out a calendar and mark weeks pre and post frost on it and stick it to the wall next to my seed trays. Once the seeds are all organized in my box I keep them in a cool place and we just have to grab the next batch at the right time, and start another tray.


We also finished up the grid layouts. For the community garden it is simple because it is a square - I can calculate how many plants can fit per square foot easily, based on how far apart they need to be and how much space I marked on our plot grid. Sooo I know how many seedlings to start. With planting in the yard, I guess. I plant in wavy curvy beds along the house near other plantings with no clear measurements and so just estimate where and how many. It works. If you know your space, grid and plan away, but don't be afraid to make a guess and start a bunch of seeds and stick 'em in when they are ready. If you have extra, spread the love. My neighbors are always thrilled if I have a few extra tomato or pepper seedlings in May! And just about anything can grow in a pot too, so if you run out of space in the bed, try putting a few in pots and then compare how they do.

This year I feel the need to be more organized than usual, since we will have the three plots - home yard, family community garden plot, and kids community garden plot.  My husband helped me make a cool spreadsheet for what we are growing where, how many, and with all the dates. It should help me keep track of everything, and manage it somewhat as we go. I'm going to make a master blank version and post it later if anyone is interested. 

I also have found some good online tools for calculating and planning dates - here are *just* a few::

You Grow Girl’s Lazy Gardener’s Seed Starting Chart

Spring Planting Calendar

Farmer's Almanac Planting Timetable

While it is still cold outside, starting seeds really makes you feel like spring is indeed on the way and will be here in no time. Well, maybe not no time (I do live in Wisconsin after all), but I'm looking on the bright side! :)

gardening books...

I love gardening books. I am always on hold for them while they are still on order, wait for months, and I browse and flip pages every quiet moment when they come in.

I think for me the gardening books I like the most are more about the garden as a whole living organism - gardens mixed and intermingled with edibles growing seemingly wild and dense yet somehow also looking neat, organized and healthy. I also like finding those books which have information such as grids and calendars for seed starting, calculating how much space and how many plants you need, and how to save seeds. These are the books that don't often have photos, but they help me wrap my head around the planning. I most often read garden books for inspiration during these last few months of winter and don't often go back to read anything during the actual growing season, soI relish turning their glossy pages and seeing beautiful photos.

Here are just a few in my pile right now (I have to pick only a few - really - it is hard to stop myself from listing dozens!!!!) - ask me next week and my list will change, but I am enjoying these:

Mini farming for self sufficiency by Markham, Brett L.

The organic gardeners handbook by Tozer, Frank.

Grow organic Dorling Kindersley

The great vegetable plot : delicious varieties to grow and eat by Raven, Sarah.

New kitchen garden : organic gardening with herbs, vegetables, and fruit by Caplin, Adam.

McGee & Stuckey's the bountiful container : a container garden of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers by McGee, Rose Marie Nichols.


And my current favorite, which is much more than just a gardening book:





Gardening at the Dragon's Gate: At Work in the Wild and Cultivated World by Wendy Johnson








Of course if you ask 20 people to recommend a nice gardening book, you will get 20 answers. What is your favorite gardening book right now?

I have many more gardening books in my reading list (shows only a few at a time, but there are a lot in there!).

Big list of seeds.

Each year I expand the growing space in our small yard. Having a long narrow landing strip side yard means I plant against the houses with limited sun each day. With buried utilities, HOA rules, and not much space, we don't have the optimal gardening space. But we make it work, and each year we grow even more. Our garden is always green and lush and we get a good bit out of a small space. It is nice when it fills in so thickly in the summer too - almost like we have our own secret hidden garden in the midst of a close neighborhood.

This year we will expand our yard garden once again and are also expanding into community plots. We plan to have one family plot at this community garden where we can grow food that likes more space and sun than we can provide in our yard here.


I am also hoping to be granted a second plot for a child garden, to be planted and cared for by several families of kids. For this, I have sketched out a bean teepee, in addition to a sampling of many types of veggies that will produce in longer spurts so that there can be weeks of harvest - such as radishes, italian stuffing peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and more. It will be fun to also grow different things such as miniature red popcorn, peanuts, ghost pumpkins, and beautiful sunflowers in addition to things that can be used to make natural dyes. Variety and color is good. It will be great to have a spot where we can go throughout the season and let the kids roam, water, weed, pick, sit, and check on things. Get their hands dirty, and see what works in their own little organic plot!


My eyes are always bigger than my space, but this year it is nice to think of having three growing areas to get seeds for! Ahhh. Here is a rough list of what we plan to grow within those three spaces:

beans:
bush beans: royalty purple pod
pole beans: purple podded pole
runner beans: painted lady
long beans: chinese red noodle bean
beets:
yellow cylindrical, cylindra
cabbage:
early jersey wakefield
carrots:
st. valery, yellowstone
corn:
strawberry popcorn
cucumbers:
chinese yellow, wautoma pickling
fruit:
ground cherry, huckleberry , strawberries
greens:
various greens...loose leaf & head lettuce, mesclun, mache, mix
kohlrabi:
azur star
melons:
minnesota midget
onions:
he shi ko-bunching, tokyo long white bunching
peas:
blauschokker shelling pea
peanuts: peppers:
sweet chocolate, patio red marconi, tequila sunrise
potatoes:
caribe
radish:
long scarlet, purple plum, sora
spinach:
red malabar spinach (asian vine 'spinach')
summer squash:
lemon squash
swiss chard:
five color silverbeet
tomatillo:
purple tomatillo
tomatoes:
orange fleshed purple smudge, brandywine pink, green zebra, black cherry
winter squash:
white acorn, waltham butternut, baby blue hubbard, thelma sanders sweet potato
herbs:
shisho, cilantro, several types of basil, anise hyssop, chamomile, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme, savory, mustard
dye plants:
bulls blood beet, hopi red amaranth,
in ground:
raspberries, borage, red currants, parsley, dill, chives, shallots, garlic, lemon balm, mixed herbs & flowers

It looks like a lot, but we won't plant a whole packet of seeds for each item and some will be succession planted and not all in the first round. We like to grow a bit to not only supplement our CSA each week with things that are not as common, but also to provide more veggies that can be preserved to get us through the next winter.


Splitting seeds with someone is a great way to get many more varieties to try without the extra cost - I am splitting many of the seed packets this year with a friend, and we are excited to expand our list that way.

Now I must get all of my seed starting equipment in the basement setup, checked, and ready to go!