It's that time. . .

[MarkR]

Catalogues are rolling in, I've got the new Almanac and a new calendar, it's cold out, but I'm ready for spring. What are everyone's plans for this year?

New for me:

Borage
Safflower
Parsnips
Canteloupe (I've always grown watermelons, but want to do something different this year).
start a new rhubarb bed

Same old stuff:

tomatoes (heirlooms mostly, a nice grape tomato, romas)
lettuces
spinach
onions
tomatillos
cukes
zukes
yellow squash
beans
peas
chard
garlic (already in of course)
lots of herbs (most are still going from last year, but I think I lost my tarragon in the last snow)
pumpkins
eggplant

 

[Reinbeau]

Good job on the borage, Mark, your bees will love it, and once you've grown it, it'll self-seed for you nicely. I'm glad to see you're including herbs, I think they add quite a bit not only to our plates, but to the taste of our honey! Both my garden and my mother's are filled with herbs and the honey has a distinctively wonderful flavor from the mix. Enjoy!

 

[MarkR]

Oh, and I think I'm going to start two more hives, speaking of bees!

 

[Reinbeau]

We lost one of the two packages we installed in this yard last year, this year hubby wants to replace it with two, so a total of three here, two at my mother's (about 3.5 miles away) and an increase in the yard up in Maine to five (if all three make it up there, we'll be lucky!) Ten hive next year - hopefully we'll get more than 79 lbs next fall! :bee

 

[citygirlinthecountry]

I've decided to plant only weird stuff this year.

I found red cucumbers and mini watermelons on Amazon.com
I want to plant loofah and swan neck gourds too.

I'll plant tomatoes and butterbeans and purple snap beans, of course. I have second year strawberries that should come along nicely. I'm thinking to plant grapes and blackberries around the chicken run.
Do y'all know of any funky, fun plants I can put in? Must be either pretty or yummy.

CG

 

[digitS']

CG, if you are growing loofah you may want to grow snake gourd, also. I did last year and, in a very protected location, it did great. The loofah (or luffa) is an edible gourd but snake gourd is tastier - maybe even better than zucchini. It's really quite a dynamic vine as well .

I like leeks and really all onions. Most people don't bother with that plant and I didn't think they'd do well here. I expect that leeks would be happy in the UK and this climate probably couldn't get any farther from cool, overcast, rainy UK-typical. But, leeks did fine in an area with only morning sun.

And to go with your GIANT onions - do parsnips count as "funky" and "fun?" They can sure get BIG. Only a little patch of deeply prepared soil can produce huge roots by the end of the growing season. We still have some in the fridge - they are soooo sweet and fragrant.

Love-lies-bleeding is one strange looking flower. And for funky and fun - how 'bout kiss-me-over-the-gate? How are those for names?!? Can't get much more dramatic than these two in looks, either! And, they are easy-peasy to grow.

Steve
:tools

 

[Reinbeau]

CG, if you are growing loofah you may want to grow snake gourd, also. I did last year and, in a very protected location, it did great. The loofah (or luffa) is an edible gourd but snake gourd is tastier - maybe even better than zucchini. It's really quite a dynamic vine as well .

They had snake gourds growing in the display garden at the Marshfield Fair last year, they were quite odd!

I like leeks and really all onions. Most people don't bother with that plant and I didn't think they'd do well here. I expect that leeks would be happy in the UK and this climate probably couldn't get any farther from cool, overcast, rainy UK-typical. But, leeks did fine in an area with only morning sun.

I love growing little onions! I planted three kinds last summer, Purplette and two other bunching types (it's too early for my little brain, can't remember all of the names). Leeks are fun, too, I've got some out in the garden still hoping they'll overwinter and bloom in the spring, honeybees are supposed to love them!

And to go with your GIANT onions - do parsnips count as "funky" and "fun?" They can sure get BIG. Only a little patch of deeply prepared soil can produce huge roots by the end of the growing season. We still have some in the fridge - they are soooo sweet and fragrant.

I never have really good luck with parsnips, they just don't attain any size. At least this past season I got a few. Keep trying! :watering

 

[MarkR]

Netflix is generally great! They made a mistake, though, and sent me something I didn't cue. What the heck does this have to do with the topic, you ask. Ah, well the movie they sent was called "Greenfingers" starring Clive Owen and Helen Mirren. It's quite delightful and definitely helps with the winter garden blues. It's based on a true story, though who knows how much was changed to make it more interesting. I have a vague memory of hearing something about it years ago. Anyway, I highly recommend it! It's got me smiling! So. . . put down the catalogues for a bit and go check it out.

Mark

 

[digitS']

Looks like fun, Mark! Haven't seen it!

I guess this news story is what inspired the author. Here's some quotes, ''In order to work as a gardener,'' said Tom Williams, the prison's warden, ''a prisoner needs no horticultural experience. But he must be quick to learn, work hard and have a sense of humor under pressure.''
For all the efficiency of the prison's garden operation, there is one drawback: as Jeff Goundrill said, ''The best gardeners are always being released.'' All right! Yea! Oh-yea! Right-o!

I hope it doesn't make me feel like I did when the greenhouse crew went to see Peter Sellers' "Being There" after it was released.

Here's a quote from that movie from the housekeeper, Louise: "Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a piss-ant. And I'll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th' ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass."

I left the theater with barely a shred of self-respect and hoping that it was no Chance that I became a gardener . . .

Steve