Dear Carol and Dee, March 16th, 2009
(Via Idaho Gardener)
March 16th,
Dear Carol and Dee,
Here we are, the middle of March, the Ides of March, the first day of the Roman New Year . In ancient history, the Ides coincided with a full moon. I am certainly restless enough to howl at a full moon.
I always liked my adopted dad’s take on the Ides of March. He called it the “March Yips.” His theory of the yips: people were constantly yipping about cabin fever, everyone was fit-to-be-tied, and suffering of ennui (he loved doing the crossword puzzle in ink, hence his use of the word “ennui”). It was his sage observation women tended to run out and get a new hairdo (many went blonder), a new purse and new shoes. Since this happened to all women - not just ones who were Easter Episcopalians - he issued his official proclamation that the March Yips were upon us. Right about now. So, it is with a heavy sense of ennui, an arched eyebrow at the promise of spring, I can still manage a little smirk, when I think of him and the March Yips.
March in my garden isn’t much of an event. It’s something to be endured. It feels like being yanked around at the end of a bungee cord. Snow, sun, hail, rain, cold, days like this: WAIT! IT COULD BE 75! NO! Tonight it will crash back to 27. I look longingly at the garden books I have gathered around me, almost in fortress formation, keeping myself focused on the PROMISE of the new season.
I’d venture you all are planting peas and potatoes this week., on St.P’s day. It’s not smart to plant them here this early.Potatoes don’t go in until April 1, and peas do better if you wait until April 15th . By then, the soil is warmed up and they don’t rot in the ground. I’m waiting. I will HAVE to do some cleanup if only to make room for the hundreds of tulips that need to get to the light. I see lime green sprouts where the daylilies should be.
Heck, Dee, you have already set out tomatoes, right? Hah! I have two months to wait for that ritual.
I know Carol is busily sowing, sowing, and sowing her vegetables for the garden. She is so guilty of EGG & S. Egregious garden gloating and sowing.
Full of the March Yips, I made a hair appointment for next week (cut and highlights). I also went in search of plant material. In particular, to find the very best raspberry canes I could find to add to my measly little patch. I brought home some Heritage and some Lathams –everbearing and single season varieties. I found some of the biggest, fattest rhubarb crowns and bought those as well (oh, yes, there’s a reason for these). And, while at the nursery, I decided, in the chill of the moment, in the rain, to grow asparagus. I picked five nice, spidery Jersey Knight, all male crowns. The sign said these are highly productive and don’t waste any time or space or energy on making fronds or setting seeds. Amen, those are for me.
I am soaking the canes in a B12 root stimulator to get them off to a good start. I can easily get the holes dug. Even easier if I sweet talk the under gardener (husband) into doing it for me. Don’t tell him. The plan, and I do have one, is to get the asparagus tucked into a big perennial border. Ditto the rhubarb. I am not going to waste space on growing ornamental rhubarb when I can grow the REAL thing. I intend to make pies and tarts and jams with that rhubarb, but I’m truly longing to freeze a boatload of rhubarb juice for making rhubarb martinis. Yesirrreeee.
I want to get a plan together for planting some of my own potatoes. Haven’t grown them in 15 years. I am thinking about using a couple of old plastic trash cans, ones where the bottoms have worn through, and tucking them somewhere they won’t make me crazy with their ugliness. I’ve been reading up on this technique, kind of a “piling on”, and think it might be fun to try.
A couple months ago, I heard Michael Pollan speak here. He told how he got started writing the Omnivore’s Dilemma after visiting Monsanto potato fields here in Idaho. The spuds are so full of nasty stuff, they have to be set aside to “off gas” before being sent to the grocery story. EGAD. Nowadays, I am all about organic potatoes.
This very minute I am watching Alice Waters on 60 minutes. She wants a big ol’ veg garden at the White House. And one at my house. I want to plant plant plant and eat eat eat out of my garden this year. I’ve been eating from my garden all my life - I grew up that way. My hope is to really get back to the whole foods, local (backyard is local) idea. It’s what keeps me going and planning while waiting for March to be over.
I’ll be direct sowing some poppy seeds around the perennial beds this week, but mostly still waiting for the weather to finally warm up. Go easy on me when you write back. You know I am green with envy. And plant lust.
Your Idaho gardening friend,
MA
a
Gardening Question of the Day for Monday, March 16, 2009
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from The Old Farmer's Almanac))
Can I grow okra in my northern Wisconsin garden? (answer).
Can I grow okra in my northern Wisconsin garden? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
March is Busy Time For Southern California Gardeners
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
Warm weather is within sight for gardeners, meaning plenty of planting opportunities in March for Southern California gardeners. Planting From Seed: Nothing can be more gratifying for a gardener than to watch vegetables and flowers grow from seed. Many plants grow healthier and stronger from seed by avoiding the trauma of transplanting.
Warm weather is within sight for gardeners, meaning plenty of planting opportunities in March for Southern California gardeners. Planting From Seed: Nothing can be more gratifying for a gardener than to watch vegetables and flowers grow from seed. Many plants grow healthier and stronger from seed by avoiding the trauma of transplanting.
GBBD March 15, 2009
(Via Idaho Gardener)
Let me start off with a great big whine. Want some cheese with that whine? Whaaaaaaa. Here’s what’s up in my garden: some crocus, a fistful of hellebores, and and iris reticulata. Pretty slim and pathetic pickins. I haven’t even FOUND and violas or pansies but folks are calling to tell me, oh, yes, they have been buying them by the armload at Freddies. So, you know, gentle reader, where to find me tomorrow.
Here’s the my sad story of show and tell:
They tell me the first day of spring is Friday. Harumpf.
Thanks of course, go to Carol, of May Dreams Gardens for putting together the Bloom Day project.
a
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day - March 2009
(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
I have a love-hate relationship with Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. I love to look at everyone else's gardens but hate showing off mine. I always feel that my flowers don't quite measure up and find it hard to snap images of flowers that I've been living with for the past few months.
I have a love-hate relationship with Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. I love to look at everyone else's gardens but hate showing off mine. I always feel that my flowers don't quite measure up and find it hard to snap images of flowers that I've been living with for the past few months.
Regardless, when I sit down and upload the photos from my camera to the computer a sense of pride wells within. Here in front of me are the photos that have adorning my garden beds that I have been tending. It's like some form of reward for the effort that one puts into their gardens and it is quite a reward!
While foliage and textures are making bold moves on the home garden scene they really are 'poor cousins' to the magnificence of our blooms. And, I guess the temporary nature of flowers - the fact that they only appear for short bursts - adds to their charm. When a plant begins to flower, it almost immediately changes the landscape and something very special begins to be unveiled.
As a precursor to my images, let me qualify that March in Australia is one of those very awkward gardening months. Summer is trying to finish and autumn is on its way and most of our plants are heaving a sigh of relief from the constant barrage of hot weather. The mulch I applied in spring has almost dissipated and the compost I fertilised my garden with last month is now only starting to take effect.
The garden really is getting ready to take a break - and who can blame it. It's been a long, hot summer.
So, without any further ado, here are the flowers that are blooming in my garden at the moment.
Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (GBBD) is a meme started by Carol from May Dreams Garden and encourages gardeners to share what's flowering in their gardens on the 15th of each month.
Gardening Question of the Day for Sunday, March 15, 2009
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from The Old Farmer's Almanac))
Can I grow lettuce indoors? (answer).
Can I grow lettuce indoors? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Yesterday can seem like today
(Via The Blogging Nurseryman by Trey Pitsenberger)
I had a good laugh when I read the comment from Mr. Brown Thumb at my last post. So what I think is new news, is almost ten year old news. Proven Winners has been selling in box stores since 2005. This proves a couple of points. One, I don’t get into the box stores enough [...]
I had a good laugh when I read the comment from Mr. Brown Thumb at my last post. So what I think is new news, is almost ten year old news. Proven Winners has been selling in box stores since 2005. This proves a couple of points. One, I don’t get into the box stores enough [...]
