Pollen & Planting

Spring pollen has arrived full force with the blooming of DC's many famous trees, and with it come all the allergies that we, the unlucky masses have to face. It also means it's past time to get some stuff in the ground. And that's what we did this last weekend, finally planting all those spring seedlings we've been tending and hardening off. We've got kale, spinach, arugula, and brussel spouts galore. Using old seeds, the peas and zinnias we planted didn't work out for us.

Detailed maps of our front garden beds to be posted later today. For now, check out Calendula & Concrete's helpful spring schedule, which we are in total agreement with, even if we are very late.

Speaking of being behind, we still not have not planted our community garden plot, and it is a mess over there. We have started a map, but at this rate, we may be looking at missing all of early spring, which is a real shame. We also don't have any summer seedlings going yet, not even tomatoes. But, truth be told, I don't like to plant those until late-May anyway. (You can take the girl out of Wisconsin, but you can't take the Wisconsin out of the girl.) We've had great luck direct-seeding tomatoes, so will probably go that route again for a few of our favorite heirlooms. I also am a whore for some big-box store's clearance of eggplant and tomatoes towards the end of their planing time. We got about a dozen peppers, eggplants and tomatoes last year for $1.50 each. Great deals for Big Boy and Early Girl, of course, you can't get fantastic heirloom varieties that way. And, after reading Slate's article last week about the tomato industry, I am about ready to grow my own and can enough for the entire year. Think: Tomatoes that bounce. Ew.

Decorate Your Garden

I have this fantasy of a perfect, well decorated garden.  For now, here are 3 things i'd love to see planted this spring that won't grow leaves.  Perfect garden accessories. Sigh. Getting warmer now!

Brown Bag Cozies Bottle by myimaginaryboyfriend on Etsy
Personalized Garden Welcome Sign
Mud Puppy Moon Chimes

What to Plant Now: March: Mid-Atlantic Gardening Region

I am in love with this new, simple, and super helpful chart from Mother Earth News! What to Plant Now: March: Mid-Atlantic Gardening Region

"Megastorms" Coming - should I put the seedlings in?

The red shades indicate 2-3" of rain.
Source: NOAA

I forgot the seedlings outside overnight, but they still made it! Hooray! Thank goodness it didn't get to cold. I was freaking out this morning when I woke up. All that care put in, thrown away on a one night stand just was to much for me to handle. But they made it! Which makes me even more excited to plant these over-due puppies. 

But, now this! The Forecast, from the Capital Weather Gang: "This forecast is a wet one! The models over the past 24 hours have all been simulating 2 to 4 inches of rain to impact the area Friday through Sunday. This is a real 'megastorm' with a circulation extending from the Plains to the East Coast."

Hardly Frosty

We're Safe! Or at least safe enough, I've decided, to start planting our little baby seedlings out in their cold frames. I sweat by Accuweather.com. It should stay in the mid-30s at night, so I'm going bold and moving our hardy seedlings out into their new homes by this weekend.  Phew  This winter has been long and hard. I can't wait to get our next set of seedlings going!  Behind again, already!

Our First Garden

Spring is still creeping up, and I'm getting nostalgic.  Our first garden's bounty was HUGE and we knew nothing about gardens.  We were blessed with good soil.  That makes all the difference in the world.  check out our first ever harvest.  (Why didn't we pick that basil sooner? We have no idea).

Flowers You Can Eat

It's getting warmer! Last night we forgot to close the window in the bathroom and I didn't freeze to death. This morning, I woke up early for an am meeting to the sounds of birds singing. Positively spring-like. The Last Frost is coming, I can Feel It.

Which means: Flowers. I love flowers. I'm a true bread and roses kinda gal, when broke and in college, I used to go grocery shopping and then bargain with the flower stand man to get some flowers for whatever cash I had left when I came out. What I should have done? Grown flowers I could also eat.