Planting Day!!!

While we still have one more snow to go here in Ohio and our last frost date is nearly two months away, it is planting day!!!! The vernal (spring) equinox and particularly after a full moon is an excellent time to plant early cold loving root crops. Radishes, Beets, Leeks, Carrots and Onions are best planted early in the season (as soon as the ground can be worked). Since some of

these plants won't germinate for 10-20 days and not mature for 60-75 days, it is best to get them in the ground now.

Since I live in the city, the hard frosts are more than likely done for the year and I only need to worry about light frosts that may damage the leaves of early seedlings, I am safe to get the seeds in the ground. When they mature to seedlings I will only cover them with row covers, glass or plastic cloches to protect against any potential damage.

Getting started on growing my vegetables really gives me a sense that Spring has arrived!

Happy Purim, Equinox and Ostara...and Happy Gardening!

Happy Garden Visitors and New Beds

Attracting beneficial visitors to your garden means making it a hospitable place for visitors both visible and those a bit more elusive. This morning, I added another new feature to the garden, a bird bath!! A few years ago, I had to bid farewell to an old sour cherry tree. It broke my heart to have it cut down but it was really old and was beginning to split at the trunk. Removing it added more places for direct sun light...it also left a small stump. I had the arborist cut the stump as close to the ground as possible, but there was still as small flat reminder of the tree. Well today I positioned a beautiful stained concrete birdbath right on top of it and built a small bed that will hold thyme and lavender. The bath will allow birds to splash, bath and drink...I added a piece of flagstone in the middle to allow bees and butterflies to use the bath as a lovely respite from polinating and making my garden a better place to be!

I also added a small bed in a more shaded part of the garden. I will sew peas in this bed as well as cooler climate crops such as arugula and lettuces, with its location, I can have fresh salads all summer long!!!

Happy Gardening!

The Herb Garden

Yesterday I spent the afternoon preparing the potager for spring, I top dressed the beds with compost and hand tilled the soil (avoiding the sprouting garlic of course). But what I was most excited about was working on the perrenial herb garden!

Three years ago when I renovated my kitchen, we eliminated an exterior door and back porch leaving a large bed (where my new eco friendly air conditioner lives). In my haste preparing for a party, I planted some plants in this bed just to get something in it...not a terrible choice, but just not the most practical.

After a few years of a lot of change in my life, I am finally coming back to this bed and putting in what I have always wanted, a perrenial herb garden. I have grown herbs in pots since I bought this house, but have always bid them goodbye at the first frost only to buy them the following year. Now I can have herbs that come back year after year (with some winter protection). The previous residents of the bed have either been transplanted or thanked for their service and composted. I never take the life of a plant for granted so while they are no longer in this bed, they will live on in compost for the garden and its newest residents...culinary and medicinal herbs!! Stay tuned for the progress!!

Happy Gardening!