Saving Money With Seed Starting

I realize I haven't given you an update on my seed starting experiment. 

Sorry about that, there are so many things I want to share with you, and yet only so many hours in the day!

Ready For Planting!

After a LOT of very hard work, my crooked little country garden is ready for spring planting!

I'm always a little overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done around the gardens in the spring. 

Somehow, I always manage to get it done, but it sure would be easier if I had a clone. 

My Crooked Little Country JUNGLE

Remember a while back I shared some photos of my crooked little country garden?

Well, it's out of control. 

Five Ways To Use All That Zucchini!

I know I'm not the only one who has an abundance of zucchini and yellow squash coming out of the garden right now....after all, 'tis the season!

I've been trying out some new recipes lately for all that zucchini goodness....and so far, each and every recipe has been an overwhelming success!

What's Planted In My Veggie Garden

It might not look like much yet, but there's a whole lot going on in this little crooked country veggie garden of mine! 

Growing Fruit in Containers

I've been doing some research on the best fruits to grow in containers. It's tough in my region, unless you have a heated sunroom in which to overwinter them, to grow things like citrus. 

Living the Dream

In my dreams, I'm living a sustenance lifestyle. I'm growing my own food, living off the land, totally off grid. Fishing in the creek for my supper, pulling some greens out of the garden to go along with my grilled fish. Fresh milk from a cow to provide my dairy. 

In reality, that's not the case. I don't know that it ever could be, either. 

The Easy Peasy Way to Grow Potatoes

It was a busy, busy weekend around here and I have tons to show you....but I have to get outside before the rain comes to give my grass the first cut of the season. 

On Your Mark....Get Set.....GO!!

Are you ready? 

It's time to get started!!

How to Get the Garden Ready for Planting

I'm so excited because I was finally able to spend some time outside this weekend! Not only did the weather cooperate.....for a little while....but my back was much improved yesterday as well!

I can't tell you how good it felt to be outside working in the fresh air, instead of inside nursing a sore back.

A Very Happy Day

Today is my Houseaversary,! One year ago today I closed on my home. It was a wonderful, fabulous, beautiful, incredible day. 

Almost as good as when I gave birth to my daughters. 

Spring Project Update

There is a gentle, sweet spring rain falling as I write this. The air smells fresh and clean and the morning is quite warm for March in the mountains. 

The bedroom windows are open and the cool spring breeze is cleansing the room of the remaining stale winter air. 

How to Save Big Money Each Spring

It was a frigid 12 degrees when I woke this morning and I'm so glad I put my little pansies and strawberries indoors! They would not have been happy in that serious cold - brrrrrrrrr!!!

Seed Starting in the Snow

Winter has returned to the mountain top after Mother Nature decided she was mad at me. 

It is what it is. I can't change it so I just have to continue on with my spring dreams. 

Waiting Ever So Impatiently

Here we are just days away from the official start of spring and the weather has gone from spring to winter back to spring so many times I feel like a yo-yo. 

I bet that's how all the trees and animals feel also. 

Spring Reading

I love to read. It's one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon....when I have time to do so. 

A good book, a cup of tea, a roaring fire, a pup on my lap. Perfect winter's afternoon. 

Weekend Things

It was a busy but beautiful weekend here in the mountains....the best part being that I was NOT WORKING!!  Well....not working at the office, anyway - but let's face it, there's always a ton to do around the house. And after being in the office every weekend for what seems like forever I was one busy girl around home this weekend!

And I was happy as a clam. 

I kicked off the weekend with a lovely evening with my sweetie on Friday with dinner out at a local brewery. 

Followed by dessert at home.....

Just look at those beautiful chocolates - and I'll tell you, they taste even better than they look!

Roses in the Sun - Finding the Perfect Obelisk

What a crazy storm we had last night - thunder, lightening, heavy rains, high winds - whew! The creek on my property is roaring again - I could hear it from the bedroom with all the windows shut!

I jumped out of bed and couldn't wait to get outside. It was lovely and warm out, and although everything was absolutely drenched I had to go for a little walkabout. 

Which of course got me thinking again about spring gardening. 

The folks that owned the house before me came from a family of gardeners - I really lucked out. 

The steps that lead up to my deck walk right up through a lush perennial garden. What a lovely welcome to my home!

August 2015 - Looking up the steps towards the small set of stairs to the deck and kitchen door

It got a little crazy in those perennial beds this summer, as shown in these August photos. however, in my defense, this was my first season in the house and I had to let everything grow to see what's what. 

Flower Dreams

As you may have deduced, I have big time spring fever. 

It's too early, I know. 

But I can't help it. 

I can't do much yet but dream....and order supplies.

Yesterday I was researching starting vegetables from seed. Which is exciting, because I love harvesting vegetables I've grown myself....especially when I've started them from an itty bitty seed!

Today I'm looking into flowers that I want to start from seed. But how on earth will I narrow it down? There are a billion awesome varieties out there and I want to try them all!

But let's be sensible here....that would cost me a fortune. And I don't have room.....or time.....to grow 18 million types of seeds. 

Perhaps I'll narrow it down to just 10 types...that seems reasonable!

Here's what I'm considering at this point:

1. Hyacinth Bean

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The flowers are simply lovely and the seed pods and beautiful foliage add an extra pop of purple in the garden. Bonus - all parts of the plant are edible! It's a win-win for me!

2. Nasturtium

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Always. I just love this old fashioned flower. I have been peppering my garden with Nasturtium seeds for as long as I can remember. I plant them in my veggie garden and not only do they brighten up the garden but of course the flowers and leaves are wonderful in a salad!

3. Morning Glory

Morning Glory is another flowering vine I always and forever will have in my garden. This simple, old fashioned climber just makes my heart sing when I see it scrambling up and around the fences and trellises of my gardens and blooming away. I know Morning Glory is invasive in certain areas so do your homework before introducing this climber to your garden. Here in the Northeast we don't have that issue....and I bless and nurture each and every 'volunteer' that pops up from the previous year's vines. They are all welcome!

4. Sunflower

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Since our growing season is relatively short up here on the mountain top I am going to start my sunflowers indoors this year. However, they do tend to suffer from transplant shock so I'll put them in peat pots to be planted right into the ground when the time is right. 

There's not another flower out there that shouts "country garden" more than a sunflower! How can you help but smile when you see that sunny yellow head bobbing in a summer breeze?

5. Zinnia

I'm embarrassed to say that I believe last year may have been my first year successfully growing zinnias. Or perhaps growing them at all! I'm not sure why....perhaps they never caught my eye at the garden nursery. Last season, however, I picked up a couple of brightly colored varieties and I am now hooked! Those babies bloomed....and bloomed....and then bloomed some more! I had readers tell me how simple they are to grow from seed....and I can't wait to try!

6. Cleome

I adore Cleome in my garden every year. I've been buying starts from the garden center but this year perhaps I'll go back to starting my own from seed. I seem to remember them being quite easy to start indoors, although it has been ages since I've tried. And they are prolific self seeders so once you get a bed of these beauties going strong, there's a good possibility you'll have lots of volunteers for years to come. 

7. Nicotiana

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Nicotiana is a fabulous plant to include in your summer garden! The plant can get quite tall but mixes well in a mixed border as it's quite airy. The biggest bonus of this plant is the fact that it releases the most heavenly fragrance in the evenings....so plant it near the place you like to relax at night, such as a favorite swing, patio, or under a bedroom window. 

8. Stock

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Ahhhh, heavenly Stock! One of the best flowers to include in a spring container - this plant thrives in the early spring coolness but does not do well in summer's heat. It's worth including it if even for a short time simply to enjoy that sweet, spicy fragrance. This is another plant to include near a favorite evening spot to enjoy the heady fragrance. 

9. Larkspur

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No cottage garden would be complete without Larkspur! Another prolific self seeder, plant Larkspur in an area that you won't mind volunteers popping up for years to come. I'm good with that!

10. Lavatera

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This one is new to me but I've read about it and I'm intrigued! I always try out at least one new flower each season....although generally more than one....and this year I believe it will be Lavatera. 

I've already started compiling a seed order at Johnny's Selected Seeds.

I can't wait to get started!

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Seed Starting 101

It's an absolutely gorgeous day on the mountain top today with temps hitting 60 degrees. In February. What the heck? But hey, I'm just going to enjoy it while it lasts!

Of course I'd love to be playing in the dirt today but alas, necessary evils got in my way. In the form of a cord of wood that was dumped in my driveway and must be stacked. 

That ruined my plan of raking out some garden beds when I got home from work. Wood stacking takes precedence. 

But I can still dream about gardening, right? 

I got an email from Mother Earth News letting me know it's time to plant asparagus and onions in my area. I doubt she knows I'm on a mountain top and therefore not quite a true zone 5 but still....gardening season is around the corner!

I'm going to start some seeds in my little garden cottage this year. I was browsing around online and trying to figure out what needs to be started when and I came across this helpful chart. 

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It looks like I still have a bit of time before I need to start my seeds, which is great....because I'm still doing research. 

I found this helpful little tidbit online also:

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Good to know, right? 

What did we do before the internet? 

Of course, I couldn't stop there. There's so much information out there on seed starting and organic gardening - and since I can't stop thinking about planning out my garden I'm just sucking it all in!

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Like this little tidbit - that means I should be planting my herbs and lettuces in the portion of the garden that backs up to the garage wall. Who knew? I always thought herbs absolutely needed full sun! 

So I kept on looking and the Farmer's Almanac tends to differ in opinion...yes, there are some herbs that can take partial sun, but most do need full sun. 

So perhaps that statement is more specific to things such as lettuce, spinach, kale, etc. 

Either way, it's time for me to start figuring out what seeds I want and put in an order - yee haw, that's exciting!!

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Because pretty soon days like today are going to be a regular occurrence. 

And I want to be ready!