My favorite color is green!

Wow... What a difference a month makes! 

The garden is looking better than ever, and full of green bounty! We've enjoyed an endless supply of lettuce, green onions, sugar snap peas, and snow peas... so far... and it's only June! Although, I'll admit, that the peas haven't actually made it to the kitchen. They are way too good to snack on while working in the garden. I've learned a lot in the past month, including the need for quality food. I found an organic vegetable food at the local improvement store, specifically containing lots of nitrogen, bone meal, and other healthy ingredients. I've only applied it once so far and the veggies seem to love it. That, and the sunshine we've actually received lately. =) Plus, I'm actually watering all my plants... something I know a few of you were skeptical about!

Slugs have been the common pest in the garden. We started by putting coffee grounds around the perimeter of the garden bed. This helped a little, but some slugs still crossed the boarder. Our local nursery told me about Sluggo, an organic product that is safe for kids, pets, and most of all edible vegetables. I've applied it, and so far so good, but my beans still need to recover from their hole ridden leaves. I also finally gave up on my corn this year. With this weather, there was no chance for success when it comes to that sun loving vegetable! In its place I planted Rainier strawberries and patty pan squash. Both seem to like the location, and the blooms on the squash are absolutely stunning... especially lying next to my nasturtium. Neither have produced any fruit, but are growing rapidly.

Speaking of squash, I have a funny story. There's a booth at the local farmers market that I love to go to. They always have the healthiest starts and the freshest veggies; and even last week they had the most gorgeous peonies... my favorites! Well, I purchased some zucchini starts from them awhile back and I've watched them triple in size the past month. Except, what do I find? Broccoli!!! Yep, they must have mislabeled their container, because this definitely is not producing the yummy zucchini I was so looking forward too! Of course with my 'new' gardening eyes, I didn't even catch it until the broccoli started to flower. Lesson learned!!

I think what I've enjoyed so far is the fact that the garden has been somewhat successful. I'm so proud to show people what I've done, even more so than I ever thought. Even if it's just lettuce and onions so far, those are things I've been able to pick daily as I need them. And I know that no one else has touched them, processed them, or put any chemicals on them. There is definitely something to be said about washing the lettuce you pick from your own garden. I find it so therapeutic to wash the lettuce I've grown myself... a chore I have not previously enjoyed!

Peas will be peas...

Hi, me again! I've missed you, sweet computer! 

Hearty Lettuce!

Our garden is looking fabulous, but not without some worry, frustration, rainouts, and finally... sunshine! With it freezing longer than had planned, I lost a few veggies. I had to pull the beans, some peas, and all the carrots. Our strong stand outs? Kale, lettuce, arugula, and onions!! These guys are awesome and now are growing faster than ever. The sun actually came out for a week straight too, and who'd a thought these little guys love sun?! They must love it just as much as I do because they all doubled in size this week. Elisa and I replanted beans (now sprouting!), spinich, more arugula, more peas, and nisturtiums. All are doing well! I finally got my herbs planted too, although I was still hesitant with this pesky weather. Rosemary, cilantro, dill, parsley, basil.... yummy! Next on the agenda will simply be... water, weed, feed, water, weed, feed, and repeat!

Mom, I think we should plant strawberries over there!

June is going to be a big month for us... Callen turns one, the YMCA opens, and we are getting a Trader Joes (not in that order)! Which one do you think I'm most excited about?? For Callens birthday we want to have a BBQ, in the garden! So hopefully, things are looking even stronger and more vibrant by then. So far so good!! It will be fun to share the growth and beauty of both my garden, and my son with close friends and family. Both are challenging, rewarding, and a joy to watch grow... but there's nothing better in life than my little boy. =)

Yikes!

Frost is so scary!!

We planted our beds two weeks ago, but the cold weather and frost is lingering longer than we thought. All the veggie starts were looking good for a few days, but now I'm not so sure! The poor little guys, I feel like I let them down. =(

We are going to hold out a couple more days to see how they react to a little bit warmer weather... we did hit 71 degrees yesterday! If the little seedlings don't bounce back, we'll have to dig them up, add them to the compost, and start again with direct sown seeds, or better yet, starts purchased from the farmers market!

I'll keep you posted... hopefully more frequently than of late!

Ciao~

It's planting time!

Wow, it's finally here!

Corn sprouts!

It's been way too long since my last post! Since the last time we've talked, there has been some sweet corn, zucchini, carrots, beans and carrots planted/started. They are all doing fabulously and are itching to be planted in the raised beds... which have also been completed since we've talked last! Since it's been awhile, I have way too many photos to share. Bare with me while this ends up being more of a story board, than a blog!

Family work party!

The garden beds are beautiful, if I can brag about my husband. He did a fantastic job, and created a perfect home for all our veggies. The beds are lined with recycled cardboard from our composter that we bought, and the many diapers we've purchased! They are then lined with weed blocker fabric, as a double dose of treatment! And then are filled with an organic vegetable garden mixture that is 70% compost. The locals rave about it, so here's to hoping it lives up to it's name! Thank you so much to my family for helping get all this done!

Hardening Veggies!

Over the past two weeks I've started the hardening process... although I must admit that it has been somewhat haphazardly... as in, only days that I remember, or just opening the window for an hour or two to let some cold air in! But now, I'm inpatient and in the ground they go!

Elisa and I started planting today! It was quite an emotional experience... we are so worried about our little seedlings and how they are going to make it in the big cold, windy, and sunny world! I'm sure they will thrive on their new bound independence; especially with all the spring sun they are about to enjoy. My son is experiencing his new independence as well... crawling as quick as he can, and creeping along furniture, ready to walk on his own any day! Really? At 9.5 months?! Time goes by way too fast.

Carrot sprouts, with Callen in the background!

Elisa!

With the beds filled with veggies, it is abundantly clear that we were very ambitious in planting are seed starts! Between the two beds, we only need to fill about 25% and we have over 100 starts left over! Oops!! Oh well, we've learned so much, so it is great to have extras. Besides, I was able to trade some with Heidi for some jalapeno, paloma, and bell peppers and basil... yummy! The rest will find a home around the yard, at Elisa's house, or in pots on the deck. We are doing nothing but experimenting this year, so might as well add different environments to the mix!

Our plans/scribble!

When laying out the garden plan, we used the Territorial Seed Company Garden Planner. It is awesome! Once you select all your veggies and the space to plant them, it even maps out when to sow, thin, and harvest your plants. I highly recommend it. However, I also recommend to double check your plant compatibility. For instance, did you know that kale and onions don't like each other? Me neither, until now! There are many great resources out there that will share what plants should be planted next to others, and which ones to avoid. This can affect common diseases, and even vegetable production.

Plant ID sticks! 

Our local Poulsbo Farmers Market opened this past weekend. I was excited to see that it has grown in size this year, and was especially happy to see some of my favorite vendors return. I was hoping to purchase my herb starts this weekend, but there still wasn't much out there. Instead, I came home with two lemon scented geraniums and six Quinault Strawberry plants. What a treasure a farmer's market is! They are working on becoming year round... so exciting!!

Thinning the crop... a lesson learned.

To thin or not to thin...

Thinning seedlings is a very important part of the gardening process. Thinning removes the smaller, weaker starts, allowing for the others to grow stronger, no longer competing for water, food, and sun. I thinned my plants yesterday. And although it was a heartbreaking process (how can I possibly choose one seedling over another?!), it was a rewarding one because my seed starts have entered their next phase of life and are on there way to getting even stronger for transplanting into the garden.

Now, comes the part where I tell you not to thin... Always read the seed packets before thinning!! I didn't do this. I left the peas for last because they were looking so bountiful, I had the hardest time seeing some of them go. But from all the reading I've done I figured, it was best for them, right? Wrong! After finishing I went to write in my journal to document the date of thinning and I took a peek at the peas seed packet. Yes, you guessed it, it said "do not thin"... I am so disappointed right now, but I still have hope. Although peas can be sown directly into the ground, we didn't do that this year since we are still building the garden beds. Thus, the seed starts are still growing within a couple inches of each other, even after being thinned. I'm hoping that this will be close enough for them to still use each other as support to continue to grow. I am getting a little nervous about getting them in the ground sooner than later as some of them are already a 10-12" and desperately need to get started on a trellis. Soon, my little peas, soon...

On a brighter note, my lettuce problem ended up not being a problem! It just looks like that! (Thanks for the consultation Heidi!) I didn't thin the lettuce yet, because I'm waiting for it to get a little stronger. The pumpkins are looking amazing too! Here's one of my favorite photos of one of the seedlings still holding on to the seed casing.

This afternoon is one of our last planting sessions... rhubarb, squash, beans, and carrots! After that we'll just have corn, and sunflowers! Where am I going to put all these trays?! Even more importantly, how are they all going to fit in my garden?


Enjoy your Sunday everyone, and happy planting! 

Bogs and Skinny Jeans

Spring has sprung! 
With all the rain, thunder, lightening, and gloominess covering our house the past few days, today's clear skies were a welcome reprieve! I planted a bunch of bulbs in the front yard last fall for the first time... a variety of tulips and some others that I can't remember the name of, but are pictured below! Its a pleasant surprise to find them popping out in early March, ready to announce the beginning of spring. Our entire family spent the afternoon today in the yard , working on garden beds, trimming ferns, and just plain enjoying some fresh air.

Callen enjoyed his afternoon nap strapped to my back in the Ergo, while I trimmed all the ferns in the front yard... adding another 20 lbs to your body is a great workout, and helps me fit into my skinny jeans! Now that's multi-tasking!

Joel is getting started on the second garden bed, and now that we have a system down, we are hoping to have it completed by the end of the week. (or at least that's my idea!) My peas are out growing their pots and are going to be ready to plant as soon as we can get the soil and compost in the beds.

What a difference a day makes... or two, or three...
I shouldn't have been so worried about my onions and pumpkins. The day after my last post I saw sprouts! Today, the pumpkins are popping like crazy. There is something satisfying about seeing a large seedling like pumpkins pop through the soil. I'm so excited to watch them grow!


Troubleshooting Topic #1: 
With all the successes we've seen so far, we have also come across our first concern/challenge with the lettuce. It seems to be leggier than normal, and leaning a lot towards the light, which is a sign that its not getting enough light. My make-shift plant lights (a collection of random desk lights) don't seem to be enough so we are going to have to come up with something more appropriate. Here is a link to one of my favorite online resources: Organic Gardening. They have some great tips that I'm going to try, including putting rope lights underneath the seed trays as a warming blanket. I'm going to see what I can find, unless you have any suggestions?? I'll keep you posted on my solutions. =)

All my little seedlings...

My little seedlings are growing so fast! 

The peas are about seven inches long, the kale is getting its second set of leaves, the tomatoes are looking strong, and my son has his third tooth! All the kiddos are growing so fast. =)

Last week, we sowed lettuce, arugula, red and green onion, and pumpkin. The greens have sprouted, but the others are still below the surface so I'm getting a little nervous. I'm trying to find the perfect balance of water, in fear of rotting seeds, and making sure they are getting plenty of light since we've had a couple gloomy, sunless days in this neck of the woods. Today is day seven, and the onions can take up to 12 to germinate, so I'll stand back patiently and wait for my new arrivals.

Next on our list will be the beans, squash, rhubarb, and carrots. I'm quite certain we aren't going to have enough room in our garden beds for all these vegetables, so containers are going to have to work for some. I've heard that tomatoes and squash do really well in containers. And the pumpkin and rhubarb will be moved to a different spot in the yard where they can sprawl as they wish. As spring draws near, I'm getting really excited for our first planting session.

The garden beds are coming along nicely! We have one completed so far, and are getting ready to start on the other. They will be approximately five by ten, and facing north to south along our property line. My husband and I chose to use these cement landscaping bricks instead of wood because they will last much longer. Also, it was easier to level the garden bed area using the bricks. Our next step is to line them with cardbooard as a natural weed blocker, and then fill them with organic topsoil from a local vendor.

Also new to our back yard is a compost bin. I decided to go the easy route and purchased a pre-made bin that just needed some quick (or not so quick) assembly. As far as I'm concerned, the easier the composting process, the better, at least while there is so much to learn this first season. Its great to be able to reuse our kitchen scraps for food for the garden. Grass clippings, maple leaves, and garden trimmings are all going to add vital nutrients to our compost. So, here's to some happy healthy compost.