Spring and Seeds

Magic is surely happening in our basement presently.  The mystical combination of seed, soil, water and light have been brought together to create the seedlings that will make up this years garden.

The following seeds have been planted:

Poblano pepper
Pasilla pepper
Serrano pepper
Jalapeno pepper
Georgia Flame pepper
Fire Chief Petunia (x3)
Great Quaking Grass (x3)
Cardinal Climber (x3)
Basil (x2)
Dill (x2)
Cumin (x2)
Thyme
Marjoram
Tarragon
Helichrysum (x2)
Lunaria (x5)
Ranunculus
White Poppy
Heirloom Poppy
Cherry Glow Poppy
Sunlite Poppy
Celery (x3)
Cucumber
Tomatillo (x2)
Flat of Italy onion (x3)
Australian Brown onion (x3)
Bianca di Maggio onion (x3)
Bullnose bell pepper (x4)
Black Icicle tomato (x3)

Plenty of direct-sow seed varieties remain and will be put in the ground in the coming weeks.  Melons, squash, corn, beans, carrots, beets, radish, leeks, and a mix of flowers.  Some of the flowers include hollyhock, portulaca, bee's friend, globe amaranth, borage, zinnia, cosmos, blue flax, and penstemon.

It's nearly time to begin preparing the garden beds and I couldn't be more thrilled about this fact.  Evidence of life springs forth from the flower beds all over the yard; crocus blooms can't be too far behind.

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures."  

Francis Bacon

"One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a packet of seeds." 

Dan Bennett

"How dare you treat your soil like dirt!"

Joel Salatin

Garden planning info

This year's growing season may be over but now is the time to begin planning next season's garden. Compiled below is a list of gardening catalogs and web sites that I favor.

For the past three years only heirloom seeds and plants have been grown in Wright Gardens.  No hybrid seeds or plants.  The references below reflect the same standard.  Less grass, more food!


Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - They sell only open-pollinated, non-GMO/GE seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Botanical Interests - High quality seeds, many heirloom varieties, and a large variety of organic seeds.  No GMO/GEs.  Botanical Interests have signed the Safe Seed Pledge and are included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Edible Landscaping - No herbicides are used on their plants, and none of their products are derived from or contain any GMO/GEs.

Filaree Garlic Farm - Certified annually by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, all of their garlic is certified organic.  Filagree Garlic Farm grows most of the garlic they sell and purchases the rest from other small, certified organic farmers in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.

Hood River Garlic - Hood River Garlic is a small, certified organic garlic farm located in Oregon's Hood River Valley.  They have been certified organic by the Oregon Tilth since May 2002.

Native Seeds/SEARCH - Offers seeds best suited for the Greater Southwest region (U.S.).  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Nourse Farms - Berry plants.  No GMO/GEs.

Richters Herbs - They pledge not to knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants by signing the Safe Seed Pledge.  Richters Herbs is included on the Safe Seed Resource List as well.

Seed Savers Exchange - Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.  

Select Seeds - Rare and heirloom variety of flower seeds and plants.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Victory Seeds - Rare, open-pollinated, and heirloom seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Hollingsworth Nursery - Peonies are all they do.

Moss Acres -  A beautiful lush green and the perfect solution for a shady area in your garden.  Moss is perfect for terrariums of all sizes, too.

Peony's Envy - More peonies.

Schreiner's Iris Gardens - High quality rhizomes that produce spectacular flowers.

Simply Succulents

Weeks Roses

Area calculator

Mother Earth News - Vegetable Garden Planner

NCDC: Freeze/Frost Maps

Uncle Jim's Worm Farm  - Indoor and outdoor composting supplies.  And, of course, worms!

Don't forget garden tools!

It's a garden!

It's official!  We have a sizeable vegetable bed and herb bed established, complete with transplanted seedlings.  We decided to establish the garden bed in a different location of the yard than where we began tilling.  The ultimate deciding factor was the gardens proximity to the water barrels.  

The garlic is booming and is a little more than a month away from harvest time.  Judging by the size of several of the stalks, we should have many large beautiful bulbs of garlic come July.

 

The rock divider separates the vegetable garden from the herb garden.  Transplanted sage plants look lovely in their new location.  Very tiny leek plants are planted there, too.  Soon basil, thyme, oregano, dill, marjoram, tarragon, rosemary, parsley and mojito mint will fill the remaining space in the herb garden.

More photos coming soon of the existing flower beds in the yard as well as a new bed we're going to establish in the back yard this weekend.  We have one remaining flat of flower seedlings that need a new and permanent home.  Gosh, I enjoy this time of year!