Growth in the garden

It's official, seedlings were planted in the garden bed this afternoon!  I am exhausted from moving, lifting, dumping, squatting, standing, squatting, standing, raking, pushing, and pulling soil and mulch around the new tomato bed; but exhilarated that the garden is officially planted.

All of the vegetable and herb seedlings have been added to their respective beds.  Later this weekend the flower seedlings, as well as many packets of flower seeds, will be planted around the yard.  John purchased a wonderful selection of flowers from a local nursery that will be planted in pots, too.

Several direct-sow seeds will be sown later this weekend as well.  Carrot, bean, corn, lettuce, radish, and beet, to name a few.  I love this time of year!

The front flower beds are lush and vibrant.  The late spring bloomers (poppies, iris, and peonies) are growing like gangbusters.  In fact, a single iris bloomed today.  By this time next week, the front yard should be a riot of color.  We can hardly wait!

The red and black raspberry bushes are full of leaves and teeny tiny developing flower heads.  The strawberry bed is dotted heavily with cheery white flowers.  We are eager for berry overload!

"Revolution is based on land.  Land is the basis of all independence."

~Malcolm X, November 10, 1963

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All of the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

~Indian Proverb

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"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

~Margaret Atwood

Seeds sown in peat

Seeds planted on March 15, 2014 for Wright Gardens this year:

Tomatoes (Paul Robeson (purple), Black Seaman (purple), Zapotec Pleated (red), Jubilee (yellow))
Leek
Bell peppers (red, orange, green & yellow)
Cucumber
Fennel
Cabbage
Celery
Carrots
Hot Peppers (Georgia Flame, jalapeño, serrano, pasilla, poblano)
Parsley
Marjoram
Tarragon
Cumin
Thyme
Basil
Rosemary
Onions (red flat, white flat, brown, scallions)
Lunaria (Money Plant)
Moss Rose
Nigra Hollyhock
Fire Chief Petunia
Globe Amaranth
White Poppy
Heirloom Poppy
Cherry Glow Poppy
Sunlite Poppy


Seeds to be direct sown:
Winter Squash (Butternut, Blue Hubbard, Pie Pumpkin)
Melon (watermelon, musk)
Corn (Carl's Glass Gems, Seneca Red Stalker)
Beans (Good Mother Stallard, Hidatsa Red Indian, Brockton Horticultural, Cherokee Trail of Tears)
Cosmos
Zinnia
Bachelor Buttons
Heliotrope
Sunflower
Lupine
Lobelia
Columbine
Bishops Flower
Marigold

How to build a seeding rack - video

This video is a companion to the book The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects by Spike Carlsen.  It demonstrates how to build a seedling rack using PVC pipe and plywood.  For those short on space and money, this looks like a great way to build a portable seedling rack.  You'll find the 'How To' video at YouTube:  http://youtu.be/Aq3Cmsq4Iuo

I own a copy of The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! by Carleen Madigan and absolutely love the book.  It is a wealth of information.  The Book of Building Projects will soon be included in my gardening library as well.

If you haven't yet purchased seeds, there are many great resources listed in the Useful Sites & Sources section of this blog.  Check 'em out and get to planting!  Gardening season, thankfully, is just around the corner.

Seeds to sow

In addition to the book recommendations made in last weeks post, I'd also like to remind you of the Useful Sites & Sources section of the blog.  Included there are a couple dozen seed companies where you can purchase a plethora of seed varieties, including flower and herb seeds, and other gardening related sources.

Go, go, gardeners!

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!