How to Tie Hard-Neck Garlic for Decorative Hanging

Welcome!  This article is all about how to plait (or tie) hard-neck garlic together for decorative hanging.  This keeps the garlic neat and dry so that it can be stored through the winter.

Step 1: Grow garlic.

If you found this post, chances are that you already know how to grow your own garlic. But in case I am making a false assumption, here is a link to a GREAT web page that explains how to grow garlic in northern climates:  Michigan Garlic Farm: How To Grow Garlic.  This is the page that I used to learn how to grow garlic. It is excellent.

I grew a few varieties of garlic in the garden this year including: elephant garlic (actually a form of leek), 'Music', 'Northern Jewel', 'Purple Italian' and 'German Mountain'.  They all grew well.  

Step 2: Harvesting.

Step 2:  Harvest garlic.

It is time to harvest garlic when most of the leaves have turned brown.  In Michigan, this is generally some time in July.  Harvest garlic by gently lifting it out of the ground with a spading fork or shovel.  Place the fork several inches from the base of the plant, dig down as far as you can, and gently lift up.  The garlic should pop up with the soil.  Try not to chop through the garlic with your shovel.  Also, do not pull it out by the stem without digging first, as this could damage the garlic.  It will not store as well if it is damaged.

Step 3: Curing the garlic.

Step 3:  Allow the garlic to cure.

Do NOT clean the garlic with water. Do NOT trim the leaves or the roots off yet. Gently remove the largest clumps of dirt from the cloves, but otherwise allow them to remain "dirty." Hang the garlic together with string in groups of 3-5, in a well ventilated area until the stems dry out completely.  You will know it is finished curing when the stems and leaves have turned 100% brown.  This generally takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks. This step is important because it allows the outer peel around the bulb to dry out and to protect the inner clove. It prevents the clove from rotting.

Step 4

Step 4: Clean up the garlic.

Do NOT clean the garlic with water.  Trim the stems so that about 6 inches (12 cm) of stem remain above the bulb.  Cut the roots short with a scissors, but do not cut into the bulb itself.  Dust off the outer coating of dirt gently with your fingers.  If you wish, you can remove the top-most layer of peel around the bulb, but do not remove all of the peel.  The more of the outer skin you leave on, the more protected the inner cloves will be.

Steps 7 & 8

Step 5: Arrange 6-12 bulbs according to size: largest to smallest.

Step 6: Cut a length of string about 3-4 ft long (1m).

Step 7: Tie a slip knot near the end of the string, and tighten it around the stem of the largest garlic clove. If you don't know how to tie a slip knot, watch this: Slip Knot Video.

Step 8:  Tie a second slip knot about 1 inch (2-3 cm) above the first knot.  Keeping the loop lose, pull it over the end of the stem of the 1st garlic clove.

Step 9: Looping in the 2nd garlic.

Step 9: Tightening string.

Step 9: Place the stem of a 2nd garlic clove (the 2nd largest in size) through the lose loop in the string.  Tighten the slip knot of the 2nd loop, and double knot it to hold it in place.

Steps 10 & 11: Loop around all the stems & tighten.

 Step 10: Make another slip knot about 1 inch (2cm) above the 2nd knot.  Place the loop around the stems of the 2 pieces of garlic in the bunch.

Step 11: Place the stem of the third garlic clove through the loop, next to the stems of the other two connected pieces of garlic.  Tighten the loop and double knot it to hold it in place.

Step 12: Stagger the positions of the garlic cloves in relation to each other.

Step 12: Continue adding garlic cloves in this same way until the are all used up.  Stagger the cloves as you add them so that each newly added clove is on the opposite side of the one previously added to the group. 

Step 12: Continue looping & knotting.

 Step 13:  When you have finished adding all of your garlic bulbs to the bunch, double knot the final knot.  Then, trim the garlic stems so that they are all even at the ends.

Steps 13 & 14: Cut the garlic stems so they are even.  Make a loop to hang the chain from.

Step 14:  Tie a loop at the end of the string from which to hang the garlic chain.





















Step: 15:  Hang the garlic in a cool dry place where you will be able to enjoy looking at it, and will remember to use it for cooking. 


              HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!!  :)

Preserving Herbs By Freezing

Greetings cooking & gardening community!

This is just a quick post about how to preserve herbs by freezing them.

In this case, I am preserving fresh cilantro.  Why?  Because cilantro is a cool-weather crop.  By the time my tomatoes ripen in the summer, the cilantro will have bolted and/or died off in the heat.  If I want to make salsa later, I need to preserve the cilantro now!

This is easy to do:

1. Harvest, rinse and drain the herbs thoroughly.

Fresh, over-wintered cilantro from the garden.

2. Roll out a long strip of paper towel.

3. Lay the herbs flat in line with the short end of the paper towel.

4. When you have filled a width of 1-3 inches (2-6cm) of space at the end of the towel with herbs, roll the herbs in the paper towel until they are covered.

5. Then, lay down another line of herbs and roll these in the paper towel again.  Continue until you have rolled all the herbs in the paper towel.

6. Wrap the rolled paper towel in plastic wrap.

7. Wrap the herb/paper towel/plastic roll in aluminum foil.

8.  Label and date the aluminum foil wrap and place in your freezer.

This should last 6months to a year.

"But what about blanching!?" you may ask.  Personally, I don't bother.  The herbs seem to stay fairly green despite being frozen.  Also, I generally use the herbs as a component of a recipe.  I don't recommend using frozen herbs as a garnish.  They will be wilted and won't look good. 

Extra Notes:

• If you want shredded/crushed herbs to use in your recipe: Remove the herbs from the wrap while they are still frozen and then crush them in your hand.  The herbs should shatter fairly easily.
• If you want the herbs to appear whole in your recipe: Allow the roll to thaw before you remove the herbs.  They should maintain their shape and color fairly well.  However, they will not be as crisp as fresh, unfrozen herbs. 

I hope this helps someone out there!  Happy gardening, cooking and preserving! 

Cloches - Spring Gardening Goes Under Cover

Spring weather in Michigan is variable (to say the least).  One day it is a typical spring day:partly sunny, 55-60F (13-15C), and perhaps raining lightly.  The next it's cloudy, 32F (0C) and snowing (like today).

4/2/2016 Brighton, MI - Does that look like spring to you?  Me neither.

Because of the variable weather, it is smart to plant your early spring crops under some kind of protection.  Your choices include: A hoophouse/greenhouse, a cold frame, a low tunnel, floating row cover or a cloche.

In this post I discuss a good way to make a very sturdy, long lasting, and fairly economical cloche.  These stand up to UV rays, are light, easy to move, easy to set up and can last for many, many seasons.  They are also inexpensive.  One 4ft. x 1ft. (1.4m x 0.3m) cloche costs about $15 (in 2016) in materials, or $45 for a set of 3. They take less than a half hour to make once the materials have been purchased. (All price estimates from the year 2016 in Michigan.)

But first, I must give credit where credit is due: to European gardeners.  I have been watching a lot of YouTube lately and have seen cloches like the ones I am blogging about in the background of the British TV show "Gardener's World," on the YouTube channel "Lavender and Leeks", and in the periphery of various allotment gardens on the YouTube "Horticultural Channel."  I have NEVER seen these discussed on an American gardening program or blog of any sort.   We seem to be attached to low tunnels made from PVC and plastic sheeting for some reason.  Now maybe I have missed something... but just in case these wonderful devices have been over-looked in our culture, I want to share how to make them with "all y'all."

12 x 2.17ft (3.7m x 0.7m) Polycarbonate Panel

Things you will need:

• Pieces of clear polycarbonate roofing panel (these come in 8ft. (2.4m) and 12ft. (3.7m) x 2.17ft (0.7m) lengths)
• Roll of 10 gauge steel wire
• Several 2 to 3 ft. (1m) sticks (tree limbs, bamboo or rebar)
• Either a tin snips, trauma shears (strong scissors), or jigsaw
• Either a strong wire cutter or a bolt cutter
• Gloves
• Seeds or seedlings to plant 

 1.) First, buy a clear polycarbonate roofing panel from your local big box store.  These range in length from 8ft. (2.4m) to 12ft. (3.7m) pieces and in price from around $22 to $36 each (in 2016).   Not all stores carry these, so it is a good idea to call ahead before driving to the store.  These panels are typically used as roofing for sun rooms or sheds.  They are durable, weatherproof, UV light resistant and last a long time.  They are also flexible, light, easy to move, and easy to cut to size.

2.) Next buy a roll of thick, flexible wire.  10 gauge steel wire works well. A roll of 50ft. (15.24m) of galvanized steel wire costs around $10.

- If you want to cover a garden area of the same length as the piece of polycarbonate that you bought, skip the next 3 steps.

Measure & cut the polycarbonate panels to size.

3.) Measure the width of your garden and/or the length of garden space that you wish to cover.  Then, measure the same distance along your polycarbonate panel, and draw a cut line with a marker.  My beds alternate between 4ft and 3ft in width. So, I marked out 3 and 4ft distances along the polycarbonate panel.  If you bought a 12ft. (3.7m) panel, you should be able to get 3 panels of 4ft. (1.2m) lengths out of it OR 4 panels of 3ft (0.91m) length.

4.)  Measure and mark out 1ft. x 1ft. (0.3m x 0.3m) squares on the panel. These will later be used as end pieces for your polycarb cloches.  

Bolt cutters work well to cut 10 gauge wire.

5.) Cut along your measured lines.  To do this you can use either a very strong pair of scissors (such as medical trauma shears), a tin snips or a jigsaw.  You can buy tin snips or a jigsaw at any hardware store.  Medical trauma shears can be purchased at a medical or EMS/Police equipment store.  You could find either or both on Amazon.com as well. The plastic is a bit tough to cut with the snips or scissors. If you have weak hands or arthritis I recommend either using the jigsaw or recruiting someone with strong hands to help you out.

NOTE: If you don't own a pick-up truck or van, steps 3-5 could be done in the parking lot of the store where you bought the polycarbonate panels.  That way you can fit them into your car.

6.)  Measure out 3.5 (1m)to 4ft. (1.2m) pieces of 10 gauge wire.

Be smarter than I was: Wear gloves.

7.) Cut the pieces of wire to size with either a bolt cutter or very sturdy wire cutter. I recommend wearing gloves while doing this for safety.  The wire ends are sharp and can cut you.  So be smarter than I was... (see picture, right).   Bolt cutters and wire cutters can be purchased at any hardware.  The bolt cutter is a lot easier to use for this purpose than the wire cutter.

8.) Carry your wire and polycarbonate pieces out to the garden.

Pin the pastic in place with wire arches.

9.) Plant your seeds or seedlings.

10.) Flex the polycarbonate over the top of the seeds or seedlings.  Pin them in place with 2 arches of the 4ft (1.2m) pieces of wire. 1 arch of wire should be placed at each end of the length of the polycarbonate panel. Be sure to sink the wire firmly into the soil on either side of the arched plastic so that it holds in place securely.

Pin the end piece in place with sticks.

11.) Place a 1ft x 1ft (0.3m x 0.3m) piece of polycarbonate plastic on each end of the polycarbonate cloche.  Pin these in place with 2 approximately 3ft. (1m) long sticks, pieces of bamboo or rebar.








So far, these cloches have stayed in place despite 60mph (96.5kph) winds, and have protected the soil against 3 inches (7.6cm) of snow in my garden. 

 We will see how my protected cold weather seeds turn out in a later post.

Until then,  happy gardening! :) 

Quick Winter DIY Garden Craft: Durable Garden Labels

Popsicle stick & recycled composite shim plant labels.

Making garden labels is a nice way to spend a wintry weekend after a snowstorm like the one we just had here in Michigan.  You can do this simple craft while watching your favorite TV show or YouTube gardening video. It allows you to think about your garden without exposing yourself to a frosty North wind.  

Garden labels are great things to have because they can help you remember what variety of plant you put in the ground.  What was the name of the variety of tasty tomato that I want to order next year?   Oh... my friend admired that flower... what was it called??  Can I step in that soft spot in the garden bed in late April or is there a bud popping up just under the soil surface waiting to be crushed by my big ol' foot? Is this tiny seedling parsley or cilantro? If you have a plant marker sticking up, you will know!! 

I have had problems with garden labels in the past.  The plastic ones sold in garden centers are often flimsy, and break down in the sun after 1-2 seasons. They are also small. I have an unfortunate tendency to overlook them and stomp on them in the garden. The metal ones are expensive.  I forget about the wrap around tags, so they end up choking off the branches of bushes. Laminated papers attached to stakes peel in the rain.  Luckily, I found a couple of nice alternatives...

SHIMS & POPSICLE STICKS

Popsicle sticks make great temporary plant markers for seed starting.  You can either recycle these by saving popsicle/corn dog sticks from the food you eat, or you can buy them at your local craft store for about $5-$10 for a box of 500 (in year 2016). 

To make these into temporary plant makers, simply write on them with a pencil. When you finish transplanting your plant, you can either save the popsicle marker for use next year, or throw it in the compost bin where they will break down easily.

For more permanent markers, use shims. There are at least 3 types of shims sold at your local big box stores: short ones made of cedar, long ones made of cedar and short shims made of recycled composite plastic/Trex.  They are inexpensive costing only $1.50-$5.00  (in year 2016) for a bundle of 12 depending on what type you get.  This is often cheaper than the small plastic labels in the garden center. 

Shims make great garden labels!  The cedar is naturally resistant to rot and the recycled plastic is thick and weather resistant. They are tapered so that they are easy to push into the ground. They are large enough that you can write both the common name of the plant and the botanical name and still be able to read them easily.  You could even make notes on the reverse side if you wanted to, such as "120 days to maturity," "determinate tomato,"  "heirloom," or "Gift from Susan 2014."

I recommend using the wooden ones for plants that may be temporary in your garden since they will eventually break down after several years.  For example, I use the wooden shims to label my vegetables.  After all, I may grow a 'black beauty' eggplant for the next year or three, but once the seeds run out, I may want to try a different variety. If you wanted to extend the life of a wooden shim marker, you could paint it over with shellac or clear outdoor varnish.

I recommend using the recycled composite plastic/Trex shims for perennial plants, trees or bushes because both the plant and the shim will last for years.

To make a plant label from a shim quickly, simply write the name of the plant on the shim with a garden marker.  Using a garden marker rather than a Sharpie or other permanent marker is important because the ink does not fade in the sun as quickly as with other markers, nor does it run when it gets wet.   Eventually, you may need to re-write the name of the plant on to the shim.

Write on your labels with a garden marker or pencil.  Other markers may fade or run.

If you are artistic, you could also paint the plant name on to the shim.  Remember to use a good, weather-resistant paint.  Paint will last a long time, but not forever.  Eventually you will need to re-paint the shim. I am not very artistic, which is why I have not shown an example of this type of marker here.  But don't let that stop you if you have a talent for painting! You are limited only by your imagination.

Another way is to use a wood burning pen to burn the name of the plant onto a wooden shim. (WARNING: Do NOT try to do this with the plastic/composite shim! It will melt and ruin your wood burning pen!) You can buy a wood burning pen from your local big box hardware, or craft store.  These range in price from about $12.00- $50.00 (in year 2016) depending on the kit and type of pen. You will also need a stencil unless you feel confident in your ability to draw uniform block letters.

First, write the name of the plant, or friendly garden greeting on to the garden stake with a pencil. 

Next, heat up your wood burning pen according to the directions on the packaging.  Please follow all safety advice with regard to the pen as written on the packaging. Safety first!
 

Then, use a scrap piece of wood to practice making burn marks in the wood in order to get a feel for how the pen works.

Finally, follow the outline of your stenciled writing on your wooden shim and burn the writing in to the shim.  This may be time consuming. I would expect it to take anywhere from 5-15 minutes per label depending on what you wrote on the shim.

When you are finished, you may choose to apply a clear coat of varnish, shellac, or spray varnish over the shim to increase the longevity of your garden marker.

In the spring, simply push the garden marker into the soil next to the plant that you want to label. Never again will you wonder "what the heck" that plant was! 

If you happen to live near Brighton, Michigan, the Brighton Garden Club is having its annual fund-raising sale on May 21, 2016 at the Brighton Farmer's Market (200 N. First St.
Mill Pond - Downtown Brighton, MI 48114).  I will be selling a limited supply of wood-burned garden stakes that I made at this sale.  There will also be plants and other garden crafts for sale. So if you are in town, please stop by and support us!  I hope to see you there!

Happy Gardening!!! :)

How & When To Pot Seedlings

In my last post, I discussed seed starting.  Once the seeds have germinated, the next step is to re-pot them so that the plants can continue to grow well before you place them in the garden in spring.

The time to re-pot a seedling is when it has grown its first set of true leaves and when its roots have filled most of the cell in the seed starting flat.

Cotyledons vs. True Leaves: Image from: http://www.78stepshealth.us/flowering-plants/seeds.html

The first leaves that a plant produces are called cotyledons.  These are usually 2 smooth, oval-shaped leaves that are the first to appear after the seed germinates.  You do not need to re-pot the seedling when you see these.  Instead, wait for the true leaves to appear.  These are the 3rd and 4th leaves that appear after the seedling has grown for several weeks.  These leaves look like the mature plant's leaves, only smaller (because they haven't grown to full size yet.) See diagram above.

To re-pot the plant follow these simple steps:

1. Fill a small pot of diameter 2-4 inches with a 50/50 mix of well-rotted compost (not manure!) and perlite or a good light potting soil. Try not to use plain dirt from your back yard unless you have to.  This is because the soil from your back yard may contain organisms that can damage the young seedling and/or may not contain enough nutrition for the young plant. If you make your own compost,  it is ok to use that mixed 50/50 with perlite or sharp sand.

2. Water the soil so that it is about as wet as a wrung out sponge.

3. Use a pencil or stick to make a hole in the center of the pot that leaves enough space for the root system of the seedling.

4. Hold the seedling by one cotyledon (baby leaf), and use the pencil to loosen the roots from the tray that the seedling was started in.  Be careful not to tear the stem or true leaves.  Be as careful as you can to avoid damaging the roots as well.

5.  Place the roots of the plant into the hole in the new pot.

Special Cases:  

With most plants, you should only place the roots beneath the soil surface, leaving the stem and leaves clear of the soil. This is to avoid rot.  A few plants are exceptions to this rule.  For example, tomatoes and peppers may be buried more deeply.  For these plants, it is a good idea to

bury the roots AND the stem of the plant up to the level of the cotyledons.  This is because the stems of these vegetables are able to grow more roots.  Burying them deeply at this stage will actually help the plant to produce a stronger root system as well as stronger stem.

6. Remember to label your plants! 

 7. Place the newly potted plants in a bright (preferably South-facing) window.  This time of year, in the north, it is a good idea to continue using a grow light since the days are still very short and since most windows do not let in enough light. Continue using your grow light until the spring equinox (when there are at least 12 hours of sunlight a day.)  or until you place the plant in your garden.

8. Water the plant when the soil feels dry when you stick your finger into the pot up to your first knuckle.  Do not leave the plant sitting in a dish of water. Do not over-water.  This can cause root rot. Most plants fail indoors because the gardener "loves them to death." That is, they get over-watered and/or over-fertilized.  At the same time, you shouldn't under water either. Do not wait until the plant has wilted to water it. Check the soil!

9. If you have used good quality compost and/or potting soil, you should not need to fertilize the plant between now and when the plant is placed in the garden in April or May (in Michigan).  Most compost and potting mixes will contain many months worth of nutrition for a typical plant.

10. If you want a plant to be bushy or to have multiple branches (e.g. peppers, basil, most other herbs etc.), wait until the plant has produced around 6 true leaves and pinch or cut off the tip of the plant below the top two leaves at the level of the stem.  This will cause the plant to branch at this level. With some plants you may continue to pinch or even prune the plant periodically so that it will continue to bush.  Herbs especially benefit from this treatment. See image below:

When & where to pinch.  Image from: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-406/welcome.html

11.  Be patient and RTFSP!  That's right! "Read The ____ Seed Packet!"  The seed packet when it is the best time to put the plant out in to the garden, how far apart to space the plants & etc.  Wait for spring and the last frost.  Wait for it..... waaaaaait.....

"RTFSP" & 14 Other Seed Starting Tips

It's that time of year again: SEED STARTING TIME!

I love seed starting time because it reminds me that although the days are still short, and the snow is still on the ground, spring is coming.  It's such a miracle that a tiny thing like a seed can grow into a beautiful, productive plant in one season!

Here are some of my seed starting tips.  I hope you find them useful.

RTFSP!!!!!!

1. RTFSP!!!!!  You've heard of "RTFM" ("read the freakin' manual"), right?  Well this is "Read the freakin' seed packet!!" Seed packets generally provide most if not all of the information that you need to start any given seed. This includes: when to plant the seed, how deep to plant the seed, whether to start indoors or outdoors, etc.  For the few seed packets that do not have directions, you can always google the type of seed and find directions on how to plant it on the internet. You can also use the nifty app that I found created by the folks at Mother Earth Magazine to figure out when to plant: When to Plant App.  This information is vital!  Do not ignore it!

2. Know your growing zone and last frost date.  Most seed packets will recommend when to plant based on what zone you are in. They also instruct you as to when to plant seed outdoors or set the seedling out based on whether the danger of frost is past or not. Therefore, you need to know your USDA zone and last frost date.  If you don't know these, click here: USDA zone and Frost Dates.

3. Fresh seeds germinate better.  If you have some seed packets that have been laying around for 2-3 years, by all means, go ahead and try to plant them. Just be aware that fewer of these seeds (or possibly none) will germinate. Most seeds expire entirely by year 4-5.  Fresh seeds harvested during the last growing season are more likely to germinate well.

4. Do not spread seeds to thickly.  Try to spread the seeds evenly and so there are a centimeter or two of space between them. This will allow enough space for the seedlings to grow and will reduce the number that you need to dispose of later when you thin them out.

This can be difficult with small seeds because they are difficult to see.  There are several ways to alleviate this problem:
    i. Place the seeds in a salt shaker, then sprinkle them over the surface the soil.
    ii. Mix the seeds in with a small amount of sand so that you can see where you are spreading the seed over the soil more easily.
   iii. Place the seeds into the fold of a creased piece of paper and use a pencil or chopstick to push them off the edge of the paper and into the growing medium one or two at a time.

5. Use a grow light. The photo below was taken at 7am on January 21 in zone 5b, Michigan. As you can see from the window, it is still dark out. Most flower & vegetable seedlings need around 12 hours of direct light to grow well.

7am in Brighton, Michigan - Still Dark Outside

If you live in the North, even your brightest window cannot provide enough light in the winter.  The days are simply too short. You can still try to plant the seedlings without a grow light, but they are likely to be "leggy," i.e. tall, scrawny and weak.  If you must start seeds without a light, use a South facing, bright window, and I wouldn't even bother starting them until at least March in order to have a chance for the plants to get enough sun.

Grow lights range widely in price. You can get full spectrum light bulbs from a big box store that may only cost you a couple of bucks and can be plugged in to a clamp lamp that may only cost you around $10.  You can purchase a stand with a light like I show in the picture for around $50.  There are several DIY you tube clips that show how to build your own stand from PVC pipe that may cost you around $30 or so to make -- less if you already have scrap PVC available.  So, please do not be deterred if you Google "grow light" and find units that cost a couple hundred dollars. You don't need those for vegetable seedlings... those are more for growing plants of either a tropical or illegal nature.

6.  Use seed starting medium.  Seeds may start in regular potting soil or soil from your garden, but generally they don't root well have a higher risk "dampening off" or rotting.  Seed starting medium drains better and allows for better root production. As plants become larger, you can transplant them into larger pots containing a more nutrient-dense potting soil.

You can buy ready-made seed starting mix at any big box store.  According to the American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation book, you can also mix your own by combining: "3 parts peat, 1 part fine bark, 1 part perlite.  To each 8 gallons (36L) add 1 1/4 oz (36g) of slow-release fertilizer and 1 1/4oz (36g) of dolomitic limestone."

7. Water gently.  If you run your seeds under a tap or water them with a standard watering can, you are likely to wash the seeds away.  Instead, soak your seed starting mix ahead of time so that is damp like a wrung out sponge and plant into that without watering after.

When the seed mix dries out with time, water it with either a spray bottle or make your own gentle watering can by hammering some holes into the lid of an old plastic bottle using a pin or needle. (Do not use a nail, that will make holes that are too large.)  You simply squeeze the water-filled bottle gently to create a fine spray of water for the seedlings.  Easy!

Be careful not to over water.  Although seeds need to be kept slightly damp to germinate, over-watering can lead to mold growth and/or dampening off (seedling death).  The planting medium should never be wetter than a wrung out sponge. 

8. Temperature matters. Most common vegetable seeds will germinate between 65-75F or at room temperature.  A few will need cooler or warmer temperature. Some even need to be left in your freezer for a number of weeks before they will germinate. RTFSP!! Your seed packet will tell you what temperature the seeds need to germinate!

If your house is too cool for the seeds to germinate, you can buy a seed heating mat.  These can be found on Amazon.com or at various seed companies.  I personally do not use these as they are expensive. Instead, I purchased a personal heating pad at my local drug store (the kind you use when you have a sore back).  These have the disadvantage of being shorter than most seed trays. But they tend to be less expensive and also have a safety feature where they turn off automatically if they get too hot.  This helps relieve my concern over potentially burning the house down. Both options are relatively water proof (but do not submerge them in water - danger danger!!)

9. Label your plants. I know, you have a great memory, right? Believe me, you'll forget which pepper was which by the time May rolls around. So label your plants! I suggest using popsicle sticks as labels. They are cheap, you can buy 500 at a time, and you can compost them when you are finished with them. 

10. Pet your plants.  When your seedlings emerge, remember to pet or tickle them. This is not only fun, but imitates the wind and helps the stems to toughen up. Alternately, you can run a small fan next to them, but that uses more electricity and isn't as fun!

 11. Be patient.  Some seeds take only a few days to sprout.  Some take weeks. Others, a few months. (See tip #1 above.)

12. Only plant what you like.  There is no point in planting beets if you hate the flavor of them.  There is no point planting marigolds if you hate the color orange.  Most of us have either limited space to grow, and/or limited time in which to care for plants.  Use your time and space wisely by growing only the plants that you will use and/or love. 

13. Try a new seed type (or several) every year. There are so many types and varieties of plants out there, and seeds are inexpensive. It is fun to try new varieties to see how well they grow for you, how they taste, or how they differ in appearance. Go for it!

14. Do not fret if seeds or plants do not grow.  Again, seeds are cheap.  If you buy a potted plant at the nursery and it dies, you are out $10-$200.  But even if every seed in a packet dies, you are only out $0.30- $5.00.  So no worries there. Also, plants vary in their climate needs, the freshness of seed, water requirements etc.  If they don't grow, it may have nothing to do with you or your skill.  They just may not like your window, or your climate. So do not decide that you have a "black thumb" based on one packet of seed or even several! Keep trying. Keep learning to improve your growing knowledge.  Some plants will grow. Some will die.  Most will grow. They "want" to live every bit as much as you do!

15. HAVE FUN! :) 
  
Later in the season, I will post a bit more about prepping your seedling for planting in the garden.  This includes: re-potting the seedlings into larger pots, hardening them off and planting them out. So please keep reading the blog!

BONUS INFORMATION:

WHERE I BOUGHT MY SEED: 

Note: I make no claims as to whether one company is better than another.  These are simply the companies where I found my seed this year. 

Terroir Seeds
Ferry-Morse (sold at most big-box stores)
Burpee (sold at most big-box stores)
Dollar Seed
Hart Seed Company (sold at most big-box stores)
Nichols Garden Nursery 
Botanical Interests 
MIgardener

2 Bonus Tips: Organize your seeds by the month you wish to plant them in an old shoebox.  Use note cards to separate them by month. Throw a pencil and some popsicle sticks in the box too so that you remember to label your seeds.

WHAT I AM PLANTING THIS SPRING:

For those of you who really want to nerd-out, or who need a new idea, here is a list of what I am growing this year and when I plan to start the seed for you to read:



JANUARY - FEBRUARY INDOORS

Hot peppers: Ancho, Hungarian Sweet, Anaheim, Jalapeno, Orange Scotch, Cayenne

Alliums: American Flag Leeks, Garlic Chives, Common Chives, Golden Grande Onion, Red Burgundy Onion, Sweet Spanish Onion

Flowers: Coconut Geranium, Cherry Pie Heliotrope



MARCH INDOORS

Herbs: Costmary, Lime Balm, Fennel

Tomatoes: Box Car Willie, Ace 55, Yellow Plum, Great White, Beefsteak, Roma, Small Red Cherry

Flowers: Evening-Scented Stock, Pot Marigolds, Sweet Peas, Lobelia 'crystal palace', Blue Pimpernel,

Celeric Giant Prague

Vegetables: Pepper Sweet California Wonder, Victoria Rhubarb



APRIL INDOORS:

Eggplants: Black Beauty, Burpee's Garden Blend

Flowers: Cosmidium Brunete (Chocolate Cosmos), Forget Me Not, Chicory

Herbs: Summer Savory, Winter Savory, Parsley, Cinnamon Basil, Sweet Basil, Fenugreek, Caraway

Brassicas: Kale Blue Vates Scotch, Cauliflower Early Snowball, Broccoli Waltham 29



EARLY APRIL OUTDOORS

Flowers: Nasturtiums, Larkspur, Lewis Flax, Flanders Poppy, Columbine Rocky Mountain Blue, Showy Milkweed

Greens: Green Cabbage, Taipai Red Cabbage, Red Acre Cabbage, Corn Mache

Herbs: Chinese Celery, Borage

Root Vegetables: Parsley Hamburg or Turnip Rooted, Rutabaga American Purple Top Yellow, Carrot Danvers 126, Carrot Burpee Kaleidoscope Blend, Seven Top Turnip



LATE APRIL OUTDOORS

Herbs: Common Comfrey, Anise

Flowers: Love in a Mist

Vegetables: Peas Alaska,  Endive Green Curled Ruffec



AFTER MAY 16 (last frost) OUTDOORS

 Flowers: Bachelor Button Blue Boy, Morning Glory Heavenly Blue, Wild Flax Saphyr, Sunflower Italian White, Lupoine Texas Bluebonnet

Greens: Shiso Red, Spinach New Zealand, Swiss Chard Bright Lights, Lettuce Giant Caesar, Lettuce Crisphead Great Lakes

Vegetables: Radish Cherry Belle, Bush Bean Golden Wax

Squash: Acorn, Spaghetti, Buttercup, Butternut, Pumpkin Early Sugar Pie



LATE MAY or JUNE OUTDOORS

Grains: Sweet Corn Trinity Hybrid, Sweet Corn Silver Queen

Vegetables: Bush Bean Goldrush, Cucumber Lemon, Cucumber Marketmore, Okra Burgandy,

Squash: Zucchini Black Beauty,  Cocozelle, Yellow Early Prolific Straight Neck, Luffa

Watermelon: Crimson Sweet, Sugar Baby

Herbs: Dill Fern Leaf



PLANTED IN FALL THAT I AM HOPING WILL SPROUT IN SPRING

Hard Neck Garlic

Wild Leeks

Common Chives


Note: I will likely do another planting in mid-summer and/or inter-plant crops throughout the summer. I will try to post about these plants as I grow them.

DIY Cute Step Stones

Greetings to my DIY, artistic, creative gardeners and upcyclers!

I have an easy DIY way to make step stones for your garden here:

You Will Need:

1. Quickrete Cement Mix

2. Water

3. Many bottle caps and/or stones and/or ceramic pieces and/or other smooth, flat colorful items

4. Cement dye (optional)

5. Plastic tray/dish for under pots

6. Plastic bucket for mixing

7. Stick or shovel for mixing

Instructions:

1. Mix the water, cement mix and cement dye (optional) together in the bucket.  The mixture should be the thickness of porridge once combined.

2. Pour the mixture in to the plastic tray and spread flat.

3. Let sit for about 20 minutes so the cement is set but still damp.

4. Press bottle caps, stones etc. into the cement in any pattern you like! (This is the fun part!!)

5. Allow to harden for 48 hours.

6. Place in the garden and enjoy!

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