Seeds & Such

Every year my asparagus patch gives me these lovely little spears.  I do nothing to deserve it.  It just simply takes care of itself.  I weed it a bit in February and Steve takes it down to nothing in the Fall.  I really should be nicer to this patch and I will try this year with amending and adding new soil, as well as cover it with straw this Winter.  I will.  I promise.

The next round of seeds to get planted directly in the garden were Chioggia Beets and Butter Lettuce.  I'm feeling less sure about this process.  They are just outside my back door, but not under my watchful eye (like the seedlings pictured below in my kitchen window).  I've covered the rows with wire caging to help keep the chickens from scratching and clawing the seedlings right out of the ground.  I hope they survive.  

One week into this virgin gardening thing and I already have radish seedlings!  Whoo-hoo.  I read that I can plant these every two or three weeks and keep a steady supply coming my way.  Oh how I love a crisp radish, dipped in softened butter and dabbed in kosher salt.  Delish.

Lastly, these are two trays of zinnia seedlings.  It is so danged fun watching something grow from a seed.  I haven't killed anything.  Yet.

Along with this experiment, I'm also reading Second Nature by Michael Pollan.  I'm gaining a little bit of gardening knowledge and expertise from a man considered to have a green thumb.  His insights are encouraging and I realized that this is just the beginning for me in the garden.  Every year you learn something new about your garden, the land, the water runoff, frost warnings and that newfound information takes you into the next gardening year.  And so on and so on.  Research, common sense and diligence seem to be the common thread.  I'm definitely picking up more information from other recreational gardeners, books, blogs and farmers.

I'm hoping for another lovely year of growth, both personally and in the garden.