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MissMoustache January 19, 2017 12:24 PM

2017 Gardening and Home
 
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I'm going to share some photos from my 2017 garden (and cats, recipes, crafty things etc) on this thread. To begin...here's one of my gardening buddies. A couple years ago some people who used to live on my block left him outside during freezing fall weather. He played with me while I cleaned up my garden and yard for the next three days (each night he was snuggled up in my bathroom with a heater and fluffy towels). They never came and got him back so when the temps really dipped he stayed inside with us. :yes:

He loves to dig and I have to keep the potting soil away from him or he'll chew it open and then go crazy digging and playing with the bits of bark. :twisted:

MissMoustache January 19, 2017 12:36 PM

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Here's miss moustache. She was a tiny 4-5 week old kitten found at the local hardware store under some pallet that were being moved. They called me because they know I've fostered kittens too young to be away from their moms before.

There followed a couple months of two am feedings and poop and pee in unexpected places (thank goodness for puppy pads)... It's a good thing she's adorable.

She's three now and quite a sassy feline. Don't let her pretty fluffiness fool you. If she's miffed or if you try to pet her back (as I tell visitors over and over again)...she turns into demon kitty :twisted:

MissMoustache January 19, 2017 12:39 PM

When I'm going into the utility room to water and check up on my plants or when the plants have been moved to the porch for hardening off...they both try to escape for plant noms.

Laser pointers and a puzzle ball with treats do the trick to keep them inside (I don't have a fenced in yard so no safe place for them to be outside).

MissMoustache January 19, 2017 12:55 PM

Chives as far as the eye can see...
 
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And finally on to the 2017 [I]garden[/I] ;)

I started this flat in...November? I think. I'm unsure because last year's notebook has gone missing. The chives are huge! It's time to trim them for harvest again, raise the lights a little, and clean up the dead seed leaves. I'm going to sell these to some friends and neighbors this year. I'm very pleased with how they look!

From the left (and going over past the edge of picture) Nelly Chives from Seeds of Change, Garlic Chives from Botanical Interests, and Common Chives from Burpee (and a dollar general cheap packet). The seeds were all bought in end of the year sales.

MissMoustache January 19, 2017 01:10 PM

First seeds for 2017
 
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I'm itchy to sow something.

Tomorrow is my planned date to start my first round of onions...but I wanted something today. I tried Rosemary from seed last year, it's slower than pouring molasses right now, and doesn't amount to much. Maybe these will do a little better. I want some to put in herb planters for my neighbors and friends.

I also picked up these wave Petunias because I want to try my own hanging baskets this year.
:yes:

MissMoustache January 20, 2017 12:09 PM

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I'm spending my day off catching up on Gardener's World and sifting potting mix because the local place is out of seed starting mix.

I'm surrounded by seed catalogs too. :love:

And cats trying to break into my potting soil bags. :))

MissMoustache January 20, 2017 06:57 PM

Seed sowing January 2017
 
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He's a helpful little stinker isn't he?

And now the first tray of seeds for 2017 is sown!

Top: Rosemary (Sow Easy from Ferry Morse 2017), Thyme (cheap packet 2016), Marjoram (cheap packet 2016), Oregano (cheap packet 2016), Evergreen Long White Bunching Onion (Burpee Organic 2016), Mint (cheap packet 2016), Munstead Lavender (cheap packet 2016), Garden Sage (cheap packet 2016).

Bottom: Zebrune Shallot (Botanical Interests 2016), Flat of Italy -red cipollini onion (Botanical Interests 2016), Borettana -yellow cipollini onion (Botanical Interests 2016), Utah Sweet Spanish yellow onion (Botanical Interests 2016), Johnny Jump-Up Violas (Burpee 2016), Alpine Strawberries (Sow Easy from Ferry Morse 2017).

I tend to hit end of season sales and scoop up seeds on clearance, last year because of my injuries I only bought what I knew I wanted/needed for this year (very tight budget!). In my experience onion seeds do just fine at a year old (two years old the germination rates drop very sharply through).

ReginaAnn January 21, 2017 08:59 AM

With those helpers you will have a great garden!

MissMoustache January 21, 2017 01:05 PM

I'm in bed sick, but husband dropped these packages on my lap and yay for seeds!

I think I've come down with the flu, it's hit or miss for me whether the shot works, but I feel just awful.

Cannellini beans (we don't eat a lot of beans dry but we do like white beans for dip or soup and black beans in chili, soup, and tacos. I'm growing some of each this year). I'll probably share those with my best friend if she has room.
Rosso di Milano onion. My favorite onion, it's so pretty. Red Wing F1 supposed to be a great storage onion and my husband LOVES red onions. He'd eat them with everything if he could.
I'm excited to try growing my own tea. I'm going to grow this in pots to move in and out of the house. Not sure if I'll get enough to make tea but hey you gotta experiment! Plus Hibiscus have beautiful flowers.
Pineapple and Mignonette Alpine strawberries. I'm super duper excited to grow my own fruit. There is a local no spray farm that does pick your own very cheaply so I'm not worried about growing strawberries in quantity for JAM or freezing. I can get plenty there. But where I grew up there were delicious Alpine strawberries around the playhouse. I want berries like those to snack on and also it's for feeding the birds.
Eggplants. Do you think I could find any packets from the last few years? I know I have like four floating around, some were given to me by tvillians. Can't find them. So a couple of mixes should do the trick. This is the only thing my husband requests I grow each year. He loves eggplant. :)
Lastly but not leastly are three packets of lavenders. I've ordered a fourth that's also supposed to bloom the first year if you sow it early enough. As I have mentioned I'm growing some things for sale to friends and neighbors, lavender has been requested. I have great success with a now three year old plant of Munstead Lavender in my south facing yard. I'm going to plant a whole bank of lavender there I think. Should be lovely to smell coming through the kitchen windows.

I'm excited for spring! Now back to sleep I get cause the flu sucks!

MissMoustache January 27, 2017 12:51 PM

[QUOTE=ReginaAnn;612616]With those helpers you will have a great garden![/QUOTE]

I dunno ReginaAnn. Mister trouble decided to knock over a seed tray that was on top of the fridge so he could dig out the mint seeds. Little stinker.

MissMoustache January 27, 2017 01:03 PM

Couldn't resist...
 
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Another gardening book came today! It's more inspirational than practical, I'm a little disappointed at that. :evil:

But I've also ordered a used copy of The Flower Farmer so hopefully that will be more suited to my needs.

I stopped into the hardware store and well guess what? They have their Burpee seed racks out! I couldn't resist. I have gone through my seeds to sort them and these are ones I don't have anyways.

Gotta keep trying to grow parsnips. This year I'll be starting them in paper towels just to get them sprouted, then planting outside with a base and cover of vermiculite to keep them happily moist. Fingers crossed it finally works.

Catnip...I have cats. :D I'm going to grow a whole row of it and harvest it to dry for toys to sell. I'm going to donate the proceeds to the local animal shelter.

I'm hoping to do a whole swath of wildflowers along the wooded edges of the property. More natural habitat and food for bees, butterflies, and birds and hopefully beautiful color from spring to fall. These flowers are going there and also in flowerbeds near the house. I may devote one raised bed in the garden to cutting flowers too.

MissMoustache January 27, 2017 01:10 PM

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Hmm. Not sure what happened to the above picture of my Renee's Garden and High Mowing Organic seed orders but here is a new one since this is the photo gallery after all.

MissMoustache January 28, 2017 10:06 AM

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Finally! A picture of the third cat. This is my husband's cat and her favorite blanket is black and dark blue. She also runs as soon as she hears a camera shutter so she's close to impossible to photograph. :P

I'm drawing out the new garden plan to put into my notebook! It's raised beds with a lot more perennial crops for easier care and less work during the coming years.

Also sorry for the crappy photos, these are all taken with my tablet until I can get a decent camera. :yes:

clkeiper January 28, 2017 10:27 AM

did you plant the rosemary yet? let us know how it germinates. I have had packs that I got ZERO to germinate ... lavender is the same way. very hard to start. I haven't tried those suppliers though. and I hope you are feeling better.

MissMoustache January 28, 2017 10:46 AM

[QUOTE=clkeiper;614285]did you plant the rosemary yet? let us know how it germinates. [/QUOTE]

I did plant it! Nothing yet. It was in the tray my cat tipped off the refrigerator. I scooped back up what I could and saved about three cells. I've gotten germination from Burpee before but the plants were tiny all summer. I harvested enough for about two meals seasoning.

I've gotten lavender to grow from seeds too and it did okay until the polar vortex in 2014 and all my lavender (from plants, cuttings, and seeds) died. I think it was beginners luck though...

It's an experiment :) I'll be doing part of the packs as winter sown too. And I've ordered plugs from Richter Herbs as back up.

And thank you for the well wishes! I'm feeling much better. Going to tackle planting some hot peppers today. Maybe eggplants too. :yes:


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