Time to Plant

The moon is right and the spring fever is starting to build. It's time to get the seeds started! I've filled my planting tray's with potting soil and rigged up a light above the bathtub. Usually I plant the seeds and think to myself, "I'll remember what I planted where". Yeah. Right.

So this year I made simple planting markers out of tape and toothpicks. So far so good.

As usual I've purchased more than twice the amount of seeds that I could hope to squeeze in my modest garden plot.There are too many interesting varieties and I just can't help myself. A few that I have high hopes for this year include:

Corno Di Toro Rosso Peppers, Yellow Wild Strawberries, and Red Siberian Tomatoes

Japanese Suyo Long Cucumber, Tequila Sunrise Peppers, and Trombocino Rampicante Squash

As soon as the ground dries a bit I'll be sowing spinach and lettuce. Also on the spring list of garden chores is to build a few cold frames with the windows I found in the alley a few weeks ago.

Vegetable Seeds

On the way home after a sodden shuffle on slippery snow at White Rocks I had the sudden desire to swing by the local tavern and ponder the day away while draining a pint. I never made it. The forces from the local nursery were too strong. Bright lights and the smell of fresh potting soil beckoned with an almost audible whisper. Inside the greenhouse spring is peeking over the horizon in a taunting manner. My shuffle gained a little more bounce and I found myself assessing the many choices in the seed aisle. 

Unfortunately once I start picking out seed packets I can't stop.

Perhaps it's not so much that I like to buy seeds as the fact that I have many left over from last season and I don't have space for everything. My goal was to find a climbing zucchini plant: Tromboncino. This plant will save space, hopefully evade the boring beetle that devastates my zucchini plants every year, and still produce tasty zucchini. Alas, I did not find the elusive Troomboncino and will succumb to internet ordering and shipping and handling payments but I still ended up with some nice seeds that have me thinking of Spring.

Interestingly enough I heard on the radio that spring may come earlier for the gardener.  Check out this timely article before making any plant purchases for the year: plant zones moving north.