Where are you?

[Meowmie]

Today I replanted my artichoke seedlings into larger pots, it makes me feel like spring might really be around the corner.

I have also started several of my herbs today. Stevia, Basil, Oregano.

What stage are you at in your gardening? Are you still planning, ordering, or have you gotten your hands dirty yet?

 

[headfullofbees]

I'm using every dry moment I can to turn over a very wet, very heavy allotment, which looks like it hasn't been cultivated in years.

Other allotments have become available since I got mine, most of them in pristine condition, ready to go.

The benefit I get, which keeps me philosophical about this, is one that is conveniently forgotten amonst grow-your-owners, including the likes of the RHS:


http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=124

It is that crop rotation originally included a period of lying fallow for part of the land.

My allotment has had that fallow period to recharge itself.

You may have heard here in the UK we haven't had so many dry hours, and in the rainy time, I've been busy in the greenhouse, transplanting onion seedlings, sowing herb and flower seeds and getting my chillies, peppers and tomatoes sown.

My broad beans are coming on nicely in the rootrainers, and yesterday I sowed my early leeks in a deep pot.

My early summer cabbages are sown in another deep pot, and my Brussels sprouts seedlings have just poked their noses through.

My first early potatoes (Maris Bard and Epicure) are all chitting up in trays on the (South-facing) bedroom windowsill.

With spinach and lettuces and other greens just about ready for sowing, it's a busy, busy time.

 

[Andy1982]

Today I replanted my artichoke seedlings into larger pots, it makes me feel like spring might really be around the corner.

I have also started several of my herbs today. Stevia, Basil, Oregano.

What stage are you at in your gardening? Are you still planning, ordering, or have you gotten your hands dirty yet?

Just thinking about ordering are new heirloom seeds and getting busy when they arrive. We have plenty to get on with but it's much too cold outside this last week, the wind and rain has been battering us too. I would love to grow some artichokes this year; been on my list for a couple of years now.

 

[Pat]

We just got a foot of snow dumped on us. With more on the way. I am thinking hard about spring.

A few plants that I want in the yard like elephant ears and some more roses. Every spring I plant to plant creeping phylox but spring comes so quickly here and turns into full blown summer in a matter of weeks I never get it done. Maybe this year, I have a few pots I may be able to start but I have no place to keep them warm so that the seeds can sprout.

 

[claudine]

I'm still planning. Although the wether is nice and it's pretty warm outside, I'm too busy to start working in my garden. I pruned my miniature roses though, I hope that soon I'll be able to bring them to my room

 

[Bandit26]

I've done some ordering, alot of planning and have lettuce and spinach started in the kitchen window.

One of the heaviest snowy winters in Chicago history. I cant wait for it to all melt so I can get back outside and play in the dirt

 

[Meowmie]

I'm not far north of you, Bandit. All that snow outside my window is the driving force behind my gardening. I'm am in a state of denial when t comes to what is outside!

Andy, I live in WI and artichokes are not supposed to grow here. I don't know where you are, but I have to fool my artichokes to get them to produce. They only produce chokes the second year, which can't happen here, they plants don't survive the winter. Not without a lot of foolery...

 

[Bandit26]

Spent all my summers in Northern Wisconsin.. short garden season with heavy clay soil

Never tried growing artichokes

 

[Meowmie]

Until a few years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of it. The owner of the CSA I belonged to said someone she knew was growing them, here in WI, so I started looking into it. I posted in another thread how I do it.

 

[gata montes]

Although I have most of my seeds and would often at this time of year be starting to get some sown ready for planting out in March - this year- like many others due to the extreme weather conditions - I' m at a total standstill - due to the fact that one minute we're flooded, the next we have snow which is then followed by more flooding and it just seems to keep rotating - so until the weather gives a sign that it might be changing for the better - am a bit stuck - can't even think of putting the potatoes in either - as the ground is far too sodden for planting let alone walking on

However the few things that I do have growing in my vegetable garden seem to be loving this weather - especially my Artichokes which are way taller than normal for this time of year - at nearly 2ft high - including my new purple variety Violeti - which I only planted last year

 

[Meowmie]

I'm jealous, Gata, my artichokes are 4" high and still under the lights, with garden under 3' of snow. I can't wait to hear how you like the Violeti,

 

[Bandit26]

I'm going to try potatos in a trash can this year.. much easier harvesting and I can control the soil better

 

[Meowmie]

I bought bags specifically made for growing potatoes. They are reusable and have openings in the sides for easy harvesting of a few potatoes. This will be my first year using them, but the reviews are great. The directions say to fill with compost, not soil. I'm expecting some decent potatoes.

 

[Bandit26]

I saw those but I already have some cans I can use.. if they dont work well I might do the bags next year

 

[gata montes]

Meowmie - didn't mean to make you feel envious - but yes I too am really looking forward to seeing how my purple ones turn out - especially as it is the old traditional Italian variety that I've got - called " Violetta da Provenza "- and I only referred to it as " Violeti " because that is the name it came under from my seed supplier.

Even though we have extremely cold winters where I live - Atrichokes grow as perennials - so as I generally multiply my plants by division - I rarely grow them from seed these days - but when I do - as the seeds are cold germinators - I generally sow them in early autumn - which guarantees that I have big strong plants by the following spring