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Thursday, April 4, 2019

Scratching the gardening itch...

I'm a pretty happy woman these days because of many things growing all around me. Call it garden gratitude.

One day back in February, when it was miserably cold, I just couldn't take it any more. I shovelled my way to the greenhouse door, chipped away enough ice that I could actually get it open, and hauled in a frozen bag of potting soil that we purchased last fall. While it took two days to thaw, My wonderful husband set up some grow lights in our dining room (yes, that's the pink glow when you walk past our house in the evenings, and no, we're not growing cannabis!) and I've been watching seedlings sprout every since.

Some seeds I probably should have started earlier than I did (only planted my annuals last week) and some, I probably should have waited to plant (I can only imagine how leggy some of my tomato plants will get before they can go outside), but it's all good. I've been enjoying scratching the gardening itch, at least a little. So if you need a bit of green in your day, here's a little visit with our present greenhouse inhabitants. Once the annuals are up, they'll go out there, too.


A fairly happy bunch


Volunteer pansies from last fall's pots that I transplanted into trays.


Onions and leeks that I wish I'd started a bit sooner.


Three happy pepper plants (germination rate wasn't great this year).


That wasn't the case with baby tomato plants --
I think every single seed has showed up.
If you want a tomato plant, let me know!


I'm hoping for a June tomato crop for our eldest daughter's wedding --
I've got a few new heirloom varieties, including one called "42 days."


I bought a bag of 9 dahlia bulbs at Costco for $14. 
Thus far, five are viable. Considering that single bulbs
cost $7 at Canadian Tire, I seem to be coming out ahead.


We've been enjoying a few simple salads, too. 
Next week I'm going to plant more lettuce in our cold frame --
can't quite get rid of that gardening itch
even with so much already growing!