Today marks the end of Imbolc-tide as I have it marked in my calendar and there are some things that are interesting to me to take note of...
Without reference to the calendar, my internal calendar prompted me (more like kicked my butt, to be honest!) to take the candle-leavings I had been saving -- mostly unburnt remains of tealites (that do not burn completely if you use them, as I often do, for multiple shorter periods) and re-craft 12 tealites for the Handmaidens and fill a small glass flowerpot-candleholder as a container candle. I had saved enough tealites to have good metal parts and figured how to re-wick the little metal wick holders with bits from the votive wicks I had bought (one of which went into the flower pot, whole. And, of course, I had JUST enough wax for my project!
These candles were used, last night, as part of my tide-turning Hearthfire workings...
And, on a thread that I had much less direct control over, the last of my seed order arrived by post while I was at work yesterday! Now, I seriously need to attack the file cabinet -- or maybe some boxes -- in the garage to find the article I wrote may years ago on the timing of plantings and seed starting indoors to see if it tweaks as well as I hoped when I wrote it, for climates as northern as this.
I am reading that Robin has already started her leeks and some tomatoes, and I am hoping that these are for planting in her season-extending greenhouse (of which I do not have one... yet!) and that I am not too far behind the seed-starting curve.
I know "local wisdom" is to plant everything in your garden after Memorial Day weekend. Not sure where that came from, as I would think most gardeners would be aware that not all plants have the same needs and ability to tolerate cold on one end and heat on the other... but who knows. That is one reason why I am asking the Universe to hook me up with a small tractor or a big tiller (ok, in a pinch a smaller tiller will do... but, Universe, you CAN see the size of the plowed fields thus far, can't you?) because I am concerned that getting "the tractor guy" to come till as early as I would like for the leeks and spinach and lettuce and the like will be impossible.
But, back on track, my seeds have arrived and tomorrow I have a day off so I will get the chance to sort through them and decide who goes into the potting mix now and who waits a bit and which ones I am sending part of up to Robin, to start as backup for me, as I have in the past had a hard time with this part of gardening.
And the Tide rolls on...
I just wish that cut daffodils were not only a March thing here!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
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2009
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February
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- the Plow Guy Cometh
- Another snow from the East
- pretty snow
- it's SPAY and NEUTER Month!
- It's been a while
- Yesterday was a day!
- Leeks!
- January thaw (late) or hints of spring (early)?
- Turning Tide 3
- not quite so backlit birds
- Backlit birds not easy to identify
- BIRDS! -- proof
- No groundhog worth his salt... (and other musings)
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- February!
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3 comments:
Here they say don't plant anything until after the second week in June. That's when we usually have our last frost. Of course this is where I create a problem for myself, especially with the annuals. I buy them too early and spend my time bringing them in at night and out during the day. The same thing happens with plants I start from seed. I get over anxious lol.
I generally can keep myself content planting things that like or at least can tolerate colder temps and cool soil, like peas (and sweet peas) and lettuce and so on.
But yes, I DO push the season, usually with some tomatoes and things that have "iffy" long seasons for where I live. New England Pie pumpkins are likely to be on that list this year and maybe some of my cantaloupes and watermelons.
I remember one year, in Grand Junction, CO, I had put in my lettuce early, as they have hot summers that cause it to bolt unmercifully. The plants (leaf lettuces) were a good 4-5" tall -- we had been picking outer leaves for salad for some time -- when we had a late snowfall of about 2". It was neat to see them standing there in the snow and fun to hear my neighbor, who had given me a very hard time about planting "too early" (she was an "everything in at once on Memorial Day" planter and complained 'cause she could never get a good crop of lettuce or peas!) gloating how my lettuce was going to be lost to freezing, since I knew jolly well it would be just fine.
Even with my explaining, she never did figure it out...
My tomatoes, leeks, peppers and sage will go into the unheated greenhouse in late March or early April. You still have plenty of time.
You might be able to plant as early as March. Being in the wide open means constant sun to speed snow melt and warm soil and your wind will dry the soil quickly. Spinach germinates at 38*. Donna would be helpful with this. She's probably two full weeks ahead of me weather wise.
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