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Basil Has Sprouted!
I was slow this year, but I finally started seeds indoors. The off and on spring weather outside has been such a tease, and I’m checking my sprouts daily to see what pops up. So far I’ve started tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, lavender, basil, and zinnias inside. The very first to sprout were … drum roll, please…. Basil, “Italian Genovese” Heirloom – Certified Organic Seeds See those tiny little sprouts? It only took a week. My most used herb each summer…
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Is it time already?
Today it was a balmy 63 degrees outside, and never mind that schools have been cancelled due to some coming snow tomorrow, it’s the time of year to start planning the spring garden. Some seeds can be started 12 weeks ahead of the last frost date, so although it feels ridiculous to be getting ready now, Piedmont NC’s traditional planting date is Good Friday, at least according to my neighbor who’s garden teams with growth every year. In the past, I’ve created…
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Rogue Oregano – Orogueano?
This week I’ve been finding sprouts of oregano in places I didn’t plant oregano. This is just one more benefit of taking care of the bees. The pruning rule is that once a sprig of oregano is 6″ long, it should be cut back to the ground. This keeps the new growth coming. However, oregano left to grow makes lovely clusters of flowers that the bees seem to love. Last year, I let it grow out, blossom and seed, and…
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More Signs of Spring
I planted new asparagus, and today it is pushing up through the soil, and one tulip has opened up. Also, the borage that seeded itself beside the large patio pot is in full bloom.
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Spicy Swiss Chard and Fried Egg
This morning as I was misting the new lettuce and carrot sprouts in the garden, I looked over at the Swiss Chard and was overcome with a pang of guilt for not using it. I love growing things, but eating them is another story. So I gathered about 5 – 7 leaves from the center (forgoing the older, larger ones), and found a quick saute recipe online (here), which I tweaked to my own tastes. The trick to this recipe…
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First Day of Spring
borage about to flower arugula in blossom
