All the Dirt on Gardening

Flowers of Dynosaur Kale  I've never met a Brassica I didn't like and that includes kale, chard, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, broccolini, kohlrabi, turnip, rutabaga, etc. If you look up Brassica food plots you may be surprised to know that people plant plots of it to attract deer they can shoot. Being mostly vegetarians, we are appalled. In fact, I think that Brassica is pretty enough to put into flower beds among perennial shrubs and other wonderful additions to the garden. One of our favorites, Dino Kale has been grown in Italy since the 1700s and was a favorite in Thomas Jefferson's garden. Since it is a heirloom plant, you never have to worry about GMOs, hybridization and seeds not coming true when you harvest your own seeds. Our winter was so mild that several kale plants remained productive. With this warm spell, I expect them to do some rapid spring growth and then I'll harvest the seeds and replant our tiny veg...

Penstemon Carillo Rose seedlings The shed is filling up! Tiny seedlings are becoming leggy as they stretch toward the light. Here's what we have growing out there as of the end of Feb. Hollyhock seedling Iberis Snowflake seedlings Purple Cone Flower seedlings Black Ammi seedlings Verbena bonariensis seedlings Penstemon Red seedlings Desert Bluebell seedlings Hollyhock Double Pink seedlings Bachelor Buttons seedlings Kale Lacinato seedlings Penstemon Rose seedlings Sweet yellow clover seedlings Thunbergia alata seedlings

Bakers' racks hold lots of plants We heat the shed a bit and run lights to keep things going all winter. Here are snaps from this week. Double-click to view larger size. Houseplants - begonia, coleus, mother-in-law Hollyhock plants growing for the Garden Club sale Activity by the windows includes re-potting Castor Bean seedlings Kale seedlings under lights    Rosemary cuttings, rooted and growing well  Dahlberg Daisy seedlings Aphids of course