Starting Seed

This time of year is always full of excitement. After receiving the Kings Seed catalogue, picking all of the varieties we want to grow and then ordering the seed, the big day arrived. With the kids' help, I was able to fill approximately 150 pots with soil and get things going. Here you can see the results of the first round of seed sowing.

I selected many different tomatoes as I am trialling various heirloom varieties to see which will grow and ripen in our area. We are able to grow massive amounts of pear shaped and cherry tomates but our cool conditions seem to play havoc with some of the larger types of tomatoes. I'll be scrutinizing these plants very carefully. I am also planting more beans and peas this year as they always seem to do well here.

Here is the greenhouse that Arnold constructed from a free plan we found on the internet. This is a great place to escape the Norwester, which was blowing a gale today, and get all of the potting done.

I am also in the process of rehabilitating my gardenia. I have just repotted it and am trying to bring it back from the terrible shock it received this winter. I just remember how wonderfully fragrant the flowers were when I grew gardenia in Virginia and long for that same variety- which I have not been able to find here (Billie Holiday).

We are nearly ready to get some planting done in our garden beds. I'll take a picture tomorrow of all of the work our garden helper, Mike, has done to get our beds in order. We have two varieties of potatoes to plant, Jersey Benne and Agria, garlic and Martha Washington Asparagus crowns to get in place.

Arnold has also been able to finish boxing in the garden beds before another dowsing of rain came a few days ago. This was a follow-up to the storm that we had had as a result of the tropical storm a few weeks ago.

Prior to the storm, the chickens appeared to be back on the lay. Cruz had been visiting them every day and was getting between three and four eggs a day. Here is the stash he gathered after just a few days. Take note of the tiny egg there. It is from one of the pet bantams. The girls claim it is Dotty's egg.

I hope to take more pictures tomorrow. Please check back for further garden updates and news of our latest science project.