Spring Fever?

Spring fever in February is dangerous. Today I went to town and came home with herb seeds and potting soil. The kids and I planted a little herb window-garden. Some fresh basil may help me yearn for the growing season less, but I doubt it.

I've also been pouring over reading material related to reestablishing a natural shoreline for here at our house. When I look out the kitchen window to the front yard in the spring and summer there are always plenty of colorful flowers in bloom, but out the back door along the lake, nothing but a barren hillside with a bunch of brown, spotty grass. I envisioned a rock garden there but think that some natural plantings may be a better alternative that would require not quite as much sweat and toil!

Seeds!!

I just ordered the following from Gurney's for the garden this summer based on a list the U of MN Extension Service put out with vegetables that grow well in our area along with feedback from Rita about what Joe had success with in the past at their place:

Sweet Slice Hybrid Slicing Cucumber
Sugar Ann Snap Pea
Perfected Detroit Beet
Danvers Carrot
Jade Bush Beans
Classy Hybrid Pickling Cucumbers

I'll get the following seeds locally: lettuce, herbs (Basil, Dill, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro). We'll probably plant some potatoes and onions as well, and we should be able to get those form the co-op.

I'll get the following plants from my favorite greenhouse - Young's Greenhouse of Sturgeon Lake: Roma tomatoes, Early Girl tomatoes, Black Brandywine Tomatoes, Brandywine Tomatoes, Peppers (green & jalapeno, and maybe banana if they have them), and broccoli.

Community Garden

I had a nice visit with my neighbor Rita yesterday. Rita and I are going to do a true community garden at her place. She has a huge backyard garden that was her husband's passion. He passed away three years ago and she would love to see things growing there again. I would like to garden more but haven't the space or sunshine here for a good vegetable plot, so we're going to garden at Rita's this summer. We want to plant more tomatoes and cucumbers for salsa/sauce and pickles respectively. Rita would like some beets for pickling as well. Add to that some carrots - she shared pictures of amazing carrots that her husband Joe used to grow - and some potatoes and onions, and we've got the start of a nice vegetable garden! Sugar snap peas, bush beans, some herbs, getting spring fever just thinking about it!