Comments on A Growing Tradition: Happy Winter Solstice!

Wow, those seed packets are so very beautiful!! I&...

2009-12-29T23:49:08.147-05:00

Wow, those seed packets are so very beautiful!! I'd frame them, after planting, of course. :) Rebecca

Next year I'll have a meijer lemon. I was so ...

2009-12-26T20:13:19.753-05:00

Next year I'll have a meijer lemon. I was so spoiled by having them grow easily outside my back door in SF.... but I will do whatever they ask to keep them happy indoors here in winter time!

Looks like I need to start pollinating! Happy Holi...

2009-12-24T20:54:10.728-05:00

Looks like I need to start pollinating! Happy Holidays.

Thomas, sent you an email.

2009-12-23T18:53:40.395-05:00

Thomas, sent you an email.

Oh this post is so exciting and encouraging! I am ...

2009-12-23T11:03:47.636-05:00

Oh this post is so exciting and encouraging! I am looking forward to planning the gardens again after the holidays. I am growing from seed for the first time this year and have considered the soil block makers from Johnny’s too.

I am really looking forward to reading about your garden progress.

Hey Dan, yes I do hand pollinate my lemon tree wit...

2009-12-22T22:39:56.438-05:00

Hey Dan, yes I do hand pollinate my lemon tree with a fine art brush.

Thanks for all of the great tips and comments everyone! I will have to look into that heating pad...although I may crack and get the seed mat.

Leslie, that piece is hilarious! I will surely be doing my share of "toiling" next summer.

Hi Thomas...your seed collection is wonderful..I g...

2009-12-22T19:10:02.925-05:00

Hi Thomas...your seed collection is wonderful..I get about a catalog a day now too....saving them to read on New Years Day...

I have been on Apples of Antiquity..going to order 3 new fruit trees..thinking..cherry, pomegranite and a peach tree...

I LOVE the fruit trees so much....

wishing you and Marc and Jonathan peace and happiness as we approach Christmas....

more later,dear friend

Sending Christmas Love,
Kary

Phew, you're going to be busy for the next few...

2009-12-22T11:27:22.028-05:00

Phew, you're going to be busy for the next few years!!!

My rhubarb is wonderful, but I have no idea what variety it is! We live close to the 'rhubarb triangle' of England (where the very best rhubarb is grown),and the crowns were given to me ....I think they are a local variety!

Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.
*hugs*

I have to get going on my seed orders! I do, howe...

2009-12-22T09:45:06.000-05:00

I have to get going on my seed orders! I do, however, have all my seed stuff down out of the attic! It was easy to do since I was up there for the Xmas stuff anyways. I did fingerling potatoes last year and they were DIVINE! They don't store as well as some others, but it didn't matter since they were consumed very quickly! Some tips for the seed starting: don't go crazy on expensive grow lights - the cheap ones from Home Depot or the like work great, just suspend them from chains you can lower and raise. I did all mine this year with the cheapo lights and my heirloom tomatoes, peppers, eggplant & herbs were bushy and not leggy at all. A really good way to get cheap, even, low cost heat (if you have the room) is to bury rope lights in sand, either in a kiddie pool or long box or whatever you can get your hands on that is the right size for you and will hold sand. It distributes the heat evenly throughout the entire box and you can place your seedlings anywhere in there! Definitely try potato cages, i do mine planted in nothing but straw in chicken wire cages "the Scandinavian Way" and the potatoes are easy and clean to get to, just lift the cages off! You have inspired me to get my butt in gear on my spring planning....!

Thomas ... SUCH ENERGY !!!! I have to admit it re...

2009-12-22T09:43:49.306-05:00

Thomas ... SUCH ENERGY !!!! I have to admit it reminds me of a funny piece I read several years ago that I quoted some seasons ago ...

http://wearemadeofdreamsandbones.blogspot.com/2006/01/like-fettucini.html

Those baby lemons are beautiful. Such promise of ...

2009-12-22T09:38:09.199-05:00

Those baby lemons are beautiful. Such promise of things to come.

You are on your way for the 2010 gardening season. Exciting stuff isnt' it?!

Instead of a heating mat for seed starting, I just...

2009-12-22T09:19:39.529-05:00

Instead of a heating mat for seed starting, I just use an old heating pad that I have at home. It works well.

Michelle

Sounds like you have it all figured out! Have you...

2009-12-22T09:14:40.762-05:00

Sounds like you have it all figured out! Have you ordered from www.woodprairie.com They sell certified organic seed potatoes. They carry some of the finest!

I love Cynthia's advice too. I do my tomato sp...

2009-12-22T07:58:38.990-05:00

I love Cynthia's advice too. I do my tomato spraying per her recommendation. My fertilizing is similar, but I haven't added fish heads to my planting hole ever.

BTW I've found chili peppers pretty easy in our climate. They aren't as hot as typical but they tend to grow well. The sweet peppers on the other hand I've had more issues with.

I'm also going to buy some more soil blocks I think. I really want the little ones and bigger ones they can go into. And I'm finalizing my seed list right now. I blame you for me ordering Oasis Turnips (close to a Hakurei). I've never successfully grown turnips here. I've tried a million times, but this year they will be put under the row cover. There isn't a brassica related plant that will grow outside of the row covers in my garden. So I will give them the full treatment.

You've got so much to do during the winter mon...

2009-12-22T06:34:26.925-05:00

You've got so much to do during the winter months to keep you busy!! It's just fantastic. It will feel so good to see all of it fruition. Summer harvests are so plentiful; you'll love it.

This is very busy schedule you are planning for a ...

2009-12-22T06:18:08.907-05:00

This is very busy schedule you are planning for a next few months. But there is enough time, I’m sure.

Thank you for this great link to Cynthia’s page, some interesting tips are mentioned there, like the one with tomatoes and aspirin – I have to try that one next year..

The best rhubarb variety in my opinion is Valentin...

2009-12-22T00:43:59.581-05:00

The best rhubarb variety in my opinion is Valentina. It has the reddest stems, it produces thinner stems and tastes great.

For the seed mat I would definitely get one, they really get seeds germinating fast. I have had things germinate overnight with my seed mat.

Do you pollinate your lemon tree? I seem to get lots of blooms on my tree but rarely any fruit. I have had one in four years!