January 25, 2004

• I am going NUTS!

  
  

  We have 4 inches of snow on the ground, and are expecting from 4-12 inches more in the next 36 hours. It all depends on what way the two storms that are headed this way decide to move. So what am I doing? Am I outside prepping for the storm? Nope. Am I inside prepping for the storm? Nope.

  
  

  I am at the computer drooling over flower seeds.

  
  

  I am SO ready for Spring. I don't mind winter at all, actually. I love the snow, which we generally get low amounts of here in Maryland. I even don't mind the cold weather.  Except for what the nasty cold fronts are bringing in this year. We have had 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 degree days constantly these last 3 weeks, with perhaps 2 days in the 30s and 40s. WHEW. The Canadians can have their cold fronts BACK. Now. No, really RIGHT NOW. Its only 18 degrees outside at the moment. ACK!  HATE IT !

  
  

     I am craving sunlight in the worst way. I have no energy, even when I take my vitamins. I think I need a sun lamp..I wonder if I am one of those "SAD" people *seasonally affected disorder* who need to supplement their sun exposure during the winter. We haven't had many sunny days, and I definitely notice that after we do have a nice sunny day, even when it is bitter cold, that I feel better the next day. Hmmm... coincidence???

  
  

    Anyway, back to plants. I so want to get my hands into some nice, moist smelling earth. I want to pull weeds. I want to plant plants and water them. I want to be able to go out in the fresh of the morning looking to see what new has bloomed.

  
  

    This year I have decided to start as many plants as possible from seed indoors. With the winter being so bitter cold, I have a feeling that the plants may be a bit late awakening this Spring. I want to have lots of annuals I have started from seed to have lots of color in the garden as early as possible.I also want to save money on plants! The best ways to combine these two things is to start seeds indoors, or winter sow as many seeds as possible. Never heard of winter sowing? Check this out on gardenweb to learn about it: http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/wtrsow/ . So far I have about a dozen 2 litre soda bottles saved, and as soon as there is a day that the wind chill isn't below 20, or that the weather is in the/ high 30s, low 40s, I plan to get cracking with seeds of plants that need cold weather to germinate, and also with other seeds to see how well it works for me.In addition to that, I am going to use those grow light tubes, and a rack that a friend got me from his work * they were TOSSING this awesome lab rack that had never been used for anything but storage*. I have to figure out how to rig up the lights, but I plan on putting the whole assembly in my garage, cover it with plastic and VOILA! Mini greenhouse. I will heat up water and pour it into containers * gallon milk jugs and similar containers * and put those in the * greenhouse * to help raise the temperature. I also may buy an inexpensive * $10-15 * fan heater and plug that in on low and set that up to circulate warm air in my seed starter. This is the first year I will have done this, so I will be experimenting! If I am successful enough, I will not only have plants to share but to sell on the weekends at the end of my driveway. I figure if I sell enough plants, I will be able to pay for the materials for the seed greenhouse, and also supplementals for the garden. WOO HOO!

  
  

     In celebration of my planned success at starting seeds indoors, I bought some seeds from eBay. MAN are they pretty! I bought lemon grass seeds, which is a perennial tropical plant whose leaves are used in cooking, and it is also a great mosquito repellant. Tasty and smells SO good! I love to make curried chicken and use lemon grass. I would have some except I forgot to bring some of it inside.  The cold got the lemon grass early on, and now I have to pay to replace it. Other than the lemon grass & pineapple sage, I saved everything else from the garden that was a tender perennial.

  
  

    I also ordered seeds for a blue morning glory.....

  
  

  And for a blue poppy....

  
  

  

  
  

  And a balloon flower mixture...

  
  

   

  
  

  And a gorgeous "Candystripe" perennial geranium....

  
  

    So what do you think? Good choices, hmm?  I just found out that Frank's Nursery and Crafts is having their seed sale this week! Starts today. 50% off all seed packets...and they have a HUGE variety to pick from. I will be going over tonight, or first thing tomorrow. I want to find as many of the seeds I want as possible, so I don't have to order through the mail. I can save both on the seeds, and the shipping that way. I hope to get a lot more perennials in this year, so that the annuals will just be nicely seated around the garden borders to provide additional color.

  
  

     Here's hoping there is a week long warm spell in February, so I can get honest-to-goodness garden earth under my nails and ground into the knees of my jeans. Until then,   I may not be able to have my hands in the dirt, but like most gardeners at this time of year I can dream, plan and think about it.

  
  

  Katt *ReddKatt*

  • 2:29 pm
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