Grow Vegetables In The Window

Lettuce. Two weeks old.

Growing plants, herbs and vegetables especially, in a window is quintessentially charming, but can it be done?  How much of a hassle is it to water, trim, turn etc?

Radishes planted the same day. See what I'm saying?

Take a lesson from NASA and start with the vegetables that are easiest to grow. Even seasoned gardeners have to relearn some things when they are growing in a new environment, so start with the can't-be-killed vegetables first:


Lettuce - NASA started with lettuce for it's Growing Vegetables In Space Program. Lettuce germinates in a day. You should have sprouts in 2-3 days. You can start harvesting the lettuce in about 3 weeks. The astronauts on the space station harvested theirs at 33 days. It wilts when it's thirsty, so you have some warning before it's dead. Of coarse, that's if everything goes right. If you don't...

Feed That Addiction, Plant Junkie!

Nobody else was taking pictures in the cemetery, or I would have retaken this contraband photo.

Feed that addiction, Plant Junkie! You know you want to!
If you missed the Hall County Master Gardeners Spring Expo, you still have time to enjoy these:

The Gently Used Plant Sale (Display models being sold at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.)

Herb Society Plant Sale
(also at the Atlanta Botanical Garden)

Norcross Garden Club Plant Sale
(I was a speaker there one year!)

In case the cold weather kept you home:
Oakland Cemetery is an Historic Atlanta landmark, and they let me in anyway! The GPS got me to the ornate gate that they picture on their website. I was worried. The website makes it sound enormous and my hiking skills are beginner level. Bring a cane if you aren't steady on your feet. There has been a little settling int he last 200 years.

But WOW! This place is...

What to Plant in APRIL!!

What to plant in April:
EVERYTHING!!

Here's a breakdown:
If it's still cold, plant cole crops.

If it's not going to frost again and you are cheap, direct seed your entire summer crop now. If you want to get a jump, buy bedding plants. Here is one of the most boring videos ever (mine) about how to plant tomato plants. And here is Bonnie Plant's video about it. (Hi Bonnie!)

See how easily they could be stepped on?

One more thing...

What to Plant in March

Plant Everything in March! This is the month you've been waiting for! (Here's How to Start Seeds)

If you live in the mountains or "Up North" plant some spinach and Swiss Chard. If you aren't expecting any more snow, plant lettuce, beets, carrots and radishes. If you live in the tropics, plant tomatoes.
.

Non-tropics dwellers: plant tomatoes anyway, just do it indoors. It is time to...

Happy March!!

Found a four-leaf clover!

Garden Plan: What To Grow

Procrastination Pays Off! 

Growing compost isn't my idea of time well spent, although psychologists might argue. The food pantry gets a good bit of our crop each season as well, but it's the stuff I keep and never use that lingers in my conscience. So, seed and plant selection is becoming more important as I get older and less willing to grow compost.

Plants and seeds are safe, or getting the boot by these criteria:

1. What do we eat when it's laying around the kitchen?
Or in the "Go Rot" drawer of the fridge?
Lets face it...

What to Plant in February

Yeah, same photo every year!

The inventor of Valentines day was not a gardener. Who would dream up addressing envelopes with the new Spring light streaming through the windows? 

February is a month of potential. Just not the kind where somebody else is going to fulfil your romantic dreams. Only you know your dreams. Buy your own candy and quit expecting other people to read your mind.

Now, for the garden... a great topic for February. 

Seeds. Start them.  
I know you haven't planted your seeds yet. If you had a field full of winter veggies, you wouldn't be reading this.  
Plant them...