Game on Gopher

Game on Gopher ......This means war!

Weekly Garden View

We are happily eating fresh Lettuce from the garden daily...A savings of $1.59 a head (pricing from Super 1 Foods this week)

The garlic is looking great...We have finally finished off the remainder of last seasons garlic harvest, so  I am looking forward to fresh garlic. The garlic scape's will be here soon enough! 

Glass Gem Corn was transplanted into the garden this past week and seems to be doing good.

Soaking Beans

During Memorial weekend, we were able to get our beans soaked, sprouted and planted.

Both bean varieties are Heirlooms that we have been growing and saving for the past couple of years.

Calypso Bean Sprout

October Bean Sprout

All beans were started and soaked at the same time,  but October Beans definitely get the fastest sprouting award... These guys sprouted within 24 hours..

The Rattlesnake Beans have been the slowest to germinate..Taking their own sweet time! 

Rattlesnake Beans are climbers, and will be planted to eventually grow up the old bed frame tower.

Eggshells in the garden

Transplanting Tomatoes with eggshells.

We save our eggshells to add to the soil at transplanting time. A little extra insurance to help prevent calcium deficiency and aid in a plentiful harvest.

A good handful, crushed and mixed in the soil...then we add the tomatoes and mulch!

Planting Hanging Baskets

My cheapness is starting to show here...I am not willing to pay big bucks for one of those beautiful hanging baskets at the nursery, and I am a little late in the game to start my own petunias and other container flowers for this season. 

 Recently, my dad gave me the most beautiful gift any garden girl could ever want....Rusty, crusty, iron hanging baskets, from an old salvaged greenhouse! 

I decided to plant the geraniums that we picked up at Westwood Gardens in Rathdrum, and directly seed Sweet Peas into each basket. I'll have to wait just a little longer to have flourishing baskets...but I won't have to shell out my hard earned $$$

The Sweet peas we added to this old enamel bucket, has a rusted out bottom. We transplanted the sweet peas into the bucket just a few short weeks ago... and already it is looking great!

Spring Flowers

Enjoying the spring bulbs planted around the chicken coop...I often forget what I have planted in the previous fall. Does anyone else do that? 

Tiny Tim's

Tiny Tim is chugging along in the greenhouse and is happily putting on tomatoes :-)

Seed Case

How do you store your seeds? Mine are kept in an old vintage suitcase...

I just can't help myself...I have a bad habit of picking up seeds here and there and needed a good place to store them...this fits the bill!

When I need to plant, I just pull out the old suitcase and we are ready to go!

Let us eat Lettuce!

Finally, the day has arrived for us to get our hot little hands on our first lettuce harvest of the season! Tom Thumb was picked out of the greenhouse bed and Four Seasons was plucked straight from the garden, both heirloom varieties.

Mixed with left over Iceberg lettuce we already had from the store.

A perfect side, to accompany dinner tonight!

First Harvest

This morning was our first harvest of the season.... These delicious beauties didn't last long!

Coffee Date in the greenhouse

I love Sunday mornings..

Sunday mornings in the greenhouse with my honey and a cup of coffee is even better! A great way to start my Mother's Day!

I think our North Idaho, Vitamin D deprived bodies have been craving sunshine....The greenhouse is the perfect happy place to enjoy each others company ...My heart is HAPPY!

We took a few moments to enjoy the the peace of Sunday morning before we were off and running! 

Today was set aside, to get yard work done at the soap shop, hauling wood, and helping Nana & Papa get their garden tilled.  A busy day indeed!

Peas are up

Peas are up and at em' and have really perked up with all the rain we have had in the past week,along with all the flower bulbs planted around the chicken coop....A welcome sign of SPRING!

Hairy Legs

and their not mine this time ;-)

As the sun streamed thru the greenhouse this afternoon you could really see the hair on the tomato legs. Did you know they are called glandular trichomes. You can learn a little more about them Here

Seedy Sunday

Sunday was spent outside doing yard chores, transplanting starts, and starting more seeds. This year I will be attempting to grow the beautiful Glass Gem Corn from Native Seeds. These seeds will get a little head start in the greenhouse.

Sweet little packet of Forget-Me-Nots from Susie B. that were handed out at the last  gardening club meeting...Have now been started.

also started today...

• Succession Planting #4 of lettuce Romaine, Iceberg, Four Seasons,& Tom Thumb
• California Giant Mix Zinnias
• Dill- Fern Leaf and Mammoth
• Chamomile
• Sicilian Violet Cauliflower
• January King Cabbage

Transplanting Onion starts

 Life seems to be picking up speed at a rapid rate these days, so much going on with family and work... I sometimes wonder where I will find the time to garden...

My heart finds peace in the garden...I must find the time to make it happen!

This afternoon, I found a little time to get the onion starts out.

I used the new square foot planting boards Troy made.... and I love them!!!!

Setting a straight line and then using the planting board, sure made the job a whole lot easier.

 Approximately 150 Ailsa Craig onions planted down the row.The Singing Heart Surprise starts are doing quite well, I sure hope it's not a weed...Time, will tell!

 I transplanted them into an old wine barrel this afternoon, in order to keep them contained until I can figure out what the heck they are!