Friday, March 23, 2012

The Potter in Me

I have this blog, so I might as well use it.  Hopefully this won't be a regular thing but I guess I don't need to limit myself completely to garden stuff, though that was the original purpose of this blog.  Things change.

As I'm sure I've mentioned, I have access to a pottery studio and things are starting to get very exciting for me.  I have been able to create and use my artistic abilities which I am now able to share with others.  I have recently had a few pieces commissioned by some co-workers which feels great, for others to enjoy what I do.

I have quite a few before and after's to share, you can kind of see the process of what pottery goes through to become the useful form it is at the end.
I hope you enjoy:
















Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Let The Season Begin!

Plants are officially started.  We worked the last two weekends starting peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, melons and flowers.  Most of the flowers are vining plants though of course I bought a few bags of gladiolus.  Vines include Moon Flower, Morning Glory, Nasturtium, some wildflower mix and I'm sure there are others.  The three of us make quite a team, assembly-line-style operation, planting over 300 peat pots in a few hours. I think it's a good start to the season.
Here's the list for this year.  More to be added later in the season, I am sure.

Peppers:
Emerald Giant Pepper
Albino Bullnose Pepper
Thai Yellow Chilli Pepper
Thai Red Chilli Goat Horn Hot
Chocolate Habanero Pepper
Mustard Habanero
Purple Jalapeno
Black Hungarian PepperRed Marconi Pepper Quadrato D' Asti Giallo Pepper
Quadrato D'asti Rosso Pepper
Purple Beauty Pepper

Peas:
Golden Sweet Snow Peas
Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Peas
Blue Podded Blauwschokkers Garden Pea
Melon:
Ananas Melon
Hale's Best 45 Melon Oka Melon ( Bizard Island Strain )
Plus a gift pack

Tomato:
Ananas Noire or Black Pineapple Vorlon Tomato
Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge
Black Icicle Tomato
Black Giant Tomato
Pink Icicle Tomato
Tsar's Royal Gift Tomato
Orange Banana Tomato
White Tomesol
Ivory Egg
Roman Candle

Squash:
Zucchini Squash - Golden
Zucchini Squash - Gray
Vegetable Spaghetti Squash
Table Gold Acorn Squash
White Acorn
Black Futsu Squash

Eggplant:
Rosa Bianca Eggplant
Pandora Striped Rose Eggplant
Japanese White Egg

Misc.:
De Bourbonne Cucumber
Atomic Red Carrot
Cosmic Purple Carrot
Golden Wax Bush Bean
Dragon Tongue Bush Bean

Herbs:
Cilantro, Slo-Bolt
Basil - Lime
Basil - Siam Queen Thai
Basil - Genovese
Dill Bouquet

Monday, March 12, 2012

Seeds Ordered and An Update On My Life

I have purchased $120 in seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  I've never planted heirloom seeds before and still don't know a lot about them but I plan to learn this year.

As for my life, everything has changed since last summer but for the better I would say.  My eyes have opened up to whole new experiences and opportunities.  I am no longer engaged but I do still own a house in Fridley.  I now live in a small apartment in Wisconsin with my sister which means no gardening there.  Obviously that won't stop me from planting my little heart out. 
I plan to help my ex with the landscaping in Fridley. I welcome the opportunity to work on different spaces all summer.  My current boyfriend lives on a large chunk of land in the valleys of western Wisconsin. Their property is right on a river and the entire place is one giant project.  There's a lagoon that needs much tending too and I hope to add some beauty to it this summer with lillys and hostas, hibiscus and anything else my flower-obsessed self wants to see this summer.  The plan is to make some large planters for around the pond/lagoon because it's almost completely rock out there.  Him and I make pottery together at his neighbors house who is a retired ceramics professor.  So the sky is the limit with some nice looking planters.  That's a few big jobs right there.  Other than that, my boyfriend and his best friend spent all of last summer building raised garden beds.  Sixteen if I remember right.  They also have a large space fenced off to keep the deer (and dogs) out that will be used for squash and melons.

As for my boyfriend, when it comes to plants, he is very much like me.  Research everything.  And he's crazy about vegetables and even more crazy about all the fun stuff you can cook with different kinds of this or that.  It's so nice to share my passion with someone and bounce ideas off each other and introduce each other to new things/plants/flowers/foods.  It will make for a interesting and fun summer.  I cannot wait, though it seems I won't have to wait long considering it is March 12 and it's raining with 70's on the forecast for this week.

Summer here we come.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

By This Time Last Year

I think I had much more accomplished and started by March 1st of last year.  I am sad to say I have not even spent time looking through catalogs yet this year.  What a sad thing.
I will have access to a large plot of land this year which is great.  However, the location is in the bottom of a valley where the temperature is 10 degrees colder than anywhere else which shortens the season length.  But I cannot complain for I will have space and flower related projects and someone to share it with.
I will be learning plenty about heirloom seeds and hopefully asparagus as my father has ordered some purple asparagus to split with me.

I cannot wait for the season to begin and have already begun day dreaming about what lies under the snow.

Spring is a coming!