Germination within a week

Wow - I planted the first salad table last Wednesday. Just now as I was watering it I saw some germination on the Arugula side of things. Sweeeeeeet!

First salad table of spring

One of my core beliefs to is say f*ck conventional wisdom and trust my own gut, beliefs, and experience. So in light of that - I'm already more than a week behind last year.

Ok - so this winter was a motherf*cker. But I'm looking at a week of straight 50s with some 60s action (and even a bloody flirtation with 70 this Saturday). Night-time temps are going to be low 40s - and tonight's will be 38.

So with the hoop-house frame designed by my friend and neighbor Jack over top of one of my salad tables, and plastic sheeting over top of that, my first salad table should be warm and moist by day, and should sleep soundly and well protected at night.

Into the first - some good hardy stuff that we LOVE to eat...arugula (aka rocket, both wild and domesticated), lacinato (aka dinosaur) kale, and a mix of endives and escaroles. Everything organic. Everything edible.

Mmmmmmm.

Let's see how the actualities align with my own gut, wisdom, and experience. Last year, we were eating greens by the end of April. I'm guessing this year it will be no later than May 1st!!!

It's spring again

A long time since I've posted. But spring finally came this week in Minneapolis and like a genetic switch in me, the need to plant has come on strong!

It's still chilly at night. So I've only started to plant my fresh herbs. I start them indoors, in my front porch, where they can get some tremendous sunlight during the morning and early afternoon hours. BIggest thing is that they're protected from the chill at night.

Yesterday I planted three square home-made earthboxes.

1: Rosemary, basil x 2, mint
2: Thyme, basil, Italian parsley, mint
3: Oregano, marjoram, thyme, sage

You can see that I've got the cornerstones of the herb garden going, what I like to refer to as Simon & Garfunkel (parsley, sage...)

Also, basil for pesto (to freeze for winter) and caprese salads for a summer of goodness.

And mint for a summer's worth of mojitos (the warm-weather gardener's best friend).

It doesn't take much room to get these precious babies started. All you need is a sunny window.

And then you can stop paying for those little plastic packages of herbs at your local grocery store! (At least until November).