I felt it in the air a while ago, but I really didn't think my prediction of a mild winter would actually happen - especially after that awful freezing rain we had around the holidays. But I think it will and that's great! It means I can start tomatoes a little earlier - and I mean a little early, a week say, because I don't want to babysit gargantuan tomato plants taking up all my room
under the lights - and especially since I've never seen any advantage to it.
I have some nice greens going on in the high tunnel and it's been so warm I may have to put the shade cloth on early and maybe open the window. They are cool weather crops and just a little over a week ago I was worried if they'd handle the transplant! Now I'm concerned they'll be to hot! Gotta love it!
I'm planning on putting flats in the greenhouse too-may as well start things in there. Onions are going out, parsley too and if (or when probably) temps dip again, I'll mulch the hell out of things. It is a year for taking chances!
I planted a part of one mandala bed today - radish (cherry bell and French breakfast) spinach, and a test row of market carrots. I pushed back the mulch in pie slices pulling any seeds left in the straw mulch that had germinated (tossed those on top, roots up). Made some rows and sowed, covering with sifted compost. In 2 weeks I'll sow the pie slices that have the mulch piled up with the extra from the seeded areas. Or I may start a bunch of lettuce and other greens inside in soil blocks and plant them out in a few weeks. The mulch will be put back on the seedlings once they're a decent size or if frost threatens... And it will.
I've clearly been having summer thoughts because I've been searching for a beautiful sunflower variety that I grew in Portland. I thought I'd purchased the seeds at Walmart - I was almost positive. Then on a Facebook gardening group for local gardeners someone posted about their sunflower garden and it got me thinking about that beautiful one I grew. Now I'm positive is Strawberry blonde from burpee- and I found out Walmart carries burpee so I'm convinced that is the one. I really had to dig through my old photos on G+ to find it (from '06, I think) - but here it is.
Probably the prettiest one I've ever grown, but it's a hybrid which means I'll have to buy it yearly. Bummer. I will look at Walmart first but I'll get it.
It's coconut oil season! Today was the one day in the past 3 days I didn't have it on and I did get a little pink! I'm really excited about the growing season I don't know about you!
Happy Growing! Tessa
P. S. In case you didn't notice my comments aren't showing up. I probably tweaked the code somewhere and caused it, but know I'm trying to get it figured out.