Dec 5th!! a rainy day in the garden.

Good morning, It was a little rainy this morning, so I sat with a  fuzzy blanket and sipped my hot  coffee for longer than usual. I spent the time dreaming about my improvements to the garden for spring and I realized, I need to get a move on and stop just wishing!

I went online and ordered a few seed catalogs, Im old school, I love to have a hard copy seed catalog , that way I can draw and doodle and circle, until im ready to order. I have to say, we are considering some really different tomatoes and melons and runner beans this year.I have to give credit to Roots and Refuge farm videos. I find inspiration from their farming practices, as they echo my own, grow organic, dont use pesticides, use compost and kelp plant foods, use a soap spry or hand pick the bugs.I wish I had goats and chickens(I keep asking Santa every year), but in the city, not a doable thing.

I have found that by including several bird food stations, and bird bath water sources, that the birds take care of a good deal of my insects, unfortunately they also seem to enjoy eating my butterflies:(  Anyways, A discussion with my wife, Angie, about the garden helped us realize that as we find varieties that we love, we need to be better stewards of our garden and actively save the seeds each year.I have dabbled with sunflowers, zinnias and my beloved hollyhocks and with some beans, but we need to get serious.!!

Today’s  observations  from my garden walk, Im going to have to thin some lettuce and arugula by the weekend, the green peas are up about 3 inches tall,it may be just a little wet for them, but I have hope! I threw in some red cippolini onions and some Spanish yellow onions and they are all peeking their heads up, the garlic patch is also taking off.I put in some calendula recently and they were doing well, but today they look too wet and a grayish tint is taking over their leaves, Im going to try a baking soda solution but I may have to wait for warmer days , at least I got a handful of blossoms, I dried them and I will put them in a next batch of tea, or maybe try a cream or lotion with them.who knows.

Anyways, thanks for checking in, remember to give mother Earth the love she deserves, say thanks to Sister rain for making our garden grow, and May all good blessings come your way!