Cold Climate Gardening

I have to say I have derived great satisfaction from my Anchusa “Dropmore” aka Italian alkanet. It is still blooming and is such a vibrant blue. I started it from seeds I purchased from Select seeds. Also, the Fenbow Nutmeg Clove just bloomed - fabulous color, wonderful scent.

Some of my delphiniums did flop over, but they seem to really thrive up here.

Losers - anything that has a reputation for being easy to grow. I had just one White Dames Rocket survive, and I realized that many of the plants that I started last year are pretty close to the weeds I pull out of my garden.

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I think I have not bought things from Richter’s yet. I may still, but I am trying to play it by ear. I have figured out that I need at least another 400 square feet of garden space in order to plant the seeds I already ordered, not including 2 varieties of corn that I can’t imagine that I will be able find room for. I have a formal garden planned out for the 400 square feet, but I need it dug by April15th or earlier, and since I am never, ever, ever going to give birth, I don’t see how I can do all that digging with an 18 pound baby in my uterus.

I took …

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I was just looking at Richter’s on line and saw all the rosemary varieties. They sell plug tray’s of 120cts of many plants that I am always tempted to buy because it is such a great deal, but can’t really reconcile why I need 120 of anything. Part of me would love to sell plants at the farmers market, but I know that it is not the right time in my life to embark on such endeavors. They do have the Limelight helichrysum, Kath, which I think you got in poor condition from Whiteflower farm, if my memory serves me.

I have been wasting time drawing diagrams of the next hunk of sod I want to remove from …

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I am growing cardoon this year - I grew artichokes last year, but it is my understanding that cardoons get much larger, and the flowers or thistles are beautiful. In order to eat them, you have to blanch them. It is traditional in the piedmont region of Italy to eat them dipped in a hot bath (bagna cauda) of butter and anchovies, with a shaving of white truffle. Or, you can fry cardoons in batter.

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Have to put in my 2 cents since you are talking about seeds. All of my seeds are received and sorted by start date. I got a huge chunk of mine from Johnny’s, because they come from a northern climate, and they actual give you meaningful cultural information on the back of the seed packet. My second biggest order was from Pinetree seeds, again, the northern climate, interesting selections, and, cheap! (less amount of seeds per packet) Stokes Seeds was my next biggest order, mostly flowers, cheap, cold climate, good info. Select Seeds, next, then a few things from Nichols garden nursery, Park’s, and Thompson Morgan.

Seeds of Change sucked me in last year with their …

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Now that you have been reviewed, and someone has complimented your writing and synergy, I hate to wreck it by by my disjointed off topic rambling. This is probably the last time I post, since I am very, very pregnant.

I spent a lot of time working out my seed order, knowing that I will not be able to think straight soon, and for quite some time. Kathy wanted to know how I was possibly going to start seeds with a newborn infant. My plan this fall was that I was that I was going to convert all my annual space into perennial beds, so I got all these plants this fall, but we just redid our …

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What’s up with perennials? I brought them in because of frost warnings. Are they okay if I put them in the ground today? I think I am going to turn my cornfield into a giant nursery bed and just put stuff in the ground. When can I move stuff? Can I move them until the ground freezes? Do I have to wait until spring?

Since I am going to DC I need to do something if I can’t figure out where everything is going tomorrow.

Price and selection was my main motivating factor in buying from Hortico. I will write more later.

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