originally published April 7

We are at week 7/8 before last frost free date. ( remember I am setting our date at May 31 not the zone 5 May 16 ).

I started my seed inventory and planting timetable back in February. I’ve also started a garden journal for the first time in years! I believe this is the year of all gardening years to be remembered…..and savored.
Since I’ve already admitted I’m a dreamer; to add to that thought, gardens are what dreams are made of. Seeds bring to our dreams hope, anticipation and Joy!

If you did not start your seed dreams timetable, here are some recommendations for what you can plant now outside and what you should be starting indoors.

Outdoors:
Peas and Spinach can still be direct sown in the garden if you haven’t done that yet. Arugula and Radish can be direct sown also but better to wait another week.
Onion and leek sets. Seeds should have been started 3 weeks ago inside.
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originally published April 3

Week 9 BLD ( before last frost date )

Time to plant peas, indoors or out, Spinach outside, Kale and Kohlrabi, Chard indoors!
I started an English shelling pea, Green Arrow, on March 1 in used Keurig pods for giving away during my seed starting talk at the grand re-opening of the Sturgeon Bay Seed Library. Unfortunately we had to cancel it. Now I have lots of plants.
Too soon for my garden so I have been pinching them off to keep them stronger and in control and nurturing them until they can be transplanted outside. Now I need to start hardening them off preparing them for outside weather. I am approaching this in 1 hour increments and going to slowly add time to being outside untill I can plant this weekend. More later.
Let’s talk peas!

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originally published March 30

Why seeds you ask? Cost, variety and satisfaction.
For me, I like the challenge of growing from seed and maybe more than that I am a dreamer.
Every morning, I sit with coffee, phone or computer and read at least 4 garden blogs and as many cooking blogs.
I download tons of recipes that I imagine I’m going to prepare and I notate new and different plants I think I must have either for ornament or for using in a recipe.
Maybe that is why, when I finally inventoried and charted my seed collection I discovered I have 16 different varieties of bean seeds! I don’t even eat beans that much!
I order seeds from John Scheepers and Park the most. I like Baker Creek for their pictures. Botanical Interest has really good and informative blogs. Johnny’s has good information and a wonderful catalogue but shipping is expensive. I usually wait to order seeds until one of the companies offer free shipping or a discount. Don’t count on it now! They are busier now then they have been in decades! However, with the Door County Seed Library, the variety of offerings is amazing and once you sign up as a member you can check out seeds to plant for free! We hope the libraries will be opening soon, but I suspect the charitable nature of the seed library has a plan in mind to overcome the current obstacle of distribution.
Next post I will discuss optimal growing conditions and how to set up a growing station.
Before I do, do you know Door County’s Frost free date?
have you started counting the weeks before to chart your seeds? What different seeds do you plan to start this year?

originally published March 29

I love to garden! But what I love more is finding new and exciting plants! I am one of those crazy people who cannot pass a garden center without stopping. You would have thought that after 30 odd years of gardening and planting that I would have caught the seed bug. I did not. Interesting since seeds provide variety that no garden center can compete with.

I was certified as a U of I Extension Master Gardener in Chicago, I founded a community garden and grants organization, participated in gorilla gardening of neglected public spaces, spent 2 days a month freelancing as a private garden landscaper, and held a full time job. Seeds? No time.