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Start Planting Flowers, Sunflowers, and Watermelon

Today I decided it was time for getting some plants ready for the spring.  This would include alyssum, dill, and queen annes lace.  I grow these particular plants early mainly for attracting beneficial insects such as lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and even honey bees.

I also like to get a head start with watermelons and sunflowers.  Watermelons take a very long time to mature and produce fruit.  Some can take as long as 110 days.  Since I live in a temperate climate I always  like to get right into growing this fruit as soon as possible.  By the time they are ready to be planted into the garden it should be warm enough for them to flourish

Sunflowers I like to get a head start on is because this is one of the first things I need to begin flowering.  The flowers of mammoth sunflowers are perfect for attracting pollinating bees.  Whether it be honeybees or native bees these plants can attract all kinds of pollinators.  This is the main reason for getting them a head start as well. (more…)

Spinach Has Started to Sprout

It has been a couple of weeks since I planted spinach seeds, but it is now starting to pay off. The first couple of seeds are starting to sprout and popping out of the soil. It might take another week or so before the rest of the seeds start growing.

Spinach is one of those plants that does take a while before they start sprouting all at once. It can take up to three weeks before they are all through the soil. This is where patience is a virtue and something you must have when gardening. Time is essential and by planting them early gives you a buffer just in case many of them do not sprout.  (more…)

Time To Begin Planting Spinach Indoors

Spinach is always the first plant of the season to be grown indoors prior to spring. Since I live in zone 6 it wouldn’t be smart to plant them outside because it is still too cold even for spinach. I like to start them inside because this will allow them to develop quickly and healthy before placing them in the garden.

Since they will be inside I needed to make sure that I start them in a slightly cooler place then any other plants. I happened to place them in the basement because it usually remains around 50 degrees Fahrenheit through the entire winter. (more…)

Start of a New Season

It is now 2014 and the beginning of a new season for any gardener.  Even though some areas are not quite ready to begin planting I always start preparing for the coming months just prior to planting.  Since I live in zone 6 I don’t have to worry about planting for a couple of months.  The first thing I do on January 1st is get a list of all the seeds that I have currently from the previous year or years.

It’s good to write down all the vegetables, fruits, flowers, etc. that you plan on growing.  Once you write down everything that you plan on growing then check off the different seeds that you already have.  If this is your first time growing you can just ignore this step as you will probably not have many if any seeds lying around. (more…)