What did you do in the garden today?

[Acre4Me]

Ordered the rest of the seeds. Largest order at Johnnys -some things were already sold out!! Then, an order with Territorial seeds. I’ve got some things I’m interested in with John Scheepers Kitchen garden seeds, but I don’t need them now, so I’ll wait.

Same. I picked out some bunching onion seeds but haven’t actually bought them yet, the shipping prices for seeds are mildly horrifying. Complicating the matter is I’ve got a seed swap coming up next month, and I know if I buy everything I’m looking at I’ll find the same seeds at the swap and kick myself for spending the money on them.

Agree! Best to wait!

One nice thing for shipping is that some places charge a fairly low flat fee for shipping seed packets only.

 

[Sally PB]

We buy plastic juice bottles from ULine, age sauce in fridge for a month, then freeze it in the juice bottles.

The bottles don't break when the liquid freezes and expands...?

Duh, obviously not, or you wouldn't do it. But I'd think the bottles would crack and break. Is there some special technique?

 

[LaurenRitz]

Had a fun seed swap last night.

If the ground warms up enough today I need to get some more clay to mix with potting soil and start the next round of perennials.

-12 yesterday, 40 degrees today. Somebody has a sense of humor.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Agree! Best to wait!

One nice thing for shipping is that some places charge a fairly low flat fee for shipping seed packets only.

MIGardener and Seedsavers are giving free shipping over a certain dollar amount of seeds. That’s part of the problem. And I need to pull the trigger on the onions sooner rather than later so I can get them started. I have to keep reminding myself that if I spend an extra $10-$15 on seeds I don’t need in order to save $5 on shipping I’m not really saving money.

Had a fun seed swap last night.

Ooo, find anything fun?

 

[LaurenRitz]

Ooo, find anything fun?

Mostly gave stuff away. Added to my general mixes for a bunch of stuff I already have. I did get hollyhocks and skullcap.

The friend who threw the party knows me well and saved me some dry farmed and unfertilized sweet corn. I gave her dryland basil, and she totally geeked out about that. Last summer three plants survived and produced seeds unwatered.

I told her I wasn't planning on giving those away yet because I haven't grown them out a second year, and she didn't care. Which is fine, because she'll take better care of them than I would.

 

[Acre4Me]

The bottles don't break when the liquid freezes and expands...?

Duh, obviously not, or you wouldn't do it. But I'd think the bottles would crack and break. Is there some special technique?

Fill them lower than the neck seems to help! So far, so good -none have broken!

 

[jerryse]

20 degrees warmer this morning.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I have to get better at learning to save seeds.... Most veggies are easy but I need to get better at some of the harder stuff like broccoli... And herbs. I need to start bagging it.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I have to get better at learning to save seeds.... Most veggies are easy but I need to get better at some of the harder stuff like broccoli... And herbs. I need to start bagging it.

I’ve never grown broccoli so I can’t help you there, but what I did last year with my basil was to start it in a pot, then cut a length off and root it, then put the rooted piece in the garden. Then I let that bolt and kept harvesting the potted plant for culinary use. Something similar happened with the oregano but that was by accident.

A thing I considered doing was growing multiple types of basil and putting them all in pots, then when the designated seed plants bolt just cycle which one is outside for the bees each day. I suspect that’s too much micromanaging for my schedule, but I will throw it out there in case you have more time.