Farmer’s Market Bounty

See ‘dem Sedum?

The snow is slowly melting here in Colorado, and the perennials are starting to peak out again. Can’t wait to start gardening again!

Spring In

Tulip bulbs in a glass vase, all you need is a little water to watch the thrilling transformation of greens to buds to beautiful blooms. It’s amazing how fresh flowers will brighten a room! We got this set up as a housewarming gift, thank you Lynn! I’m planning on drying out the bulbs and planting them in the fall even though tulips don’t always come back. Our new place has me daydreaming of sunflower possibilities, despite the four feet of snow still on the ground. I need to buy my seeds!

Happy New Year!

Did you make black eyed peas for good luck? It’s not too late – Check out these recipes:

Ideas Black Eyed Peas from Vegan Kitchen

I LOVE THIS!

Thepotholegardener.com Thanks to my friend Noelle for passing this along! I might have to start some mini gardening around Crested Butte in the spring!

Growing Indoors

Winter can be tough for us dirt lovers. Up in the mountains, I’ve been growing garlic greens again. (Thought I had a post about my windowsill technique from a few years ago, but I can’t seem find it in the archives.) When you are using garlic in cooking, chop off the root ends of the cloves and let them dry out a bit, a few days is good enough. Then simply pot up the nubs in dirt, like you would any seed, about a 1/2″ deep more or less. In a couple weeks you will have greens that you can chop up and cook with or use raw on salads and the like. Amazing! And free.

Here are a few other winter/indoor gardening ideas I’ve come across:

Growing Onions Veritcally by Auntie Dogma’s Garden Spot (a blog I will be thoroughly checking out this winter!)

Grow A Pinapple by Rick’s Woodshop Creations (I’ve always wanted to try this!)

Grow An Avacado Tree by The Hungry Mouse (This I have done before, they are very leggy, awkard plants that wont produce for a very very long time – if ever.)

While unpacking from my recent move to Colorado I rediscovered a gift I receievd during my Brooklyn days from my good friend Lea Blum: Don’t Throw It Grow It! A fun resource for experimental indoor growing that’s inspiring me to ramp up my windowsill production this season.

Another thing I have been interested in is mushrooms, despite the shagrin of my roommates, I would like to grow a few varieties this winter. Mountain Roots, a local food and gardening project here in Crested Butte, is selling sustainable gifts this year whch include a mushroom garden kit.

“When you choose to give a sustainable gift, you become part of the movement – you spread the word, you share your values, and you inspire someone to grow… best of all, your purchases support our work to develop a sustainable future for earth, food, and community.”

I will definately be supporting their cause!

Christmas Cactus Blooming!

Crested Butte, Colorado.

DAHLIA!

May I proudly introduce my first dahlia of my very own (all the other dahlias I’ve ever grown have been for people paying me to do so on their property.) These are from tubers I rescued from a compost pile at a clients house two years ago. I planted them last year, lost the buds to frost around this time, and dug them up again. I dried them out a bit and put them in a paper bag with some moss for about 6 months. I wasn’t expecting them to do anything at all.

But ah! What a beautiful flower, and lots more buds coming on too. If the weather stays as it has I’ll have more blooms in no time.

As with everything this year, I planted these very late – if it wasn’t for the frost holding off so long they’d be toast by now. (Like what happened last year.)

Looks like this October, I got lucky. What a delight!

Bouquet for Dad

Zinnias started from seed, self sown blue borage, coleus and salvia bought as babies and planted early summer.

No Time For Tomatoes

They’re rotting on the vine 😦