More Beautiful Blooms

This will be the last in the series of Presby Memorial Iris Garden photos. Enjoy the beauty, color, and variety!  

Presby Memorial Iris Garden in Bloom

Peak bloom at Presby Memorial Iris Garden in Upper Montclair NJ was this past weekend. If you didn't get there, I'm sure the 100,000 plus blooms will still be going strong this whole week. Go visit! It's beautiful. Iris come in a rainbow of colors, some have spots or stripes, and some are extra frilly. 

They sell plants at the show and they have a charming little gift shop too. Don't forget to stop by the donation booth on your way in, organizations like these survive on the dedication of their members and the support of the public. Let's keep this garden gem going for future generations to enjoy!

It's Iris Season at Presby Memorial Iris Garden

If you're in the New York City metro area and you love iris, flowers, or just strolling around in beautiful surroundings, it's time to visit the Presby Memorial Iris Garden in  Upper Montclair NJ. The gardens are home to 14,000 irises of about 3,000 varieties, producing 100,000 blooms annually. It is an amazing sight to behold. 

When to Plant the Garden? Now!

In our neighborhood, the daffodils are done, the cherries have leafed out, but the late tulips are still going strong. 

Last year's kale is happier than ever and that means Mao Mao's getting lots of little kale nibbles before dinner. Yes, our cat is a big fan of greens. I am too, so our human salads are getting a big supplement from the garden lately. 

Three varieties of lettuce are also sprouting in the plot. I've harvested leaves from the red romaine but the others are taking their time. This photo is from last week. We're getting closer to harvest size this week. 

What else is growing? Two varieties of carrots are up. The strawberry plants have an abundance of blossoms. I transplanted about a dozen leeks from the windowsill "greenhouse" to the plot.  I repotted a dozen pepper plants into bigger containers to encourage more growth and hope to keep a few on the fire escape. The radicchio plants are looking good but are getting a little crowded with the kale. I might have to chop the kale monster down a bit. 

It was a very cold and long winter but we're finally deep into spring. And now that Mothers Day is upon us, it is officially safe to get planting. I see a trip to the garden center in my future. The tomato seedings are calling my name. 

When to Sow Lettuce Seeds

When should I sow lettuce and carrot seeds? Now! I did three rows of lettuce and two rows of carrots yesterday in 40• temps because I knew it was going to be rainy today and 60• and sunny all weekend. 

It's not very springlike in the garden just yet, but after this weekend I expect a lot of blooming daffodils and some very happy over wintered kale. Yes, my Ragged Jack kale survived our very cold winter and is sprouting again.

Inside my greenhouse (apartment window) the leek and pepper seedings are flourishing. I may have overdone the leeks, but that just means that my sister and mother will get some!

Now go plant those lettuce and carrot seeds!

Starting Leek Seeds Indoors

I planted leek seeds about a week ago in a recycled plastic food container, using a peat medium. They sprouted a few days ago and are doing well. 

The seed trays are right in front of a south-facing window, where they get lots of light all day. 

After dark, I put a light over the trays to extend the "day", in an attempt to prevent leggy growth. 

So far, everything looks good and we're looking forward to big, fat leeks this summer!

Starting Seeds Indoors

Now that my coffee table is overflowing with seed catalogs, I'm itching for the gardening season to begin. And it has!

I'm starting seeds inside my apartment now, so that by summertime I'll be harvesting lots of goodies. Some seeds do well with a jumpstart in a sunny window (like in my home), a greenhouse, or under grow lamps in a basement or garage. Leeks, onions, and brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower all have long seasons that can begin inside, long before the snow melts and the soil warms. 

I use seed starting pellets and lettuce containers for my operation. The seed pellets are soaked in water until they puff up and become a soft, moist home for the seeds. The plastic lettuce boxes get a few drainage holes poked in the bottom for drainage and are placed on top of the lids to catch any overflow from watering. 

I cover the boxes with plastic wrap until they germinate and then open them up when they've all sprouted. 

The purple sprouting broccoli came up in just a few days. What other seeds did I start inside?

I started Purple Sprouting Broccoli from Pinetree Garden Seeds (2012), Crimson Forest Bunching Onion from Pinetree Garden Seeds (2012), King Richard Leek from Botanical Interests (2015), and Bloomsdale Long-Standing Spinach from Burpee (2009).  I didn't buy any new seeds this year except the leek. While going through my gardening supplies, I realized that I already have a huge selection from previous years. I'm being thrifty this season and growing what I have. So, we'll see if those 2009 spinach seeds do anything. 

Here's to Garden Season 2015! Get growing!

Preparing for Winter in the Garden

I pulled everything out last week except for the kale. I've had such success with the Ragged Jack kale that I'm going to see what happens to it when it starts getting really cold (and snowy, if this winter turns out to be anything like last).  And there's also a few garlic cloves in there too. If I get to it before the ground freezes, I'll dump a bag of compost on everything. 

I got my first seed catalog of the season already.  Thanks Pinetree. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Garden Harvest Backlog from Brunswick Street

So it seems as though my posts from September and October failed to publish. So you've missed seeing all the goodies that I've pulled from the ground, snipped from the stem, and plucked from the vine. 

Crazy carrots were part of the harvest. I was never thrilled with the flavor of the Amarillo yellow carrots and will stick with orange Nantes in the future. 

If anything was consistent this season, it was the kale and those volunteer bottleneck cherry tomatoes. Both were unstoppable and made sure we had homegrown salads on the table almost every night. 

A few times we gussied up the salads with nasturtiums. Fancy!

I picked a few tomatoes that were just beginning to ripen and then removed all the green ones and cleared the plants out of the plot. Yesterday I pickled the green tomatoes with some hot peppers. 

The last of the carrots also came out. The plot is clear except for the kale (still looks perfect), some lettuce, and my perennial white salvia that keeps the bees happy all summer long. 

Garden Cat in Flower Pot

If you've ever had cats, then you know how they're kings of comfort. They'll find a comfy bed in any situation or circumstance. I think we lost all of our house plants when Mao Mao was a kitten because there is something irresistible about snoozing in a pile of dirt and stem. 

Looks like garden cats feel the same way.