Finally! The gardening season has begun!

So, I couldn't take it any more. There were just way too many seed packets, all shouting to be opened ... the seed starting kit was beckoning ... I just couldn't hold out any longer! So, last night, I finally opened up some seed packets I have a 72-pod seed starter kit, and I split them half-n-half: 36 pods got the Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, and the other 36 got the Parris Island Cos (Romaine) lettuce. And weirdly enough, the entire time I was putting the seeds into the starting mix, all I could think about was Jake Gyllenhaal. Weird. Maybe it was because I just watched City Slickers.

In other news, I couldn't resist the siren song being sung by the local Tractor Supply Co. store. I actually passed on seeds, instead going for a bandana, a soil meter, and a book.

The Chippewa blueberry plant that I have has flowered, and is now sitting outside, soaking up the sun ... or the rain ... there's a 50/50 chance for either right now. The flowers were really pretty, in my opinion. And in the window, I've got a potted bougainvillea (purchased from the same nursery as the blueberrry) sunning itself. It's DEFINITELY way too cold for that one outside.

That was a few weeks ago. So, fast forward a few weeks. Bougainvillea is still inside, as it's still too cold for it to be outside, blueberry is still outside, and I'm hoping that's okay (because I've yet to bring it back in). I made another trip to Tractor Supply Co. and bought a pair of gardening boots --- THANKFULLY! --- because the mud and dirt from the garden was becoming a pain to knock off of my shoes every time I needed to come inside the house. So, with all of that, I had my seeds started --- lettuce, carrots, Anaheim chili peppers, Serrano chili peppers, and Swiss Chard.

And ... drum roll, please ... the actual GARDEN has begun! We've removed the sod from the 20' x 15' area that has been tempting me since last fall. Then, we went out and got some "Moo-Nure" from The Home Depot (about 25 bags), and took some leaves from our blackberry/black raspberry garden (which has been our catch-all for the past few years and has become overgrown), threw them in the garden, and VOILA! --- the makings of a garden. So, we borrowed the neighbors' tiller, and by the end of the following day, the garden had been nicely tilled, with the leaf mulch and manure mixed in to the soil. The tilling was done mostly by my dad, thankfully! That tiller packs a kick!

Now that the triumphs have been sung, here are the tribulations ...

So, the past few weeks have been ... rain, rain, rain, sun, partly cloudy, tornado watch, rain, rain, rain, wind & rain, sun, cold and cloudy, and rain. Not great planting or gardening weather. So, on one of the rare sunny days, I went outside, set my little plastic greenhouses with my seedlings up on the deck rail, and went inside to get some water for them, came back outside, heard a slight *plink*, got up to the deck steps, then heard *boom*.

Only 1 of the 2 greenhouses were still on the deck rail.

I was pissed.

The lettuces that I've been nurturing for the past few weeks had toppled over the side of the deck rail, due to the wind, and were crushed and strewn around the loose soil that now laid on the ground. So, there went approxiately 3-4 weeks of growth. Grr....

On the bright side, though, the carrots, Bibb lettuce, carrots, and peppers were still okay ... the Swiss Chard was unfortunately, wilted by the cold. Not a big loss, though, considering that I've never had Swiss Chard before, and don't really know if I'd love the taste of it.

Hopefully, if it dries out, I can get out there and re-till the garden, then begin planting. Once the garden is re-tilled, then I'll hopefully start the lettuce again, this time, I'll just plant it straight into the soil.

Guess who got more gardening stuff?

I'm addicted to gardening, I think. Or , at least ... I'm addicted to planning on gardening. After going down to Staples and finally getting everything straightened out with my laptop and everything, I had to go to The Home Depot. I ended up buying some T labels for the garden ... and some Helen Mount Viola seeds ... and some Acorn Squash seeds, as well. Then, I headed over to Minges Nursery, a little further down the road, and bought some more plants. I got a pretty red bougainvillea and a Chippewa Blueberry bush. On top of that, I bought 10 garlic cloves and 10 shallots. I'm hoping to find a place for them out in the garden, too. I may end up having to do a few gardens, what with the way this is turning out!

Blustery day + tornado warning = good time to stay inside and knit!

After getting all funky-smelling from going down to A Total Tan in Harrison (and - obviously - tanning), I went with my mom and Megan (from across the street) to Big Lots. The original plan was to look at camping stuff (lights, decorations, etc.), but I diverged from the plan. I ended up getting more stuff for gardening. Surprise, surprise. Since the garden is going to be located at the very back of the yard, behind the pool, I figured that I'd probably need to get some more garden hose to reach around said pool, and have enough hose available to water the garden. This led to me purchasing a 25' garden hose (which will be attached to the existing hose ... somehow) and a 50' soaker hose. I've always wanted one of those, and I figured I might as well get it, seeing as how it was only about $8.

And on my way out, what do I see? Garden statuaries. I love garden statuaries - of the whimsical varieties. I don't like the angels, or the little kids, or the bears. I enjoy the gnomes, butterflies, fairies, and frogs. So, I had to get 2 gnomes, as well.

After leaving Big Lots, we did a quick trip into CVS, then headed home, where I immediately headed out back to view the garden area again. I was getting tired of just trying to imagine how much space the garden would take up - because I'm horrible with estimating distance - and decided that today would be a good day to get some stakes and drive them into what would be the corners of the garden.

So, I grabbed some tools out of my dad's workshop (don't worry Dad, I put them back in their places!), four stakes, and headed outside. The dogs seemed particularly interested in running around in the spots that I needed to stake, so after throwing their stick that they 'borrowed' from the fire pit, I was able to measure out the 20' x 15' plot, and drive the stakes into the ground. My only concern now is the slight dip that cuts through the garden, from where runoff over the years has made its way down to the pond further back in the subdivision. Hopefully, it can be easily redirected.

I think my next course of action for the garden will be to buy some seed starting mixture and decide which plants I'm going to start in my plastic grow dome first. Hopefully, the tornado watch that we're currently under will dissipate, and I'll be able to head back down to Harrison to get those supplies tonight! If not, then tonight will be a good night to stay indoors and finish the sweater I've been knitting for the past 3 months!

Went to get a laptop ... got more seeds, instead

The plan was for me to go to Staples and get a laptop. $1500.04 and a declined check due to a limit on the amount that I can write a check for (according to my bank) later ... I ended up with another shopping bag full of seed packets from Biggs, across the street:

• Homestead Tomato
• Waltham Butternut Squash
• Royal Blue Sweet Pea
• Bibb Lettuce
• Bellflower (Peachleaf variety)
• Garden Bean (which, from what I've researched, is what you get green beans from) Blue Lake 274 and Kentucky Wonder varieties

Aside from that, today was an absolutely gorgeous day! It was sunny, windy, and in the 70s for the first time this year. Now, with the windows open and a nice breeze coming in (while watching "When Weather Changed History" on the Weather Channel — about the Super Outbreak of tornadoes in 1974 ... wondering if this is a good idea?) I can hear the first spring peepers of the season! I love listening to those things! It just makes me think of spring! With the Daylight Savings Time change tonight at 2 a.m. and spring only 2 weeks away, I can't wait to get my seeds started and start tearing up the plot in the back yard for the garden!

Getting ready for gardening!

Now that March is here, temperatures are beginning to warm up (on an inconsistent basis). With my birthday at the end of February, I was able to receive some gardening tools, including gloves, a trowel with inches marked on the spade, MiracleGro, a gardening hose nozzle with adjustable settings, some seed packets, a few hoes (of the gardening utensil variety), and a neat little pronged jabby-thing that I have no clue what it's called (but seems to be quite useful in jabbing it in the ground and breaking up the soil and tearing weeds out).

In addition to all of this, I also got to go to the Cincinnati Home and Garden Show. They had some absolutely AWESOME gardening displays there. I could walk around that place all day. I got way too many ideas for my own good and — after a trip to Meijer — stocked up even more.

Now, I'm armed to the teeth with seed packets and ambition. I have grand plans to turn a 20'x15' plot in our back yard into a thriving Victory Garden, but my enthusiasm usually wanes around June, when the temperature starts to bubble up even higher and watering becomes more of a chore than it was in the previous month. Then, weeding starts to slip its way onto the to-do list, as does pruning and general upkeep. By the time things are ready for harvest, I usually have a completely overgrown area, with no visible path in between the rows of plants, and it ends up being more work than what it's worth to go in and pick the harvest.

This year, though, I've done research, taken garden measurements, stocked up on seeds (even read through the information on the back of them this time!), and have a seed-starting kit that was a birthday present from my sister (can't wait to use it!). I'm already foreseeing many trips to The Home Depot (got a Home Depot card from my other sister and her husband, too). I can even get a 5-gallon dogwood tree from there for a discounted price, thanks to the stub of my Home & Garden Show ticket.

So, what are my gardening plans for this year? Well, I've got a ton of seeds, and — most likely — not enough space to plant everything. That being said, here's what I've got so far:

Vegetable/Herb Gardening

• Longstanding Cilantro
• Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
• White Lisbon Bunching Onion
• Red Pontiac Potato
• Grand Bell Mix Pepper
• Small Sugar Pumpkin
• Dark Green Zucchini Squash
• Parris Island Cos (Romaine) Lettuce
• Sugar Snap (Edible Pod) Peas
• Chives
• Scarlet Nantes Carrots
• Anaheim Chili Peppers
• Roma Tomatoes
• Little Marvel Peas
• Jalapeño Chili Peppers
• Spearmint
• Serrano Chili Peppers
• Rosemary
• Peppermint
• Swiss Chard (mixed colors)
• Buttercup Squash

Flower Garden

• Crystal Palace Lobelia
• Columbine (Dragonfly Hybrid Mixture)
• Grandpa Ott Morning Glory
• Lavender (Lavendula vera)
• Sweet Pea (Royal Family Mix)
• Gaillardia
• Iceland Poppy (Meadow Pastels mix)
• Blue Flax
• Scabiosa (House Hybrids)
• Bachelor Buttons (Blue Boy mix and Cyanus Double, Mixed Colors mix)
• 3 packets of wildflower mixtures — Cottage Garden, Birds and Butterfly Mix, and Shade mix
  

I figure that even if I don't plant everything this year — which, I probably won't, seeing as planting everything in those lists would require a lot of time, work, and space — I'll give some a try, see which ones I like, then try out some of the unused stuff next year. After a few seasons of this, I should have a pretty good list of things that work in my area (Zone 5 or 6, depending on how detailed your USDA map is), things that I like growing, what's too much work, what attracts bees, what's hard to keep away from pests, etc.

My end goal is to have a garden (or gardens) that is pretty, productive, and — most importantly — something that makes me want to go outside and spend some time in the dirt.