Thoughts from Starlight Cascade

What a busy day….and its only 10:30 am.

Took the compost out and has it ever fallen in the new compost heap. Took a look around the yard, some damage to our lattice work on the Northwest fence and around the water barrels. Next into the green house to start prepping it for planting the pepper and flower seeds today. Stapled up a black garbage bag over the door window, too much cold air getting in, and most of the hot air would be getting out. Took down the grow light, and prepped the planter flats with soil. Put the heater on to warm up the air and soil before planting. Emptied out the bird seed into their proper storage containers, and no mouse droppings or none in the traps, this is good.

Peppers and flower seeds are to be planted today. I went out to the shed to get one of the many sterile soil bags, but alas they were frozen solid. Moved one into the garage to thaw out and so onto Plan B, I still had an open bag in the house that I had used for the onion seeds, so I had enough soil, to fill over 15 containers. These are fibre boxes.

Also, in the green house, are two cedar planters and the soil is not frozen, so I will try planting some lettuce and radishes…nothing like getting a head start. It was -5C in the green house, but now that I have put the soil on the racks and lowered the plastic, I am sure it is a balmy +15C by now. The seeds are listening to the bird calls and music from the amazon forest, get the seeds in the mood to grow : )

Fed the birds, haven’t seen the cardinal today, but lots of bunny tracks. They sky is trying to clear, and still -8C outside.

Came inside, and ordered the Sweet Potato starts. Got 10 of each of the Georgia Jets and the Toka Toka Gold. Something new we are trying this year. They will be planted in large black construction bags and the vines will grow where they want. I went to a workshop in the fall of 2010 at Burts Greenhouses in Odessa. I had picked up the book Sweet Potatoes for the home Garden by Ken Allan (an old work mate) and we shall see what happens this year.

Will have to find the address to order more white grape vines. We lost one to the deer last year, that enjoyed eating the leaves, several times.

It is an exciting time for sure. Lots of seeds to catalogue and start planning to plant and place around the yard. I am looking forward to the new raised beds in the NE parts of the yard, and a new garden in front of the greenhouse. This will be for the peppers who love the heat and the sun.

I think I need more time off, just think what I can come up with if I do: )