Garden Fuss

What a beautiful day it was today. I made a not so small error walking way too much. Other than resting my now overly exerted body I am reminiscng about all I enjoyed today. Including being among people and creatures big and small. It was not overly warm out which made getting out of the house in shorts a comfortable experience for all of us to get some much needed exercise....
Just not that much exercise! Today I didn't accomplish much in the way of gardening and I am so fine with that. After shopping at the Friends School Plant Sale Friday AND picking up pre-ordered plants from another school fundraiser I have to say that I've had enough with digging and watering for a couple of days. Tomorrow is another day and there is plenty of work to be done inside and outside of the garden. These are some of the happy little critters I captured pics of along the way. If tomorrow is as nice as today who knows what else will come out to say *cheese*? 
Happy Planting

Wooden Posts with Strawberries & Mint Can we really move both of them?   Cocoa, Cypress, Straw and Hay.... Choose your mulch, gather your weeding tools, and proceed to spend the whole day in the garden.  I had pretty simple plans for the day when I first woke up. I planned on implementing a pretty simple mulching of the strawberry bed, and the vegetable garden. I am so sick of muddy paths already that a good "hay down" in the garden was necessary. However, when I took a look around I noticed that the scheme and flow of the berry garden was totally off.  After multiple breaks for water and resting a sore body; I actually got through the much too LONG tasks of  weeding, digging up, and separating the strawberry plants. This was after removing two super heavy and rotted wooden posts. Thank God I had help because there is no way I could have done this alone.  My helper keeping squirrels off their favorite posts Newly mulched Strawberry bed Not to ment

In spite of this horrible cold I have trying to keep me down; I've managed to get into garden today. I must say I made a heck of a lot of progress. There were several plants to split and move including: hostas, dianthus, bugle weed, day lilies, black berry lilies, creeping phlox and ribbon grass . I even dug up some prolific plants to be moved to a new location that I believe are some type of Perennial Sunflower. The butterflies and birds seem to love these plants but they have grown out of their designated area well into the general lawn ( a.k.a.  the hubby's territory) . I have yet to decide where the stragglers should be placed so they are sitting in a large margarine tub until a new home can be found. As my plants grow and flourish from the care they receive I find that my friends and neighbors think I am becoming one of those "hippy flower chicks". I humbly accept and appreciate the moniker. I think we all have to be good stewards of the earth and I only try

Tat Tsoi sprouting 2012 2012 Vegetable/Flower Seedlings My mini hoop/green house With their little new leaves just beginning to poke through the surface is Tat Soi, Cabbage, Zinnia, Marigold and two types of Romaine lettuce. I am so super excited by this sighting I had to share it a.s.a.p.. It's been less than two weeks (... if that) since I started my winter/spring sowing and erected my mini hoop greenhouse. These are the first signs of life by seed for our 2012 flower/vegetable garden. Looking very closely I can see that the cucumber and squash will soon begin to germinate. *not pictured*

This early spring has had me on my toes and a little stressed about possibly missing the planting markers for this growing season. I've started sowing seeds and have them tucked into my little green house due to the crazy weather shifts; However, I know it's still April for one more week but the blooms on my lilac bush and my tulip and daffodil are starting to pop. I've read that by the time lilac blooms fade it is time to start planting summer veggies of which I have non to plant... yet! I'm a little bummed that some of my tulips are already beginning to fade. The barren stems in the front of the house compelled me to race into the back today to grab a few of the remaining tulips and a dusty vase for a spring display. I wish you could smell the lilac via internet because this scent has really helped my mood. For some reason it seems very strong this year so I'm not going to over do it by putting blooms in every room. I may put some in the bathroom though. That

I don't know how I haven't posted about Pham's Deli before today. Pham's is located in the Midtown Global Market or where we Minneapolis'ans call "The old Sears Building". When ever the little man in the family says sweet chicken we get our sesame chicken fix on at Pham's in Midtown. Pham's seems to stay busy Especially when it's lunch time... So we prefer going as soon as they open because it can get packed pretty quickly. No matter what you will get delicious hot food for unbelievably reasonable prices. Don't let me forget to mention my Pham's weakness, Bubble Tea. If you are in search of amazing bubble tea in a variety of flavors [green tea, red bean, mango, banana, chai tea, papaya, honey dew, taro, strawberry, almond, coffee, I'm sure there is more] be sure to stop here. I've always been a tapioca freak and at Pham's you have the choice of pearls or no pearls. I always get the pearls because that's just who

It seems like I've had no time to get my seeds started until today. It may have been the cold then warm then hot, then cold again weather.... The gray skies, countless chores, and errands have no doubt played their part as well. In spite of all this I have successfully winter sown cucumber, red and green romaine, zinnias, marigolds, winter squash, tomatoes [stupice, chocolate cherry, yellow pear], red noodle longbeans, summer squash, lima beans, halogen melon, tat tsoi, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things.... So in other words I am a busy bee who has no time for spell check but will work on this blog posting later...[or not]

Happy Planting! UPDATE: So I have managed to come back and do some spell checking and to provide some additional information for you about my whole 2012 seed starting journey. As you can see from the previous pictures I have chosen for the second year in a row to use Organic Mechanics seed starter . This organic blend contains so many goodi