Garlic

Two garlic bulbs arrived yesterday from Gurney's. I choose Silver Rose Garlic and California White Garlic. They are meant to be delivered considering timing for planting based on your location. I would have to certainly wait for outdoor planting (we still have snow on the ground), but my plan was to start them indoors as soon as they arrived. And this is what I did.

My sun porch is not insulated and it's quite chilly throughout the winter, but temperatures are warming up and the sun heats the room during the day. Yesterday, the temperature reached 65 and I don't think the room will go much lower than 40 anymore this year - even with outdoor frost. This should work out well, since the garlic is cold tolerant and is an early spring crop.

The Silver Rose cloves were planted in individual compostable pots that I will transfer to the ground when we start the outdoor gardens. I started the California White garlic in two long containers, plus a few in individual compostable pots for transplanting. I'll be watching for the sprouting greens soon. The bulbs should come to maturity in about 4 months, when the greens begin to brown, but green leaves are still present. At that time, the bulb is dug up out of the ground and dried for several weeks. I also plan to use the greens, called "scapes" in the kitchen as I would a chive.

And so it begins

My inspiration for gardening has grown over the last few years. Time spent in row-houses in D.C. has its advantages, but not much of a connection to the earth. After growing up in a little house in a big woods in central Minnesota, I missed plants in my urban lifestyle.

I did what I could taking over the little "yards" in front of our rented row-house apartments. I planted basics: Pansies in the spring, begonias in the summer and mums in the fall. It was a taste.

I discovered a great farmer's market - The H Street Farmer's Market - that sells organic and local fruits, vegetables, grain-fed meats and cheeses. Although expensive, it fed my desire to take part in a more natural and local food chain.

Armed with the thoughts of Michael Pollen's, Omnivore's Dilemma, and Barbara Kingsolver's, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I was ready to get serious about the choices I made in buying and eating food. I bought heirloom tomato seeds that I shared with many others and grew seedlings, which turned into jungly potted plants in the backyard of the row-house where we rented. The only trouble was that the plants were three stories below us and accessed by going around the block. Regardless, it was an exciting project - but only moderately successful.

Then came house hunting. I soon realized that a top priority was green space for flowers and for a vegetable garden. I desperately wanted my own slice of nature to cultivate. Luckily my husband agreed and last fall we found a great colonial brick house in a D.C. neighborhood with great big trees - and yards!

And so it begins. I've been planning, researching and gathering the plants and resources I need (and want) to have my first real garden. I have the tools (thanks to my Mother-in-law), I have the seeds and plants on their way, and I have a huge resource (my master gardener Mom).

It's an ambition agenda. I've carefully selected a wide variety of heirloom and organic plants that will feeds us (and others) through the growing season.

Here's the plan:

Lettuces, etc.:
-All American Salad Bowl Lettuce
-Lettuce "flame"
-Romaine lettuce "Paris Island Cos"
-Siberian Kale
-Ruby Swiss Chard

Herbs:
-Italian Parsley
-Basil Lettuce Leaf
-Italian Cameo Basil
-Dark Opal Purple Basil
-Rosemary
-Bouquet Dill
-Chives
-Garlic Chives
-Catnip (for Mica)

Veggies:
-Little Marvel Peas
-Garden Container Beans
-Black Beauty Zucchini
-Red Coved Chantenay Carrot
-Rainbow Carrot
-California White Garlic
-Silver Rose Garlic
-Early White Vienna Kohlrabi
-Purple Passion Asparagus
-Rainbow Tomatoes - Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, White Wonder and Orange Nebraska Wedding.

I know its ambitious. I know its going to be a lot of work. And I know that I'm excited! I'm lucky to have Heath, who is on board and ready for action.

This weekend I started lavender and rosemary seedlings. I'm using 2 two-foot florescent light bulbs - 4 inches above - to feed their growth.

Here we go.