See What's Been Sprouting in the Greenhouse!
The other day, I showed you the bountiful harvest that Ryan, my gardener, and his co-worker, Wilmer, have planted and grown in the vegetable greenhouse. They certainly have done an amazing job there. Today, I'd like to show you some of another big project they have been diligently working on - the planting and growing of seeds for the outside gardens. Planting seeds requires great patience and care and a good deal of organization. I certainly look forward to seeing how each and every one of these tiny plants matures.
1 The seedlings for vegetables and flowers are growing extremely well in the greenhouse.
2 Cauliflower - Cassius and Purple
3 The large, dense heads of Cassius have a rich and nutty flavor.
4 Purple cauliflower's color is due to the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine. It has a pleasant mild flavor.
5 Broccoli - Arcadia and Gypsy
6 Both Arcadia and Gypsy produce heavy, firm, dark green heads.
7 Celeriac - Giant Prague and Brilliant
8 Celeriac, or root celery, is grown for its gnarly root. When peeled, the white flesh is superb in purées and soups.
9 Lovage
10 Lovage leaves have an excellent, warm flavor, sort of a cross between celery and anise and it's delicious in soups and stews.
11 Three red onions - Tropea Tonda, Shonan, and Bruswick
12 Brunswick is a deep red-to-purple flattened type of onion that is very mild and sweet. I love growing many types of onions.
13 Three varieties of leeks - Carentan, Bandit, and King Richard
14 Leeks are members of the onion family and rather than forming tight bulbs like onions, leeks produce long cylinders of bundled leaf sheaths. They have a very pleasant mild onion flavor.
15 Artichoke - Imperial Star
16 Imperial Star is specifically bred for annual production. The plants produce well-developed artichokes the first year from seed.
17 Catnip to fill in the bare spots in the catnip border
18 Culinary herbs - This is peppermint, will be planted in a sunny out of the way area, as mint has a tendency to take over.
19 Thyme
20 Oregano
21 Marjoram
22 And summer savory
23 Formosa Lily - These seeds are from my very own plants!
24 Formosa lilies boom in late August through early October, bearing eight or more 10-inch-long, deliciously scented, pristine-white trumpets upon each stem.
25 Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea
26 Lovely foxglove is a biennial, forming a rosette of leaves the first year and a flower spike the second. The flowers are numerous, ranging from lilac to various shades of pink.
27 Delphinium
28 Delphiniums are gorgeous perennials grown for their showy spikes of colorful summer flowers in shades of blue, pink, white, and purple. They are extremely popular in cottage-style gardens and cutting gardens.
29 Honesty or money plant
30 Honesty was brought to America by the Puritans and is also called Judas' Penny and Moonwort. The seed pods are used in dried flower arrangements.
31 Dianthus - Siberian Bluet
32 Siberian Blues is a compact perennial, forming bushy mounds of bluish evergreen foliage and a sea of pretty mauve-blue flowers. It's an ideal plant for borders, rockeries, and containers.
33 Lavender - These plants are actually growing from seed that my father collected from his plants in the early 1960s! I happened upon a vial with his writing on it.
34 Highly fragrant lavandula, lavender, is a member of the mint family and is grown commercially in temperate climates for the extraction of essential oils.
35 We go through quite a bit of this Metro-Mix Professional Growing Mix.
36 This is Wilmer emptying the bag into the stainless bin.
37 As the seedlings outgrow the seed starters, they are transferred to larger pots. As you can see from these photos, someone has been very busy. These are Chinese Lanterns.
38 Chinese Lanterns are grown for the 2-inch wide papery pods or "calyxes" that turn bright orange in the autumn.
39 Wilmer carefully lifts the plant out of the starter tray. Notice its well-established roots. The new pot is filled with the planting mix and a hole was formed.
40 He gently lowers the roots into the hole.
41 He then firms up the soil around the plant.
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Hi Martha,
I have always been impressed with the variety of plants in your gardens - you have just about everything and more that anyone could want in their own garden. Every time you show us your plants all I can think is man, Martha sure grows a lot of stuff! Yeah, I know, sometimes I get so eloquent! Lol. I literally laughed at that. Anyway, I really like the Siberian Blue in picture #32 and the Chinese Lanterns in #38 and I'm sure your lavender will be beautiful. I put one plant in last year just to see how it would do in the heat and it didn't do well. I cut it down the way I was supposed to but I doubt it will come back. I need to stick with zinnias and daisies although I saw some nice mums the other day. One thing for sure, I really enjoy seeing everything that you are planting - artichokes, broccoli, and cauliflower. Mmm mm good!
~
I think it was the Huffington Post that ran an article about your new book named “Living the Good Long Life” which I look forward to reading somewhere around April 23 when it's released. I tweeted about your beauty regimen which the article indicated it sounded arduous but we can all see the results are phenomenon! The picture of you in the April issue of MSL was really gorgeous! The chicken was cute too. I'm rather proud of my skin too, no wrinkles, very little gray in my hair and I'll be 68 this year. Just about everyone says I look younger which is always a nice compliment. Thanks for another grand tour of your greenhouse. I’m going to bed now so I can dream about it! Trish
Posted by: Trish | March 22nd, 2013 at 1:03 am
Hi, Martha,
It was beautiful how you showed us your tiny plants then pictures of how they will look once they're fully grown. I love Chinese lanterns, but have never thought of growing them. I might try that!
Thank you!
Posted by: Bobbie | March 22nd, 2013 at 3:16 am
The plants all look amazing.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | March 22nd, 2013 at 3:37 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog. Have a good weekend.
Posted by: KLBrown | March 22nd, 2013 at 4:22 am
You have a wonderful and fascinating collection of seeds Martha. I'm so impressed you are growing lavender from your father's collection from the 60's! I hope you show us the progress as they grow.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Cindy
Posted by: Cindy F | March 22nd, 2013 at 6:19 am
Martha your greenhouse seedlings inspire us to get going on our gardening!
Posted by: Christine Cornelius | March 22nd, 2013 at 6:44 am
Martha,
So exciting to see all these beautiful vegetables and flowers and the seeds that will soon produce them!! Thanks for sharing.
Angela
Posted by: Angela | March 22nd, 2013 at 7:23 am
I planted money plant a number oy years ago. Although they produce lovely purple flowers in the spring and the seed pods are decorative, the plant is quite invasive. Be careful or you will have them sprouting all over. They have become a bit of a nuisance.
Posted by: Karen Ross | March 22nd, 2013 at 8:01 am
Martha,
I have a ball starting seeds in my Minneapolis basement under grow lights. It would be really helpful if you could expand on the seed-starting in your greenhouse. Are there any plants you start in potting mix instead of seed starter? Why Metro Mix (which I've never used). Thanks!
Posted by: Madeline Aynderson | March 22nd, 2013 at 8:55 am
Just glorious Martha. Love the lavender field photo.
- Nan
Posted by: Silver Magpies | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:01 am
Hi Martha, It was absolutely inspiring to see you on The Today Show yesterday showing how to color eggs for Easter and talking with some of their crew about such things as Twitter being 7 years old! I always love your daily tweets! Was inspired by yesterdays blog about those French Bulldogs who need so much help and please let us know how they improve with our help by donating! Would love to see more photos of them! Today's blog is so marvelous to see those beautiful plants that Ryan and Wilmer have been planting to produce all of those beautiful flowers you will have at your farm again this year! Every one of these photos are beautiful and I recall seeing so many beautiful flowers at your farm other years and can't wait to see even more this year! You are so thoughtful to share all of these amazing blogs for us to enjoy! All of those vegetable photos are gorgeous and delicious looking and would love to have some of yours! Where can I get that Metro-Mix to grow my vegetables?! Was fun to see Wilmer repot some of those flowers! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful blogs! Hope you, your farm crew, your animals, all of your family, and your MSLO group have a marvelous day and weekend! Hope your spring weather gets better, also! Off to see The Daily Wag about F&S finding stink bugs in their blog studio! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:10 am
I'm jealous! I haven't even picked up seeds yet. I haven't felt the urgency with the (record) six feet of snow we still have here in Saskatchewan! But soon... Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Jennifer | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:33 am
What magic in seeds, and loved these photos. Made me smile yesterday when local grocery store had onion plants in abundance and 5 foot of snow cover around these parts. Chelsey and her darling baby, Skyler, spend much time in their greenhouse yesterday. I might just get those peat pellets soaked and start some seedlings but might just be content with limited variety available at local stores.
Posted by: ann | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:34 am
I just started bee keeping a couple of years ago, and I've wanted so very much to get Lavender established near my hives [I had some real(not flavored) Lavender Honey while in New Zealand and it was AMAZING]. I've tried seedlings and established plants, potted and in the soil, all with no luck. Is there some special trick that I'm missing, or is this just not a good zone for Lavender.
Posted by: Zac Morris | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:42 am
Ugg! Don't rub it in! There's still snow all over the ground here. I'm praying that all the snow melts soon so I can start preparing my garden and see those bulbs start sprouting up!
Posted by: Sandie@afoodieaffair.com | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:43 am
Dear Martha,
Once again I'm here to congratulate you and your staff for the beautiful work you have been doing at your farm. I had never seen purple cauliflower, it's amazing! The pic of lavandula was gorgeous. Loved
Thank you
Malú
Posted by: Maria Lúcia | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:46 am
Nice to see the baby plants coming up.
I have taken to growing sprouts lately. Crunchy yummy freshness that anyone can do. I've been slipping them into many recipes.
Up here in Toronto, it's coming to be time to start my own seeds for my urban herb planters. Life is good, eh?
Posted by: Denny mcmillan | March 22nd, 2013 at 9:47 am
I'm so excited seeing these pictures! I can't wait for fresh veggies to eat out of our garden. Your plants look wonderful! Happy Spring!!
Posted by: Kimberly Marks | March 22nd, 2013 at 10:47 am
Good Morning Martha,
Thank you for showing the seedlings and then the full-grown plant of each variety...Last year a friend gave me a packet of cucumber seeds. I forgot and left them on my patio table. Days after it had rained, I noticed the packet and that the seeds had germinated in the packet! I opened it up and potted the seedlings. I had fun watching my accidental cucumbers grow all summer. I hope to be more intentional this year in my seed growing.
Posted by: Cindy M | March 22nd, 2013 at 11:31 am
Spring is such an exciting time of year! Before we know it, everything will be in bloom and the weather will be warm.
Posted by: Laura Dembowski | March 22nd, 2013 at 3:41 pm
It is so rewarding to have fresh grown, organic produce to pluck right from the garden and serve that day. If people only knew how easy it was to have. You are a fantastic example and teacher, Martha! Thank you!
Posted by: Paloma Skye | March 22nd, 2013 at 5:06 pm
hello,Martha,i really enjoyed all the photos of your vegetables and fhowers.i didn't know there were purple cauliflowers,i'll have to try that.i really love delphinius,and foxgloves too.i want to try growing the chinese lanterns too.do you have a list of all the flowers and vegetables you grow in your gardens?thank you again for the great photos ,have a great day.
Posted by: maria | March 22nd, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Thank you for sharing. I especially like the fact that you are planting seeds your Dad had. That is so cool. I am sure that makes those plants special.When I see money plants and japanese lanterns, they remind me of my mother's plants when we were growing up.
Posted by: Diane P | March 23rd, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Martha, I love that you're growing lavendar from your father's seeds.
Posted by: ValerieInSLC | March 23rd, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Martha, I enjoy reading your blog so much. Thanks for posting it regularly. I started reading it when your daily show was on. (Which I miss so much, but understand how much work it must be) My children and grands live in Chappaqua and own Fivecat Studio Architecture in Pleasantville (you can see the sign on the back of the building from the train station) so I always check your blog to see how the area is looking and how much snow you have. I spend the winter in Florida so I am hoping you have ordered some nice weather for those seeds to grow in and for me to return to. Since we are away for the winter I don't plant seeds any longer but I enjoy them vicariously through your blog. Keep up the wonderful work and keep those beautiful photos coming our way.
Posted by: Elayne LePage | March 24th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Hello, Martha. I just wanted to say that I have admired everything you do. I pull out my vhs tapes and watch your days of planting Turkey hill, and I would really like to know how to prune my fig tree. You really made good since on pruning your wisteria tree.. It was so funny how you said the first tree went when someone told you to use a hammer to make it bloom.. I am so glad I took the time to record you in the 90s.. Keep more of your pictures coming i enjoy watching everything you do..
Posted by: Michelle Giles | March 24th, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Hi, Martha I was curious if you would know if Lavender would grow in Texas very well? Do you have any tips on growing catnip since it is in the mint family I would really like to grow it for my cats..
Posted by: Michelle Giles | March 24th, 2013 at 7:46 pm
My favourite season!
Posted by: Arthur in the Garden! | March 24th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Dear Martha: It was great to see your greenhouse seedlings just starting to grow. Doing the same here in Nova Scotia sans greenhouse but we do have a small summerhouse that works well enough.
Your idea of showing the seedling and then the final plant photo...have not done that on blog so thanks for the inspiration.
You must have been so pleased to find the seeds of lavender your dad had saved and the fact that they were still viable...wonderful.
My dad gave me the most tattered old garden book fifteen or so years ago and I remember being so surprised, the seeds he had ordered (checked off carefully) at least twenty years previous were the same as those I had requested on a seed order I had just sent in.
Posted by: Bren | March 25th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
These pictures are amazing! I only wish my plants looked this good. I bought one of those greenhouse kits (http://www.budgetpackaging.com/greenhouse.html) last year, and am still learning. What an inspiration you are! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Shawn | March 26th, 2013 at 8:38 am
The Delphiniums - ooooh, ahhhh!
Posted by: Karen | March 26th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
these pictures are just fabulous! Like some others commenting here I've been lucky enough to have had some success myself under growlights recently purchased from http://www.growwithled.ca/ - particularly with tomatoes, strawberries and greens!! yum yum
Posted by: Ben Abes | March 28th, 2013 at 9:37 pm