Veggie Bites – Bulbs Growing

Veggie Bites

But then I saw a large leaf of green poking up! I have bulbs growing and that is amazing. I am not sure what bulb is starting, but I am keeping watch. Each day new and interesting things are emerging.

Greetings fellow gardeners,

I am slowly preparing to re-enter my garden. My chives are ready to eat now, so I will clean them up. It is exciting to see what is poking through the dead leaves and muddy soil. I am so excited! I keep checking the planter I made in the fall. (See Veggie Bites 29) It is the one where I planted bulbs in layers in a container and sprinkled red orach seeds on top. In the first layer, about halfway down the pot, I planted hyacinths and alliums, the second layer had alliums and anemones, third was muscari, and then sprinkled on top were red orach seeds. When I last checked the planter, I saw some tiny red leaves, so I knew the orach was growing. It is such a hardy vegetable and I love its spinach-like taste in a salad. But then I saw a large leaf of green poking up! I have bulbs growing and that is amazing. I am not sure what bulb is starting, but I am keeping watch. Each day new and interesting things are emerging.

A net over a seedling garden — A net over my seedling garden

Water bottle Greenhouse

Due to Covid circumstances, my dream of a greenhouse has been put on hold. To console myself, I bought a new book by Niki Jabbour called “Growing Under Cover.” After reading a bit about cloches, I made my own using an empty distilled water bottle. I made sure that it was down at least an inch in the ground, covering some lettuce seeds. I take the lid off in the daytime and put it on as I go to put the chickens to bed at night. Lettuce is a cold weather crop so it will not mind the cool conditions, but the cloche should speed up the germination

a snap shot of Growing Under Cover book — Growing Under Cover – a recommended book

a bottomless 5 gallon plastic water acting as a small greenhouse — My homepage green house!

I took a lovely walk in my back yard in the warm sunshine and discovered that my sweet crocuses are blooming. I love coming across these little jewels. Soon the scillas, muscari, tulips and daffodils will join them but that first burst of colour just sings out spring!

In addition to crocuses, the catnip (Nepeta cataria,) has started its journey to the sun, and I could not resist picking some as a treat for the too-many cats. It was received with joy and delight, which soon devolved into name-calling and grabbing and other naughty behaviours. I will bring in more next time.

New growth catnip (Nepeta cataria) pushing up from the ground — Nepeta Cataria, known as Catnip, making a spring appearance

Judith Cox's cat brown black and white Harley sitting quietly — Harley wants more

Lunch-time Learning

Something new is being offered called Learn over Lunch – Trowel Talk Live with the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton. It is on Tuesdays at 12:30pm, live on Zoom. Each talk is 15 minutes with 15 minutes allowed for questions. There are many topics that will be covered. You can register at mgottawa.ca. The first talk was me, and my topic was Time for Tomatoes. If you would like to see the talk on YouTube, go to (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuNaQygw0jE)

Continue to keep an eye on your seedlings and enjoy your week. Judith.

Allium, Anemone, Articles by Master Gardeners, Aster, Bee, Bulb, Catnip, Chickens, chive, chives, Cloche, crocus, daffodils, Germination, lettuce, Muscari, Nepeta, orach, orach seeds, Ottawa, Pet, Seedling, tomato, Trowel, Tulip, Tulips, Vegetable

About the Author

Judith Cox

Judith Cox is a Master Gardener and President of the Stittsville Goulbourn Horticultural Society . The many topics covered in her blogs include starting a garden, planting seeds, selecting the best seeds, identifying specific plants, and growing produce other than what is found at the grocery store. Every issue offers solutions to common issues faced by gardeners, including wildlife, whether to water, pests, snails, and other issues. During the winter, Judith writes for local journals and newspapers, give talks at local horticultural clubs on a range of gardening topics. She also finds time to run a small business selling watercolor and pen and ink cards.