Sweet potatoes early March, just after going in moist seed starting mix.

Slips mostly concentrated on one end of one sweet potato, and in the last few days they had a growth spurt; some were too tall for the dome.

I cut as close to the sweet potato as possible with my sharpest pruners and at an angle. The bottom of each is planted into the seed starting mix in its own spruce fiber pot, and will grow roots from there.

Back on the heat mat, and you can also see the container/dome in the background which still has several slips growing.

Late February I bought sweet potatoes at the grocer. I stuck them in starting mix on a heat mat and covered them, first with plastic wrap and then with a dome lid, to keep things tropical.

Today I up-potted the tallest slips after cutting with my sharpest pruners.

#gardening #zone6b #sweetpotato

Thinning spinach and arugula today.

Thinning is one of my least favorite tasks, but I hope I chose wisely 🤞.

And bonus: the first wild tulip has arrived!

#gardening #zone6b #tulip

A pansy blooming in the seed tray.

Sweet potato slips shot up seemingly 4 inches in 24 hours. They are exceeding their ersatz dome.

Return to office is cool because when you get home from work and check on your plants you are pleasantly surprised by a pansy in bloom and some super-tall sweet potato slips.

#gardening #zone6b

Tomatoes are doing great, peppers, eggplants, and marigolds are popping out of the soil blocks, fourth haircut for the onions, and, slowly but surely, sweet potato slips are coming, too.

#gardening #zone6b

Our Mr. Stacky Vertical Garden Experiment One of my core philosophies here is to try a new thing every season.  It keeps us learning, keeps the garden adaptable, and, most importantly, keeps us one step ahead of our five feathered garden "inspectors."  This year, we’re taking our planting to new heights, literally, with a 5-piece Mr. Stacky vertical unit. Here is the blueprint for our latest urban homestead experiment:

Vertical Homesteading #Chicago #Spring #Garden #Zone6b

Added more seeds to all the beds, and got all the brassica babies planted out today, too. Cool season roots and greens forthcoming.

Trying some rings (pictured) and netting (not pictured) around the brassicas to prevent cut worms/slugs and caterpillars from eating them 🤞.

#gardening #zone6b

Hardening off these buddies for planting out this weekend.

I got some mesh row cover, so I’m hoping this year that caterpillars don’t eat them all before I get to have some.

Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, broccoli raab, cabbage, Swiss chard, and broccoli.

#gardening #zone6b

Outdoor temps are finally right for spinach and arugula to start coming up. No peas yet, though.

#gardening #zone6b

I planted water forget-me-nots today. A variety that’s supposed to tolerate if not enjoy the slow-draining clay section of my backyard. Some got frost damage during hardening off but boy were they tall and robust by the time they went outside. Hopefully some will stick.

#gardening #zone6b

A five-spot seedling with wavy green leaves between two gray stones

Green moss with little green balls growing up out of it, plus some weeds, growing in a flagstone path

A grey Buddha state behind two small dianthus plants

Today in the garden: a five-spot seedling growing up between flagstones, some cool moss, and the Buddha statue enjoying the new dianthus plants. 🌱

#gardening
#springtime
#zone6b

Up-potted some tomatoes today, and used my tiny soil blocker to make a bunch of tiny cubes for marigolds. Not sure about the 3/4-inch blocks but worth a try.

Plus, some new wee seedlings are emerging, and another haircut for the onions.

#gardening #zone6b

Pre-sprouted corms laid out for planting.

The gardener.

The pre-sprouted corms today. Lost one to mold but 10 survived and were planted.

The corms when pre-sprouting started about 2.5 weeks ago.

Quick rainy lunchtime planting for 10 pre-sprouted ranunculus.

#gardening #zone6b #ranunculus

Basil, chamomile, dill, fenugreek, and marjoram seeds started today.

Variety of bell pepper seed types started in soil blocks on a tray with tomatoes and eggplants.

Cabbage, chijimisai, kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard seeds started today.

The indoor growing shelf. Three tiers with grow lights. Top shelf: hearty greens, brassicas, pansies, cilantro, and bells of Ireland. Middle shelf: lavender, parsley, chamomile, marjoram, fenugreek, basil, tomatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers. Bottom shelf: water forget-me-not, onions (red, white, yellow, green, shallots), sweet potatoes (for slips), and dill.

Productive second day of spring starting herbs, bell peppers, and another round of hearty greens, making more soil blocks, and getting the indoor grow zone organized.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

Pale green basket-of-gold leaves and flower buds growing next flagstone

Small pointy green leaves growing on a clematis vine over dried leaves

Flax plant with lots of new stems and leaves growing on it

A rose bush growing up a wooden trellis, against a white painted wall. Small green leaves are growing on some branches.

Today in the garden: flower buds on the basket-of-gold, signs of life on the clematis, new growth on the blue flax, leaves on the roses looking a bit worse for the wear after high winds and wild temperature swings. 🌱

#gardening
#springtime
#zone6b

Seed potatoes this (cloudy) morning in one of two south-facing windows in my whole house. View of cat nap area next to the vent below.

Seed potatoes in the basement one week ago.

Seed potatoes in the checkout at the grocery store, February 28.

Three weeks ago, I bought seed potatoes — redskins and yukon gold from the grocery store. Last weekend I noticed the reds were growing eyes much faster than the others, so I moved them up to a sunny window. Reds are still way ahead but it is helping.

#gardening #zone6b #potatoes

Pretty good germination, true leaves forming, things are coming along.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

Yard with a native plant garden.

Yard with a native plant garden.

I've been waiting all winter to clean up the native plant garden. Left everything for the birds and bugs. It was 70F today, tomorrow 40F with a low of 20F! Got to take advantage. Used my wood chipper and made a bunch of mulch for my vegetable garden. Plants are growing.
#nativegarden #garden #zone6b

Seeds sown today: snow, snap, and shelling peas; spinach, parsnip, arugula.

The round bed with the obelisk trellis is a squirrel favorite, so I went a little overboard with the chicken wire on this one.

Seeds marked with stick labels: snow peas, parsnips, and spinach behind chicken wire.

Arugula, spinach, and snap peas seeds marked with wooden sticks.

Sowed peas, spinach, parsnips, and arugula today. Really trying to keep those squirrels out lol.

#gardening #zone6b #raisedbedgarden

First time soil blocking today to start my tomatoes and eggplants.

I love it. I’m a soil blocking girl now. Video shows my learning process.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting #soilblocking

Meat thermometer in a Pyrex full of dirt to make sure it’s heated enough to kill any pathogens or weed seeds. I heated it to 190°F.

Growing medium cooling on the counter.

Pasteurizing seed starting medium in the microwave today.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

Four Bells of Ireland seedlings in spruce fiber pots.

These Bells of Ireland seedlings don’t look like they should.

These Bells of Ireland seedlings look like they should.

People who’ve grown Bells of Ireland — can you tell me why my seedlings look different?

Four seeds germinated. Two look like Bells of Ireland, and the other two look like grass or something.

What’s up with that?! Is it a seed mixup? Has anyone else seen this?

#gardening #zone6b #bellsofireland

Look at these babies! One week down.

#gardening #seedstarting #zone6b

Seedlings are coming along!

#gardening #zone6b

Brassica seeds started today: broccoli, cabbage, broccoli raab, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

Frost-hearty greens started: celery, endive, kale, and Swiss chard.

Peat seed starting discs took about five hours to fully hydrate and expand.

Getting some brassicas and frost-hearty greens started. I’m trying to reduce peat use but I decide to use what I have in-house, which includes what’s left of these peat seed starting discs.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

Germination updates: Forget-Me-Not, Bells of Ireland, and onions.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

A handful of micro-mini baby carrots.

The teeniest, tiniest baby carrots that I planted very late last fall came out today because we’re having a mid-winter thaw this week.

#gardening #zone6b

We have the day off for Presidents Day, so I’m using the day to get some stratified seeds in the dirt! Pansies, Lavender, Water Forget-Me-Not (my yard was swamp back in the day and it shows), Delphinium, three Bells of Ireland. Plus some onions are starting to pop!

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting

Spruce fiber plantable pots for seedlings.

If you’re trying to limit your peat use in the garden like me, you might be interested in these spruce fiber pots.

They’re from France by way of Canada, so that’s not ideal sustainability-wise, either, but I’m still excited to try them out.

www.etsy.com/shop/Daniels...

#gardening #zone6b

Bag of stratified Bells of Ireland seeds with one tiny stem visible from the germinated seed.

That same tiny sprout now in seed starting mix in a peat-free spruce pot.

One Bells of Ireland seed germinated so far. It has a really long (~1.5 inch) tap root, too. Leaving the rest under grow light to see if they pop, but hoping this one makes it to planting in the yard.

#gardening #zone6b #bellsofireland

Eight varieties of onion and shallot seeds I started indoors today. Red, white, yellow, pink, and green.

Planters laid out and labeled for onion and delphinium seeds.

Seed containers on the grow shelf to germinate.

Starting several onion varieties and a few delphinium today. It’s nice to fire up the basement grow zone again for the season.

#gardening #zone6b #seedstarting