A Sunny Window

All that is needed to start seeds for spring greens. Thursday I blogged about planting arugula, kale and mesclun mix in a box in my kitchen. Nothing fancy just a shallow box picked up at Kendalls. Five days ago. Of course, I stupidly titled it Where Did Winter Go? just to make sure we get hit with snow this week. Winter hasn’t gone yet, but even the prospect of one messy day this Wednesday doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the coming of spring. Why?

I already have sprouts from the seeds. The middle row, I believe is the Tuscan kale, a very fast growing leafy green. The reason I say “I believe” is because I forgot to mark the kale and arugula rows. The mesclun on the left was the first row I planted. Senior moments like these are the frustration of the retired who get phone calls while planting seeds.

Last year I put in a large amount of mesclun mix, which took quite a bit of thinning before I moved it outside. It did do well though in the planter boxes that I kept raised above bunny reach on the deck.

The other location where I will transplant greens is a small rectangle right off the mudroom door next to the patio. Very close to the house. Mostly shady, so the leaves don’t burn up from the sun. This area will get the cover over it to keep the bunnies and deer from nibbling my greens. I can harvest lots of salad right before dinner every evening by using these small planters.

I once used this area to plant spearmint thinking it wouldn’t spread beyond this enclosed concrete area. Wrong. It also comes back every year with a vengeance. The bees love it though and they buzz all around and pollinate the flowers in my garden as they visit.

Those first few sprouts always brighten my day, knowing warm weather is coming and I can start putting out herbs in the garden and flowers in the pots. Just have to make it through this snow/sleet/rain mess in the next couple of days.

Time to go prepare another planting box, and put in the beans I want to grow in the garden this summer.