Rushing The Season

When you're a gardener, it's hard to resist the lure of a little warmth and sunshine. No matter how much I know and how long I've lived in Vermont, I still do it almost every year: I plant seeds before it's time. Each time we have unseasonably warm early-spring weather, I'm out there digging and turning the soil and planting things before I should. This year is no exception.

It's most likely too early to put any seeds in the ground in my Northwestern corner of Vermont. We still have two months with danger of frost, and probably at least one more good snowstorm to come. But I did it anyway. I figure what do I have to lose? The cost of a few packets of seeds. $2.49 each, or something like that. So I put in some spinach and some peas -- both like cool weather, and they'll probably be okay. And if they aren't...well, I got some sun and some exercise (and some scratches and soreness and windburn, and really messed up my so-called manicure, but never mind).  In the real back-breaking work of the day, I emptied and moved these guys: We compost all year round. (The bins were purchased here. Keen observers will note the slight modification/improvement of the design over the 17 years we've been accumulating these. We sport four different versions in our garden.)

All winter long, we trudge through the snow, up the steep hill to our garden spot, with our accumulated veg and fruit cuttings and eggshells and coffee grounds. No actual composting occurs in the winter when the temperatures are too cold, but we keep on filling them up. I was astonished to see how full the bins were yesterday, from our winter's worth of detritus. All that - bushels of it - didn't go to the landfill. We're only a two-person family, as well. Imagine how much a family of four or five or six would produce.

Emptying the composters in the spring and stirring them up and relayering all the humusy goodness inside warms things up and gets the decomposition moving again for faster results. As a reward, I'll be provided with bushels and bushels of wonderful organic compost with which to feed and mulch my plants at least a couple of times throughout the summer.  See the earth in the front of where the compost bins are in the photo, before the grassy bit?  That's where they were before I moved them yesterday. Now I have several feet more growing space in front of them. (Later in the summer I will no doubt ask the question: What was I thinking?)

Want to see what's in the background of the spinach packet photo?

Two things.

Dandelions I planted last year. Yes, I planted them. In my garden. We are avid dandelion-green-eaters in this house, and having them in the garden rather than the lawn makes them a little easier to access and a little cleaner, and allows the leaves to grow longer and more tender and less bitter. I can also keep them growing throughout the entire season. Just keep cutting them off just below the soil line and they keep coming back. Growing them in the shade of other plants actually improves them. My mouth is watering; I can't wait 'til they're ready. Sauteed dandelion greens, in all their cleansing bitterness, is one of the true pleasures of spring. In fact, I'm going to go have some dandelion "coffee" (Dandy Blend) right now.

And on the rock in the back:

The Dulaan kid's cardigan as it now stands.

Comments

[jessie]

The only thing keeping me out of early spring danger in Vermont is that we are moving in June so I'm not doing much here. We don't have enough full sun in our current yard for a garden, so I'm doing peas and tomatoes in containers and bringing them with us to the new place, which will be garden-friendly next year. (Let's not discuss my motivation, which wanes after July 4th.)

We compost year round, too, if only to keep the scraps out of the garbage. Trash stinks when there is food in it, and it costs a lot to have stuff hauled away when it's perfectly free to let it rot outside. However, our compost bin is nearly empty. Having chickens will do that for you. :-) They turn what compost there is quite nicely, however.

[sandy]

I applaud your gardening feats. My back aches in sympathy of yours. No, really. It does!
I am in love with your dulaan cardigan! Love the colors! You inspire.

[Lucia]

You are indeed inspirational, Norma. We should be doing that compost thing. And the Dulaan cardigan looks great.

[Dave Daniels]

I planted my Italian Sweet Basil in the window boxes (inside) yesterday. I'm envious of your dandelion green salads, with LOTS of vinegar and oil. And mushrooms. Mmmm. My grandma would have us pick the greens for a salad. LOVED the taste.
My buddy Kurt has the largest compost pile you've ever seen, and th emost amazing stuff grows from it. It's really cool/amazing/interesting.

[Kathy]

Ahh, the dandelions :-) Love the Dulaan sweater -- it's so, so cheery and looks cozy to boot. We don't plant until the end of May - still too cold too!

[margene]

I want a garden...sigh.

[Helen]

I really have to try planting dandelions for the rabbits. They really love the leaves!

Does this weather just feel great? I have to get out this week and clear out the weeds in my daylilly garden before the weeds come back to life. :)

[elaine]

ha! funny you say this because i was out gradening with my family yesterday. my husband asked why i wasn't planting anything and i told him it was too early. then i see that snow is predicited for tomorrow. HAHAHA!

but i know the feeling of wanting to get things growing outside...we moved here from california where i could plant almost anything at almost anytime and i'm still trying to figure when to plant what here. drives me up the wall!

[Ellen]

I toss my compost outside in the winter too. We have a big open pen, probably 6x12 feet, and when it snows I dig through the snow to the leaves below to bury it. We have no trees in our yard but are surrounded by large beautiful oaks and hickory trees in the neighboring yards. We fill the compost pen full of leaves in the fall, to the point of being over my head (I'm 5'8") and by mid-summer it has compacted to waist high. It amazes me every year when I dig out the compost. It's been a very dry winter here, so there won't be much compost this year. (Makes it sound like it's a crop!)

[Rachel H]

Try as I might, I just can't get sweaters to grow in my garden. Yours looks lovely. Toronto actually has a municipal composting program. They give each house an under sink pail and a larger Green Bin they come and pick up every week with the garbage. Together with the Blue Bins provided for glass and paper recycling it makes a big difference.

[scout]

Oh how I know what you're talking about! I think the other thing that makes you want to do early gardening is that there aren't any BUGS out there! That was what totally killed me all of the time. We had a marsh on our last property in NH which made the bugs so bad I could barely go outside once they were out.

I love the Dulan sweater! Is any of that with what I sent? :)

[JoVE]

Plant lettuce. It will stand a light frost and probably even snow.

I sat on the front porch knitting yesterday while the rest of the family pottered about in the front garden clearing away the leaves we put over the beds for the winter and whatnot. Can definitely see the temptation of planting.

[Katy]

mmm, dandelion greens.
I like mine with boiled potatoes, butter, salt, and vinegar.
Just in case you invite me to dinner. ;)

[Chris]

The sweater's very cute!!

[Kate]

I resisted the urge to plant my peas and spinach knowing we are getting snow tomorrow but I think you are right, they'll be fine and what's $2.50? I admire your composting, Jason and I want to compost but have no spot to put the bins I don't think the school would be happy if we just placed them in any old spot.

[Elizabeth]

As Rachael mentioned, Toronto has a good composting recycling system in place. They also sell those black outdoor composters you have for $15 each. I choose the wooden versoin instead of the plastic but I must admit now that we can put the compost in the "green bins" that are picked up every week I have to remember to put some in my own backyard. t Then this food and garden waste that is collected can be picked up at various locations in the city for free to use as mulch and compost in your garden. Pretty good system, non?
(BTW - those seeds are goin' down!)

[jpt]

When I stirred the compost this weekend, it was actually warm! Triumph!

[Amy Lu]

I have been resisting the urge to plant. That doesn't mean I haven't been buying seeds though? I went kinda nuts with the flowers this year, and I must have a thing for Sweet Peas. I counted 7 packages! I don't know what I was thinking!

[--Deb]

I envy you your pleasure in gardening. I have always hated doing yard work of any kind--dirty fingers! Sunburn! Heat! Mosquitoes! Ick! But you and so many other people seem to love it so much--I envy you that!

[Chris]

I hope this year I convince myself to be a better gardener and you will be my inspiration. I'm building new gardens now (gotta do something with all that compost material from the bunnies) and gotta start some seeds indoors. Not sure I can convince myself to put dandelions in but I do use them all year - for the rabbits, not for me.

[Debi]

I so wish I had a garden....I'm looking forward to virtually sharing yours Norma, k?

[Carrie]

It's too dry to compost here. I tried to compost once. I dutifully put all my organic stuff in the bin and occasionally turned it, and all I got was dessicated organic material. I refuse to water my trash.
I do have some lovely tomatoes growing, and the cucumbers are sprouting dutifully. :-)
Oh yeah, and I looked for the Conjurer's Bird at the BN near my dad's, but they don't have it yet. I think I have to order it.

[Sue]

I’m jealous that you have been able to spend some time outside with your hands in the dirt. It’s still mostly too cold here to do that. Soon enough though, I suppose (but hurry up, already!). The sweater is great, Norma. :-)

[Silvia]

Gardening I don't know about, but I can now predict that UCLA will win the NCAA tournament based upon your color choice of the Dulaan cardie (it's the UCLA colors my dear)...Prediction made, you heard it here.

[AnnP]

I enjoy the pictures of the compost bins as much as any fiber photos so keep up your dual purpose blog, Norma. I just use a big, open wire mesh enclosure, mostly for leaves and grass clippings because I hate to bag them and it works well. Last year I had the most beautiful foxglove volunteer growing out the side of it. Came out of nowhere. You can do all the garden planning in the world but I like the surprises best.

Last year we learned how powerful spring dandelions can be. Just a few tsp of the cooking water is quite a tonic! I think I need some now.

[Julia]

That's a cute little cardi. I love composting. We have a different version of your composter, I'll take a photo, you gave me the idea. Have you tried a coldframe for starting seeds before the ground it ready or the temps are warm enough? We don't really need them here - as it was 90Frigging degrees yesterday. So much for spring.

[Liz]

Gardening has been going on like crazy. We've put in sod, put in new bushes in the front of the house, we already have blossoms on our strawberry plants and the blueberry plants are due to arrive tomorrow! The tomatoes and jalapenos are planted as well. I waited too long for lettuce - it's already too hot (I cannot believe that it's already too hot for lettuces.) The herbs go in next weekend. MMMM gardening.

[claudia]

No fair doing the Drama Queen bit when I'm away for the weekend and unable to mock you in a timely fashion.

;-)

[Laurie]

I've been out there cleaing up the chaos from the previous year's footly neglect. Daunting task. The DH usually does the compost. This year, it's me, or let it sit, and have no room for the kitchen waste. We do the same thing, and it feels right. Live lightly on the land is our philosophy.