Garden Journal: Week of January 16, 2012

views the best pictures

We just started our vegetable garden this past week (indoors).  Now why in the world would  we do such a thing?  Erect an ugly buffet table in our beautiful sunroom with all the trays, and equipment?  Well for a few reasons.  When the outside soil finally warms up enough to plant the first vegetables we will be planting big established plants.  That translates to a head start to harvest.  It is also cheaper to start your own garden, especially organic, rather than purchase the established plants.  In our tiny neck of the woods you can't even purchase established organic vegetable plants. We re-use the same trays every year and purchase the organic seeds and organic starter soil.  Another good reason to start early is how hot it got last summer in our area.  Lots of tomato growers in our area told stories of how the tomato plans stopped producing in the hight of the heat of this past summer.

My all time favorite thing to grow is onions.  Its the garden gift that keeps on givng.  I use onions in everhting.  Last years crip of sweet onions I diced and froze in cup sized portions.  I have been using them ever since for almost every dinner and pot of soup I have made since last summer.  I only recently just ran out and am so sad!  This year, double the onions!!!!!  I would like to get more tomatoes.  Less horn worms attacking them.  Going to give the squashes a break this year.  Last year those darn squash bugs were too many to battle.  I am going to do so reading and share what I learn here our progress as we muddle out way though beginning organic vegetable gardening.

So are we ready for some pictures???