The Modern Victory Garden

For the past few nights it has really been noticeably lighter out when I leave work to head home.   Similarly in the morning it has been lighter out earlier.   I even heard a songbird calling this morning as I was heading out the door.   When the birds start migrating back and getting all "twitterpated" - you know spring is just around the corner!                    

 I did a quick nighttime garden inspection this evening after dinner.   Not ideal for taking pictures (flash pictures on my camera tend to look washed out) so I don't have photos to share tonight, but I must tell you that the garlic (both elephant and regular) and onions have really taken off this week.   Unlike other parts of the country, we have been enjoying a particularly mild January and early February this year.   Nighttime temps in the 40's and the daytime temps have been in the low 50's.   The combination of really mild weather we have been experiencing and a break (at last) in the constant overcast rainy weather has apparently worked some magic on the allium bed crops.   The onions in the containers in the green house put on some serious growth this week too.   The mache in the greenhouse is also progressing - but it is a pokey grower and the new growth is not nearly as impressive as the onions and garlic.   What I could not judge well in the darkness, was whether the overwintered spinach in the grow tunnel cover was doing anything significant.   I will have to wait until tomorrow morning to check it out.   

I have some onion sets that I ordered that have not been delivered yet.   I sure wish I had them this weekend, because the conditions are ideal for getting them into the ground.   It was mostly dry today and is supposed to stay that way on through the weekend.   This bodes well for me to finally get that big bed of crimson clover cover crop turned over this weekend.   I also plan to start some Merlot lettuce on Saturday.   These are seeds I received from Dan at the Urban Veggie Garden Blog.   I am really looking forward to growing them this year.    

If I had my way I would spend all day for both days of the weekend puttering outside in the garden.   I am in real need of some fresh air, exercise, and sunshine.   Unfortunately, I do have some errands to take care of on Saturday, but luckily they are not so much as to take up the entire day.   

For the many readers of my blog who are in locations currently gripped by the icy hand of winter, please stay safe and warm and remember that it will not be all that much longer before you too will be enjoying the sound of returning songbirds and green shoots sprouting in the garden!