So here's a question. Did you know your  flowers can probably hear you? What, you ask? Plants can hear? Flower research, reported in National Geographic in January 2019, says it is true.

Everyone knows I am excited about gardening. So when I read about flowers increasing their nectar sweetness when they "hear" bees I got even more excited. Imagine if my plants can hear me too?  Read More Here...
 

Just a heads-up that Renee's Garden seed is selling 15 different kinds of nasturtiums this year including the two pictured above that I  received in the mail last week.

I am ready for spring and with these seeds in hand I am excited.  Nasturtiums grow quickly from seed and can be started 4-6 weeks before the last  frost or just tossed in the ground in late April. Easy peasy.
 

Yes it is February and it is the deepest part of winter. My plants in the greenhouse are still supplying nutritious cabbage, kale and Bok choi and I have squash in the cupboard and potatoes in a box in the garage. But let's face it, fresh sweet greens are in short supply. Unless you are growing micro-greens indoors. See more HERE.
 

I so appreciated all the feedback from my faithful followers and I am reaching out to you for more clarification. If you have any more feedback from last month's survey send it along. I am actively working on an online class to meet your needs and open your minds to all that is new in gardening. The first step is launching a mini-course (which is part of a series of courses to be launched later this spring.) PS To see my live speaking schedule from Grande Prairie to Victoria see my Appearance page on my website HERE.
 

So the naked pumpkin seeds I've been buying at Costco in bags aren't new. I just haven't noticed them listed in seed catalogues before. Or at least they haven't caught my attention before. Now I am seeing Naked Bear Pumpkin, Lady Godiva and Pepitas everywhere. So obviously I need to try it. 

And the Juliet tomatoes that I just finished eating in salad on January 20, 2019 (from my fall 2018 harvest) are available in lots of places too so I can find them easily enough But how did I miss the very similar sounding Valentine (also a tiny Roma)? It's an All-American winner I might need to add to my list. It's a new gardening year and gardeners everywhere are doing the same thing. Facing the difficult challenge of choice when ordering seeds for spring crops. We want to spend less on seed than we plan to grow in value. So here are some of the things I am growing and why.

This is something I suggest every year. If you don't save your own potatoes buy organic ones from a supplier. This is because potatoes are sprayed so often in commercial production that they are listed on the Dirty Dozen.... Food that is so badly grown it still has pesticides on the store shelf.  Conventional strawberries are the worst for pesticide exposure and spinach is number 2 on the list but overall, the dozen plants that are so bad they contain pesticides reminds us why we grow our own food, especially potatoes.

Sadly there is a shortage of potatoes from Eagle Creek (my favourite potato supplier) but I still managed to buy over $60.00  of potatoes! I bought early, midseason and late varieties that are easily grown at home in beds or grow bags. PS I am working on my online course about using fabric grow bags for production. If you are thinking you don't have room for potatoes order them now and then take the course later (when it is ready.) The photo below is from my garden but sadly the early potato Warba is unavailable from Eagle Creek this year. I guess that's why it is better to grow and store some of your own potatoes so you always have them handy. PS I do have Seiglinde and French Fingerlings in storage but I ordered more anyway just in case I eat them all!

 

Thanks for reading and sharing. I create these newsletters about once a month and if you have a friend who you think would be interested in receiving gardening information from me forward this along and suggest they sign up. It is free and easy to opt out later if you change your mind.

Great gardening!
Donna
helping gardeners grow and beginners blossom. 
 

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