Magic Powers and an oops.

AHHHHHHHH hahahahaha, sorry for that.  So, turns out my husband has decided to switch from indoor gardening to outdoor gardening.  While watching youtube videos he discovered that he is married to a genius, aka the one who grows tomatoes to maturity without a raised bed, in Alaska.

Not an impossible task, however, does take some special tricks.  I used a breed called Silvery Fir from Botanical Interests.  This is one of the seeds they discontinued the second I laid hands on it.  Bushy plant with plentiful 3-4 ounce fruit.  I put down a heavy layer of grass mulch and then promptly left on vacation for two ish weeks to California.  Not kidding, not even a little.  Bad timing for a gardener but, work schedules and school schedules were screwed up last year and that was the only time I could go.

These are the carrots, but, the tomatoes were one row over and just as bad.  The weeds were outrageous.  If I had more cooperative help I might have gained some control.  The children tried, but, were less helpful than one would hope.  I threw done some more mulch and said to hell with it.  The tomatoes did not ripen on the vine because an extremely late break up had me putting in plants in mid june.  They did get fairly big and close to mature.  I covered plants every night for a week trying to extend my season.

Ah, found a picture of the tomatoes.

This also shows a good shot of the tomatillos that I oops forgot I planted. 

What's your magic power?

Time For A Seed Diary

I told my husband that I needed a seed diary, but, one I could carry in my pocket, because I have bought three packets of San Marzano tomato seeds already this year.

I figured this would be the perfect place to list all of my sins seeds.

Almost all of them came from my favorite sin seed provider, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., they don't pay me, but, I loves their seeds so much.  Plus, their shipping rates are fair and their selection is astounding. In this list unless it is marked otherwise they are all from Baker Creek.

First up the bulk orders-

St Valery Carrots-Bulk 1 oz package.
Roma II-Beans 1/2 lb package.
Sugar Ann-Peas 1/2 lb package.
Cream Sausage-Tomatoe 1/8 oz


Now the beans
Bean Purple Podded Pole
Soya Bean Envy
Bean Dragon Tongue
Beans Borlotto Bush or Tongues of Fire
Beans French Garden

Peas, Freezonian from Denali Seed Co. my local guys.

Beets
Beet Sugar-tested GMO free
Beet Golden
Beet Gourmet Blend from my local greenhouse in the form of Botanical Interests.  I won't link them here because the shipping is STEEP and they have twice quit carrying seeds the season I find them.  The luck is I saved my seeds from the tomatoes.  If you just need a great heirloom seed get them from your local greenhouse and save the shipping.

Lettuce
Tennis Ball
Cimmaron
2 Red Romaines as a free gift in my last order (THANKS Baker Creek!)

Spinach Merlo Nero

Squash
Zucchini Gray
Saved locally grown pumpkin seeds
Saved sweet meat seeds from farmers market.

Cucumbers
Boothby's Blonde
Boston Pickling

Renee's Garden Rainbow Radishes Easter Egg II

Strawberry Popcorn from Baker Creek

American Melon Ananas D'Amerique A Chair Verte as a free gift from Baker Creek for my first order.  Not sure if these will do well here, but, I am going to try like hell.

Dill Bouquet-Botanical Interest

Early Jalapeno- Botanical Interest

Onions
Noordhollandse Bloedrode
Ailsa Craig

Broccoli
Solstice Organic- Denali Seed Co
Brussels Sprouts
Long Island Improved
Cauliflower
Purple of Sicily

Last, but, certainly not least...

Tomatoes
Glacier (bush) Botanical Interest
San Marzano (pole) Botanical Interest
San Marzano x 2 (pole) Seeds of Change


What sweet new seeds are you sowing this year?  What can you just not wait to see sprout this year?  I am super excited for my onions and those white tomatoes.  Can't wait.

Still February

Last night we had the most awesome display of the Aurora Borealis.  My youngest child, Judson was very impressed, insisting that I come out with him and look.

Here are some images in a video from my area.  The best images are after 1 minute.

It's a darn good thing, too.  I am just about done with winter, mostly because I am ready to dig in the dirt and get back to the garden.  We have had a very mild winter for us as to compared to the rest of the country.

Darn good thing it is so pretty here.  I suppose I can wait a few more months.  If I have to.

Seeds and such

Welcome!

 I created this blog when I noticed a lack of Interior Alaskan gardening blogs. Of the blogs I was able to find, most of them were focused on the Mat-Su/Anchortown area. 

 This weekend I planted my onion seeds. 

 WHAT, yep, onions from seeds.

 I really want to feed my family from my garden and onions are a major part of our diet.

  Baker Creek Seed Company is my newest source for seeds. Who am I kidding, I should just send them my wallet. I purchased 8 packets and they sent me two freebies. The added the melons and some brussel sprouts (well don't mind if I do) and I purchased five kinds of beans some onions and carrots.

Next week I will be starting some test seeds from some open pollinated silvery fir tomatoes that I grew last season.

 What are you excited to start in your garden? Anything crazy and new?