Demeter ("the ancient Greek chthonian goddess of agriculture and the protector of marriage and the social order, identified by the Romans with Ceres"), a.k.a. Ma Nature, has finally let go of a very cold and rainy Spring here in the Midwest. It's warm enough to plant at last - and so I did with delighted diligence.
In addition to the house plants, which appear ecstatic to be outside, and some red and white impatiens, our front porch now holds several pots of kitchen herbs: basil (2 kinds), cilantro, rosemary, lemon balm, sage (2 kinds), and "sugar herb" <-- also known as stevia rebaudiana. This last item is an experiment. Totally devoid of nutritional value, it is supposed to be gazillions more sweet than sugar (and somehow not a problem for diabetics, which seems not quite believable). And as also as an experiment, I'll see if some extra brussell sprout seedling plants and onions can make a go of it in the last few pots I have left.
Two blocks away is our neighborhood's community garden. We upped for a 4x8 plot this year. I've long been intrigued by the square foot gardening approach - so I now I finally get to try my hand at it.
My map for planting
It was a cool-ish day today with low humidity: perfect for planting seeds and transplanting some seedlings. Beloved Spousal Unit helped me set up the chicken wire fencing. (Chicken wire isn't called that anymore, apparently. It was labeled as poultry fencing. No wonder I couldn't find it in the store!)
Come harvest time, we hope to have
- beans (3 kinds)
- brussel sprouts
- carrots
- cauliflower
- leeks
- lettuce
- onions
- zucchini (only planted 2, lest we be overrun!)
