Did I Ever Mention That I Love Spring?

We had a really nice and uneventful weekend.

We went to the farmer's market this Saturday. I found some lovely cheese, some really nice strawberries (that have been turned into really yummy freezer jam), fresh cilantro plants for my garden, and the famous white asparagus.

After the farmer's market, Spousal Unit made the mistake of wanting to go to the base to shop for a replacement printer cartridge. He didn't realise it would be a mistake. Poor man. The store is a Hodgepodge of everything. Toys, electrical equipment, electronics, fitness, and GARDEN. Guess which department I am interested in? Toys??

Bleeeep. Wrong answer.

The GARDEN Department. Flowers. Tomato Cages. Pots. Bamboo Poles. Fertilizer. Compost Activator. Hoes. Cultivators. Veggie Plants. Weed Whackers. Yup, we bought them all.

Well, the weed whacker is for the Spousal Unit. I declared that I wasn't getting on my hands and knees to do the trimming and our current weed whacker is very intermittent.

So Saturday afternoon, I spent many hours getting the plants into the ground and into pots. They look great and are also adjusting to their new environment.

Did I ever mention that I love Spring?

I Love Spring Time

The sun is shining and I don't feel like sitting here and try to figure out what to write for the night.  

So... I am going to go outside and repot my veggies.  The little babies are getting really big and need more "elbow" room.

I love Spring time.

Spousal Unit is a manly man. He can leap tall buildings with a single bound. He can look at you and burn a hole through your soul. Not really, that is more of my thing, but he does have a certain air about him. He is digging me a garden. That make him a manly man in my book.

So what this all comes down to is... he called me early this afternoon and asked if I thought the ground was dry enough to till up the soil for my garden. It hasn't rained in quite a few days and I had to water the flower boxes outside today, so I thought that maybe it was dry enough to till.

Turns out that the soil could have been a "wee" bit drier but it was still OK to till.

The soil looks really great for a first year garden. Even so I am going out tomorrow to buy some peat moss and maybe some dolomite, if I can find it. I am also hoping to find some garden earth and compost and/or "dunger" (Cow Poop).

The Spousal Unit was able to make three tills through the soil before calling it a night. He will probably do two more swipes tomorrow before we clean the tiller up and take it back to the Outdoor Recreation place.

I also plan on getting some bricks to line the edges while the soil is still fresh. I plan on having some wall units (cinder blocks) to line the back of the garden near the fence to "house" my herbs.

Doesn't this look awesome?

It Is Blooming Again

I have Spring Fever. I have stated that in the recent past and I have also hinted at it. It just is. I get the fever every year. It starts in late December when I start to get the seed catalogues.

I drool over all the new seeds that are advertised and want to buy them all. In the past, I could buy many of the seeds and try them out, because in the States I had enough land to plant just about anything.

Here in Germany, my landlords are letting me have a garden, but I do not have as much space to experiment with new plants.

Boo hoo. Also, most seed companies will not ship seeds here. So I went to several local stores, and in my best reading/deciphering of German bought some seeds. (I also had a friend send me some of my favorites. I didn't just mention that did I?)

Chives, and basil. Can't live without them. I also am growing dill, parsley - flat and curly, and cilantro.

Six different types of peppers. Only two plants per type this year. I usually have 6-8 plants of the same type. I also have about five different types of tomatoes this year. I will probably give away any extra plants to friends.

Yesterday I went to the local Home Depot type store, here it is called Toom. I found these for a major bargain of .49 Euros cents per plant. They are beautiful and I can plant them in planters this weekend and put them out now.

My major score is the perennial spices I picked up. Thyme, two different types, oregano, and rosemary. All for 1.90 Euros. That is a major deal.

To really make my week, my Christmas cactus is acting like an Easter cactus. It is blooming again.

I Hit The Jackpot. Make That Flowerpot.

I just got back from doing a free cycle run. I put out a request for flower pots and planters. I have a gajizillion of them in storage but did not bring any with me. The prices in the local stores are rather steep, even if I do use a tax refund form.

Anyway, I have been chomping at the bit, since getting back from Southern California, to start planting my seeds for my garden this Spring. I didn't get to have a garden last summer and it really got to me not to have my fresh veggies throughout the Summer.

I have been hitting some of the stores and garden shops, which of course only feeds my early Spring fever. I have been looking at the larger flower pots for putting on my front step. Really pricey. So I haven't bought any yet. I am so glad now that I didn't.

The gal that answered my free cycle request told me to come on down, actually up since she lives in the mountains, to get her pots. She is leaving in a couple of days and needed them all gone.

When she started pulling out the pots I was a little disappointed. Really old cracked plastic planters for window sill. OK, beggars can't be choosers. No problem, I'll take them.

Then she started to pull out really large Italian clay pots. Then some more large clay pots. Some fertilizer, more fertilizer, soil, and to top it all off.... She gave me several of the large clay pots I have been eyeing in the garden shops.

She was really sweet and I hit the Jackpot. Make that Flowerpot.