Getting My Seeds Lined Up in a Row

Photo by Gayla Trail  All Rights Reserved

It feels like I’m going to be able to be more forthcoming with the garden projects I’ve got going on this year so I thought I would take advantage of the freedom by posting all the seeds I buy or acquire by trade, gifts, etc.

When I bought bean seeds the other day I also purchased some assorted vegetable seed but decided against posting about them there to keep the post on topic. In the meantime a pack of Gourmet Mesclun Asian Baby Leaf (Phew that was a mouthful) seeds arrived in a press packet from Renee’s Garden. Packets of lettuce and greens never go to waste around here! I’ve had “Get some greens started on the windowsill” on my to-do list for over a week now. It’s way too early to get them going outdoors around here just yet, but there should be enough sunlight to pull off a crop of micro-greens.

When I think about it, it’s kind of amazing that I’ve managed to acquire this many seeds so early without having given barely a thought to what I will be doing in the garden this year. Perhaps this garden season will take inspiration from my trip to Cuba and just be about going with the flow.

What I Got:

  • ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’ Tomato – This is a classic, super prolific and easy to grow wild variety. I’m fairly certain I’ve been growing these in my community garden plot where I inherited a crop of tomatoes that self-seed every year. This is most likely the plant I have permanently tattooed on my arm so I figured it was time to try and solve the mystery once and for all. I could have easily acquired these in trade if I’d had the patience to wait half a second, but…. I don’t. So I didn’t.
  • ‘Sparkler’ Radish – I’m always on the lookout for a good radish contender for container growing and figured this round ‘French Breakfast’ alike might just fit the bill. And since I’m a fan of that elegant two-tone variety it was hard to pass up a rounded version.
  • ‘Golden Detroit’ Beet – I generally don’t grow beets since we can get them cheaply enough at the farmer’s market but how could I pass up a variety with such a glam rock vibe about it? Come to think about it, these last two plants could fit into a disco theme seed collection. Anyways, this variety is golden with golden veining. It kind of reminds me of ‘Golden’ Swiss Chard, another beauty.
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Living Plant Wall

Photo by Gayla Trail  All Rights Reserved

This last trip to Cuba was one of many firsts including a few from my life to-do list, one of which was to ride on a horse. And now that I’ve done it I probably won’t do it again. My ass thanks me in advance. I definitely will not do it again in a place where there are no certainties about the care of the animals. I worried for my little horse and wondered about all the heavy tourist butts she had been forced to bear in her lifetime of servitude.

The horseback trip we took was a short, but painful jaunt to a waterfall up in the mountains. The waterfall itself was interesting, although not remarkable. What was amazing were the plants! I particularly loved the wall covered in epiphytic plants (air plants) shown in the photo above. Wouldn’t you love to have that in your living room? Those strange snake-like plants on the left side are epiphytic cactus. And the big-leaved vine in the foreground and left background? Philodendron!

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