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January 14, 2009

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The Impending Arrival of Seed Starting Season

Seed Starting Season

Seed starting season is just around the corner. It happens every year and every year I yell to no one and everyone that I’m not ready and could I please just have another day or a week, but it comes anyways. Then again, am I ever ready for anything garden-related? From seed starting season to the first frost I am constantly begging for mercy and more time while simultaneously wishing for spring and summer to come sooner and end my winter misery.

Apparently, I can’t have it both ways. Harrumph.

I’m REALLY not ready this year. So much so that I forgot about it completely until the catalogs started to appear in my mailbox. What will I grow? More importantly where will I grow? We keep saying this is the year we move. But we can never find the right place or there is too much work to be done and moving is too big a distraction or there is some reason why I can’t move the roof garden right now. And when I look for a new place to live and garden the endless list of requirements are too impossible to meet on a budget. I need appropriate indoor space, and I need some kind of decent outdoor space whether it be in-ground or on a roof or balcony that also gets lots of light because, I’m sorry, but I have to grow my sun-loving vegetables and herbs, and apparently over the years that has become more important than the thousands of things I hate about our current apartment. So this is the year we move. For real! I swear.

But how do I make plans with such a big question mark looming?

Whether I’m ready for it or not the march towards seed starting season presses on. Just today I sent in my yearly Seeds of Diversity membership payment in response to a final, act now or you’re out you irresponsible jerk notice. Is it really time to renew already? And to make matters worse I received notice that Seedy Saturday Toronto is happening earlier than ever this year. February 28! Only a month and a bit away.

Not ready!

Botanical Interests sent me some seeds recently. When they asked what I’d like to try I laughed to myself, chuckling about how early they were. Surely I won’t be making plans or ordering seeds for ages yet? WRONG! Well, at least I know that wherever my gardens happen to be this year, I will be growing the three packets I choose, ‘Zeolights’ Calendula, ‘Ruby Streaks’ Mustard Greens, and ‘Valentine’ Mesclun Mix come hell or high water.

It’s a start….

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December 15, 2008

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Handmade Gifts for Gardeners

I didn’t intend to write another post about Holiday gifts this season but I realized that when I wrote the first post I left out the handmade items I found in my search. There’s some really great stuff there and it just seems like a waste not to mention them so here I go:

Please note that items are listed in U.S prices.

1. Notes to Grow On – $25.00 A set of 7 letterpress cards depicting reproduction herb prints. Each card includes a packet of herb seeds attached to the back. Really beautiful.

2. Dandelion Coaster – $6.00 This company makes a bunch of botanically-inspired coasters but I have a special affinity for dandelions.

3. Reusable Vegetable Bags – $20.00 A set of 3 reusable, washable vegetable bags that you can take grocery shopping or out to the garden to collect your harvest. Made from a lightweight but sturdy fabric that won’t affect the scale at the grocery store.

4. Black Fall Flowers Long Sleeve Shirt – $25.00 A silk screened shirt depicting what looks to be tansy or Queen Anne’s Lace.

5. Plantable Wine Bottle Tags – $2.50 A nice way to give a bottle of wine, although I’m sure you could attach one of these to just about anything. They make full-size cards as well.

6. Tiny Budding Leaf Earrings – $60.00 I LOVE Abigail Percy’s botanical jewelry so much… I wrote about her Flower Silhouette Necklaces a while back. These bud earrings are equally beautiful.

7. Dig It Pendant – $10.00 A vintage 1930′s garden book illustration sealed between glass using lead-free solder. Comes equipped with a chain for wearing.

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December 12, 2008

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Gifts for Gardeners (To Make): Music to Garden To

Remember mixed tapes? The format is all but dead but I’m still keeping a tape player on hand and have hoarded a box full that were given as friendship letters from loved ones over a decade ago when it was still our favourite way to say we cared. CD and DVD are the obvious tangible format of choice these days, but maybe it’s just my age (old) or the way my time is distributed but I’ve lost the love for making mixes. I can’t even muster the effort to half-ass it let alone take the time and care I used to in not only choosing the songs, but carefully transitioning tracks with my “disco mixer” and designing original sleeves for every tape. It’s kind of sad really, and at times a form of creativity that I miss. Although, I definitely have not lost my love of music or my desire to share it. I’ve just lost the ambition to share it in a time-consuming and artful way.

But this week I’ve been thinking about gifts to give to gardeners that one can make; gifts that consider the “giftee”, are thoughtful and require some effort to make, but do not cost a lot of money. I won’t condescend to you by framing this idea within the context of “In these trying economic times…” because frankly, if I hear that phrase used as a reason to be frugal, or god forbid, scale back a little one more time I am going to lose it. As an aside, how many times since this so-called recession/depression has been formally confirmed have I seen newscasts that propose to teach us, the apparently idiot public, how to spend less and scale back presented by some doofus laden in bling, suggesting that we simply “Spend less money”? GAH!

Anyrant, listening to music while gardening is a great way to enhance the experience. I don’t do it often because sometimes I enjoy the sounds of the garden itself as a part of the total experience. You know, the trucks beeping as they back up or the mockingbird calls at the community garden backed up by the constant hum of The Beer Store coolers.

It’s all a part of the ambiance. The soothing sounds of Nature.

The great thing about listening to music while gardening is that you can match your gardening mood or tasks on any given day to a suitable soundtrack. You can listen to aggressive and fast music when you’re on a rampage against compacted soil or a booming aphid population. Or when you just need to release some pent up anger. Or you can choose gentle, calming music on a slow day when you’re in the mood for reflection, connection with your garden and affectionate contemplation.

So rather than simply giving a mix to a friend of music you like, why not get more specific and choose your favourite songs to garden to? I know you’ll have your own favourites — please do share them in the comments — but to get the ball rolling, here are a few of mine:

Nick Drake “From the Morning” – I often think of this song when I contemplate the affection I feel for my gardens. “Place to Be” is a good one too. Or “Horn.” Really, anything from the Pink Moon album works.
Stevie Wonder “Joy Inside My Tears” – Anything from Stevie Wonder’s soundtrack to the film “The Secret Life of Plants” is an obvious choice but when I thought about Stevie Wonder my initial thought was actually “Joy Inside My Tears” from the excellent, “Songs in the Key of Life.”
Stevie Wonder “Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing” – I don’t mean to make this “Stevie Wonder and Friends” but this is a good upbeat song that reminds me to chill out, take things in stride, and in the context of gardening feel a certain appreciation for the struggles I have overcome.
Nina Simone “Ain’t Got No, I Got Life” – Here’s another one in the Things-suck-but-I-still-kick-ass category. And at least I have my garden.
Public Enemy “Louder Than Bomb” – Yes, I do think Public Enemy is completely appropriate when gardening. Because when Chuck D wrote, “My posses always ready, and they’re waitin’ in my zone” he meant plants and the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, right?
Nina Simone “Save Me” – This is for when you are drowning in an aphid infestation.
The Roots “The Next Movement” – This song never fails to lift a bad mood and get me moving.
The Rolling Stones “Street Fighting Man” – This is one of my favourite “tearing shit up” songs.
Elliott Smith “Tomorrow Tomorrow” – I fell in love with the XO album during a particularly miserable summer and always ache to listen to it around June/July. Listen to this song and remind yourself that the forgiving thing about gardening is that there is always another chance to try again next year.
Feist “Mushaboom” – My friend is going to give me crap for listing this (sorry J) but COME ON, she talks about pining for a place to start a garden when you’re living in an apartment without a yard. I can’t help but relate.

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December 8, 2008

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Holiday Gifts for Gardeners 2008

Please note that items are listed in U.S prices.

1. Botanicalls DIY Plant Twitter Kit – $99.00 How many of us really need this? I don’t really need this. I know when to water my plants. All I have to do is, you know, check them… With my eyes and hands. But the geek in me desperately wants this and that’s why I have listed it first even though I typically list the crazy, ridiculous items last. Place the leads in your plant’s pot and this little D.I.Y doohickey sends updates to a Twitter account on your plant’s status, reminding you when it needs water or has been given too much. The kit comes in pieces — you’ll have to put it together yourself, but for people like me who only passed high school computer science because I could build a working circuit (and those who passed because they could build a working circuit AND actually write and understand BASIC) that’s nearly the best part!

2. Plantable Seed Calendar – $24.95 Here’s a pretty little botanically inspired desk calendar that has a life beyond 2009. Each month is impregnated with wildflower seeds that can be planted when the year is out. I also like that the plants are listed since the word “wildflower” is so grossly overused — what’s wild in one region can be horribly invasive in another. Most plantable products become a bit of a guessing game, which could be fun, almost like a botanical surprise pack, if not for the unfortunate surprise that can come once the seeds have sprouted.

3. Metal Word Herb Markers – $22.50 These herbal plant markers are simple, understated and very tastefully done. FINALLY!

4. The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control – $14.93 I always try to add at least one book to the list and this year I wanted to include something that gardeners of any skill and experience level can use and appreciate. This book is it. I’ve recommended this book countless times over the years because it is the one book on my own shelf that I have turned to most. Pests and diseases are the great leveler — all gardeners, regardless of skill level succumb to them now and again. I consider this book the bible, the go-to book whenever I need to identify an unknown pest or problem or get a good idea of the environmental impact of a particular spray or remedy. And at nearly 600 pages, this book doesn’t miss much.

5. Grobal Self-watering Pot – $12.95 Now here’s something that the forgetful gardener can really use. They remind me of the 80s era self-watering planters made by Tupperware, only a heck of a lot nicer. Finally, a pot that is aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced, and actually useful! Definitely go for the larger pot, the baby version is too small for most houseplants.

6. USB Greenhouse – $19.99 Here’s a gift for gardeners doing the 9-5 in front of a computer in a dark and lifeless office cubicle. It looks like the small size could be a barrier to growing anything substantial although it might work for seedlings, or perhaps some leafy greens and microgreens to supplement the boxed lunch. I can’t vouch for the environmental impact of this product since it is running on electricity, but perhaps it makes up for that just a little bit by increasing mental health.

7. Flasher Planter – $110 Another item on the pricey side but worth mentioning if someone out there can afford it. I recently suggested this item when Canadian Gardening magazine asked me what I’d like to receive for the Holidays this year. It was a bit of wishful thinking, really, since there is no hope in hell that this will be coming my way anytime soon but still, hilarious isn’t it? And completely appealing to my great love for dioramas.

Related:

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December 3, 2008

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Ella’s Botanicals – Healing Skin Salve

This little pot of Healing Skin Salve by Ella’s Botanicals is currently saving my life. When I last wrote I was suffering from a bandage-related allergy but the actual tattoo wasn’t too bad — a little itching here and there but nothing unbearable. Well, shortly thereafter things took a turn with the allergy calming considerably and the tattoo… the tattoo went rogue bringing pain and itching to my arm that was really uncalled for. How rude! Oh the itching! As a lifelong allergy sufferer who has experienced several bouts of full-body hives, I had no idea a patch of skin could itch like that!

Of course, I am speaking in the past-tense here with a lot of trepidation because only a few hours have passed since my last bad attack of The Worst itching Known to Humanity. It could come back at any minute but until then I am enjoying the most marvelous sweet, sweet relief.

You see, when I got my tattoo I was given a rundown on tattoo aftercare including a card in case I forgot anything. The instructions were to keep the tattoo as dry as possible and wait until this Thursday (tomorrow) before applying a water-based moisturizer. I followed those instructions to the letter at first. But by yesterday morning I was in so much pain, and the tattoo so dry and awful looking, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. Some of the information I read online said that keeping a new tattoo too dry can be as damaging as getting it wet. In the comments, Amber suggested applying a Burt’s Bee’s product called ResQ Salve that contains lots of healing herbs like comfrey and calendula but which is oil-based rather than water-based. I high tailed it to the health food store anyways to see what they had. They didn’t have that product but they had a ton of salves. I looked at the water-based moisturizers but couldn’t find anything containing the kind of healing and soothing ingredients I was looking for so I decided to break with the original instructions further by going with the oil-based skin salve that looked the best.

I believe in following expert advice and rules when they make sense but I also have a healthy relationship with dissent and know when to trust my intuition and try things my way. I’m not a tattoo expert. This is my first one! But I know my body, I know when things have gone awry with it, and I have a lifetime of experience in which ingredients and products work best for me. Since yesterday afternoon I have applied the salve several times and have noticed a huge difference in the quality of my skin, which has gone from painfully cracked and dry to smooth and on the mend. I woke up at 6am this morning in agonizing itch but I think that was because my arm got too hot underneath the covers. Since then it has calmed down considerably and I am enjoying the first real relief in days.

Obviously I think the Ella’s product is good. It’s working. It smells great with a lavender/rose scent that is light, not overwhelming. I’ve had a lot of experience with salves and even make my own from time-to-time (my personal recipe is in the You Grow Girl book) and the Ella’s has the best texture of any product I have made myself or purchased. Getting a mix that melts easily when you touch it without being too greasy and wet in the jar is not easy. The Ella’s is just right making it safe and easy to apply to my pretty, but giant scab.

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