Growing Challenge: First planting of 2008
Andrea Bellamy |

The Growing Challenge pushes us to grow a little more food than we have before: a minimum of one additional type of fruit or vegetable than we did last year, and to grow it from seed. This here is an update on my progress.

After attending Seedy Saturday this past weekend and walking away with more seeds than was advisable, I am trying to get my seed stash in order. So many seeds, so little space to sow.

Yesterday I put in two varieties of edible pod peas – Sugar Snap OP and Mega OP – both from a old stash of West Coast Seeds. Since they produce in 98-115 days, I put them in my raised beds where my tomatoes will eventually go (in June). I’ve never done this before, but my idea was that I’d boot out the peas when the weather starts getting too hot for them, but just right for tomato seedlings. Talk about a hard-working plot! Crossing my fingers that this will work.

Here’s what else I picked up at Seedy Saturday:

Rouge d’Hiver lettuce, Red Russian Kale and Lacinato Kale (growing kale is new to me, and was part of my initial commitment to the Growing Challenge). I also bought a bag of 150 shiitake mushroom plugs from local fungi master Western Biologicals (they don’t have a website, but the product is similar to this). I am so excited about these mushrooms – I’ve been wanting to try this for ages. Expect a step-by-step post on the process of starting the mushroom plugs in the coming weeks.

Comments

  1. I wonder if there’s any way not to come away with more than enough seeds!

    It will be fun seeing how the mushrooms grow. That is exciting.

  2. Comment by kate - February 29, 2008
  3. I thought that you were having a baby sometime soon? I am jealous of your planting. Yesterday it snowed,and today it was 10+…ah Calgary. I did find some sedum coming up green under the mulch!

  4. Comment by Paula - February 29, 2008
  5. Kate – I think you’re right. If you go to these events, you should be prepared to go overboard. ;)

    Paula – Yep – 6 weeks to go. When can you start planting in Calgary?

  6. Comment by Andrea Bellamy - March 5, 2008

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