I know, I know...it's been two weeks since I last blogged. Maybe that's why I woke at 5 AM today with a buzzing brain. It's time to share not only some recent highlights, but my immediate plans to get things planted ASAP. Looking at last year's garden log, I am a bit behind.
Two weeks ago we just returned from a great time speaking in Charlottesville and veggie seedlings began finding their way from our driveway to long time gardening friends. Plenty remain...if you are nearby and need to fill spots in your garden, be sure to email me for information. Between greeting annual tomato friends, sharing gardening stories with youngsters on Earth Day in a Durham library, a morning workshop at the Well Fed Garden in Raleigh, hosting Joe Lamp'l and his film crew (he of Growing a Greener World - more on that below), and yesterday's workshop at Atlantic Ave Orchid and Garden....planting time has been scarce. But there is now a two week window before our trip to Pennsylvania to provide a course at Longwood Gardens. I better get to work - there is much to do.
I am thrilled that Joe Lamp'l wants to feature my tomatoes and book on an upcoming episode of his show. He and his film crew arrived last Tuesday just in time for the completion of a large chipper/shredder activity in our neighborhood. We found a way to work around the noise and dust and had a really productive day.
Wednesday morning - 6:30 AM - gorgeous, perfect conditions, a brown thrasher providing the soundtrack - all wired up and ready to be interviewed - and the chipping and shredding started anew. We found a way, thanks to a neighborhood friend jogging by, to bribe the crew into a few hours of silence - and we got through the morning, into early afternoon. It was all such fun, so wonderful to get to spend some time with Joe (we first met in Seattle at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show a few years ago, then last year at the Seed Savers Exchange Campout). It is such an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to be on his show. There will be two more filming sessions....capturing the entire process, seeding to tasting and seed saving.
Yesterday was such fun at Atlantic Avenue Orchid and Gardens, as I provided two workshops on growing vegetables in containers. And I am about to receive a call from my Nova Scotia gardening pal Niki Jabbour to chat spring gardening on her show The Weekend Gardener.
OK - enough book, workshop and talk stuff. As far as gardening - I've got more varieties to grow than I can reasonably fit into the driveway....but has my gardening strategy ever been reasonable? I've begun treating straw bales, into which will go all of our new Dwarf Project releases and some works in progress. I've got pots to fill with last year's potting medium for lettuce, kale, and beets - those are destined for the back yard. The garlic planted in spent straw bales planted in the fall are looking great. Then there are the indeterminate tomatoes, the peppers, the eggplant. It is going to be a really packed two weeks. But you will hear about it as I make progress.
Filming day - setting up and pondering the chipper shredder situation....then Joe Lamp'l and I on day 2 with things progressing well.
