Courting Spring

Courting Spring

March 18, 2009 Duration: 0:00
I wanted to have bragging rights and have the first tomato on the block but instead my premature sowing failed miserably, twice. San Marzano was the lone survivor of December 15th's seed sowing session.

Check out the stem on my tomato! Tomatoes are the only seedlings I pot up. I buried my soil block deep into a container. Doing this makes for a healthy petiole.

I pulled out all mature onions but left behind Onion-Yellow Granex. They’ll be in good company since tomatoes and onions are best buds. You can’t tell from this picture but the soil has been worked. I tilled the New Zealand White Clover previously sown between row plantings and added compost.

I trimmed off several leaves and buried most of the stem. In case your keeping track this is the second time this seedling has been buried deep. This should grow a slew of new roots and the plant will grow strong and steady.

It's also time to pluck off flowers. This will prevent the plant from devoting energy to forming fruit before its roots and foliage have filled out.

Lastly, mulch. Last season I used black plastic mulch. This season I’m simply using compost as mulch. Why? Because I have a bale of the stuff. I’ll eventually feed my tomatoes Sea Magic Organic Seaweed Growth Activator and patiently watch for the first sign of spring.

Resources: Organic Gardening

There's a certain kind of satisfaction that comes from getting your hands dirty, from the quiet rebellion of nurturing something yourself. Victory Home & Garden is rooted in that feeling. This isn't about pristine lawns or perfect decor; it's about the practical, often messy, reality of creating a life that's more self-sufficient and connected to the ground beneath your feet. Each episode digs into what it truly means to cultivate your own space, whether that's turning a patch of earth into a vegetable plot, finding creative ways to repair and reuse what you have, or simply learning to see your home as a place of tangible creation. The guiding idea here is about reclaiming a bit of independence, or as the show puts it, keeping it punk by growing our own. You'll hear straightforward conversations, personal stories from the trenches of DIY projects, and honest advice that skips the glossy magazine perfection. Tune into this podcast for a dose of grounded inspiration that celebrates the small, hard-won victories of building a home and tending a garden on your own terms.
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