Potage Palaver - beets, carrots, podcasts

Can you believe that we are half way through January already? Boy, did that ever go by fast, eh? 

I have been working on cleaning my house (ugh, the dog hair and drool), planning, and ordering. Spending an awful lot of time in my office. Think I finally have the majority of my orders in so is time to start planning for the upcoming spring greenhouse and workshop season. 

Raggedy Anne Zinnias - a bit different, very cool, very lovely, the bees and butterflies love them! 

You all remember that I am opening up a bit later in the season this year, right? For flowers, workshops, and warm season crops, with loads of my organic, heirloom tomato seedlings. Just thought I would remind you now so that you can pick up your brassica seeds and other cool season crops while you are in ordering mode. 

I will still have seeds on offer this spring, too... just a wee bit later. Will have all sorts of  wonderful flower seeds, especially zinnias (of course), and veggies that you sow in April, May, and June.

What else is new and exciting?  

Did you all see this interview with Charles Dowding? Charles Dowding No Dig Gardening How to Get Started – Back to Eden Gardening All about compost and no-dig gardening, a worthwhile watch, for sure.

Imperator type carrots. 

I saw this as I was reading through my favourite weekly bloggers snippets and had to share. 

I think how to grow carrots and how to grow beets are two of my most asked questions. Here are some tips from the experts.

Don't forget to try your hand at direct winter sowing your carrot seeds. Sow as usual, tamp down the soil, and they will germinate when the days are long enough and warm enough. Here are some of the carrot varieties to try...Potager Palaver (Hotbeds, Pantry, Winter Carrots) (thenittygrittypotager.blogspot.com)

I like Red Cored Chantenay but did not include that in the list as not everyone loves them due to their stubbiness.  

Love it when I have a reason to put the baby chainsaw to work ; ) 

This week is supposed to be relatively mild, a good time to get out there and do some pruning. February tends to be snowy, making it hard to get at the trees and shrubs. 

Do them now so that when we have a +10°C sunny day you can get out there to spray them with dormant oil and lime sulphur. You can pick up the kit at any hardware store, box store, or garden centre to get rid of over-wintering pests and fungal issues on your roses and fruit trees.    

That is all I have this week, all that caught my eye. I think all the bloggers are cleaning their houses, watching #cleantok (hah!), and making plans, just like me ; )  

I don't think the broccoli liked being covered in snow for 3 weeks. Hopefully it bounces back.

Hope you all have a lovely week ~ Tanja