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2021 February

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  February Plan: First half – Cold stratify in ziplocks Joe Pye, Rudbeckia, Heliopsis, Milkweeds and BW, and Coneflower Start shallots in a small pot.   Second half - Start parsley (dark/soak 24hr) around 21st. Reality: 2/9 – Put began the cold stratification process in ziplocks and in condiment containers with a bit of dirt for Joe Pye, Rudbeckia, Heliopsis, Coneflower, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Orange Butterfly Weed, Yellow Butterfly Weed. 2/12 – Ate my first Patricia radish!     2/12 – Started soaking 15 Halloween Blend Radish 2/15 – Radish up, by 2/19 eight were up. 2/20 – Winter sowed Joe Pye, Rudbeckia, Heliopsis, Liatris, Common Milkweed, Swamp (Red) Milkweed, Yellow Butterfly Weed, 2 Orange Butterfly Weed, Silky Aster, PowWow Coneflower, Green Coneflower, and Yellow Coneflower.   It took 16 quarts of potting soil to fill 13 jugs.   I used Vermiculite to cover seeds.   I labeled each with a wooden stick inside and a waterproof pen on the outside.
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  2021 January This is my first year attempting ‘winter sowing’.  I honestly had not heard of starting seeds outside in milk jugs.  My lights from Gardener’s Supply are backordered yet again, so starting without lights sounds like a fine plan.  The Golden Alexander and Phlox were both listed as “difficult” seeds to start inside so were good candidates for my first jug. Step one was to poke some drainage holes into both the bottom and top of the jug.  This is easiest to do while the jug is still in one piece. Discard the lid. Step two was to measure about four inches up from the bottom and cut around the jug leaving a couple inches around the handle still attached.   This little hinge lets you tip the top back so you can plant it. Step three was to wet the soil and add it to the bottom of the jug.   I was taught wetting the soil first made the process easier and I can see this is true. Step four was to plant the seeds.   I neglected to put a plant label inside the jug.   Hopef
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2021 Introduction

I am Darci. I love gardening. I decided to start this blog to document what I am learning for myself and others, if they would enjoy following along. This space will cover vegetable gardens and flower beds, my budding (see what I did there) interest in native plants, gathering seeds from heirlooms, and focusing on pollinators. It will also touch on new-to-me planting methods like “no dig”, winter sowing, and growing indoors. I plan to note the books and other influences that I come across as I continue to study and learn. My writing will include my plans each month and the reality. I will not be 100% native. I will not be 100% heirloom. I will not be 100% successful. Hopefully, I will figure out how to add in pictures. I live in Wisconsin, USA, zone 4B though some years have a zone 3 winter so error on the side of caution when selecting plants. This first entry will be a longer one. I am planning the monthly updates will be quite short. But first… Here is some history. My grandmother o
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