Taylor, congratulations! I think you will learn so much especially from your CSA friends: that’ll shave a good 4 years off the learning curve.

Linda, I think it’s entirely appropriate to seek out local writers, especially if you live in someplace somewhat arid like Colorado. It makes sense and helps you avoid some mistakes.

Susannah, hi! Anything to help a Minnesota gardener

Bren, happy spring right back at you! Doesn’t it feel like it’s 2 months overdue after this winter? I am glad you like the work I do; it doesn’t seem like much work though if you love it so much, you know?

Pamela, yes, the feed stores really don’t budge much beyond the basics but for most folks not interested in seaweed mustard that is just fine. Oh and I know exactly what you mean: goodness, we picked up two more Bantam chicks at the feed store on Thursday. Small child dancing excitedly from foot to foot in front of the watering tubs where the 100s of chicks peeped and scratched…

MC, how great you can go and plant out now! Yay.

Hi Jen! How great. Repurposing those trash cans sounds like a great idea but our love of potatoes would mean we’d need a fleet of them Nope; not too early, except if you have nasty clay soil like me (where I worry that lots of rain plus the cold will encourage rot more than sprouts). They can handle a bit of frost and it’s even okay if the leaves get frost-killed. Now are you in South Haven, or are you still in Kzoo? I know there’s an elevator (grain) in Bangor that sells feed. One of the best feed stores around is in Lawrence: Southwest Michigan Feed; that place is lots of fun. But the thing of it is, you shouldn’t need to drive too far around here to find a feed store. I go to the fruit exchange in Watervliet for seed potatoes. If you google “feed stores south haven mi” all kinds of results turn up that will lead you to Bloomington or Holland so just get in the car and go on an adventure!

Blaithin, no rock; I don’t think they make it terribly obvious that they’re married to each other; they don’t mention names in the two books I listed. What a match though. I would be afraid to go near the veg garden if I was married to such a person though.

Hiya Zoomie! I have used sprouted garlic before: I got lots of little sprouts from it and kind of let it naturalize in the corner of a bed: I would just pull the cloves up at will for a green garlic treat (because you never can have enough garlic you know). Anyway, I think vegetables are enormously pretty and work quite well in beds with flowers and the like. The upside to using veggies of course is (besides eating them) they’re annuals so if they’re less than pleasing you don’t have to put them there next season. Glad to hear you’re giving it a try: with your climate you can probably go nuts!

Sylvie, isn’t it nice soil? Kinda clay-ey but certainly nice and dark and crumbly. I hope we do convince a few folks to give veggies a try. Goodness knows their tastebuds should direct them to gardening quicker than anything you or I can say…but sometimes it helps to have a push in the right direction, don’t you think? And you are being so thorough too! But yes Kitazawa does make living in the boonies a bit easier to stomach: I am two hours from the nearest Chinatown and 1 hour from the nearest Indian or Japanese restaurant.

Hi Cathy! But no, I wouldn’t garden in such finery, that’s my friend Michele. What a winter you have had: I am sure you are just as eager for spring as I am. Spring though is a time of renewal so hopefully your garden heals and grows great things this season. And I am glad to hear you love Kitazawa too: aren’t they great?

I also think it’s cool that Asia is a gardening focus… It’s funny how kids who hate vegetables *love* them when they’re served in clean, fresh ways as in many Asian dishes.

(I’ve missed you. I’m surfacing again after a hard winter. I celebrate the life in your heart and in your garden. Carry on!.)

ps: Kitazawa Seed Company claims a big space in my garden, too.

and OMG, it’s lovely soil you’ve got in there!

Can we really put in potatoes right now in SW Michigan? I have two trash cans that are going to be repurposed for growing potatoes – one for russet and one for red. I thought I read somewhere we have to wait until after the last frost to put in potatoes – but I am probably mistaken.