Spring Green Photo Essay
Spring is my least favorite season. As a gardener, I understand that this is completely counterintuitive. But summer is just so much better in Seattle. We have endless sunny days, no bugs, and I don’t have to suit up in a rain jacket to garden. For me, spring is just kind of in the way of summer’s arrival.
I am willing to concede, however, that spring does have its charms. Like little baby chicks peeping at the feed store. And quivering droplets of water on oxalis. Oh! And rhubarb, tiny lettuces, asparagus, peas, and unfurling raspberry leaves.
The best part about rhubarb is Jon doesn’t like it. That means more Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce for me!
My favorite way to dress up baby greens is with a light Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette.
Mmmm….Roasted Asparagus with Pomegranate Syrup!
This year I forgot to order seeds for this lovely snow pea, but I’ll have big harvests of Wando English peas soon.
Raspberries are my all time favorite food and they taste delicious in a tart with creamy marscapone filling.
I love, love your blog! I live in Phx and I love to garden and I am always telling my husband how much I want to move to the NW to have a more plus garden. Your pics and recipes are great, thanks for sharing with us all!
May 13th, 2009 at 12:44 pmI love my spring rhubarb, too! My plant only produces green stalks. I’d love to plant a second rhubarb that has red stalks – any suggestions? My garden is in Redmond.
Thanks!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:57 pmSusan
Willi –
Your pictures are so detailed and glorious.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:01 amWhat camera do you use? Are you using a macro lense to get up close and personal with that cabbage leaf?
What is the best type of soil to grow potatoes? And..have you ever heard of the “barrel” method? I was told that you can plant potatoes in a barrel and has they come up, add more dirt and continue with this process. At the end of the season you dump the barrel, break off the dirt and you have an abundance of potatoes! Would it be worth the try?
May 14th, 2009 at 7:01 amAnn–I have hard of the barrel method. It is supposed to work great! I’m actually trying it myself this year. I’m planting my potatoes in the bottom of a big nursery pot in a mix of soil and compost, then planting the potatoes, and as they grow I’m going to cover them with a mix of straw and compost.
Linda–Thanks for the compliment on my photos! I actually just have a digital camera. I’ve been meaning to get a digital SLR for awhile, but they are so darn expensive! I just use the macro setting on my digicam and get up close and personal with the plants.
Susan–I actually don’t have any rhubarb right now. I realized that we used to have it at our community garden plot and that I didn’t plant any at home. I think the green actually has the best flavor, but you could plant a mix of red and green so you’d have great color and flavor.
Fawn–I’m so happy you like my blog. I’m jealous that you can grow citrus down in Phoenix. I’d be all over that if I lived in AZ
May 14th, 2009 at 12:19 pmthe Roasted Asparagus with Pomegranate Syrup sound fantastic.
Try to soaking it with (oh, shoot, I can’t find the note…) hhmmm, I’ll let you know later when I fidn it 
May 17th, 2009 at 8:15 pmAs for the rhubarb, recently I had pickled rhubarab at Poppy in Seattle. It was so good. I asked for the recipe. Got a list of ingredients
man… do we have a lot to live up to living here in the NW… with our tiny plot we are trying to go vertical as much as possible. i was going through all our seeds this weekend and i am afraid i will be out of space before i have half of what we ordered in the ground. i think we went got a little out of control with the seed order this year.
May 18th, 2009 at 10:25 amWren–I totally have too many seeds. People send them to me and I buy them and the result is a crazy collection of things that I need to plant. Luckily we’ve got nice weather now!
May 20th, 2009 at 3:11 pmKay, rhubard question. I desperately want to grow some in our yard, but I’ve heard you have to wait a few years before harvesting. Did you? I’m pondering a plant for next spring…
Love your blog! sooo inspiring.
I was afraid i was a little too obsessed with my garden, but you’re making me feel way better.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:57 amoops. RHUBARB. duh.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:58 amKristina–This is what I’d do with your rhubarb. Hold off on sampling any stalks this year (there is lots of rhubarb at the farmer’s markets right now, so hopefully that can satisfy your cravings until next year). Make sure to keep the soil around your rhubarb moist this summer. In the fall, mulch around the base with a 2-inch layer of composted steer manure. Next spring, harvest lightly and repeat the same care as this year. By the 3rd spring you should be able to harvest lots!
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:09 pmThat asparagus photo is making my mouth water!!!!
June 27th, 2009 at 5:07 pm