In Praise of Snow

Aftermath of the February 1, 2011 blizzard in our garden.

Since here in Chicago we won't have to deal with snow after this week, I feel less evil posting this now.

Pansies in a Fish Tank

First off, this particular venture is a complete experiment, and could end in very sad chaos. That said, I am going to be growing my own early-spring pansies, with naught but a fish tank and a few hundred toilet paper tubes.

Houseplants in Winter

Some of my houseplants in a southeast window.

For me, houseplants are accumulated during the wintertime to stave off insanity. Several years ago, I got tired of having to compost away countless pots of dead specimens, forgotten during the summer, and so I managed to limit myself to only those I could keep alive in some form or another throughout the year.

Winter Sowing, Step by Step

It really surprises me when I mention winter sowing to another gardener (especially one in Chicago) and they aren't familiar with the concept. Winter sowing has probably saved me $200 worth of perennials in the two years I've done it.