March 8, 2010

Primroses and broccoli are my first plant purchases this year

51L2GZPkQ6L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

I was in the larger market town this weekend so I had to go to a nursery to see what was being offered. I picked up three primrose plants and a six pack of broccoli. Just couldn't resist although freezes are by no means over here. I also bought a sack of composted organic chicken manure to mix with compost and soil in the holes I dig.

Primroses provide early spring blooms in almost every color of the rainbow and they really are easy to grow. They prefer cool temperatures, a rich humus soil (lots of compost and leaf mold) and partial shade. Once the weather turns hot, as it does here in the California mountains, they tend to die back. So I'm going to plant them where they will get shade in the summer. They are quite tolerant of being transplanted, even when they are in bloom.

They are so pretty, I'm sorry I didn't get a dozen.

The broccoli will go right into the garden in a short row which will grow larger when I can plant some broccoli seeds later in March. It always make me feel so happy to be starting the garden. I will have something to fuss with, to check on, to worry about and feed and care for all the growing season, and all the nurturing I do, is repaid me a hundred times, but the delicious fresh food I eat, and the beauty of flowers all around me.

The dog, Sammy, is hopeful this has something to do with his food bowl.

I've never grown primrose from seed, but interestingly, it needs sunlight to germinate.

At Forever In Blue Jeans Primrose 25 Seeds - Primula