It amazes me every spring to look out at what I assume is a dead herb garden and find the chives overwintered and blossoming. I planted that one pot of chives over 10 years ago, and it just won’t quit! At some point I think I’m supposed to move it to a larger pot, but I’m so afraid to disturb what I assume is a perfect container ecosystem.
The sage and oregano also made it though the season, though the sage is mostly wood with a few tiny leaves. We picked up new basil, parsley, thyme, lavendar and mint plants at the Union Square Farmer’s Market yesterday, along with a single hot pepper plant and some red lettuce and mesclun mix that I think I may have packed too tightly into one pot and will probably re-do tomorrow.
The pansies that I picked up for a song one weekend last month in Massachusetts are overflowing the window boxes, and I’ve added a few to the herb garden for color in this early part of the season.
The chocolate vine we planted at the end of last season has taken off, and will need a bit of taming to the trellis.
Unfortunately the ornamental grasses did not survive, so we will be heading to the nursery to get more for this season. I am toying with the idea of turning the grass box into a regular vegetable garden, but really need the height of the grasses to soften the brick corner and give me something to look out at from the kitchen window.
I also plan on getting more basil and really going big on the pesto-making this summer. We had to resort to store bought pesto this past winter, and that’s just wrong.Our freezer may not be big enough to hold what I plan to make, so I think I’ll do some in jars this season.
Am debating about using the rest of the Miracle Gro I have or trying something else to feed the garden this year. Any suggestions in this regard are most welcome..
Unfortunately, one of our favorite nurseries, Liberty Sunset in Brooklyn, has closed. I plan to check out the new Urban Garden Center, run by the same family that ran Dimitri’s, to see what we can find there. What’s your fave place for plants in NYC?
Next project – the roof.
Instead of Miracle Grow, you might try Osmocote, which is slow-release little pellets in a shaker container.
Your garden looks wonderful! Happy Spring!
Freeze your pesto in ice cube trays and pop
them out when frozen and put in baggies.
Takes up no space at all!
Never resort to store bought pesto! The freezing idea will work and is a better alternative than store bought. Why not grow some herbs indoors over the winter and continue to enjoy the fresh tastes all year around?
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