Eat Your Vegetables!

Ready to plant broccoli and spinach

Most of my weekend was spent cleaning up the garden.  Trimming, pruning, emptying, and scrubbing.  I also had to do a little gluing.  All of my terracotta pots made it through the winter unscathed except for one.  I had to break out the Gorilla Glue.  That stuff is awesome. 

Anyway, even though I'm still in cleanup mode, I was able to plant a few things.  I bought some spinach plants from my favorite nursery and I ordered some broccoli seeds from Seeds of Change.  After consulting this cool companion planting chart, I decided to plant them both in the same container.  Both spinach and broccoli prefer to be planted in the spring or fall so I hope to have a good harvest before summer's heat arrives. 

Spinach 'Regiment'

To plant, I used an organic potting mix and some Osmocote fertilizer.  I also mixed in some earthworm castings, which is a nice way of saying worm poo--there I said it.  Basically it's what's left over after an earthworm has digested organic matter and it's used as a fertilizer.  I buy it at my local nursery.  Is it necessary?  I have no idea as I've never done a controlled study. I'm sure your plants will do just fine without it.

So, I'll report back on my vegetable progress--crossing my fingers that those broccoli seeds actually germinate.

Bookshelf:  Container Gardening Books