Summer Planting Calendar

Finally finished the planting calendar! And have been planting up a small storm, waiting for spring flower seeds to arrive from mail order and got a baby cannabis plant to keep my orchid company. This photo is of the radish sprouts, last week. They are about double in size now and newly transplanted into the permanent garden beds. I had fun this weekend power drilling planks of old wood into the bed to dog-proof it. Understandably, if I were a dog, I would also think the garden bed was meant to be shit in.

I went to the Oakland Zoo the other day, see a few more photos here. And a few things up for sale on my Etsy.

MARCH:

Cilantro - March 7

Chard - March 7

Lettuce - March 7

Radish - March 11

Rhubarb - March 11

Broccoli - March 13 if rain

Endive - March 13 if rain

Kohlrabi - March 22

Asparagus - March 22

APRIL:

Corn - April 4

Basil - April 4

Cabbage - April 5

Tomatoes - April 5

Brussel Sprouts - April 21

Parsnips - April 21

Daikon - April 21

Endive - April 21

Leek - April 21

MAY: (yay!)

Beans - May 5

Cucumber - May 5

Eggplant - May 5

Peppers - May 5

Pumpkins - May 8

Squash - May 8

Tomatoes - May 20

Chives - May 20

Melons - May 20

JUNE:

Corn - June 4

Sunflower - June 4

Chard - June 4

Lettuce - June 4

Celery - June 6

Endive - June 6

Brussel Sprouts - June 6

Carrot - June 6

Cauliflower - June 19

JULY:

Chinese Cabbage - July 4

Mustard Greens - July 4

Lettuce - July 4

Radish - July 7

Cauliflower - July 19

AUGUST:

Mustard Greens - August 2

Turnips - August 5

Leeks - August 5

Spinach - August 17

Gung hay fat choy!

Happy belated lunar new year! I planted some more Lincoln Peas in celebration, and the radishes are coming along nicely. Roommate Sam had the foresight to cover the sprouts with plastic wrap for the cold nights and I think it made a huge difference. The first round of peas aren't doing so well, probably because they were not covered initially.

I'm working on a few projects but am feeling a bit under the weather the past few days so don't have any photos yet. I am making some art to hang around the house, some campy crafty dried flower collages and owl cut-n-paste watercolors. I never imagined how being a Kindergarden teacher would affect my aesthetics.

Three years ago I was living with Noelle in Tampa, dreaming about how to get laid and how to pass my Marxism class.

Two years ago I was living with Matt in the woods, pissing outside and tending wild grown bromeliads. In this photo is my friend Clay.

Planting Calendar: January, February

This is the planting calendar I concocted using a myriad of resources and a bit of divine intuition and I want to share it because growing shit is awesome and important. I used the Farmer's Almanac to determine patterns in moon phases, this lunar calendar, and another planting guide. I'm still working on planning the rest of the year, but it will initially all be an experiment with sprouting.

JANUARY:

Cabbage Jan 8
Peas Jan 8
Radish Jan 14-16
Carrots Jan 17-18
Chard Jan 17-18
Collards Jan 17-18
Kale Jan 17-18
Lettuce Jan 17-18
Peas Jan 25-27
Peppers Jan 25-27

FEB:

Chard Feb 6
Chives Feb 6
Spinach Feb 6
Beets Feb 9
Brocolli Feb 13
Celery Feb 13
Leek Feb 13

General Tendencies:

• 
  
• Full Moon good for above ground crops - day before full moon
• Waning moon barren days
• Last day of waning moon good for roots
• 6 days after full moon excellent planting, transplanting,
• 10 days after full moon bad planting
• New moon good for root crops

Farmer's Almanac and East Lake

Newly discovered tin canisters full of hundreds of little seeds begging for germination has led to me track daily the best times for planting using the Farmer's Almanac website. The Farmer's Almanac has been in constant publication since 1818 and is a beautiful resource - I think it would be great to get a copy for my classroom and teach the kids more about naturalist living. This guide put out by the Community Gardening Program is also very useful as a seasonal planting guide for the East Bay.

Three summers ago I stayed and worked at Acorn Community Farm, which runs Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, a nerd bank of heirloom, mostly organic and open-pollinated, plants-in-waiting. If you need seeds or bulbs come spring (or whenever) I suggest ordering from them!

Some photos of my block, round the corner, juxtapositions of plants, dog shit, Victorian sheds, and barred up windows.

Happy New Year

The Holiday season kind of tricks you into good cheer with sugar highs, booze, sparkling lights, and hugs. Thanks, 2011 for a lot of things among them: moving 4 times, traveling so much, graduating, more gardening and quilting, and beautiful new friendships.

Happy New Year, friends! Sorry, this post reads bottom to top.

December 2011: Rainbow Party and feeling infinite love for Oakland, my friends, my surrogate families, and all things good. Celebrated the Solstice by unceremoniously burning something over the grill while smoking a cigarette...four days later. I sell my banjo.

November 2011: Fly home to Tampa for the holiday and to photograph Mary's wedding. Especially awesome to see my baby cousins run circles around me and to eat cookies with my mom.

Oct, Nov, Dec, etc. 2011: Occupy Camps and marches, rainy season begins again.

October 2011: Visit Portland again, and Cape Perpetua. More trips to Seattle + Las Vegas.

All summer long 2011: Camp in Alameda with 15 Kinder-3rd vs. me

July 2011: My sister, Lauren gets married to her beau Chris and buys a house in Gilbert, Iowa. I see my parents for the first time in 7 months!

June 2011: Rosie and I move into the Happiness Hotel. I buy a bike and a banjo.

May 2011: I visit my Portland people. Not pictured: Lis and Gabby.

March+ April 2011: Rosie and I move to Oakland. Trips to Seattle.

January 2011: Noelle visits before moving to New Orleans.

January 2011: Take Rosie across a lot of states to Berkeley. Here she is licking frost off a window in New Orleans.