Winter Survivors

Some nice warm temperatures on Saturday gave me an opportunity to prepare a bed for some red potatoes. While outside I also surveyed for winter survivors. I was pleased to see that the Greek oregano that I had started from seed last year had survived the winter months quite nicely.

At first I was unsure if these were oregano plants. While raking aside leaves with my fingers, just a slight brushing gave that intense herby aroma that I enjoy. It is amazing that such a small amount of leaves could pack such a powerful fragrance so early in the season.

Every spring the crocuses amaze me. Their leaves are so inconspicuous because they look like blades of grass, and then one day I will notice a bold patch of color that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. Some of these have been here and quietly multiplying for seven years.

Quick gardening tip: Smaller potatoes can just be planted whole. For these larger sized potatoes, it’s probably best to cut in half and then, with the cut side facing up, give them time to dry out overnight. This gives them protection against micro organisms and diseases in the garden soil.

These photographs were taken March 2014. The grouping of purple crocuses were planted in the fall of 2007. There were just maybe six little bulbs from this “special offer” from a non-profit group.

“Cloth of Gold”

These are some of my favorite crocuses named “Cloth of Gold.” The photograph can’t fully convey the bright intense golden yellow color that these bring into my yard. These are heirloom bulbs from Old House Gardens that I planted and then replanted several times. I think this spot will work.

The challenge for me with crocuses is that they can look like grass which means you have to be careful not to mow them and prevent the leaves from making energy to store for the next spring. This is also true for daffodils which do best in “no-mow” beds.

This photograph was taken February 2013. By the way, if you are interested in planting heirloom bulbs in your yard, Old House Gardens is the best place source that I have found. Their customer service is fantastic! There has always been a handwritten and personalized message on every invoice too.