Spring Sprouts

It’s warming up here in Santa Barbara. These warm days theoretically mean it’s time to begin your summer garden. Basically, you’re looking for temperatures warmer than fifty degrees. I hope I didn’t start too soon (damn, that rain on Easter) but I couldn’t resist planting some new goodies.

I’m pretty easygoing when it comes to planting my garden.  I’m so excited to get my summer plants in that I usually find the quickest route to get there. Patience is not my virtue.  Sometimes, I do need to plant from seed to get the exact vegetable variety desired. Sometimes, I happily find the perfect plant in seedling form at our local organic nursery or farmers market.

Even though I’ve gotten flack on Facebook for planting seedlings, my philosophy is that if it looks good at the nursery and your family will want to eat it, grab it and plant it! My garden is filled with a mix of things planted from seed and seedlings. Just like a new lipstick can give you a much-needed boost (thank you, Cos Bar), the instant gratification of a row of green beans can keep your garden goals going.

I don’t have a greenhouse, so now I can start my seeds for summer crops. It’s great to save the plastic containers from seedlings and use them to start your own seeds. Just don’t forget to mark what you planted! After they’ve sprouted, you can transplant them right into your garden.

Be sure to find me on Instagram (eatdrinkgarden) where I obsessively post garden pictures like I’m a first time mom with a really pretty baby (really, she’s so amazing).