stories from my garden, March 2024

March will soon come to an end, and I am writing about my garden for the first time this year. The snowdrops, crocuses were in full bloom a month ago and currently, we are admiring the blooming daffodils. The first spring flowers are always very welcome, as we hardly wait that the vibrant colors replace the winter grayness. I’ve noticed the first bees in the garden.

Marec se bo kmalu končal, jaz pa se letos prvič oglašam iz mojega vrta. Veliko stvari se je letos tu že zgodilo, cveteli so zvončki, žafrani in trenutno občudujemo cvetoče narcise. Prvo pomladno cvetje je vedno zelo dobrodošlo, saj vsi komaj čakamo, da žive barve zamenjajo zimsko sivino. Na vrtu sem opazila prve čebele.

Although the last few days have been quite windy and rainy, the first trees are starting to bloom as well. We pruned them back in February. Our olive tree now looks completely different. I think it looks better.

Kljub temu, da je zadnje dno precej vetrovno in deženo, začenjajo cveteti tudi prva drevesa. Ta smo obrezali že v februarja. Naša oljka je sedaj čisto drugačna. Meni se zdi lepša.

In the greenhouse, there are still plenty of different salads, even though we’ve been eating them all winter long. A large part of cleaning and reorganizing the flower beds has already been done, and some plants are already planted. Last December I planted garlic, and this February, I also planted onions and peas. I’ve noticed that we get a bigger pea harvest if we plant them really early in the spring. They don't like high temperatures.

V rastlinjaku je še vedno veliko raznih solat, čeprav smo jih jedli celo zimo. Velik del čiščenja in preurejanja gredic je že opravljen, nekatere rastline pa so že posajene. Lansko leto sem posadila česen, letos februarja pa tudi čebulo in grah. Ugotovila sem, da imamo večji pridelek graha, če tega posadimo res zelo zgoraj. Ta rastlina ne mara visokih temperatur.

I’ve also started growing seedlings of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and flowers. I start sowing tomatoes indoors at the beginning of March, and peppers already in February, as they need more time to germinate. Hopefully, the seedlings will be ready to be planted in the greenhouse by the end of April. Tomatoes need a temperature of 18 to 20°C for germination, while peppers need a bit higher. I find this works best if I place them on the windowsill in the living room. When the tomatoes have two cotyledon leaves and begin to develop true leaves, I plant the individual plants into small pots and move them to a sunny spot by the window, but in a slightly cooler room. Perhaps I’ve exaggerated this year, as I have a huge number of seedlings of different varieties. But when it comes to tomatoes, I’m not modest. More is more.

Tudi z vzgojo sadik paprike, paradižnika, jajčevcev, rož sem že pričela. Paradižnik sejem v notranje prostore že v začetki marca, papriko pa že februarja, saj potrebuje več časa, da vzklije. Tako bodo sadike do konca aprila pripravljena, da jih posadimo v rastlinjak. Paradižnik a kalitev potrebuje temperaturo od 18 do 20°C, paprika pa še malo več. Meni to najbolj uspe, če jih postavim na okensko polico v dnevno sobo. Ko imajo paradižnika dva klična lista in že začnejo razvijati prave liste, posamezne rastline posadim v posodice, jih prenesem na sončno mesto pri oknu, vendar v nekoliko hladnejši prostor. Letos sem morda malo pretiravala, ker imam ogromno sadik različnih vrst. Ampak, ko govorimo o paradižniku nisem skromna, tu velja načelo več je več.

I'm never alone in the garden. Our Lili also enjoys there.

Na vrtu nisem nikoli sama. Tudi naša Lili uživa tam.