Botanical Interests Seed Company | One Hundred Dollars a Month

Raised Garden Beds – Growing Cabbage, Garlic, Tomatoes and More

May 10, 2013 14 Comments

The backyard is finally starting to look like a real backyard garden again. Out 16 4×8 raised garden boxes are really starting to fill in and it won’t be too long before they are overflowing with yummy vegetables to eat.

I still think the cabbage and radish bed looks the best.

Do you have any great radish recipes? Someone said they are good sauteed, like in a stir fry. We will have a bunch to harvest over the next 2 weeks and I need to find a few good recipes for them.

Radishes, onions and kohlrabi.

If you look closely you can see the kohlrabi bulbs starting to form at the soil line.

The square foot garden. We added 3 tomato plants to it a few days ago. Next on the list are beans and cucumbers.

Check out the bed of Swiss chard.

The chickens will be so excited!

I’m kind of surprised there are no signs of garlic scapes yet. I love using them in stir-fry dishes and it seems to me they should be popping up by now.

The year started off pretty mild but lately the weather has begun to really warm up for this time of year {I think so anyway}. Since we didn’t get any snow this past winter, I think the vegetables might be a little behind. Either that or I’m the one who is behind. I’m not sure which is which.

If there is one thing I have learned over the years about gardening is that it’s better to wait to until the weather warms up a bit to get all your seeds planted. Otherwise they just end up rotting in the ground because your’e to stinkin’ excited to start gardening and you plant them too early.

Thinning the beets is on the agenda this weekend.

Be still my heart. Tomato plants.

Here is the view from the garden gate. Pretty neat-o if you ask me.

If you find that I am posting less than normal this weekend, it’s because I plan on spending most of it getting caught up in the garden. My online boyfriend Ryan from Botanical Interests is coming to visit me in a few weeks when he’s up here for the Mother Earth News Fair and I want to get everything looking in tip top shape for his arrival.

Peace Out Girl Scouts, Have a great weekend!

~ Mavis

Filed Under: Gardening, Raised Garden Beds Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, cabbage, Gardening, garlic, one hundred dollars a month, Raised Garden Beds, Ryan, tomatoes

How to Grow Alyssum {Start to Finish}

April 9, 2013 3 Comments

{photo credit}

I don’t know when I first fell in love with alyssum, but I absolutely love using purple and white alyssum in my window box and hanging flower baskets every year. It’s delicate, yet very hearty.

Brief description: Alyssum is a delicate mounding or trailing flower {depending on variety} that blooms throughout the summer.

Where to Plant Alyssum: Alyssum can be planted nearly anywhere, but make great border flowers, thrive in rock beds, and in containers where they can trail over the sides. They do best in sun to light shade.

Planting Seeds: To plant seeds, just press them into the surface of the soil. Put a pinch of seeds in every pot, approximately 6″ apart. There is not need to thin these clumping flowers.

Growing Tips: Alyssum can stand quite a bit of abuse. They are drought tolerant and deer resistant. For best results, though, water 2 times per week during hotter months.

Are you ready to start your garden but you’re not sure when you should plant your seeds or set out your transplants? Head on over HERE and you’ll be taken to a handy dandy chart that is broken down into what vegetables should be planted {or transplanted} each month in your area.

Anyone can do this. Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!

~Mavis

Fun Fact: While Alyssum is typically an annual, they will overwinter in some climates, popping up sporadically year after year.

Filed Under: Gardening, Growing Guides Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, Gardening, gardening with mavis, growing guides, how to grow, How to Grow Alyssum {Start to Finish}

Botanical Interests Seed Company Tour

January 31, 2013 10 Comments

As soon as we landed in Denver we hit the road and headed to Botanical Interests seed company in Broomfield, Colorado. When we arrived there was a huge welcome sign for us and two other people. Bill and Marty? Who the heck are Bill and Marty?

Because the sign was on an easel, and multiple sheets of paper had been torn off, we thought hmmm, they must give a lot of tours. But just as we were about to ask Curtis {He and his wife Judy co-own the company}how many tours they give a year, Bill and Marty showed up. With Ryan. My hottie of a horticulturalist online boyfriend.

Which was really awkward, because Bill and Marty were Ryan’s PARENTS! And it get’s even better. Apparently Ryan’s fiancé works at Botanical Interests too!

Awesome. Almost Wet My Pants.

After our little meet and great, Jim the warehouse manager took us on a behind the scenes tour.

Jim was awesome. Not only did he show us around, but he pointed out large sacks of seeds, showed us where they test the seed that comes in from the different fields and where they lock up all the temperature controlled and specialty seeds. I didn’t notice a wedding band on Jim’s ring finger so if you are from the Denver area, let me know. I’ll try and hook you up.

We also got up close and personal with the guys running the seed packet machines.

Botanical Interests sells over 600 different kinds of seeds. So you can imagine these guys pack a lot of seeds on any given day of the week.

It’s pretty obvious guys are in charge of this area. How do I know that? Do you see the duct tape holding together the seed tray? Need I say more?

Here is Jim explaining the date on the seed packets to Amber. Clearly Jim did his research and knew Amber needed all the help she could get when it comes to planting a backyard garden.

Oh and this is Ellen. I think she is pretty much in charge of everything. Including judging the new drawings that come in from various Botanical Interests artists. I can only imagine how hard it must be to critique artwork. Yikes. What a tough job.

We learned so much from our behind the scenes tour it was awesome.We had no idea until the end of tour that they only give about 3 tours a year. Wowza! How cool was that? So a big thank you to Curtis, Ryan, Jim, Ellen, Judy, Buddy and the rest of the gang at Botanical Interests, we had a blast!

Thank You.

~Mavis

For more information on Botanical Interests, you can check out the Botanical Interests website, follow them on Twitter, Facebook or visit my {online} boyfriend Ryan’s blog. You can also order their new 2013 Garden Seed Catalog if you have not received one already.

Filed Under: Garden Tours, Gardening, Travel Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, garden tours, gardneing, travel

How to Grow Artichokes {Start to Finish}

January 4, 2013 14 Comments

I started my artichoke seeds this morning under grow lights and I am super excited. The Handsome Husband LOVES artichokes, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful vegetables in my opinion.

Brief description: The Artichoke is a thistle-like plant, grown for it’s nutritious edible flower {which must be eaten before it blooms}.

Where to Plant the Artichoke: In colder climates, start indoors 12 weeks before last predicted frost date. In milder climates, sow indoors in early fall and transplant outside 6 weeks before first frost. Once transplanted outside, choose a somewhat sheltered location where they can get full sun most of the day.

Planting Seeds: Plant seeds 1/8″ deep, with 3-4 seeds every 4-6″. Keep rows at least 2-4′ apart. These guys really like their space.

Growing Tips: Fertilize once a week with a liquid fertilizer and make sure they have proper drainage.

How to Harvest: Harvest when buds reach full size, but are still closed {otherwise they will be like chewing on dried out leather}. Cut off the buds within 2-3 inches of the stem.

Artichokes Stewed in Olive Oil Recipe

Remember when I stumbled into the French Laundry Gardens last June?

Ever since then, I’ve wanted to recreate parts of that garden. Growing these artichokes ought to do it. I mean, how hard could it be? I’ll hammer it out by the fall and move onto world peace. Peace. Of. Cake.

Looking for artichoke seeds? Head on over HERE.

Filed Under: Gardening, Growing Guides Tagged With: artichokes, Botanical Interests Seed Company, Gardening, gardening with mavis, how to grow, one hundred dollars a month

Mavis Garden Blog – Sorting Seeds

January 2, 2013 33 Comments

botanical interests seeds seed packets

Last night I sat down and sorted all the seeds I intend to grow in my 2013 garden. It took me about 2 hours. Thanks to my hottie of a horticulturalist boyfriend Ryan, I will be sowing tons and tons of Botanical Interests seeds in my garden this year. Ryan sent me every seed I could possibly want and more.

botanical interests seed company kale seed packets

He even sent me a bunch a kale seeds as well. Gee thanks Ryan.

starting seeds

I will be blogging about this years garden and my efforts to grow 2 tons of food in my Western Washington backyard in “real time.” But before you decide you want to follow along on this little journey of mine, you should know a few things about me first.

I am not an expert. Not one bit.
I am not a Master gardener and cannot answer your “tough” questions.
I did not grow up in a farming family.
I talk/write like a Valley Girl and can be incredibly incoherent at times.
Grammar is not my best friend.
I grow food for the sheer JOY of it.
I don’t have a lot of help. I do most all of the gardening myself.
My Husband and son lift heavy objects, cut wood, and curse at the chickens, but that’s about it.
My daughter picks some of the vegetables, but mostly takes awesome photographs of the garden for me.

botanical interests seed packets

And one final thing.

Although I keep a tally of my garden expenses {soil, tools, materials, seeds, plants, etc.} I do not count them in my “food budget” because I GIVE MOST OF THE FOOD AWAY. Last year I spent around $560 on my garden and although we ate, canned, and froze all that we could, if I were to have added up the retail value of what we donated to the food bank, homeless shelters and random people on the street, it would have far exceed the cost of the materials. So in my mind, I consider the cost of the garden as a “donation” and the food we harvest for ourselves, the benefit of our hard work to help others in need.

We should all be so lucky to have a hobby that not only nourishes our bodies, but nourishes our souls and others as well.

I hope you’ll follow along this year on this crazy journey of mine. I’m really excited, and have so much awesomeness planned for this year, I can hardly wait to get started.

Peace Out Girl Scouts, I hope you’ll stick around.

May the trowel be with you!

~Mavis

Word on the street is the new Botanical Interests Seed Catalog is in stock and ready to ship! Go HERE to get yours!

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, Gardening

Indoor Gardening – How to Grow Your Own Sprouts

December 26, 2012 33 Comments

how to grow your own sprouts

Last week I got a craving for an egg salad sandwich. But in my book, no egg sandwich would be complete without a thick slice of onion and some sprouts. So I decided to pull my Victorio 4-Tray Kitchen Seed Sprouter out of the cupboard, and get growing.

If you have never tried to grow your own sprouts before, you should give it a try. Not only are sprouts SUPER easy to grow, but growing your own sprouts are ridiculously inexpensive as well.

how to sprout seeds Day 1

Before you can actually start your sprouts you’ll need to disinfect the seeds by placing them in a mixture of 2% bleach solution {1 cup water to 1tsp. bleach} for 15 minutes. From there you simply rinse the seeds thoroughly, and you are ready to go.

After placing about a 1/2 tablespoon of seeds on each tray, I stacked up the trays, added 2 cups of water to the top of the tray, and placed the tower out of direct sunlight. Then, I simply waited for the water to drain through the seed trays into the collection tray below.

I disposed of the water once it had drained, then repeated to “water” the seeds with fresh water every 12 hours until it was time to harvest them.

how to sprout seeds

Day 2

On the second day you can really see the seeds start to bust open.

how to grow sprouts

Day 4

By the fourth day the sprouts were ready to eat, but we were all out of eggs, so I let them grow a little longer.

botanical interests sandwich mix seed sprouts

Day 5

On harvest day I weighed the sprouts and was surprised to learn that I could grow 5 ounces of fresh, organic sandwich sprouts with just under 2 tablespoons of seeds. I’m not sure how much they sell sprouts in the stores for, but growing your own is totally worth it! Plus, if you have kiddos in the house, it’s a fun “learning” project on these cold, rainy, winter days.

Have YOU ever grown your own sprouts before?

If so, what are your favorite kind to grow?

~Mavis

Victorio 4-Tray Kitchen Seed Sprouter {I LOVE mine!}
Sprouts – Sandwich Mix

Filed Under: Gardening, Growing Guides, Indoor Gardening Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, Gardening, growing guides, indoor gardening

Elf on the Shelf – Mavis & Ernesto Go to the Post Office

December 18, 2012 36 Comments

elf on the shelf

So I have a story to tell, but I’m not exactly sure how to tell it. So please bear with me.

I recently received an email from a man.

Dear Mavis,

My wife is a big fan of your blog. Would it be possible to
purchase an autographed picture or product for her for Christmas?

Wait. What? Go back and read that again.

Now, I’m not sure why someone would think I have a big stack of glossy 8×10′s of myself on my desk and a sharpie nearby to sign them with, or Mavis Butterfield bobble heads for that matter, but okay, moving along…

elf on the shelf pictures

So I re-read the email {like 20 million times} to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, then called out to the Handsome Husband.

Mavis : Turn down the television, I want to read you something.

Handsome Husband : Oh My G..

Mavis : What am I suppose to do?

Handsome Husband : I don’t know, send him some seeds or something.

Mavis : But I don’t own a SEED COMPANY!

elf on the shelf post office

So I did the only thing I could think of. I walked around the house and tried to find some loot to send this lady for Christmas.

one hundred dollars a month

So if you wake up on Christmas morning to find a brand spankin’ new {as in I bought it for myself, didn’t get a chance to read it yet, but hey, Merry Christmas I hope you like it} copy of the book Kitchen Seasons: Easy Recipes for Seasonal Organic Food, 4 packets of Botanical Interest Seeds : Toy Choy, Gourmet Beets, Lizzano Tomato, and Lauren’s Poppy, plus a 10 year old Angel ornament off my Christmas tree, well HO HO HO, Merry Christmas!

Your husbands email was sweet, and most importantly, it made me smile. I hope you enjoy your present. I had more fun putting it together than you will ever know.

May your Christmas be merry & bright,

Love, Mavis

Peace Out Girl Scouts, Life is good!

P.S. I did not take his money. LOL. Instead he made a donation to someplace cool.

Filed Under: Christmas Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, christmas, elf on the shelf

Mavis Garden Blog – My Favorite Vegetables {and Seeds} of 2012

December 12, 2012 7 Comments

Last week Curtis Jones, President of Botanical Interests Seed Company sent me a lovely care package filled with a variety of new Botanical Interests seeds. Now maybe I’m reading into this a little, but I do believe my hottie of a horticulturist boyfriend Ryan has some competition on his hands. I mean, the El Presidente sending ME, Mavis Butterfield seeds?

Hmmm. What are you going to do to top that Ryan? Drum me a tune on your bongos or perhaps make me a necklace out poppy pods?

I can tell already, there is going to be a fierce competition to win my seed filled heart.

Ahhh, it’s the little things in life, isn’t it.

Okay, enough about silly boys.

Lately, I’ve been getting quite a few emails from people wondering what seeds I’ll be planting next year, and what were some of the favorite things I grew in 2012. So I sat down and went back through my entire blog and typed up a list of my favorite vegetables from each of the major categories. This is where taking lot’s of pictures of your garden like a crazy person totally comes in handy.

Because my “favorites” list is so massive, I’ve decided to break up the posts a bit. Next week I’ll tackle fruits, and then flowers after that. How does that sound?

Okay, here are my favorite vegetable seeds:

Beans

Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans {My kids favorite beans}
Roma Bush Beans {My grandmother grew these beans}
French Filet Bush Beans {The HH… Mr. Fancy Pants LOVES these}
Broad Windsor Fava Beans {Trying these for the first time this year}
Calypso Beans {These are great dried to use in winter soup}

Carrots

Carrot Tonda di Parigi{pictured}
Cosmic Purple {I LOVE these!}
Carnival Blend {Great for children’s gardens}
Danvers {Classic carrot}

Cucumbers

Spacemaster {Great for small gardens}
Lemon {I grew this a long, long time ago and loved it}
Burpless {Do cucumbers really make people burp?}

Greens

Ruby Red Swiss Chard {The chickens LOVE it}
Bok Choy Toy {Great in stir frys, and my daughter likes to eat it raw}
Redbor Kale {I’m excited to GROW this}
Italian Toscana Nero Kale {You cannot KILL THIS STUFF}

Onion

Yellow Granex {sweet onion}
Flat of Italy Red Onion {great for salsa!}
White Lisbon {green onions}

Peas

Green Arrow {perfect for shelling}
Sugar Snap {great for stir fry and eating fresh}

Pumpkins

Lumina {Spooky white}
Cinderella {My favorite}
Howden {All around great pumpkins, perfect for carving}
Pumpkin French Musquée de Provence {Oui’ Oui’}

Summer Squash

Patty Pan {Fun for little kids to grow}
Baby Round Zucchini {My kids love growing this one}
Cocozelle {Delicious}

Tomatoes

Cherry Rainbow Blend {perfect for salads}
Green Zebra {LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one}
Sun Gold {My daughters favorite}
Speckled Roman {I’m trying this in 2013}
Black Krim {The HH’s favorite}

Winter Squash

Butternut {super easy to grow}
Pink Banana { I tried this for the first time this year and LOVED it}
Delicata Honeyboat {I’m excited to try this in 2013}
Winter Burgess Buttercup {This makes the BEST pies}

Wowza! Was that a lot of vegetables or what? Next week I’ll write about my favorite fruits.

Have a great day,

Mavis

Photo Credit

Thanks to my awesome readers, here is an updated list of seed catalogs. If you have a favorite one you don’t see on the list, let me know in the comment section below and I’ll add it.

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Botanical Interests Seed Company, Gardening, mavis garden blog

Botanical Interests – Container Gardening Contest + B1G1 Free Organic Garlic Bulbs

October 8, 2012 Leave a Comment

Calling all green thumbs:

Did YOU plant a container this year? Did you take a picture of it in it’s prime? If so, hurry on over to Botanical Interests and enter the Botanical Interests Container Gardening contest.

There is a limit of three {3} photo entries per person and photos must be received by October 31, 2012. Winners will be announced November 30, 2012. In addition to lot’s of fabulous prizes the grand prize winning container will be featured in next year’s catalog. Wahooo!