I’ve caught that familiar February gardening fever!  

My February Fever illness has intensified this year due to my birthday vacation in Mexico, where I enjoyed non-stop fresh salads, fruity drinks and admired a lush, fragrant herb garden at the resort restaurant.

I also just returned from a week at my dad’s in Palm Desert. We ate the last oranges from his yard and indulged in daily lemonade from his neighbour’s tree. My stepmother and I planted basil, parsley, and two cherry tomato plants in her small raised bed. That’s how warm the weather is at this time of year.

All of the above has me itching to start seeds here in the Pacific Northwest! Firstly, I will set up my grow lights on a sturdy shelf in a cool area. The grow lights will ensure that the seedlings do not get too tall and lanky while reaching towards insufficient light sources. The cool room will give the seedlings time to develop strong root systems and stems before rapidly growing upwards.

It’s currently the 3rd week of February, so I will be starting onions, summer leeks and peppers because they need a fair bit of time to develop before being planted outdoors. I will also plant herbs, lettuce, and spinach, which I will grow exclusively indoors so that we can eat them in the next few weeks. The rising cost of greens at the grocery store has incentivized me to produce our own. I will plant more herbs and lettuce in March to grow as seedlings that I will transplant outdoors.

I will also continue to harvest kale, beets, Swiss chard and parsley from our winter garden. The kale is starting to bud up and flower, which is an exciting time! These kale buds taste just like tender broccoli. The more flower buds that I pluck off of the kale plant, the more it will produce. I will likely add them to a stir-fry or noodle dish. 

Stay tuned for recipe ideas and photos of my gardening and cooking creations.

Cheers Lynda