January Gardening

It is that hopeful time of year, when you first notice it staying light later every day.  The sunsets in December and early January are gorgeous from my Seattle office building, but now I don't see the whole spectacle because it is still a little light when I'm leaving at 5:00.

But still, it is absolutely dark by the time I get home, and too dark in the morning, too, if I might want to get a little yard work in on a weekday.  After having 4 days at home, I'm itching to get back outside every day.  It will have to wait until the weekend.

And I know January in Seattle, especially this year, is a far cry from January in much of the country.  No snow so far, and it hasn't even rained for a week or so.  Daytime temperatures are in the 40's, even a couple days in the 50's.  Still far too cold to plant anything, except in a greenhouse or a hot box or possibly a cold frame, none of which we have at the moment.  So what kind of gardening is there in January?

We'll start some seeds pretty soon, and I tell everyone about all our seeds and where we got them.  We bought from all new seed companies to us this year, many of them small, local companies.  But that's a big organizational project I'm saving for another day.

Today I'm in a January of dream gardening.  It is hazy and cloudy out, and could be considered a dreamlike state - although actually it's pollution and we're under an air stagnation advisory.  No, I'm daydreaming of humongous zucchini plants, pungent tomato vines dripping with red fruit, bees buzzing around the flowering herb garden, and me wandering through the garden, perhaps plucking a few weeds, and harvesting an armload of vegetables for dinner.  Ahhh - such a sweet dream!

Grey Kitty not particularly amused at having his January dreams interrupted by a photo shoot.