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2025 February Edition
Tall and (Small) Tales from the Great Basin of Northeast NevadaÂ
Roses are red, violets are blue, it is February Woo, Hoo, Hoo!!! What is not to love about February? Yea, yea it is still cold, probably snowy, and we would never be able to grow some cool heart shaped flower beds to bloom for Valentine's Day, like the one pictured to the left. On the flip side it is only 28-ish days long and you can throw some spinach, and lettuce seeds out if you are bored?
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News from the gardenÂ
Most people do not think of gardening in February, but you would be surprised at how much fun you can have in the winter garden. The northeast great basin has quite a few mild days and some filled with some wet snow and rain, so you can try your luck and throw out some spinach seeds, lettuce, maybe even some sugar snap peas and you might surprise yourself with what comes up. If you planted crocus in the fall, you may see some of them breaking soil this month as well...either way the march to March is well on its way.
Innovations and IdeasÂ
Vertical gardening may be an idea to keep an eye on...the idea is to grow crops vertically using hydroponics. Growing crops like lettuce, herbs, tomatoes and the like vertically will allow us to grow food closer to home and reduce the need to transport some produce long distances. The initial costs are high for those wanting to produce to a larger scale which may hinder the idea from taking root, pun intended, however if you have an area in your garden where you can plant vertically or have a hydroponic tower, you can give it a try! As ingenuity continues vertical gardening may become more and more of an option.
Inner Work
It has been said that a rising tide raises all ships when talking about the economy, can it also work in our day-to-day life and in our attitudes and relationships? As people and groups succeed can it help other people and groups succeed? Interesting theory and it is February, so love is in the air.
NEW FEATURE!!
Dear Optimistic Farmer:
To submit questions to The Optimistic Farmer, click here: theoptimisticfarmer@outlook.com
Inquisitive Reader:Â Â Last edition you mentioned the best time to plant a tree, so along that line, when is the best time to prune a tree or bush?
The Optimistic Farmer:Â Â Believe it or not, many experts advise that winter, when trees or bushes are in their dormancy, is the best time to do your pruning! As with anything there are exceptions, however for most trees and bushes you would be ok to prune anytime from November to March. There are a couple of advantages to winter pruning as well, including better visibly of the branches with all the leaves off and a reduced risk of bugs infecting any cuts. If you hire a professional, they may have the know how to prune anytime of the year with minimal damage.
Plants in Science:Â
Bioindicator plants are the topic of this month's feature of Plants in Science! A bioindicator plant is a plant that can help monitor environmental conditions. With the focus on our climate and enhancing the sustainability of our plant, bioindicator plants are a valuable tool as humans interact with nature. Sensitive plants that can help monitor ozone include pinto beans, green beans, tobacco, and watermelon!? These plants can be affected in areas where air quality is not as healthy as it should be, plants can also utilize CO2 and convert it to oxygen! More is being studied in the area, but long story short, monitoring the health of certain plants may provide us valuable information on the health of our air, soil, and environment as a whole!
Plants that grow in particular areas can also help indicate the conditions of the soil. For instance, dandelions grow in soil that is rich in phosphorus and molybdenum! Nettle likes fertile, nitrogen rich, moist soils and sandbur may indicate compacted soils and the use of herbicides?
So, if you want to skip a chemical analysis of your soil, take note of what grows well and research what kind of soil that plant likes to grow in, to help give you an idea of what your soil has plenty of or what your soil may need!
Last, but Not Least: Moon Garden
The Optimistic Farmer Newsletter has featured information on the potential benefits of planting via the moon cycles, but did you also know there is such a thing as a moon garden? Moon gardens feature flowers that bloom white or silver, plants such as Snowball Hydrangea, silvery Lambs' Ear, Queen Ann's Lace, White Lily's, and Alyssum are all excellent choices for your moon garden, there is even a flower called a Moon Flower! If you want to add a pop of color Balloon Flowers and Dalhia's can do the trick and for fragrance you can add jasmine or lavender! If you want to plant your moon garden, using the phases of the moon, the Farmer's Almanac usually has some information on that topic.
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