Since February, I’ve been sorting through my seed packets every weekend trying to decide what I want to grow this year. I’m planning sorrel, cilantro, basil, mint, and some flowers. Sorrel and mint will be easy because they’re perennials. Never eaten sorrel before, and have no clue how to prepare it. I thought it was some sort of lettuce when I bought the seed packet three years ago. Not even sure they’ll sprout at this point. Cilantro didn’t do so well last year. They went from sickly sparse leaves straight to flower. I think I have to use a different pot so the soil doesn’t get sick of cilantro.

Last year’s garden wasn’t very fruitful. I didn’t have the heart to uproot my strawberry weeds growing in all the pots even though they don’t bear fruit. This goes back about two or three years ago when I planted strawberries. They took so long to sprout that I planted more and more in practically every pot. Eventually they all sprouted. Then I learned that despite their delicate fruits, strawberry plants are hardy perennials. They remain green in snow and ice and since real estate in my pots and containers is limited, I’m going to toughen up and clean them out this year. I’ll keep one.

I want my portulaca’s to come back this year too. Last year, they got crowded out by the crabgrass. There was more crabgrass in the overhanging box than actual flowers! How on earth crabgrass seeds made it up so high, I have no idea. Crabgrass is so persistent, no matter how I plucked and weeded, they flourished! Plus, with crabgrass you have to pluck them early. If you let it grow even a bit larger than sproutling, trying to uproot the plant will take out a sizable clump of soil right with it.