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Original post from Tiny Farm Blog, February 23, 2008
Another seedling room set-up task checked off today: hanging the lightbox. Not exactly a big job—the chains were already there from last year—but having it in place is a big visual reminder in the Milkhouse that we’re heading into spring. The box, given to me two-three years back, has four 48? fluorescent tubes on 5? (12.5cm) spacing.
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Original post from Bifurcated Carrots, February 23, 2008
I hear a lot of people say well intentioned but not always accurate things about tomatoes, and it’s time to set the record straight.
Disease Resistance It’s true some (not all) modern tomato varieties have some special disease resistance. The most important diseases are Fusarium and Verticillium wilts. These are different but similar diseases, with nearly identical symptoms, and depending on your climate you may have one or the other in your soil but probably not both. If your plants get this the leaves will become seriously wilted, and while they may still produce some tomatoes the harvest will be much lower than usual. This is soil borne, so you may have it in one part of your garden but not another. It’s not very contagious so if a plant gets it you may as well let it grow and see what happens.
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Original post from Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas, February 23, 2008
Ever since I began gardening I've had this nagging desire to have my own greenhouse. A place that was dedicated purely for propagating plants and storing them in some form of recognizable arrangement. Yet I've never had the chance, or the space, to construct one.Even with our smallish suburban plot I found I was once again limited to making compromises. However, this time I was committed to seeing the 'half-full glass' rather than the 'half-empty' one.
And, Voila! Here is the logical outcome. This is the side of my shed. Not any side, mind you, but a North-facing side - very important for us southern hemispherean gardeners! It's main purpose is to keep the other 3 side walls erect (and gives somewhere for the roof to hang on to as well). Apart from that, it's just a thoroughfare for the wood pile at the rear.
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Original post from Lucky's Duck Farm, February 23, 2008
Yesterday we had a couple of light showers of rain, enough to run outside and take Amy's washing off the line. That was spread onto the clothes rack in the rumpus room to finish drying.
Then last night just before 9 pm we had another shower of rain and was treated to that lovely fresh smell of rain in the air.
We measured 2 mm this morning in the rain gauge.
When we are talking to family interstate, they are under the impression we are getting a fair bit of rain. Weather person on the TV interstate tells them... rain showers for Adelaide. What they don't see or hear is, our weather person telling us, the rain went bye-byes and forgot to rain over the city. Its that dry here, even new houses are starting to crack. So if you thought we were getting rain here....... sorry we're not.
Lets talk cheery things.... 
My garlic chives is out in flower and its just putting on a stunning show. I don't actually use this in the kitchen. I wanted it for the flowers, to help attract some bees to the garden. This plant came from our "good gardening buddy" Pepper, last year on one visit to his place.
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Original post from Sustainable Garden, February 23, 2008 
There's a sense of everything waiting to begin down on the allotment.
In the foreground broad beans and green manure field beans are coming through winter well.
Brassicas have been up to their usual tricks. Why can't we grow decent brussels? But the early purple sprouting broccoli is looking strong, but not yet ready to crop.
Spinach is finishing - but that is a bonus for the bantams who enjoy reaching up to peck at it as it hangs from the roof of the run. Great necksercise!
The next job is to prepare the potato bed. Last year we moved to this raised bed system but didn't feel that worked for potatoes. It wasn't the best use of space.
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Original post from Veggie Gardening Tips, February 23, 2008
An interesting question was raised by a gardener looking for tips regarding growing globe artichokes in the home garden:
“I want to grow artichokes this year up here in the Boston area. I have ordered the seeds and am wondering when to start them, when to transplant, and if I will get any edible buds this season. Isn’t there a way to “fool” Mother Nature into thinking this is the second season?” – David P
You won’t run across too many home gardeners cultivating globe artichokes in their gardens, but I love the challenge as well as the ornamental features that growing artichokes provides to the backyard veggie garden.
I’ve even been known to grow this exotic looking plant just to let them flower; which spoils the opportunity to harvest edible chokes, but produces an ornamental display of extremely large and colorful flowers to admire instead!
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