It is not an addiction, but a persistent infection that sets in once bitten by the bug. The only known treatment is to spend as much available daylight as possible working in the dirt until it goes into remission in the fall, then try to hold out as spring approaches to build up resistance to its effects. ;)

I have a cure for you. It will nearly cure OCD but not entirely. You will have to buy a small greenhouse to continue gardening all year. We are eating lettuce, chard, spinnich, onions and basil that I grow all winter in one. You can also start your own seedlings in late winter.

John

Chrissy
What you need to do is head over to the Winter Sowing Forum here on Gardenweb. Read over the FAQ's (frequently asked questions) and then jump in with the rest of us. It's geared especially for we gardeners that can't wait to get our hands into the soil. Hope that helps.
Alberta

Thanks Alberta - that is just what I need!! This is my first year starting seeds and it looks like just the place to guide me through. See you over there!!

I can relate. I will paraphrase since I told my story in the "Tell me about your SFG" post. I turned a blighted area of my yard into a beautiful raised bed area with gravel walkways. I can't wait to get dirt and plant a dozen or so veggies for my family. I'm so excited about using the ugly space for something useful that I can't stand it.

Anyway, to cure my bug, I started broccoli and cauliflower in cool whip containers so I can transplant them in April.

I hope you can find a way to pass the time until the ground thaws and is ready to plant. I plan on trying winter gardening next year when I have a season under my belt and dirt (always helps).

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's Garden

I have purple sprouting brocolli in my SFG already (waiting to crop in the next few months) plus 1 Savoy cabbage (all that the slugs left me with) and 6 spring cabbages. I planted my garlic in November, and they're looking great.

I'm about to sow my leek and onion seeds, and it will very soon start to go crazy, as this year I am growing:

Parsnip, carrot, celeriac, salsify, peas, beans, toms, potatoes, sweetcorn (in the garden, not the SFG), and then some pots filled with runner beans, french beans, mini sweetcorn, and then herbs too.

All to be grown from seed! I don't know how I'm going to do it? :-)

Can't wait......

I second the comments of Alberta. Winter sow! I had my first official wintersown sprouts today - cilantro. I had problems getting cilantro to sprout before. Hopefully it'll survive and thrive this season, as it's my most used herb. This is also a good time to make sure you have good compost for the SFG. It is the backbone of the system. Can you make compost? I know it's colder up in NY than here... we got down to 15 deg F and my compost bin was frozen for three days.

And I'll second the comments of Soleado about compost. I make it here on Long Island all year long. Its black gold!!
Yes, it will freeze over winter, but thats ok, come spring it will thaw and can be added to the soil any time you want to. All my beds are covered with it in the late fall, and then I used shredded leaves over that. I can possibly sink my arm into my soil half way up my arm, since I've been making compost and adding it to the beds for the past 8 years.
Alberta

Alberta - I am on Long Island too!! In Huntington. Where are you from?

Hello! I am new to the winter sowing forum and I am so excited! I have already planted some seeds and am planning on more this weekend!

There is a website.... wintersown.org...that will tell you all about it.

Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: wintersown

Well, after a little over a week I got three total sprouts poking up from my vermiculite. Unfortunately I'm not sure which is which, the broccoli or cauliflower. As long as I plant them all together, it won't matter, but I'm excited, and so is my 4 year old that helps water them and poked the holes for the seeds.

Fun fun fun!

Hi Chrissy
I'm out in Mastic.
Alberta