katiainmissoula asked: Re: the ask about cats- Onions are poisonous to cats, so that's something to watch out for. They don't really seem to be interested in other alliums. I know a farm cat that loves to roll in the onion greens, but never eats them, so you may be fine growing them, just be aware :) Cats also are attracted to basil- they like to pee on it, so make sure to keep that out of their reach. You can also spray a very diluted cayenne pepper and lemon oil on the plants to deter them. Happy gardening!

Right on, thanks for sending this!  There you go Allison, practical advice from someone with experience.

allison-missal asked: Hi! I love the idea behind your Tumblr. I live in Iowa, looking to move to a different apartment next month with my cat. I know some plants and herbs are poisonious to cats, but I'd like to start an indoor garden as soon I move. Do you have any advice as far as maintaining an indoor garden with pets and what kinds of plants to particularly avoid?

Aw, thanks!  Cats are pretty foreign to me, but I found a couple sites that have lists of all the plants to avoid.

http://www.cat-world.com.au/plants-a-other-chemicals-toxic

http://mistyhorizon2003.hubpages.com/hub/Houseplants-Poisonous-to-your-Cats

For the most part, it seems that most vegetables are a pretty safe bet.  I had a coworker that use to mist the perimeter of her plants with some sort of orange spray and her cat would completely avoid the area.

Good luck!!!

I met Kathy for brunch the other day to talk about new media and serious games (work stuff).  As usual, I found a way to integrate gardening into the conversation and it turns out that Kathy and I have very similar gardening interests.  So after brunch, I ran home, picked up some plants, and met up with her in the Canadian Tire parking lot to hand off the goods (I try to make gardening as hard core as I can).  Her plants were quickly in the ground and bundled in their kozy coats!

Thanks to Kathy for sending me this photo.  I hope to make it to her place later on this summer to check out the rest of her garden (and for a teary reunion with the tomato plants).

lizmcbride asked: How do you harden plants?

Hardening your plants is the process of getting your plants that were started indoors use to being outside (direct sunlight, wind, etc.).   Over the span of a week or so, you want to leave your plants outside for longer and longer periods of time each day.  It’s pretty easy to gauge if you’ve left them out too long because the leaves will turn white and crispy.  I’ve never had any casualties by not hardening them properly, but it definitely slows down the growing process.

Here’s the hardening schedule that I try to make myself follow (I’ve never actually stuck to the plan and regretted it each time).

Day 1: Shaded area for 1-2 hours

Day 2: Direct sunlight for 1-2 hours

Day 3: Increase the time to 2-4 hours

Day 4: 2-4 hours

Day 5: 4-6 hours

Day 6: 6-8 hours

Day 7: They should be ready to stay outside permanently

Heidi and Brett with a trunk full of plants that almost didn’t make it.  

On the way to meeting up with the family for our Mother’s Day celebration/plant hand off, Kory and I almost got t-boned by a work truck trying to cross Corydon.  The plants were in the back seat and not belted in (which is really a Manitoba Public Insurance fail because the only thing I remember from those PSAs is that geeks belong in the back seat).  Most survived with minor injuries.

Winnipeg is warming up and it’s looking like it’s time for planting. 

Thanks to Susie for sending me these photos.  She spent yesterday evening planting  and her garden is looking mighty promising!  She caged up the tomatoes and planted the peppers beside her soybeans, beans, and lettuce.

I’m suffering from empty nest syndrome and the only cure is garden updates from the adoptive parents. 

Thanks to Kat for sending me this photo.  They’ve repotting into burlap planters and their tomatoes are looking great!