The Long Hard Winter. The Assessment....

This was one of the hardest winters we've had in a long time. Most of the local schools have far exceeded their allotment of snow days and I don't remember having as many days where my work called and said it was too dangerous to come in. Hard, hard winter as my snow fence can attest to...

Yes, this snow fence went across all those T-posts and now, it's still connected
to just one. The winter wind has ripped the other connection points completely
off! 

But it is starting to warm up gradually and now is the time to assess the winter damage and start planning for spring...

Remember those tomato seeds we planted? Well here they are...



Hardening off helps prevent transplant shock.
Think I planted enough tomatoes?

Now is the time to start hardening them off prior to transplanting them. I transplant twice; once when the plants have outlived the starter mix and need real soil with fresh food and a second time when I direct sow them into the garden. Before you can transplant however,  you need to get the plants accumulated to the environment it's going to eventually be planted in. Just like you wouldn't go outside in the winter without a coat, your plants can't go from a warm house or greenhouse environment into fifty degree weather (or less) without going into shock. In order to help prevent stress on your plants, you have to begin now to bring them out for a few hours in the day so that they "toughen' up and can take the transplanting.

Broccoli & Cauliflower but not sure which is which at this
point!

The local greenhouse also talked me into growing broccoli and cauliflower saying it was really easy to grow. So far so good. This will have to get planted in a planter somewhere as I have a cute little chipmunk that lives in my garden that thinks I plant the broccoli plants out for a annual salad for him. Last year he downed two plantings. If he wasn't so darn cute I'd be more upset. A few broccoli plants and the strawberry tastings are a small price to pay for such a furry little comical companion.






Speaking about strawberries, the strawberries we planted last year are coming up and already making a mad attempt of trying to take over the garden-at least three plants have already jumped the bed. There is a profusion of runners all over the place so I hope that translates into lots of berries.

Opportunistic strawberries bent on garden conquest!

Plant it once it lasts forever!

The rhubarb we planted last summer not only made  it through the winter but appears to be thriving. All three plants came up. Rhubarb preserves and pies
are in the future! Rhubarb is one plant that once you have it you'll always have it. My parents planted it at some point in my youth and those same two plants still come up. It's amazing.







The raspberries and grapes look to be about as dead as dead can be but there is at least one branch that appears to be budding. The cherry tree is as well sending up little buds.



The promise of cherries future.

Here is a little gardening buddy that popped in to say hi as well. He and his friend were looking for some tasty bugs for lunch when I think I scared them. Sorry!








But some of the most beautiful things are those cultivated my nature.  Wonderful, wild, purple violets pop up in my yard every year. Some people think of them as a weed but I think they are beautiful. A gift from mother nature to start off our year and I wouldn't dream of getting rid of them. Violets are my favorite flowers!

 Happy Spring everyone!