[Ag-eq] Garden

[Tracy Carcione]

Boy, y'all in the Southland are streaks ahead!  Melons and tomatoes already!
Our weather is being very erratic--a high of 70, then next day a high of 42. 
Well, that's Spring.
I always start my own seedlings, mostly.  It's pretty easy, kinda fun, and 
lets me pick exactly what I want.
Last year, I had big problems with my tomato and eggplant seedlings.  I used 
old soil mix, and I guess it had lost its goodness.  So this year, I started 
extra-early, so I could restart if necessary, and I used new soil.  My 
tomatoes are coming on like gangbusters!  They're big, and I want to put 
them in the ground, but it's still too cold.  This weekend, I've got to move 
the cold frame, so it will warm up the soil where I can start putting my 
tomatoes.  Right now, it's covering my broccoli.  They can be out without 
protection now, but I have to protect them from the rabbits and woodchucks, 
which really clobbered them last year.
I had a minor disaster this spring, too.  The wind blew over my tiny 
greenhouse, and the seed flat inside flipped up, so all the seeds got mixed 
up.  I re-planted, following the map I'd made of my flat, but some of the 
older seeds were still there, but not in the same places.  So now, I'm 
looking at seedlings, trying to figure out what they are.  Some are obvious, 
like lettuce, and some aren't, at least to me.  Broccoli and Brussels 
sprouts seedlings look a lot alike.

The apple tree is getting ready to bloom.  I love apple-blossoms.  Last 
year, it seemed like most of the fruit was at the top of the tree, and I had 
to wait for it to fall to harvest any.  This year, a lot of blossoms are 
within easy reach, so I hope harvest goes better.

I'm hoping to start harvesting some rhubarb this weekend.  Yum!

And lastly, I have a swing in the back of the yard, with flowers and herbs 
nearby.  The Korean Spice viburnum and the grape hyacinth are in bloom, and 
it's wonderful to sit on my swing in the sunshine and enjoy the scents of 
the flowers.
Tracy