After a much-too brief flirtation with the idea of spring, winter is back. It’s snowing big flakes and has added another half an inch just since my return to the house. We won’t be seeing any green outdoors for St. Patrick’s Day this year!
It is doubtful that the crocus I was so happy to see earlier this week are happy to be here. I could be dismayed, but in entering this photo in the file, I see that there is already a photo labeled “Crocus in snow, April 17, 2018” so I won’t worry about snow in March. That’s pretty normal for Indiana. The positive outcome is that those recently planted shallots are getting a good cold spell, so maybe they will divide properly this year. Regardless of the weather, it’s time to do the 7th seeding. Gardeners are optimistic; confident that spring will come eventually and best to be prepared, so the seeding continues as scheduled.
Today’s seeding batch was trimmed a bit, but includes most of the main crop tomatoes, eggplant, lemon basil, and tithonia. Thunbergia is delayed because apparently no seed was purchased! Pumpkin-on-a-stick will wait because I didn’t want to start a new seedling flat for one item. “Red Ace” beets were sown in 4-packs, and I’ve postponed the main crop broccoli because the early ones are just now germinating and I don’t want them all ready at the same time. The new variety total is now 86, compared to 69 last year. Doubtless some of you grow 86 kinds of tomatoes, or 69 kinds of peppers as I once did, but I’m satisfied with a less complicated growing scheme in my retirement years.
Hope your season is progressing well, and that wherever you are, there is a bit of green to lift your spirits!
herbalblessingsblog 
Loving your posts! We still have at least a foot of snow in central Wisconsin, so no green at all here. Waiting to see my crocuses, but it’s going to be a while!
LikeLike
Glad you enjoy the posts. I know Wisconsin has been truly blessed with snow this year, but you far-northerners cope with it very well. When your crocuses do arrive, they will be SO appreciated!
LikeLike
Carolee, I can’t believe your opening photo shot! But, there it is. Our snow continues to recede — is that the same as melting? It certainly “raining” off the roof edge these few days. Just to defy Mother Nature, today I am changing out my front porch décor to a favorite old blue and white quilt draped over the front porch bench and adding a pair of blue pillows, cleaning out winter greens from the planters, and taking down the winter wreath. A bare white door is cleaner looking, anyway.
LikeLike
Sounds lovely. I was contemplating taking down the pine cone wreath in the entryway and replacing it with the spring one, but now I’m inclined to procrastinate.
LikeLike
well with ‘Easter” still a month away who knows what tomorrow might bring. Here we have always had a cold spell right before ‘Easter;’I grew up in Ft. Worth Texas and Mother always made is Spring lightweight wool coats for the dress up day.
LikeLike
Easter weather is always a changeling. I can remember very warm days, windy days that blew away my bonnet, and snowy days as well. Most years the hidden eggs were in brown grass, some in snow, but it’s funny that the ones we remember were with green grass which is most rare.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Today I turned on the soil warming cable in the proagating bench so I can start sowing tomatos and other tender things at the end of the week. It feels good to be getting under way even though I do far less than you. Let’s hope the weather is warmer when the babies are all ready to go out.
LikeLike
I’m confident it will be warm enough when planting time comes, but I’m wondering if these winds will continue and there will be more heat than we really want! It’s a very frosty morn, but the sunrise was gorgeous. Maybe there will be a few more crocus venture out today! Best of luck with your seeding.
LikeLiked by 1 person