And not just here (as it technically has been for about a month and a half) but it FEELS like spring as well. Last night was the last frost warning on the extended forecast, and we did not freeze at the house. The tomato plants I have in the ground are all still alive, which now number 15. 6 Siberian, 4 Sasha’s Altai, and 5 Stupice. Going to work on hardening off more seedlings here this week so I can get things in the ground as quick as possible, of course holding back enough that I can replant if necessary.
I had messages from two clients here in the office this morning, reminding me that I had promised them pepper and tomato plants. Brought to mind that there are a couple of people I have promised strawberry plants as well.
There was some time I had this morning due to having to stick around and take Phoebe to preschool, and then pick her up again. I used it to get my runner beans planted, a dozen fennel plants, replant 4 broccoli plants (the cats do like digging in the gardens) and turn over some of the garden beds in the front yard in preparation for later plantings. When I left for the office Patti was trying to work while Flower Cat was playing with her hair, and riding her like a pony. Was kinda cute.
Not sure if I am going to run out to the Ness farm garden tonight, or if I am going to work in my gardens at the house. I called Frank on my way to work and he was going to go out to the Minnetonka garden today to work on the tomato and pepper beds there. He has short wire fencing he wants to get up around the individual beds just as a precaution for the woodchucks which were such an issue last year (yeah, woodchucks ate many of the seedling tomato plants) and I hope the damn things stay out of the garden. I have no issue with killing them, but would rather they stayed out of the garden in the first place.
I have still not yet found the time to get the walnut tree removed. My neighbor Corbin and I have not been able to coordinate schedules on the few nice days we have had. Hopefully we get it done soon. I am looking forward to turning the area that has been completely shaded by the tree into more garden space. I am seriously thinking of putting in an apple tree well behind where the walnut is now as well, which would be close to the property line and not where it would shade anything, at least for some years, and at the far northern end of the yard when it does.
I don’t have the bees yet. Roger is just back from Florida. I guess when he called me and said he would be back Tuesday, he meant next week (this week) so maybe now the bees will be here this weekend. I have the area for them ready again. Between and behind the hives I think I am going to plant one of the concord grapes I have grown from a cutting. There is plenty of room to trellis it there, and it doesn’t work really well to have beans growing up the trellis behind the hives due to the need to stand directly in front of the hives to pick the beans. Have not been stung doing that yet, but no reason to aggravate them if I don’t need to.
