Let There Be Poppies

It rained all day. There is slight chance of snow for tonight. Between the two there was a break as the temperature began to drop. It doesn't take temperatures very high above freezing to get the bulbs going at this time of year. The earliest yellow crocus are about to pop.

After a very long nap, I decided I better seize this break in the weathers to sow poppy seeds even if it was rather late in the day. Poppies need the cold to get started and need to be sown very early in the year. A nice covering of snow would be good for them.

There was more involved in this process than just tossing out seeds though.

My chosen spot for them is the wildflower strip between the roadside vegetable garden and the scenic byway. The seeds need to be in contact with bare dirt. I had to cut down and rake away last year's Lush to get to bare ground.

I had already decided to exert a little more control over what grows in this strip of wildflowers. It was becoming a rather dull monoculture. I want more enthusiasm. Late last fall I began yanking out goldenrod by the roots. That process will need to continue to thin it even further. The fescue grass and clematis virginiana were on the hit list today.

I got to bare dirt and sowed my seeds. Now it can snow. If it doesn't snow tonight that will be fine. More big rain is in the diagnosis for Sunday. That will get the seeds settled into the soil. Now let there be poppies with the other wild things.

I'll need to clean up the roadside chicory bed soon to get it ready for spring. I may get to that on Sunday before the rains return.

If I have to be a roadside attraction, I can make an effort to be a good one.