The First Sowing

I finally got around to the first seed sowing of the 2016 roadside vegetable garden season. I normally aim for a St. Patrick's Day beginning. I missed it this year because, whatever. I'm not sure that it matters much since the seeds germinate when the conditions are right. They don't care what the date is.

I start with the cool season crops. Today I sowed spinach, lettuces and chard. The sugar snap peas, beets, radish and carrots seeds were also planted. Now it needs to rain. Or snow.

The dung was not as decomposed as I had expected. I just raked it aside to get to my soil for planting. Slow release dung over the growing season is perfectly fine by me. What matters more is the long term improvement of the roadside vegetable garden's soil. It is getting fluffier by the year.

I spent a couple hours in the ridge top garden next door before seed sowing. I am going to try to spend more time over there this year. That will be easier now that the garden nemesis, Clematis virginiana, is largely eliminated from my garden and the sunny utility meadow. I will have more time for editing next door.

My target over there today was remnant pieces of the Silver Lamium missed in my winter spraying program. I am well on my way to eliminating it from the ridge top garden. The response from the minor bulbs and wild flowers has been worth it. There were also plenty of sicks to pick up from yesterday's big wind.

Have you seen this daffodil yet? I can't keep track. New ones continue to open. Different kinds open at different times in the season.

I believe these are a white scilla.

Why the daffodil people call this pink is beyond me.

This is probably 'Thalia' one of the later blooming daffodils. It is one of my favorites.

This one is quite nice too.

This is an orange cup to me.

Last night's freeze was not as low as suggested and only lasted four hours at best.

The Ostrich Fern survived unscathed. Even 'Jane' the magnolia's tender petals were only slightly nipped.

Then there were three. The Trillium luteum is multiplying. I like that. One day I hope to have hundreds of trilliums in the spring garden, just like all the other weeds.