Spring planting is... delayed? Delightful? Dependent.

My spinach is up! But this past week's deep freeze really wrought some havoc on fruit tree blossoms and the hostas that were just getting going. I hope they revive. My asparagus patch had sent up three brave spears that wilted and turned to mush. I suspect there's more of them to come, though. I have one lovely little blossom on an early strawberry plant. Spring is here, but it's dragging its feet. 

Next weekend, our church mission group is having a plant sale. I hope I can score some sturdy tomato plants. I am in search of heirloom tomatoes as well; a few years ago, I had some gorgeous purple cherokee tomatoes and I've never found them again. They were the best I've ever had. Probably I'll have to go to a garden center to get what I really want, but I'll try the church sale first. They do good work.

I've got to get some herb sets; so far, the creeping thyme is creeping everywhere (I need to curb it a little, actually). I want sage and basil for sure. I'm not sure about squashes-- we seem to be a locus for squash beetles, and I hate to use any pesticides, and the diatomaceous earth didn't dissuade the nasty bugs last year. I am jealous of my neighbor's sense of industry; he has turned the entire hillside behind his house into planting area, likely for hard-shell squashes. My part of the hillside is a mess, and all trees and scrub weeds. But my raspberry bushes look good-- I don't think they blossomed yet, and neither did the blueberries, so they may have a good start, frost regardless. 

I am not going to bother with peppers or lettuce. Peppers just don't grow for me. And lettuce bolts too fast-- I can get both from the farmers' market and help support other folks' best efforts. I will put in bush beans, though. And carrots. G is going to grow some potatoes in buckets for Holly-- fun project, and we should have some nice potatoes out of it as well. 

Anything I can grow will be a benefit. I'm no farmer-- I've had my fill of growing large gardens and the constant maintenance that it takes. Now, I'm a casual gardener-- a little here, a little there, and I'm grateful for whatever takes hold and bears fruit. 

I suppose that's a good metaphor for how to live, eh? 

Have a good Sunday,

C