We're Getting Started

It is really Springtime here in the mountains. I have spent many, many previous days figuring out how many of each type of certain plants I wanted in my garden this summer. Then, for the first time I decided to grow them all from seeds, thus saving me a lot of money (if I am successful). In all I have spent a little more for all the seeds and starter kits than I would for just the flowers for the back deck and front porch. "Such a deal" I can hear Richard saying with his best Yiddish accent.



In the four starter containers below I have a lot of Pansys which will fill 8 planter boxes on the back deck; Wave Petunias for the hanging baskets on the back deck; Dahlias for the flower pots to go on the tables on the back deck and in the planter box on the front porch. I also have cucumbers, green beans and sunflowers. Whew! In the two starter kits below I have assorted sweet peppers, basil and eggplant in the one on the left. And on the right I have two types of tomatoes. I have about 3 weeks until I can plant outdoors for the summer.

Not shown are the garlic bulbs which have sprouted in the planter in front of the woodshed. Back in the fall Richard and I planted a LOT of garlic (it's a major food group in our house), some Daffodils and Tulips. The garlic and tulips are coming up but the daffodils seem to be MIA.

I hope that this turns out to be a good year for the garden. In 2008 a few days after I planted everything we had a hail storm from hell and it beat all the basil, and most of the tomatoes to death. I had a hard time replacing the plants.



Last year it rained so damn much that is was late August before the basil started to really grow and the eggplants never produced. Most of the tomatoes rotted on the vine before maturity. I have heard that this summer will be hot and dry. Hot for us is 75 degrees at this elevation. But we'll see how things work out.