Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees

It’s a very good feeling to finally have some garden planted! The rain hold off long enough for the ground to dry so we could get in some of our early spring garden. (Although it is pretty late in the season!)

We have had a very cold and wet spring here in the Midwest which has delayed almost everything from the lilacs and tulips to the farmers in the fields. But the cold is slowly losing its grip and the apple trees are in full bloom and the daffodils are dancing in the wind!

Because our soil is very heavy and clay-like, it holds water for a long time. It also severely clods up if worked too wet. We needed several days with no rain and some warm sun and strong winds to dry things out enough to get the garden planted.

We finally had a small window of opportunity one evening and we took it! The entire family was out and worked diligently to plant our peas, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli.

It was a good thing that we did because more rain came in the next day and it’s been raining every third day since.

The calendar says that it’s time to get my tomatoes and pepper plants, and put some corn and beans in, but the ground temperature says otherwise. It is still much too cool for my warm season plants, so they, too, will be late this year.

I buy all of my plants from 2 small Amish greenhouses in the neighborhood. Not only are the plants nice and hardy, they come with lots of great advice! I’ve learned to ask any gardening questions I might have and watch their gardens carefully. Usually they are harvesting peas and eating fresh salad about the time that I get mine in the ground!

These year, thanks to my handy-dandy cold-frame, we are enjoying fresh baby lettuce and spinach already! Although my peas are in the ground, I noticed yesterday that theirs are already about 5 inches high. Oh well, at least I’m gaining on them!