Seventy Degrees In February

Never thought I'd be in the yard in February cleaning up and planting seeds. It was beautiful on Saturday and this region is expecting more beautiful weather next week and some rain. A little over 20 days till spring. I'm ready and thankful for another year to garden, hear birds sing, see butterflies, the blooms of cherry blossoms, magnolias, and other spring blooms, and fight with the critters.

It's been a mild winter when parsley survives. Rosemary finally died after a couple of years. Chives still there. Added fresh mix, a little manure, worm castings and will try seeds this year. If they don't do anything, transplants that I started inside or from the nursery will  be fine.  

Chives

Thyme died but did good for a few years. It was nice to come  pick some during the winters.

Strawberries

Have to clean this up. Find another spot for bags of leaf mold and take apart the container and put a new one there.

Bulbs with their heads finally above ground. Not early for narcissus but my tulips are also starting to emerge. Now the fight starts with squirrels  to keep them. Of course they don't like narcissus so I never have a problem with them. 

The remains of some Black-eyed Susan's have emerged. I'll try to dig them up when more emerges and transplant them to a spot where they may have a better chance.

Nice to see a bud on the florist hydrangeas from last summer.

Time to remove the chicken wire because bulbs are starting to grow through. It's early but if I don't the foliage will get ripped again this year if I wait. I'll have to fight with the squirrels and they'll probably win because I can't watch them all day.

My sad rose starting to bud out. I was recently asked if some cut roses I posted came from my garden. I laughed. I would love to be able to grown enough roses to cut and bring inside but roses growing in dappled shade is not recommended. I planted this bush years ago before I read anything about gardening. The bush has been there for years and I've tried to dig it up without success. I did plant a yellow bush last summer. It's looking sad too but I did get 2 roses.

Loosened up the compacted mix and added some amendments. From what I've read, carrots like light airy soil so that the roots don't twist and grow deformed. I won't eat all summer on this small amount if they make it but it's nice to grow something from seed and actually see it grow in edible food that you grew.

Pulled some strawberry seedlings that grew in another pot to the black one.

Composted manure and worm castings added to containers.

Planted carrots, beets, lettuce, radishes, kale, and Swiss chard. Lets see how they do direct sowing them.

Sowing herbs and veggies.