The Lettuce and The Beauty of Spring

Spring is a time of hope, planning, and renewal. A chance to start again, fresh. The aromatic aroma of spring flowers.  As leaves shower down on my head in the fall so do petals in the wind from cherry blossoms and magnolias. As seed give birth and new life begins. Lets enjoy this beautiful season.

I'm in love with my lettuce but it's time to start eating it. Isn't it pretty? Not as speckled as those planted in the yard that are being exposed to all types of weather and temperatures but still beautiful and tasty. This weekend, salads with my own lettuce. So I answered the question can lettuce grow inside my house and on the porch, yes.

Even the radishes are pretty. I read that the leaves can also be eaten. No signs of radishes yet though. I may not get any since they were transplanted but I'll be optimistic and wait and see.

They'll have to go outside soon because pots are sitting all over the floor instead of where the lettuce and radishes sit. It was fun growing vegetables on the porch and in the fall when all the plants are back inside, another chance to grow cool season veggies and experiment.

The lilies growing slowly. Can't wait to see and smell them. I'd put them in the yard but I'm worried about squirrels. They would have a feast. Maybe in another month when they're larger.

My 2 cyclamen are really doing well and have been in bloom for over a month. 

I don't know what she is primrose or gloxinia but she's been doing well for a long time since winter without fuss The yellowed edges wouldn't be there if I didn't forget to water it.

I love my pansies. Of course they're not my seedlings. In a couple of months it'll be time for me to try them again from seeds. I had to much going on this winter with seedlings and the ones I started got the worse care. the 2 I did get to a large size actually bloomed. I consider that success for me and encouragement to try again. Can't wait to order some seeds. Not till I get everything out the house and start some zinnias and later sunflower seeds for fall. It's frightening to already be thinking of fall. The fall bulb catalogues that have been arriving for weeks don't help.

Thought the fern had died but it surprised me. I didn't cover the planter last winter and I thought that no protection for the container had got to it. The seedlings are perennial lupine seedlings. Excitement doesn't express how I'll feel should they reach adulthood. They were sown in the planter because it's the only place in the yard that stays pretty moist. Lupines need moist soil.

Went in the yard today to enjoy the tulips again. I told myself I would enjoy my yard more this year not just garden but sit and enjoy the garden.

Broccoli rabe seedling with bloom from going to seed.

Poor vision of container bulbs. I'll get them right one season. They are coming up though.

When I got home today soil was all over the steps and the remains of eaten bulbs. Squirrels finally found them and now the feast begins. I'm out of cayenne pepper.

The montauk daisy survived. Looking forward to it's white blooms in the fall.

Red asiatic lilies returned. I don't actually like the red ones but seemed like a good idea at the time. At least they add some color.

Ornamental Grass

I need to do something this year with the shrubs so it's not taking over.

Muscari in the tangled mess and looks like my shrub died. Can't remember the correct spelling for it. Well, a place for something else probably a dahlia when it arrives.

Hopefully the poppy blooms this year. For some reason, it didn't last spring. Forgot to remove the chicken wire.

Cat Mint. Squirrels are still digging around and biting bulbs. They didn't heave up by themselves from the weather.

To think I was going to throw the chard out! It's actually looking like chard. I'm going to pull out the healthy ones, transplant and hard off before putting outside. They should already be outside.

No , I don't remove them till I think they'll survive transplanted. The same for the other begonias.

Hot pepper in bloom. I've had some strange things happen inside with the seedlings like the blooming pepper. Thought the tomatoes would bloom first. And the spinach which went to seed and bloomed inside. I threw that out. Now the ivy leaf geraniums have blooms. This weekend I have to give my seedlings some care and I hope to plant them in a hanging basket till ready to go on the porch.

Where do you sit tomatoes over a foot tall? On the floor not on the plant shelf. Next winter I'll start them as late as possible as well as the cucumbers. Not worried about the height because they can be planted up to the first set of leaves or trenched on their sides. First some plastic pots for them and locate another sunny place in the yard for them to sit since I have 7. I'll never start 7 seeds again. That's a lot of tomatoes if they live. Maybe it's time to read about making sauce because we sure can't eat that many.

Hope you're enjoying your gardening season.