It would totally be nice if the weather actually got rid of these near freeze temps. Thursday night the low is to be 34°. Do I want to bring in all the flats and plants? No. I can keep them on the porch and covered and toasty I guess but who knows. I'm back and forth. The good news is the hut shelf is now empty so I can put the flats on that and roll it the laundry room and I should be able to get 12 flats on it if I went the narrow way if it indeed is 36" wide but I don't think it is. So maybe 8 flats. Will see what I do but that might be wiser I don't know. It's such a pain in the rump.
Speaking of, this whole aging thing stinks! I not only realize it with my mom and what she's going through but with my own self and to say in 40 years I can be doing the same thing. Ugh. I'd rather go to sleep one night before it all goes to hell and not wake up.
Anywho, that's where my mind is stuck right now. Aging! And caregiving from a distance. That type of crazy.
Making dinner and then once that's done have to help kid1 make a treat for school tomorrow. Then need to find the gumption to do the low hanging household fruit - dishes, laundry, cleaning etc. yuck.
Tomorrow it's to rain most of the day. Therefore, I think I'll plan to sew. I'll get that other dress done for Mother's Day (brunch) and then get my mom's quilt top done and maybe dropped off. That would be great!
Friday I'd love to start planting! I plan to do baskets first. But I also need to get the brackets in shape to hang so maybe Friday will be doing the planter cleaning: rust removal and repaint. Aaack. Always something from here that I forget I need to get done.
Seedlings still look good. Didn't notice that one of last years that didn't bloom is a dark leaf variety. However I'm wondering if it's my missing David Howard because the one I have labeled D Howard is not a dark leaf. Hahahaha. Wouldn't be the first time I mislabeled. But I didn't think I had the David Howard's by the seedlings at all at harvest - two opposite ends of the garden. Who knows anymore. With bloom I'll hope to have my answer.
But back to the original thought: I think I'll plan to just cover the darn plants w flannel sheets and hope for the best. Dang weather! The freeze can get the hell out!
Super froggy out - my youngest sister never would say foggy when little, it was always super froggy in her book! It's kind of pea soup out in my backyard at least.
I'm watching those night time temps. Looks like Thursday will be the last of the 30s. I'll have to cover the porch plants as it's to get down to 35°. Who needs that?! But it's spurring me to get ready.
I think my goals will be:
Planters
Garden boxes
Beds
Whether it happens that way I don't know. Will see what it does, will see what inspires me more each day to work on. I think the planters will be a good start.
I was looking at my seedling photos from last year. I am sad I lost my most favorite from last years blooms but I have 4 that never did bloom last summer so maybe just maybe there is a twinsie lurking in those seeds. I had 4-5 I thought were lovely in their own right. So I have multiple plants I'll be putting out this year as a result. Why not?!
I'm thinking today to see if I can find 4 - 5ft posts when I hit menards and then I should have enough tall ones to stick in the ground. I seem to recall I was short that many. They have over 100 in stock it says. So I'll grab those today as well.
I'm ready to get going and growing! Time to find some lovelies in the beds. Time to get growing and time to see what's been hiding in those seeds collected from last year.
The suns out! But more rain is coming! We need the rain, it'd be nice if the temp quits diving down to low 40s though.
I went out about a half hour ago and pulled the flannel or tshirt knit sheets off the babies. They all look good and I'll probably give a water in a bit.
Need to check the hut and see if any other sprouts are now over the 2" mark and can go down under the lights. I don't see anything waving at me like I have in the past few weeks.
Sewing for the weekend events is almost done. Hemming the last item right now. Not sure what I'm wearing tonight. I guess I'll have to go root through my boxes and see what springy dressier stuff is in them. Maybe I can find something that looks good and fits.
As for my layout, I stalled - AGAIN! I'm hoping here in a bit to head back to it. This is my hope. I'd like it done. I do need to check and see if my most favorite seedling from last year sprouted. I have notes I planted up two but when I inventoried the basement I'm not seeing it and when I was outside I didn't mark it. I'm afraid I lost it. 😰
This was it:
I hope it was just oversight on my part. Grrrr.
It was also the one I landed on in July/early August when I fell and sat on my plants. So it didn't get a huge chance to develop well. If only I had a bigger space to grow blooms in.
Sadness.
Well here's hoping things go well.
I don't know if I have said this on the bloggie, but I have an issue that really hasn't been given a dX other then right now being treated for rheumatology type issues. As a result I have a script for Celebrex and when I wake and can't move easily I take it. Well yesterday with all the hauling of plants from the basement to the porch, trying to move this morn was terrible. So I have taken my Celebrex before I head outside today and hope it kicks in as I have a lot I'd like to get done.
My seedlings are now on the porch. I think they enjoyed the sun on their leaves. I need to give them a drink today as w the winds they dry back quickly. And maybe if I get everything done I'll inventory them as well as I had a few a duplicate numbers. No issue, it's just me making a change with a pencil on their tag.
As for the rest, all looking good. I moved about 45 tuber varieties out of the basement as well. Only 76 more to go? That doesn't look right with what I still have in the house. So maybe I don't have as many sitting around. Hah. Wouldn't that be the case. My list says one thing and my buckets say another.
I'll be out in the yard today (I hope - Celebrex get working!) and pulling weeds in the front bed as I have a bumper crop of some creeping weed, and of course a lot of crab/quack whatever you'd like to call it - a darn grasslike thing that sends out runners all the dang time.
I'll be using my new garden cart w tractor seat. I hope that helps me with movement and getting up and down from the ground. I'll make sure I have a 5 gal pail to also help with getting upright.
I'll plant lillies today and add them to what I have out there. Hopefully it's a good spot for them. And I'll be moving the compost into this area. I hope it's a huge benefit to the plants. Long neglected as I needed to get the other areas worked on first and the soil improved (well I hope!). I may ask the MIL if I can borrow her small hand held tiller to work some of that into the bed and to turn the garden too. Right now I've never tilled those two boxes as I've done the lasagna method and right now the top layer is a bunch of dry leaves which is never great for planting into. Yes I know it keeps weeds at a minimum but I need to bring some of the soil on up to plant into.
So spring is on the move at my house. I'm excited to get everything going and growing. Happy day to all!
Today I hope is the beginning of move out day. The taller dahlias will find the front porch as will the seedlings, the geraniums and coleus and whatever else is hearty and tall enough.
So a lot of up and down stairs at this house. And a lot of springing forward! Time to get things underway and enjoying some sunshine.
I had to laugh kid2 picked out two shorty dahlias yesterday for his pot to garden in. I had one last year and it lasted for a bit and then withered away as its planted mates took over. Will see what these do.
Dahlia seedlings are looking good and getting bigger. I should really take time to make sure everything has been pinched and give a good water. I hope for some lovelies.
I have been working on my redo of the dahlia layouts. I did make my seed saving lanes. I guess my initial plan is to cut the first flush of blooms to keep them blooming and then leave the rest up. Not sure it will work that way, but I'll try.
Wishing you all well. Stay safe if you're in the path of wicked weather. Happy planning the gardens.
