Wicked Weather

Over the past week, I've gotten quite a few seeds into pots.  Let me think about it. . . . . . .

1. Argonaut butternut squash
2. Italian flat leaf parsley
3. Garlic chives 
4. Chives
5. Boxwood basil
6. National pickling cucumber
7. Broccoli
8. Catnip
9. Coriander
10. Green ice lettuce
11. Leaf lettuce mix

Off the top of my head, I think that's it.  I want to get some German chamomile started, but my seeds are gone so I'll have to find them somewhere.  

Now I know I got an early start on some of those, but I'm hoping for a better crop this year.  More.  That means two plantings.  And a few of them haven't done very well in the past. . .  

• Last year powdery mildew got almost all of my winter squash.  And I never got feedback from anyone I gave seeds to about the Argonaut, so i don't know if it will produce since it's a hybrid-type.  
• The garlic chives didn't really grow or me the year I got them.  One plant came up like two months after I planted them, and I harvested and froze it.  I didn't even try last year.  That makes the already questionable seeds two years old now, but I'm giving them one more go.
• My coriander stank last year.  Literally.  I thought it smelled like stink bugs, so I was reluctant to use it.  But I've never used the herb before so I don't know what I'm missing there.  I did, however, succumb to the temptation of collecting the seeds, so we'll see how they do.
• The broccoli I bought last year didn't taste very good, either.  I much preferred my neighbor's that he bought at Walmart.  However, I will try my seeds again, along with purchasing plants from my local "stand."

Yesterday brought an ocean of rain to our little slice of the pie.  The water table is already high from all the snow melt and rain, but we got some inches Tuesday.  I don't have an official amount.  I can tell you, though, that my seeds were drowning in their little tubs.  When I got them all out, there was probably about 1.5-2 inches still.  A few hours later it was like I had never emptied them.

To top that all off, we had a freeze warning overnight with possible flurries.  Flurries!  In the middle of April!  This is why I don't plant in my garden until after Mother's Day as a rule.  (Besides, the tilling of my garden is always part of my Mother's Day presents.) The seeds were brought inside where it's warm and dry.  The lettuce containers and the chives (last year's regrowth) are too big, and so are covered in plastic.  

Here's to hoping Spring sticks around the next time she decides to smile upon us.

Show us some sunshine!