The ground! I see the ground!

By Talitha Purdy March 6, 2004 – Posted in: What's up/blooming

I think it’s just a mid-winter thaw–we usually get at least one major storm in March. Anyway, the good news is that I potted on all 156 of my leeks. The bad news is that somehow our several years old bag of soil-less potting soil is full of weed seeds. Weeding has already begun, and I haven’t even gotten anything in the ground yet!

I also started some lettuce, and a few tomatoes. Despite everyone saying how wonderful the wall-o-waters work, I’m still a bit wary of putting all of my eggs in one basket, at least for the first year. Maybe next year I’ll be comfortable enough to start them all in early March, but this year I’m going to space them out–a few every week. A week isn’t much, but it can be the difference between 18 inches of snow and bare ground, or a hard frost and 90 degree weather. Or a couple more inches for a tomato plant.

About the Author

Talitha spent the last few years doing an absurd combination of work and school, and found it wasn’t very pleasant. Now she’s doing work, school and a garden, and life is a little better! She also enjoys photography and hand feeding her ducks. USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 AHS Heat Zone: 3 Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains Soil Type: acid clay Experience level: advanced beginner Particular interests: herbs, vegetables, cutting garden, cottage gardening

Gardening Conferences

Snowdrop patrol

What differentiates a bulb from a perennial plant is that the nourishment for the flower is stored within the bulb itself.…There is something miraculous about the way that a little grenade of dried up tissue can explode into a complete flower.

~Monty Don in The Complete Gardener pp. 142

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