Spring! Yay!

Yes, it's officially Spring, dear gardeners. My neighbor's pastures remind me of Ireland, they're so green, and he's let the ladies out to graze. I love to see his holsteins enjoying his good grass and hear them bawling. So polite, too. They wait quietly in line at the barn when it's time for milking.
Besides the lush green growing things, black flies and peepers outside, today both male hummingbirds were in the greenhouse, zipping over our heads. I have yet to see the Mrs. Hummingbirds, but they won't be far behind.
Mother's day is next week-end, another sign of Spring, and we have beautiful, reasonably priced gifts for your flower-inclined mom. The Martha Washington geraniums are stunning this year, as well as our new products: SunPatiens and Alstromeria. And don't forget gerbera daisies. They are in bloom and gorgeous in all different shades. If mom likes hanging baskets, we have many varieties to choose from, in 10" and 12" baskets, for sun, shade or any combination thereof. As well as all kinds of annuals in six packs and four inch pots, and beautiful planters. We will be open our regular hours 9AM to 5PM all week and Saturday too, and Sunday 10PM to 4PM for those last minute Mother's Day shoppers. Please stop in and get a load of all the color in the greenhouses. And who knows? You might just see the hummingbirds.

Our vegetable seedlings are growing by leaps and bounds. The big house, #2, is full and a carpet of green. Thousands upon thousands of peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, celery and brussel sprouts. Which are gaining in popularity, I'm glad to see. Those frozen ones you get in the grocery store are to blame for the brussel sprouts bad rep, I think. From the garden, they're incredible. We've started seeding the squash and melons, and have marketmore cucumbers ready for sale. Mr. Schmevin has made up some wonderful garden bowls--12 to 13 vegetable plants in large terra cotta bowls. For those of you without the room or inclination for a veggie garden, we've now got you covered. And, the patio tomatoes are doing great. Some have blossoms already! If you're hankering for an early tomato, they can't be beat.

Folks are starting to get their vegetable seedlings now, and though it is officially Spring, please be careful! Don't be too eager to plant your veggie seedlings. Though some nighttime temps may be in the high 40's and low 50's, it's still too early to put those tender babies in the ground. The soil temperature should be 65 degrees for veggies to really take off and thrive. I don't plant my garden until June 10th every year, no matter what, and if you saw that humungous tomato in an earlier post, you know my garden does all right. So, if you've bought veggie seedlings already or plan to soon, keep putting them out during the day and under cover at night. It is a pain to haul them inside and out, but it's more painful to have to buy seedlings twice because they died. Gardening takes patience, even before you till the soil and plop those plants in the ground. With the punctual arrival of the hummingbirds, I know Mother Nature is sticking to her regular schedule. And you know what they say about fooling with Mother Nature...