Thinking about the garden..even though............

[CathyA]

there's a foot of snow on the ground! I have to admit, this is the first year ever that I've actually looked forward to spring. Up until now, I've always enjoyed the rest that winter gives me.
Anyhow.........I'm still having the big garden with all my trellises/swingset, etc., but I'm adding to my stocktank container garden in the back yard. Last year I had 2 6' long ones and this summer I'm adding 2 4' long ones.
It's great not having to lean over!
anyhow.......anyone else thinking about the garden?

[Chicken lady]

When is your frost-free date? I'll be starting seeds this afternoon.

[CathyA]

Our's is mid-May.......but who knows. The weather has been a bit bi-polar lately!
What kind of seed-starting set-up do you have Chicken lady?

[herbgeek]

I started seeds for onions and some perennials over the weekend, mostly to chase away cabin fever. There is still 3 feet of snow here, and I'll be lucky to see the mud underneath by April. Typically I plant out the hardy stuff (lettuce, onions) in late April/early May and the tomatoes go out the end of May and the peppers/cukes a couple of weeks later.

[Chicken lady]

I start them in jiffy trays in a warm spot in the house, but I have a small greenhouse to move them to after they come up.

We're still buried in snow and I dug my mud into raised beds to have a chance at drainage - often I have standing water between the beds when I start planting them.

Today's seeds will be the 8-10 weeks before last frost varieties.

[KayLR]

I was going to start a thread asking if anyone had started seeds yet, but I thought it might be cruel and unusual to you folks living under x#-feet of snow.

I started pepper seeds this past weekend. My tomatoes are up 1-1/2" to 3".

Also sowed some spinach and lettuce outdoors in my 4-square foot box. Put my herb pots out and added some chervil seeds to one of them. Went back in the house to have some lunch, and came outside again, oh, 1/2-hr later. Both my box and herb pots had been DUG INTO!! D*&@# squirrels. I swear they were watching me. So, out came the tin snips and chicken wire.

[pinkytoe]

I know better but every year I get amnesia about how the heat will come and slay just about every edible thing I might try to grow by mid-June. I did plant some snap peas about a month ago as recommended but we have had such a ridiculously cold and grey winter that they are struggling without any sunshine at all. I do have one small raised bed of lettuce and greens that is sputtering along. I will however look forward to copious amounts of basil and hot peppers when/if things warm up.

[ctg492]

Oh sweet beautiful spring. Mother's Day is last frost here. I look forward to spring this year and my gardens more then any year ever. Last year I had no time and was gone. This year look out! ok right now can't see them under all that snow, but I know they are there waiting for me. I can almost taste the strawberries!

[Birdie]

I started eggplant and peppers on Feb 1 and tomatoes Feb 14 on heat mats. Getting ready to transplant all of them from six packs to 4 inch pots. They are under my grow lights and will go into the greenhouse in a few weeks. We can plant in the ground in April, I usually plant mid April.

We don't get snow here and the plants think it is spring already. My citrus and berry plants all have tons of flowers on them. Japanese maples have new baby leaves too. Lots of fruit trees in my neighborhood have flowers.....too bad we're still in a terrible drought here.

[razz]

Doing lots of bed designs ideas on my new yard with native trees, shrubs and flowers incorporated to attract birds and butterflies. The seeds will start soon for a smaller veggie bed.