Might be; at least very soon. Down here in the sunny South, nights are chilly and days are warm. The youngest black cherry trees already are showing new leaves, although, they often get fooled. Same for the neighbor's peach tree?pretty pink blossoms that don't amount to much except eye candy and which will bite the dust should we have another bout of freezing nighttime temperatures, which still could happen, even as late a early March. We've had "March surprises" before but, right now, conditions are ideal for "Derald's Perfect Breakfast": A cool but not cold Samuel Adams or Anchor Steam beer and little green peas fresh from the vine with Horowitz or Gould ? styled Mozart tinkling from the box. Ahhh, bliss.... The American "robins" (Turdus migratorius, AKA "robin redbreast") came through these parts on their way to Nothern climes within the past couple of weeks, a sure sign that Spring will get here, ...eventually. The "robins" just pass through twice each year but other migratories hang around for the season and many still remain. The little "palm warblers" , for example, are still here feasting on the termites that are emerging from the ground like smoke this time of year. In the garden: Tomorrow, shall plant some "zipper cream" "crowder" cowpeas?an old heirloom variety much loved in the Southern US?gambling that we won't have enough cold weather to put them in jeopardy. Also, planting more "Little Marvel" English peas, in their case, gambling that the weather will stay cool enough for them to produce before the heat takes them out, for sure, in May or June; if the powdery mildew doesn't get them first, that is. Also planting them late, which seems to be the way events have rolled around here for the past couple of years. "Spring" green peas usually go into the ground in the first week in February, the 14th being generally the latest practical planting date for them but, what the hell.... Fall planted "greens" are liable to begin bolting any day now so have a late planting of them (well, mustard and turnip) planned because they _might_ make it 'til June before they, too, answer the call. Also, more carrots, celery, and "Summertime" lettuce. It's already a bit warm for the carrots and, although I'm an optimist, there is little hope that the lelttuce will even germinate but one never knows. Dunno about the celery because this is its first season in the garden. The variety, though, ("Utah 50-72 Tall Improved", whatever that means) is specifically "recommended" (whatever _that_ means) by the Ag Extension Service for Florida. However, I doubt seriously whether any of the Extension Agency minions ever actually has seen it coming up out of the ground.... Time to start tomatoes, peppers and, maybe, eggplant so they'll be ready to transplant some time in March. Planning space for the sure-enough warm season veggies?okra and beans specifically. The beans present a bit of a quandry because four of my nine raised beds were afflicted with that bacterial leafspot crap last summer and, by rights, "should" be quarantined from legumes for at least three years: That might not happen, though, unless I'm willing to pull up some fall-planted things to make space. Foolishly, did not take the quarantine into account when planting in the autumn so some things may have to be sacrificed for the greater good ;-) Made the trek into what passes for civilization around here and copped a supply of blood meal and of alfalfa. An outfit called "Rural King" opened a locally-owned franchise store here recently. It's sort of a citified seed 'n feed with a little of everything from clothing to chainsaws, fencing, and windmills. In addition to the blood meal, the store sells alfala?albeit pelletized, a minor PITA? which reduces my normal 60-mile journey to about 20. All due respect to the folks at "Ranch Hand", also a locally owned and family operated retailer, but I'll gladly make the shorter trip and keep the gas money in my pocket. Oh, well, since the demise of "Sherwood's", the Ranch Hand is the only source for locally produced "sets" for transplanting and the absolutely best source for wheat straw so they'll still get an occasional chance at my pocketbook. That's the goings-on in my little fall-into-spring garden. Anybody else got anything actually growing in the garden in February?
- posted
10 years ago