We have germination!

The first stirrings of life are showing in my garden today. After feeding the birds I walked down to where I had planted my first row, a few peas, some lettuce and spinach in the area that had been heavily manured last fall and -- lo and behold -- there were tiny spinach cotyledons here and there. Not a lot, but the beginning.

I had been wondering about the lack of pea growth and my friend Robin had suggested I dig down and look to see if they had rotted (which I had not expected, as my soil drains better than that) but I did anyway and found they have about inch-long roots. Just the cold and lack of rain has slowed them down a bit.

All of my early crops are now toughing it out on the porch, with a blanket over them at night. A few of the coles are showing a bit of cold damage but I am not worried. I think they will recover and if not there are still PLENTY!

On another note, much as I had expected, the tractor guy showed up on Thurs. while I was away learning to make soap. Fortunately K remembered where the garlic was planted and stopped him before he tiller there. I am not sure whether the garlic is still there or not, thanks to the plow guy this winter. We will see...

Tomorrow I will have a day off and will likely spend much time in the garden. I am going to see what can go in and how I can possibly protect some of the early cold crops if I get them out into the soil. I should have ordered row cover but haven't yet and haven't seen anywhere here.

the list of needs is growing longer -- a pitchfork (for the compost pile), a real long handled hoe (or maybe two different styles) and of course the rototiller that has yet to be found. If I can find a wheel hoe in anyones barn sale this year I will buy one. I loved that tool when I had one in CO years ago!