Last Frost Should Be Past - Time to Plant the Tomatoes!

Spent most of today planting, sowing, transplanting, weeding and watering. Here's a summary:

• transplanted mustard seedling "volunteers" from the asparagus bed to the iris/cut flower bed. I like the contrast of leaf colors.

• planted snapdragons in the cut flower bed.
• planted orange marigolds in the natural dyes section of the hortus conclusus as well as around the broccoli/brussels sprouts and lettuce seedlings.

• transplanted 18 tomato plants (3 of 6 varieties) I started from seed. Covered them with my homemade "cloches" to keep them warm and growing (they had been in a cold frame). 

         

The lettuces and broccoli plants are maturing nicely.

I really like how there are plants ready to bloom as others begin to fade. Here the tulips are waning, the alpine strawberries are in bloom and chive blossoms are about to burst. The butterflies and bees appreciate this succession planting too!

The Joy of Seed Catalogs

Seed catalogs begin arriving in late December. I often put them aside until late January or early February, then take them out and begin dreaming of all the gorgeous vegetables and flowers I will sow, plant and harvest!

I received this Rose Is Rose comic strip in my email today. It seems especially appropriate this year with all the snow (30" alone from the blizzard) and frigid temperatures we have had. Will the days of shorts, warm sunshine, birds singing, and green grass return?

I have selected what I would like to purchase, now I need to discuss the list with my husband, who will help me pare it down a bit. I'm always overly optimistic about how much I can plant and maintain!

What will you planting in your garden this year?