After yesterday’s little snow and my little temper tantrum, Montana offered up a perfect spring day today.
I went for a run this morning with my girls, bug and Alice. I haven’t been running. I thought that I would keep it up because I felt great when I started back,when bug was three weeks old, but I just haven’t felt much like running so I haven’t. It is that difficult, chicken-and-egg place that runners sometimes find themselves: I really want to run but I don’t want to deal with getting back into running shape so I am not running but I’ll never be in running shape unless I start running.
We had a great run on this sunny day. The squirting is subsiding, which is nice. I am ready to start training to train for my marathon this fall. I think I’ll take it easy for a month and run on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for 30-45 minutes. That will be a good start.
I got home and negotiated the effing gate to our backyard when I noticed yesterday’s snow had completely melted by our garage…I wonder…I unhooked Alice and left bug in her stroller to keep snoozing. I dusted off my garden bucket and headed in for investigation. As soon as Alice saw the bucket she started peeling out all around the yard. I swear if she could click her heels, she would have. And Sam joined us too.
And. The soil was thawed! Only about two feet by ten, but still. I was hungry and thirsty (I often forget to eat and drink in the morning lately. Don’t worry, I never forget my coffee.), but it didn’t matter. I was on a mission. I had no idea how long bug would sleep and I had a meeting at 1:30. I brushed the leaves out of the way and gently dug the crumbly brown medium that would provide the perfect home for the next few month’s dinners. I only saw a few worms but it is still early and I was gentle with my digging as to not upset the delicate microbes that are still enjoying their refrigerated habitat.
I hurried to grab my seeds and then had the tough decision of what to plant in my tiny, hopeful plot. It could be weeks before the rest of my plot thaws. I had to think about what will be there in June (tomatoes and peppers) and honor The Gardener’s Rotation Golden Rule: leaf, root, fruit. The cool, wet weather is perfect for arugula so that was a no-brainer. And, peas come and go so quickly and are Andy’s fave, so they were in too, even though they set fruit…it is only the skinny strip against the garage. But, then, for the remaining itty bitty section, do I plant a few beets (I have three heirloom varieties) or mesclun or lettuce or spinach?
I planted snow peas, snap peas, arugula and spicy mesclun mix. It was a good start to my day.
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7 Comments
Yahoo! Now all we need are chickens and we have the perfect omlett!
xoxo, Momma
Wow, so early? How do you keep your babies from freezing at night?
ma, yes, chickens!
Patia, The soil only needs to be around 40-50 degrees for germination of the seeds I planted! So, pretty much as soon as the soil can be worked, they can go in the ground.
You inspired me…so I roto-tilled the garden and will plant peas and lettuce this Wed. Thanks.
Zamma
But how do you keep the seedlings from freezing? Do you cover them?
Zam, I am jealous you can rototill right now! Our ground is still pretty frozen. But after the gorgeous day today, it should be in a few weeks that I can go for it.
Patia, They can take a frost. In fact, they need it. The early season, cold weather crops thrive on moist, cool conditions to grow. Peas, for example, germinate in 6-16 days and if the soil temp is at 40 degrees it could take like three or four weeks and if it is at 55 degrees it could take around 10.
The little seedlings pop out of the soil and do just fine in a Montana spring, frost and all. They will continue to grow and produce until it gets into the 80s at which time the temp is just too warm for the vines to produce fruit.
I did not know that! I knew what cold weather crops were, but I didn’t know they could survive frost.
Cool, thanks for the info.