Spring Seed Starting

This weekend I'll be busy planting these tomato seedlings in my garden. We'll be testing these heirloom tomato varieties: black cherry, white tomesol, Paul Robeson purple and Dr. Wyches yellow.
They sounded interesting in the catalog and I'm anxious to get them in the ground.

My Winter Garden

Okay, don't laugh! Most of my yard is covered in shade and there is very little space for a "real" garden, so I must (at least for now) be content with placing a few vegetables here and there. But these Georgia collard greens planted around my daughter's swing set did very well this winter. I've been enjoying them very much, and as my step-dad Charlie said they did taste even better after a few cold snaps.

I have much more ambitious plans for my spring garden. Since I read "The Art of the Kitchen Garden" by the Gertley's, I am planning on planting 7 tomato plants, melon, green onions, bush beans, ground cherries and cukes in various spots in my front and side yard. I'll keep you posted on how my unconventional garden grows.

As you can see by the first photo, the spring tulips are blooming in my zone 9 garden:-)!

Brrrr... It's Cold Outside!

There's always one night when we feel the frosty breath of Old Man Winter, and this year was no exception. With temperatures dipping to 31 degrees on Saturday morning, a few plants were burned. The very top layers of leaves on the angel trumpet crumbled at the feel of his icy touch, and a few leaves on the Jewels of Opar turned black when the blanket covering one plant was blown off. All-in-all, we lucked out as many other tropical plants and our staghorn ferns escaped his wintery wrath!