Today it was really warm and beautiful out!  We planted a lot of seeds both in our beds and in the house under the grow light.  I'm so excited for them all to grow-the yard is going to be gorgeous with our roses, the climbing lily and the honeysuckle along with all the vegetables.

Heirloom yellow wax bush bean seeds and purple bush bean seeds went in the large bed along with our Gloriosa climbing lily and my tomatillo and some leeks that we'd been growing in the house.  Radishes, broccoli rabe, and  walla walla sweet onion starts went in the small bed.  Cilantro starts and beet seeds in the blue pot on the porch and pickling cucumbers, more leeks, more cherry tomatoes, kohlrabi, basil and more tomatillo seeds are starting inside.

We have been talking about which squash to buy, we don't have seeds for those.  I think we're getting yellow squash, zucchini, spaghetti squash and possibly some sunburst.  We didn't have a lot of luck with the sunburst last year though so I'm not sure if we'll try again.  Here's more pictures of the garden:

strawberries:

cabbage and brussel sprout starts:

 planting the tomatillo:

blue pot, cat helper, potting bench and cute boots:

Here is Lacy 'pruning' (hacking to bits) the red dogwood in the front of the house. At least she decided to wear pants to go gardening today. :P You should see the pics I am not allowed to post...

Lacy, standing next to the yellow plum tree that she hacked to bits. Doesn't she look proud? She says now is the time to prune them. I hope it doesn't die...

Spring is here!

Today is the first "official" day of my spring break and the first day I've seriously gotten out into the garden beyond short little 15 minute spurts.  Jen & I pulled out blackberries and knotweed that are trying to creep back in thru the mulch.  It's amazing how they are so resilient!   if even a tiny piece is left it starts to root up.  ug.

the italian plum tree that I was able to prune earlier this year is looking good, leafing out and I'm interested to see if it grows a lot of fruit this year or not.  I don't feel really confident in pruning fruit trees yet so I'm just not sure.  I dug up the yellow plum that had volunteered on the fence-line behind the italian plum and planted it in a more ideal location.  I broke some of the roots (1 was under the fence & into the neighbors property and the other ran down the ravine somewhere) so I'm a little nervous about it's ability to survive.  It's early spring though so it should be fine.  I also did some pruning on it that I'm  really nervous about, I followed my book exactly but we'll see.  Poor little tree looks a bit butchered!

While I was doing that Jen planted purple cabbage and brussel sprout starts in the deep planter bed.  I'm excited to start planting!  It's almost warm enough out to start transplanting our little seedlings we've been growing all winter.  The cherry tomato seedlings are outside enjoying the sun and we will hopefully be planting them in soon too but I'm worried that it is still to cold at night. I don't know-it is warmer than usual out so hopefully it's OK.