Setbacks and Progress

Seeds and seedlings on a table in a window

high 39F, low 31F, snow in the morning, wet all day

I finally was able to borrow a hammer drill (thanks, Jeff!) and got the greenhouse secured. And the hellebores and crocus have been joined by winter aconite, and some actual blooming daffodils. The snowdrops are up but remain stubbornly green. There’s new bulbs coming up all over the place, and I’m going to need to go back to the photos I took when I planted them to figure out what’s what.

Indoors, I started the lady’s mantle, yarrow, and evening primrose today. I’ve moved my dining room table over under the window so that all my new little seedlings get what scarce sunshine we’re seeing right now. The celery didn’t germinate, but Gardener’s World reminded me that they need heat, so I’ve popped a heating pad underneath them, and also newly sown a few extra. Meanwhile the primroses have gone into the fridge for a chill, and the rudbeckia and asters have come out. I’m a little worried they may have gotten too dry during their cooling time; the compost really doesn’t want to absorb water now. I’ve sprayed it and set some ice cubes on top to melt, so fingers crossed that helps.

I’m supposed to start parsley and lobelia next week, and desperately hoping I’ll have space for them. Calvin hates the dining table for reasons that escape me – maybe when I set up my own garden shed I’ll use that as a potting table. It seems to be serving that purpose pretty well.