Blooms and Things

The crocus wither, but these lovely and diminutive Iris reticulata popped their heads out in the last few days.

On Friday, the UPS truck drove up our hill bearing apple trees and berry plants, so Friday and Saturday were spent digging holes, soaking peat moss (for the blueberries), and planting, planting, planting. Hi ho, hi ho!

On Thursday I stopped at the nursery (it's on my way home from town) and bought pansies for the pots on the front porch. With the arrival of fruit plants on Friday, I didn't get them planted until today.

We have had unusually warm March weather for more than a week. The other day as I worked in the sunny garden it felt hot. Today was warmer. I saw the thermometer hit 84 degrees Fahrenheit. That would be warm even for April, although in the middle of July we would think it quite refreshing.

I've been looking at the weather forecasts, hoping for signs of cooling down and rain. Most of the next seven days will have highs only in the 50s. That will feel very cold after this tropical wave. We may light the fire again. But no sign of freezing temps (which I would like to see), although lows will be in the 30s most nights.

The most encouraging sign on the forecast is chance of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Small chances, but it's good to see potential dampness headed our way. We had a dry fall and winter, which puts us in a stage one drought, so I hear. Burning bans have been put in place, as each of the past several days saw the National Weather Service issue fire hazard warnings. Today's even higher heat and breezy conditions make fires even more of a danger.

I wish the Northeast could have trucked some of their snow down here.

Lettuce seedlings and little thyme plants.

When the weather cools this week, I will put the broccoli, kale and cabbage seedlings in the garden, planting seed of more kale, collards, radishes and whatnot. And I will put these baby lettuces in their own beds, planting seed alongside them for later. I hope to have lettuce to sell at a tiny farmers market nearby. The market coordinator called it a "starter market" and "incubator" market, for us small-time growers. I hope to have a few other things to sell there, too.

It's time, it's time to start planting. In a few more weeks, the frenzy will begin. Then we'll see what the weather does -- stay too warm? Cool down too much? Get soggy? You never know with Kansas, anyway, and lately it's been even less reliable.

I'm not going to fret, though, just cross my fingers and hope for rain, and start ordering my drip irrigation pieces and parts.