We're getting anxious to plant our garden, but nature may be teasing us. Here in the mild Southeast, the last frost may not come until early April. So, we're practicing patience while preparing for the new growing season.
On this beautiful, warm, clear weekend, I hauled about 40 pounds of composted humus from our woodland pile into the garden beds. It was too wet and chunky to win any awards, but I think it will work fine as long as I work it into the other soil and let it sit a while. I also cleared out a small pile of purchased topsoil left from last year and spread it into the beds. I had already turned under some clover or shamrocks that had been taking over one area. Tore out some English ivy from another bed, and will see if a friend can use it. My husband is promising me he'll add one more garden bed near the house when he has time. I think we'll need it if all of our seedlings survive.
I plan on letting the girls help me plant the spinach seeds outdoors this week, since spinach likes cool weather.
However, the rest of the tender plants that we've grown from seed need to stay indoors a while longer. The sprouts need to grow their true leaves and toughen up a bit before heading outside.