A little sunshine goes a long way

After such a beautiful Saturday the little seedlings made a big leap in growth, the radishes are 1/2" tall and most sprouted, so some thinning to be done there, I don't thin to the spacing recommended since I have only a little space. Maybe it means smaller veggies but that is fine with me, plus as I pull up some others have more room to grow.
I think the nights are warm enough for Arugula to be planted again since the first planting must have froze after those 30 degree nights. I will check the black radishes to see if they are spring or summer radishes and plant just a few if it is time. Slowly the brown is being replaced by green, everything is late this year for sure
My peas are 3 inches tall and the birds have not started to eat the leaves, funny to watch and the peas seem to be fine with this little nibbling.
Still eating Kale and some spinach from fall plantings but my garlic is at the end, with only 1/2 a bulb left. I won't have any to pull up for months now, but I can use the tops for some dishes. It will be interesting to see what store bought garlic is like after all this time.

Fruit Trees

Apple, Barlett Pear and Italian plum, all planted last fall and flowering this year.

Ice in April

I have seen it snow here in April before but I wasn't expecting that to happen after this long wet winter. I don't think there was enough ice to hurt anything, but the seedlings are very tiny and tender. I wasn't home in time to cover them. Yet another reason for row covers, I still can't quite get myself to use them. Many of my peas come up and were then eaten by slugs, snails? Disappointed that the raised beds did not keep those slimy creatures from reaching the seedlings.
Soaking a new batch of peas in water and they are about ready to be planted out again...a sort of forced staggered planting.
In the cold weather the Frost Peach is starting to bloom and the pear is in in full blossom. The 2 apples are not yet flowering. I've had great peaches for 18 years from another Frost Peach, hope this one does as well. I don't expect much fruit from it since it has only be in the ground since fall 2010, same as the other trees, twigs really, but they are doing their thing. It maybe too cold for many bees although I have seen a few during the few dry hours.
Bees, slugs, crows but so far no cats or dogs....now if the snow will go away things might begin to grow.

Beginning to feel like spring

There are signs that spring will come! The musclun and mache are really showing up now, chives are slowly returning as well as parsley. I've had good luck with Italian parsley overwintering at least one winter and it is returning from last years planting.
 I set out organic Red Thumb seed pototoes from Irish Eyes. The Yukon Golds were set out last week and watered in well. Swansons had organic starts of Romensco Broccoli and I thought they would look nice behind a row of lavender and I think it will make a nice border along the patio.
My garlic has grown about 4 inches this last week and all that I planted is growning. I prepared the bed for the garlic with compost, chicken manure and calcuim for no particular reason. This area had never been planted in the last 10+ years but gets plenty of leaf compost from the neighbors birch tree so it ought to be pretty good, the garlic is not in a raised bed but borders the walkway. I planted Nootka Rose, Music, Early and Late Italian, Silver Skin,Spanish Roja,Chesnok Red, Incelium Red, Chinese Purple, Carpathian,Metechi and my past favorite Purple Glazer. Should be enough:-).

A dry evening

Finally it is dry and warming up. Tiny green dots where the mesclun and mache were planted...very tiny. Thinking that perhaps I should use some row covers since it is so cold. It goes against my do nothing sort of gardening. I like the plant the seed, water, wait, weed and eat sort of gardening.
Tomorrow April 8th I will set out watermelon radishes, a Chinese heirloom, great on an appetizer plate, best in cool weather I think but I am going to try some anyway. Looking forward to having some of those in about 60 days. Since this radish is better in the fall, I will also plant some rainbow radishes, they will be fine to plant in this cool weather. I will try some in a pot too and see how they mature compared to being planted directly in the soil.
Tomorrow is golden beet day too. These are easy to plant with their big seed size and this should be a good time to plant them.

I think I am too late for Endive but perhaps a few seeds in a shady space just to see what happens....that is the fun of it all.