Spring in February

The last two weeks have had most days with highs in the 70s and two record days at 75 and 78 (I think). Sat and Sun turned cold again with lows below freezing and daytime highs in the 40s. This coming week is suppose to be 60-70s again. Yesterday I heard the weather guy say, welcome to the new norm. We can expect our seasons to be more southerly in nature. This is both nice and not nice. I like snow, but I like to garden, but moreover I DO NOT like nature messing with nature. To counter this human  undoing I am expanding my knowledge and gardens to help the wee ones in need (insects, plants, etc). 

Spring Clean up

By February 16th I already had the prairie and northerly beds cleaned up and asked the local rock guy if he would open up early to allow me a load of rock to finish the path around 2016's bed. He told me spring hours begin March 1. Nature does not abide by those dates and so neither do I. Rock guy was nice and sold me a load early. : ) Thank you, Moore's. 

Prairie clippings in a pile to be burned. This is also

the site of where I want a permanent fire pit. 

On Feb 23, you can see how quickly the daffodils popped up

and started to bloom! 

 Feb 23 I topped the asparagus and blueberry beds off with 

new compost from St Louis Composting (Black Gold). 

The levels had gotten low on both and I had a weed problem in the 

asparagus bed (Devil's Walking Stick, Ground Ivy and Bermuda grass).

With downed branches I started a set of new

beds in the front lawn. In this bed I will have natives for

wet-moist soil. In the center is Clematis crispa. Bea is 

supervising. 

Basement Gardening

Expanding nature includes my city garden- hellstrip garden project. I started these seedlings for those beds:

 Blanketflower (above)

Shasta Daisy (below)

 Yarrow (below)

I also have Purple Coneflower started. I will have about 45 of each plant

I moved all of the greens outdoors, because the aphids had gotten bad and the weather had gotten nice. 

I started my tomato seeds on Thursday, February 23. 

In Bloom

Tommies Crocus

 Hellebores

 Blooming this weekend Feb 25, 2017

Maple's in bloom

First Daffodil (2-21-17)

Other Feb 21 happenings: 

 Roses leafing out

 Hyacinth (above)

 Tulips (above)

 Kale (above) from Oct planting
Below: planted lettuce & braising mix
Saw some seeds up this morning (2/27)

Since Friday February 24:

 Manchurian Apricot in bloom (made it through the
cold this weekend- although it doesn't fruit anyway- it's still
food for the bees)

 Ruby (above) is breaking out of jail again.
The female squirrel who entertained me this winter
and tore my office screen built a nest outside of my office
window!

Smokey taking in the nice weather.

That's what is going on at Foggy Bottom.