They have been working very hard, and gaining recognition for this worthwhile cause. Check out the article on the National Wildlife Federation website about the "America's Top 10 Most Threatened Frogs".
Today there are many activities worldwide for Save the Frogs Day, but we still need to do what we can to spread the word...
...it's the only way to save the frogs!
They prevent damage to decks and patios, and come in four different colors! This will really protect my deck, since last year's veggie pots took a toll.
....this is the "Calla Lily" topper....
....even more beautiful after dark!
There's even another one pinning! ("Sprouting" in mycology lingo.)
This is already shaping up to be a yummy season! :)
....and by the 20th I've begun thinning! I seem to have over-sown this row of okra with a couple different basils. So far the okra seedlings seem to have transplanted well into a bigger pot to grow all together.
...but this one didn't. (Funny how different seeds for the same plant can look so different.) I figured that soaking them can't hurt ....so I did. (Plus I have the wintersown ones that were not soaked to compare somewhat, though growing methods differ.)
There! These were set in a tray that went on the heat mat, so I'm hoping they'll germinate soon. (Still nothing from the wintersown seeds.)
I have two more varieties of nasturtium that I'll direct sow outdoors later, and I will soak them...
....but I decided to go ahead and try some of the 'Alaska Mix' and 'Spitfire' soaked seeds out right now in small pots.
I'd never filed the seed coat before, hopefully I did it right (at least I have the pre-soaked seeds in case this doesn't work out.)
Just like last year I'm using this heat mat under the trays to assist germination, but I don't have the same insulated metal mat to put under it. I improvised with aluminum foil, although it may not be necessary...just makes me feel better to cover the wooden boards with something to insulate and reflect the heat back.
My handy fan is ready to help strengthen the stems of emerging seedlings, as well as keeping the soil surface somewhat drier to prevent damping off. (I don't turn it on until there's germination.)
Here sets the "cooler germination" tray. I figured it can sit here about a week, then I'll move it under the lights but off the heat mat surface so it will be somewhat warmer but not too much.
How can they fail with this crowd cheering them on? :)
Some other wintersown seedlings needed to be thinned....
...to enjoy in the house of course! Got my spring on now for sure! :)
...the fruit is a nice, large-ish cherry. Rather firm and hollow though, so I'd use it as a stuffer for Hors d'œuvres. Good taste despite last season's very un-tomato like weather.
This small, manageable vine is spaghetti squash 'Small Wonder'.....
.....the fruits are single serving size and quite delicious!
Speaking of fruit, my raspberries did well last year (even though I had to share a couple :)
Despite having the appearance of a green bean, this is actually a "soup bean"...
....'Papa De Rola', an heirloom from Portugal. I only got a couple pods, but they were pretty!
This was my most successful tomato, 'Matt's Wild Cherry'. I grew it in three hanging baskets...
...and boy did the plants deliver! The fruits were held upside down on the plant which looked kinda funny, but the taste was amazing. True to the name, the "wild" seeds came from "...Hidalgo in Eastern Mexico. It's the region of domestication of tomatoes, and where these grow wild" per the catalog. They sure grew and fruited like some sort of weed, which really eased my cold season pain when the other tomatoes all pouted.
This unusual-looking flower belongs to a fava bean, 'Broad Windsor'...
...my weird season yielded one lonesome pod (of course deer chomping the plants halfway through the growing period didn't help either). I'm pretty sure I let the pod get too full...
....as if that was a regular rain shower....
....the flowers almost seem to have enjoyed it!
Beautifully blooming their hearts out...
...right through the grass and lawn debris.
Some spring bushes have begun to bloom as well, this is white forsythia Abeliophyllum distichum...
...hooray spring!!
