Sod and Seeds and Spring

For several years I have wanted to put in a potager, a French kitchen garden, and fill it with herbs, flowers, and vegetables. I've also always wanted a cutting garden for flowers. I decided to combine the two and place them off the back porch.

A week or so ago, we finally started work on it. Austin and I tried to remove the sod (mostly weeds) with shovels but besides being back-breaking work, removing sod with a shovel is not exactly speedy. In fact, it's down right slow. So we rented a sod-cutter, and boy howdy, does that thing get the job done fast! The only problem is YOU STILL HAVE TO PICK UP THE STINKIN' SOD! I don't know why we were so surprised that it was so heavy. Maybe we thought it should just be like picking up squares of carpet. I don't know. At any rate, we're all exhausted but glad that all the sod is up.

Picking up after the sod has been cut

The view from the porch....there's that wonderful sod cutter

And magically, it's all gone (and by magic I mean hours and hours of hard labor)

Now we just have to wait for the fence guy to give us an estimate and get some topsoil, mulch, and crushed stone hauled in before we can start planting

As for seeds.....we decided to try some major indoors seed sowing this year. They seem to be doing well. I just wish we had started them sooner. We've sown squash, tomato, basil, rosemary, zinnia, hollyhock and viola so far. We have a few more seeds to sow indoors and then some to start directly in the gardens. Once again, a late start to the garden season, but we'll get there. Each year our garden has performed better, so I expect this year will be no exception.

Squash seedlings, just a little over a week old

I love spring. It's my favorite season. (Shhh...don't tell autumn, he thinks he's my favorite!) I was thinking the other day that I don't have a favorite color but I do....spring green. That first green on all the trees and the first growth in the fields. I love it. Makes me feel like I'm in Ireland. I get so excited too when the first flowers start coming out. Here on the farm, we see a couple of crocuses poking through but mostly it's the dogwoods followed closely by my lovely Lady Banks roses.

My favorite dogwood tree (that I can see through my picture window in the kitchen)

Isn't it pretty?

Aaaaahhh.....lovely Lady Banks (this one is yellow, my white one isn't showing off its blooms quite yet)

I love spring.