Celebrating spring with seedlings

Yesterday I woke up with a buster of a headache! A sure sign that spring is almost here. I wouldn't have known it by the temperature outside, because it was a prime day for the new shoots and buds outside to have a big setback. You really don't want to have things like apple blossoms on a morning when temperatures are below freezing!

But inside, it is a perfect time to plant seeds to plant outdoors when the weather improves.

Above are my cabbage plants--really they are the seed leaves or dicots (a new term I recently learned). When I looked at the photo I thought they reminded me of little shamrocks, only in shape. Aren't they cute? I think cabbage plants are perfect to grow in honor of St. Patrick's Day since the adult version of this plant goes so well with corned beef.

This was my first tray of seedlings and from left to right are two rows of cilantro, around 5 or 6 rows of Bachelor Buttons and the rest is Calendula. The Bachelor Buttons were planted because the blue flowers were so pretty on the seed package. The Calendula seeds I found at the Southeastern Flower Show last year and they are supposed to be a traditional healing flower, used for skin ailments.

Above, something new this year. I have decided to start my first squash plants in my basement and I will transplant them into the garden when the soil is warm enough.

Yes, this is another episode in the epic battle I have had with the squash vine borer. I am a bit tired of losing the battle with them so I am trying successive plantings this year and the first will be with plants that are more mature.

Next I will plant seeds in the garden and I will plant more seeds every few weeks until the middle of the summer. I will use tin foil and diatomaceous earth around the stems and if they are attacked, I will pull the plant up and hope for the best in my next planting. Maybe, I can avoid the pest a little better than in the past. I SHOULD be smarter than a worm!?! Right? So far I haven't been but there is always hope for me in a new planting season.,

And the last photo is of my Little Sweetie tomatoes. I really planted them too thick but the seeds were old and I was worried I wouldn't have anything come up.

A good start? I think so. Now I am starting peppers and more tomatoes and eggplants.