Don't Mess With Mother Nature

 I hope everyone is ok after those storms crashed across the midwest.  Somehow we dodged the bullet here. Some high winds and a few sprinkles of rain.

There are some things in life that are out of your control. Accept it, embrace it, work with what you have and just ride the tide.  What can you do about things like the weather?  Gardening this year should prove to be really interesting .  The best laid plans were at the ready.  Mother Nature has had other ideas.

Back in late February we were having some really nice weather.  We "worked" the lower garden, laid the water tape and filled it up with onions, spinach, lettuce, chard and turnips by the first part of March.  Right on time.  Mother Nature smiled and said "Nice job!" 

Feeling wonderful and ready to go  we moved on up the hill to the main garden.  One row at a time we've been working the beds.  Getting rid of weeds and the evil Johnson Grass takes time Those roots are deep and they really want to stay where they are.  It's better than last year and hopefully in another couple of years we might win.  Until then we do battle.

With high hopes we got the first row cleaned, compost and ground goodies in.  And then Mother Nature  giggled a bit... and it rained.  A lot.  To wet to work in.  About the time it dried up again we had one of the  latest freezes on record here.  And then more rain.  Then we made history with the very very latest freeze and a few snow flurries.  At this point I was really happy we hadn't had a chance to get everything done.  We'd have lost everything.

 By this time it was almost May and there was nothing planted in the main garden.  I kind of panicked for a bit but I'm learning that you just have to ride the tide.... go with the flow.  There's not much you can do about the weather except let it do what it wants.  So we are gardening by the rythem that Mother Nature is allowing. (as it should be)

We've been able to get in three 100 ft rows.  I had to decide just what is most important to us over the next year.  Tomato's and beans won hands down. Only 30 tomato plants in and about a row and of half of various beans. We eat a LOT of both. I'm hoping to start some fall tomato's to make up for tomato's I wanted to plant this spring.

 We have a row and a half left to dig out.  IF it ever dries out long enough to get out there.  Mars has been wanting to add two more rows to the main garden but I don't see that happening any time soon. The Powers that Be  seem to be pushing me to put in my first fall garden. I'm ok with that.  Last year was so hot that trying to get plants to grow was just too much to ask of them.  110+ weather for days on end doesn't seem to agree with them.

So honestly?  I have no idea how well we will do in the garden this year. It really waits to be seen. Mother Nature is obviously making sure it's interesting.