My baby marigolds have their first bud showing!
It will be amazing to sit right here in my chair and watch that first flower develop!

It’s beginning to look like Spring here in the West Virginia hills.

It’s getting close to the time for greenhouse planting/seed starting, and I am always on the lookout for things that will not only cut expenses, but enable me to work more efficiently .

Plant tags are a necessity! Otherwise, everything would be one big blur!

There are dozens of fancy tags sold in garden centers that work well, but add to the cost of growing your own bedding plants, and, if you are like me, growing them to save money, then you certainly don’t want to put out that extra cash.

One of the best sources of plant tags, in my opinion, is a plastic slat venetian blind.
It can be an old used one or one bought in a “dollar” type store for mere pennies, but needs to be plastic and preferably white.

The slats can be cut in any size or shape needed, providing hundreds of tags. One blind has lasted me around five years.

With temperatures in the 50s yesterday, I was able to get out for a thorough check of my garden! Although I know we can expect days of cold and snow for several weeks, things are starting to emerge from their sleepy little spaces. All the snowdrops have buds and the daffodils are up about three inches. The wild Hairy Bitter Cress (which is the official harbinger of Spring) has several little white flowers.

It won’t be long!!

My little marigolds are growing rapidly, and look just as strong and sturdy as they would growing in actual sunlight. First bloom should appear in about four weeks.

I am setting up a small garden site (literally) on one end of my desk, to give me something pleasant to look at during the rest of the winter.

I don’t have a plan as yet for the contents, but it will involve lots of colorful flowers and other things that will add texture and interest.

I bought an “Octopus” of a grow light that will cover quite a bit of area.

We shall see what develops!

It had to happen!

One more day lily that I just MUST HAVE!

“Tequila Lime” (I’m not an imbiber, but I can overlook the name to have that amazing color in the garden!)

I know it’s still a bit nippy out there, but that cheery yellow light has me wanting to get out there and start spring cleanup.
My daylily bed is about half spruced up, and needs attention. It is probably my favorite part of the garden.
New catalogues are tempting me to order more, but I really have no where to put them.
This is a grouping of just a few of the 50+ different ones that I have.

I’m a Mommy!

My little marigolds that were planted on Monday, (today is Thursday), are starting to sprout.

Watching them grow will make the dark gloomy days a little more enjoyable!

In the middle of a discussion with friends just now, about growing peanuts, and it seems like several have given them a try at least once, with varying degrees of success. I had to try it at least one time to see what they looked like growing and to see if I could. (A typical Vero characteristic)