It is very dreary here---good weather for seeding trays under lights in the basement.

Forgot it was April, 2013.

Below April 3, last year.
(Chionodoxa 'Pink Giant' blooming, hybrid crocuses, very tail end).



And April 5, this year.
(Some snowdrops out).

Wow, pretty dramatic difference!

Caroline, it's a miserable day here, windy, light snow flurries, cold 32F/0C degrees.

Wow Charlie, quite a difference for sure, and you still have snow?

We are all in zone envy Charlie!
The spring flowers are beautiful.

Just in the shaded places.
Our back today below, Margaret.



Not sure how "northern" our location is.
We're in the Greater Toronto Area,
about 20/25 km north of the Toronto city limits,
but up on the Oak Ridges Moraine.
We're a subzone colder (5a) than the general Toronto 5b.

Charlie, I don't think I'm very "northern" either.

You guys are a lot more "northern" than we are here! Although, sometimes it seems like the weather in Alaska is warmer than it is here!

Springtime this morning here in northern MN.
It's to pretty to feel sad about more snow!

It is pretty!

Sue, yes it is pretty, but it still sucks having that much snow this late in April!

We got a dusting overnight but it should melt quickly, it's mostly cloudy, 36F/2C, should warm up quite a bit later today.

Margaret, This much snow isn't that unusual for this time of year here so even if it's frustrating sometimes we had lived here before and knew what we were getting into when we moved back here. Every place has positive and negative things you have to deal with. The growing season is pretty intense because of the short growing season but the snow cover helps protect the plants from some of the freeze and thaws that would damage the plants. Also the last snows had a lot of moisture which we need because we had drought last summer too and since most of my gardens are on sandy soil the moisure is very welcome. So I'm not feeling the suck so much.

May 3rd in Southern MN!!!



If I dont laugh I might cry!

That's terrible, Christine.
But things will get better.

Actually Today almost all the snow is gone cause it was in the 70's on Sunday - yesterday!!! Just a few rogue snow piles and snow in the densely shaded areas.

I actually saw my first crocus yesterday!! It's white but who cares -- it's a FLOWER!!!!

It looks like spring here.
Flowers are coming.
But it was cool last night-I left tomatoes and Four O'clocks out and they look okay.

Our weather is just crazy! I've never been able to set out plants before June, but it feels like July weather here! Temperatures over 80! I'm going to plant out some tomatoes today (in containers, just in case... )

Christine, that was a big dump...ugh!!, I'm glad it's mostly melted so you can get down and dirty.

Caroline, weather has been very warm here for this time of year, everything is growing very quickly in the garden, I sure hope we don't get a big frost. I've left my seedlings out at night for the past 4 days, I still don't trust the weather so I won't plant them until around the 24th..

I think it's better to put plants out early so they can transition into full light and heat gradually. They don't usually grow as fast, but they're healthier. I take them in at night if the temperature is projected to be around 5 C.

Mind you it makes for a lot of in and out traffic, and that gets old really fast.

I finally have the ideal setup for hardening off my seedlings. I installed adjustable shelves on the backside of our woodshed. Each shelf is just big enough to hold one tray, the roof overhang extends far enough that they don't drown when it rains, the area gets morning and late afternoon sun so it doesn't get too hot. And the building provides a bit of residual warmth overnight. After years of tripping over trays on the ground, and having to rescue poor little plants from drowning, this is just wonderful!