My first tomato germinated today. It was 81°, about 30° above the norm. Lobelia cardinalis popped too, and a few more helenium. One Joe Pye seed, too.

I moved a few perennials (2 geraniums) that I wintersowed last year that just needed to move. Also moved a penstemon smallii that I wintersowed years ago; it just wasn't getting enough sun to do well and had declined a lot. Also moved a tiny nepeta Walker's Low volunteer. It was really tiny, I hope it survives.

Karen

81 degrees? I'm not speaking to you! (25 here this morning with a positively tropical high of 43)

What can I say? I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood.

It was downright hot out there. I wasn't working all that hard as the plants I moved were pretty small, but I was sweating. It's supposed to stay in the 80s for the next 3 days, lows around 60. Then it cools off to days of 60-70, nights in the upper 40 and low 50s.

Karen

No wonder you can do all that winter sowing.....you obviously have a growing season that lasts more than 3-1/2 months!

This weather is very rare for us. Our normal hi is 54, low 34.

But today is the first day of spring. Happy spring!

Karen

some years I didn't put the coleus out until June.. and 50 nights.. this is very odd this year.. we are 70's all week .. can't wait to see more babies!!

I usually don't plant out tenders until mid May. I do plant out perennials earlier, though, especially the wintersown ones. I usually plant them out when they're tiny,

Karen

Here's the view out my front door this morning. sigh.

Ugh!

It's 79° here. The high is supposed to be 84. It's OK to be jealous, I understand.

Karen

But, Woofie, if it's any consolation, my allergies are raging.

Karen

Nope. No consolation, 'cause so are mine!
As we speak, DH is off on a quest to get me a supply of allergy meds. Life just isn't fair!

well, I just this morning saw my first hummer of the season!

now.. to talk about sprouts.. I planted out bunches over the weekend. I need to separate hundreds of rudbeckia and get started on the annuals.

Still have more weeds to pull. Once I make it all the way around the outside beds its time to go back and do it again and get the ones that sprouted since I started. Its a constant circle of weed pulling around here and different weeds as the temps rise.

Makes me wish I had kids to punish so I could send them out to pull weeds for me!

Goodness, sounds like our weather here Karen. It has been so mild the past 2 weeks but we are getting rain every few days which is a good thing. If the temps drop down into the 50's or 60's I won't mind a bit. Easier to work outside.

Oh woofie, that picture gives me the chills

I'm sorry you don't feel good Woofie.

I have a terrible sinus headache. I'm sure this is my payback for spending so much time in the garden yesterday. Not today- I'm staying in the A/C. (I don't think we've ever used air conditioning in March before)

I did take a quick walkabout in the yard. The stuff I transplanted yesterday looks good. I did give that tiny nepeta volunteer a little shade though.

No more tomato sprouts- just that one yesterday. But I did find
1 agastache Purple Pygmy sprout (old seeds)
2 Penstemon smallii sprout (more old seeds0

I still have only one Joe Pye, and no Corydalis lutea.

Karen

my old purple pygmy seeds germinated too

Karen

I think my Purple Pygmy seeds were from 2007, and there were only 5 or 6 seeds left in the pack, so even getting one or two sprouts is pretty good.

I'll check them again after the sun rises and I can actually see. It's those tomatoes I want to pop. Even my tomato seeds were not fresh- I didn't buy any new 'mater seeds this year. They were leftover from years past.

Karen

will keep my fingers crossed for them!!!

Those tomato seeds should be fine. I planted a bunch of Sundrop seeds a couple of years ago, and I mean a bunch because the seed package was dated 1987 and I was thinking I might get one or two plants.....HA! I think every single seed sprouted!

That's what I figured when I sowed them- tomato seeds usually grow like weeds. I have one more sprout now.
and a total of
1 Joe Pye
1 penstemon
3 agastache
8 sunflowers

There are a lot of lobelia cardinalis, sempervivum, and rudbeckia, and about a dozen gaillardia.

Karen