Rain!

Looks like the universe is helping me along. After daughter and I planted/spread various things this weekend (like millions of flower seeds), it rained last night and this morning. Rains here are normally wash-out floods more often than anything very gentle but this time the rains were occasional, gentle showers. One shower had the chance to soak in before the next came along. Hope that trend continues a few more times. If it does, we should have an early and very green spring!

Saw signs of green in the lawn this afternoon. Looks like the new grass seed is beginning to take. Very cool, because it's supposed to be drought, traffic and shade tolerant. It also raises my hopes to see things sprouting in the garden soon. I keep watching the mounds with hope. I know it's been too cool so far, especially since I just got the mulch spread on Fri. (That's probably why the grass is showing and other things aren't. Thatch acting as mulch.) Maybe soon.

I'm probably a bad gardener but I'm quite alright with overplanting to get things started. But it's gonna kill me to thin plants out, once they start. 

I made teh mistake of leaving the dog off leash in the house on Fri night. Came home and found the dog had knocked over the Sterilite with the tomato plants, and chewed up some of the cups, eaten some of the potting soil. Now I'm down to 10 or 11 tomato plants from 30 I had growing. I had started some of those in January, so I lost about two months on those plants. I'll have to start some more seeds now to have a tomato crop the extent I'm hoping for this year.

Mother Earth News is trying to get people to try a method for controlling squash bugs. Involves planting trap crops early (like now) and placing boards around them. The bugs like to hang out on the bottom of the boards, so you turn the boards over and crush the bugs once a day or so. They also mention a trap crop of cucumbers planted early, with tubs of soapy water around them. Have to paint the bottoms yellow, as the bugs are attracted to the color yellow. Think I'll try both methods, as squash bugs and cucumber beetles are apparently big problems in this area. Maybe combination of those methods, along with planting lots of garlic and marigolds will control the bugs enough to need no chemicals this year.

Had a neighbor offer me some rabbit compost. Never thought of that but makes sense! Rabbits would likely make some manure very good for the garden! He also offered my daughter a bunny. Going to take him up on both offers. So, have to build a doghouse and a rabbit hutch really soon. Thinking of a chicken coop, as well.