Day one of a new season and it feels like an opportunity for a fresh start of some sort, so long as I get off on the right foot. I always start spring on the 1st of September as it feels right for the weather conditions – although parts of the south woke up to snow today – but that is more of an anomaly than the usual. Besides, I can’t wait another three weeks for the equinox – that is just asking too much from my impatient soul. So, there it is – spring starts today.
If there is only one thing that absolutely must be done today – it is to sow the tomatoes. I would be most annoyed with myself if I missed this moment in time. Not that it is the only day to sow them, but it is a spring day tradition of mine. It is like the blowing of the starters whistle… ready, set, go! And to be honest tomatoes are the star of the show really. All other crops are exciting too, don’t get me wrong, but I will steadily sow them over the next week and get them done that way. The thought of standing there for hours and hours in the greenhouse no longer seems like a fun way to do things. So, if I break it into manageable sized chunks they all get done with a degree of enthusiasm.
Besides some of my seeds still haven’t arrived and are stuck in the midst of a post office sorting centre. I have complained and so I wait, hopefully I don’t have to wait too long. I’m toying with the idea of re-ordering the whole lot again, but that would mean paying for them again and running the risk of them getting lost again. Fortunately, the seed sowing window is wide open at this time of year. Fingers crossed they get here before the window closes or there will be gaps in my garden.
This season has a lot of weight on its shoulders this year, it has been a difficult year and so the hopes and dreams of a garden full of life and produce, to distract from the troubles of the world is a lot to ask. As always I hope this season is that perfect one, with just the right amount of rain, that falls at night, the pests and diseases are low or even better absent from the garden. The plants grow big and strong and produce the most bountiful harvest, breaking records and tasting fabulous. Although at this point I would just be content with no more storms!
Come again soon – spring has sprung!
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Best of luck as your new season begins…and ours is winding down! That’s a LOT of tomatoes and varieties. Do you LOVE them all, or just trying out lots of new ones?
I like to have a lot of variety, but I think this time they will be judged to determine which ones get to stay in the garden next season. I have also sown way more seeds than I need as while not really old, they are a couple of years old so I figure it is better to give away extras than be set back a couple of weeks starting over again if they don’t all come up. : o)
Sarah, the beginning of a new season is difficult to wait for. I sure know that. I’m envious of your season to start seeds growing. I have fall and winter to look forward to. It’s a time of rest, planning, and designing the garden for next year. We had major seed issues during our spring this year as well. The new customers for first time seed purchases were way up and seed companies either ran out of seeds or due to Covid didn’t have the staff to fill the massive influx of orders. Hopefully, next spring will be some what back to normal. It is frustrating to be ready to plant and not be able to obtain seeds. I sure hope that things work out for you to get your seeds quickly. I know I’m going order mine super early this year.
I always enjoy your updates.
Nebraska Dave
Urban Farmer
I think next season I will order my seeds way in advance – it was a bit of a one off situation, where the delays weren’t to be expected, but this year is indeed a weird year! : o)
My friends tell me that even though our autumn starts in three weeks, that they also consider this the change of the season. I don’t agree, but I get it. It is when we start working for autumn. To me, all this ‘autumn’ work is really what we do lat in summer. Well, semantics. I don’t mind sowing the seed for cool season vegetables, but I am sort of bummed that summer will end soon. There have been so many delays, from starting late, to the setback of going back to work, to abandoning the garden during evacuation. I intend to make autumn and winter more productive. It is amusing to think that it is spring there. I suppose it must go somewhere when it is not here.
That is how I feel at the end of my summer. People in the Northern hemisphere are starting seed sowing and getting excited and I’m thinking – ‘please stop you are wishing away what is left of my summer’. I’m always late to start the cool season crops because I don’t want to admit it is time to do it. And I alway say I am going to make the off season more productive. I think I managed it this winter but it certainly whizzed by fast! I hope you still have a few summery days left. : o)
It will be warm again in a few days. We do not want more warmth and aridity now though, while the fire continues to burn.
Oh gosh – I hope you don’t have fires too close to you. Stay safe. : o)
The fires are more than two miles away, and burning out.
Woohoo! Spring! My plans of getting out in the garden yesterday was thankfully not squashed by snow, but instead gail force winds bringing chill from the snowy slopes and a day full of rain…. which apart from being frustrating was a good reminder for me that just because the magical September 1st has arrived, it doesn’t mean Spring has actually arrived for us! Some seeds are in the glasshouse, but I’m thinking of getting a soil thermometer so I can really track when we will get to the elusive 10 degrees
Oh no… it is a good reminder that while it is spring, it is a season not to be trusted! Enjoy that greenhouse, I can’t wait to watch you grow in it. : o)
I still haven’t got out and prepared my beds for sowing. The day/s I had earmarked for it were marked by gale-force winds and frequently rain also. I tell myself there is still time…
There is still plenty of time. I hope your weather has improved and you can find some good quality garden time. : o)