Sometimes I go to Sam’s and get the big pack of garlic. This time I didn’t use it all, so these two heads sprouted.

Now they are growing in the garden. It won’t be long before I can just pull some when I need garlic.

These chives jumped to garden path two years ago to grow in the mulch. They are ready to be used on baked potatoes, or in recipes.

Here is a recipe that uses both garlic and chives, and is a wonderful dip for raw vegetables.

Dip

1 cup homemade olive-oil mayo

Blend: 1 whole egg

2 tsp wine vinegar

1 tsp dry mustard

Add in drops: 1 cup oil (this can be done in a blender or food processor)

Add: 1 cup sour cream

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 T chopped capers

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 t Tabasco

1/2 cup chopped chives

I tried using my hand blender for the mayo. It made nice, thick mayonnaise.

And the garlic is growing!

The apple trees have buds coming out and there’s snow forecast for next week.  Everyone here is worried about damage again this year.

After no blueberries last year, I’m especially concerned about these blossoms that are already opened.  This year maybe covering them with sheets will help.

The candytuft is full of blooms and has spread to new areas.  It even jumped across the driveway.

This clematis was hit last year, but still bloomed later. 

My Bradford Pear has a redbud blooming in front, and a dogwood getting ready to bloom close in about a week. 

Maple trees add red color to the view both spring and fall. 

The squash was getting so big, and I had extra so I decided to plant three, as well as a basil and parsely.  The pots there are ready to protect them if a frost or freeze comes.

One artichoke made it through the winter, but then it promptly wilted. 

Mia is a constant companion in the garden.  She mainly supervises. 

All the seeds that say “Plant in early spring as soon as soil can be worked,” can be planted now. Lettuce can be planted under a tobacco cloth to protect it from frosty temperatures.

The first row has scallions, both red and white, and radishes. The radishes will be up and pulled before the scallions are ready. The next row was planted with Summer Glory Lettuce and Buttercrunch. There’s a kale plant that lasted all winter marking the place between the two lettuces. The next row had Mesclun and Green Ice.

A friend told me to mix lettuce seeds in cornmeal before planting so the seeds are spaced better. The last planted row is after an application of compost under the raised black plastic. In that row is Bright Lights Swiss Chard. The green plants in the back of the space are chervil that grew all winter long. To the left is another rhubarb plant emerging.

Peas are planted in a shallow trench, then covered. These are the Sugar Sprint.

After they are covered once, more soil can be added to give a better root system and control weeds as the peas grow. The sticks and rocks at the back are placed on mulching plastic and newspaper to control weeds. The board is across each space so I don’t compact the soil.

Now there is also a row of plastic covered compost.

Touchstone Gold and Chioggia beets are planted on this side of the plastic.

Finally, three spaces have replaced timbers! There’s one more to go, but that one doesn’t have to be done before it’s planted.

These three are rototilled, raked and ready for planting. The first space has rosemary that made it through the winter. The next has a few onions left from last year. The next to the last space has rhubarb coming up.

Rhubarb is usually the first plant I pick in the spring. It is so prolific that it can be shared with friends.

The turnip greens are still growing, and a few mustard greens.

All the Park’s seeds finally came up in the Bio-Dome. The Bush Delicata was so slow,

but did pop up just last week.

Next year I won’t plant the other squash until March. They are growing so fast.

Thanks to Raymond, Lissa, Kent and my son there is lots of wood stacked for this year and next winter. With the price of heating oil, this is a blessing!