Hope Springs Eternal

With half of January in the books and only one morning with a freeze, I am getting a bit hopeful that the worst of our winter is just about over. I'm also encouraged by the latest observation of our cold slinging arctic oscillation which has been trending rapidly towards neutral over the last few days. With the A.O. moving away from negative it will help keep us out of the deep freeze and move us more towards warmer temps.

Since hopes of above normal temperatures for this winter have long since disappeared, I decided to go "back to basics" in my approach to growing and planting for the spring. My reisentraube grape German heirloom tomatoes were so tasty I thought they deserved another chance. So, I've started some in peat pots indoors by the window. Keeping the tomato seedlings company is one of my new cotton varieties, red foliated, also in a peat pot by the window.

Outside, the garden remains covered in clear plastic. The nice, greenhouse like atmosphere is well liked by the cabbage seedlings that have survived the freezes very well. In another month or so I hope to be planting watermelon and eventually the new sweet potato bare roots that will arrive by the end of April. Enjoy some picture of the cotton seedling poking through the soil indoors, our outdoor mini greenhouse and the green and red cabbage plants.