The Garden Is In

 It's still March (for a few more hours!) but I've already got the garden started, a few rows of it, at least. This is (by far!) the earliest I've ever planted. I may regret it, but I'm optimistic that spring is really here.

It started last weekend with roto-tilling. Here's my husband, using his handy-dandy roto-tiller on my garden plot. SO much easier than digging up all that hard soil by hand.

 It took him all morning to do it, but the result was great--soft, fluffy soil, almost ready to receive seeds.

 I leveled the dirt with the back of a rake, but it looked pretty sad--not enough organic matter. So, off to the garden shop I went.

 I got several bags of compost and manure (yes, manure--it smells like what you think, but plants love it!) and distributed them evenly around the plot.

 Rain is expected late tonight, so what better time to plant. I chose a few packets of seeds--just the early-spring varieties, plants that don't mind a little frost, like peas, green onions, spinach, swiss chard and bok choi. Here they go into the dirt.

 And, voila! A garden, or part of one, anyhow. I watered the seeds in (even though it's supposed to rain, you just never know...) and stood back to admire the result. Seedlings should appear in a week to ten days, so I'll post a picture if and when that really happens.

Oh -- and lest you think it really isn't spring, take a look at this dogwood tree! I'm not the only one who thinks spring is here.

Happy gardening!