What is the Point....settia?

While there are a great many things going on in the garden right now, I wanted to start with a few oohs and aahs over this almost ridiculous poinsettia. This picture was taken on March 8. While other specimen may be hanging in there on some level, maybe sending out green leaves if you are lucky, this one doesn't seem to know it is supposed to be getting pathetic looking by this time. I have three others, in various stages of deterioration, but this variety must be called The Energizer Bunny. It was a gift from Ann Marie which she rescued from the church altar. It was too gorgeous to toss so it came to my house. I smile every time I walk by it.

Out in the veggie garden I spent a significant amount of time cutting back the old asparagus. This is the year I expect to get a significant crop. Asparagus is a long-term investment. It takes a few years for the plants to be established enough to be able to harvest for the full 8 weeks that are considered the season. So after cleaning up the bed, we covered it with about 3 inches of fresh compost. I will fertilize it in the next few days and then cover it with mulch. Not only is asparagus one of the few perennial veggie crops you can have in the garden, but it is usually the first thing you can enjoy every spring.

But, of course, the first thing to get planted is your peas. March 17 is official pea planting day. I still love the edible podded peas and my favorite is the Sugar Snap. I have tried other varieties but they just don't measure up. And of course, peas mean peas and cheese sandwiches. I am dreaming of them already and I don't even have the peas in the ground. But I know where they are going. Remember you need to provide something for them to climb. They can reach six feet. But the white flowers are lovely and almost like magic, they become peas very quickly.

Along with the peas you can also plant members of the onion family such as onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chive. Spinach is another very cold hardy plant that can get planted from seed now.

In addition to the veggie garden, flowers are popping up all over. It is certainly early for so many blooms to be appearing, but the warm weather has encouraged the world to wake up a smidge ahead of schedule. Here are a few of the flowers already showing off at Tiny Farm:

Yellow and Dark Red Hellebores

The Weeping Pussy Willow

Heath

Yellow Crocus

The First Daffodil

The First Dandelion (OK. So most people think of this as a weed. But it is such a cheery little guy, really bursting with spring energy, so I thought it deserved a bit of recognition!)

Periwinkle, Vinca or Myrtle

Three names for the same thing.

The "All New" Garden Show is expected to air for the first time March 19, 10 to noon, on WOLD. This can be heard on 95.1 FM. You can also stream on WOLDRadio.com. But even more amazing is that you can tune in via your telephone. This connection is not internet streaming (of course you can do that) but just a phone call from any telephone, landline or mobile. Dial 518-737-0158 and join us.

If you have questions, you can send them here to the website or save them to call into the show. That number is 908-448-zero-95-1 (908-448-0951). It is a tricky way of getting the place on the dial imbedded into the phone number. Talk soon.