Rain!

In the past week alone, we have gotten about 2.5 inches of rain, and I couldn't be happier. I do look forward to sunny late spring days on the horizon, but for now the ample rainfall is encouraging sprouting and growth in my plot, and that is good enough for me.

Thankfully, there is no need to water in the near future. We are looking at turning on the water at EHCG in the next two weeks, although you likely won't need to water your plot yourself any time soon.

Speaking of water, be conscientious when watering your plants. Seed germination and transplanting do require good amounts of water, and in my experience there is just no substitute for actual rain fall. (How long would you need to stand in water in your plot to simulate actual rainfall? Hours?) The proper growth of some crops (root vegetables, like carrots) also requires consistent rain/water to prevent splitting, stunted, woody produce. However, most garden plants are happy without constant watering, and going overboard can be very harmful. If you are growing tomatoes for the first time this year, for instance, be very cautious about watering at all unless there has been no rain for 2 weeks. A beginner's instinct is often that more water = more care = a happier plant, but following this logic will leave you with pounds and pounds of cracked, burst tomatoes in late summer. Water only in moderation, only if Mother Nature hasn't already done the job for you in the form of rain. 

I believe the last spring frost is safely behind us, and now begins the game of starting the summer crops. I suspect that selection of a tomato transplant or zucchini seeding date is one third superstition, one third paranoia, and one third half-way believing what the back of the seed packet or seller at the farmer's market tells you. Last year, I put my tomatoes out in April, and every last one of them survived. Some people wait until the first week of June. I don't know any genuinely fool-proof advice to give, as the consequences of planting too early (death by frost) or too late (stuck with 20 lbs of green tomatoes in September) are both serious, and the many opinions on the subject are too passionate for there to be a real debate. Any time from mid-May on is probably safe, but I feel compelled to wish you luck anyway.

While much of the initial work of the season is behind us (tilling, mulching, installing supports), there are still months of planning, working, and harvesting ahead. If you have any questions, please email this blog (ehgarden@gmail.com) or the registrar (ehgardens@rso.wisc.edu).

Finally - there is yet another new poll on the right side of this page (under "Blog Archive") so please vote!

Happy gardening!