March Storms In!

Monday’s weather was very challenging! Heavy rain and high winds including a tornado warning! Fortunately for me, I was able to stay inside and watch. Others were not so lucky; many Knoxvillians had flooded basements and cars. The rescue people were kept busy!

Water pored through the gully behind my house. It washed a 3-foot wide ditch on the farm road next to us, causing my neighbor to park at our house and walk to his.

During the downpour, I happened to look out to the pond in my back yard and saw one of my six-inch-long goldfish flopping on the grass about a foot from the pond! I have no idea how he got there. But he was on the side that leaks when the pond overflows and it was rather full. I waited a few minutes since it was thundering. Lightning strikes on our hilltop too frequently! But I decided to dash out to rescue him. I scooped him back in the pond and got back in the house safely. By the next day, he seemed none to worse for the adventure.

I have some amaryllis buds emerging in the greenhouse.

My young friend Heather had another question about her new garden and seed starting. She says: Okay, so I have started all my veggies from seed and they are all quite big now, and it seems like they really need to be planted. However, I'm afraid it's still too cold outside (there was a light frost last night). Will it hurt them to keep them un-planted for another few days (or even up to a week?) to make sure it's warm enough for them at night? Or is it worse to keep them in their little seedling box (some of them, like the sunflowers and radishes are starting to topple over) for too long? What should I do?? Did I start growing the seeds too early in the season? Should I start over??

I told her the plants should not be put outside until all danger of frost is gone. Around here, that is mid-April. The average last date of frost in Knoxville is April 2. It may be earlier in Memphis where she lives. Actually the radishes can be put out now. They are considered cool weather crops and can take colder temps. Other examples: onions, peas, potatoes. What she could do about the sunflowers and others that need to wait until warmer weather is to put them out in the sunshine on warm days (above 50 degrees) and bring them in at night. That is a pain, but if they freeze she has lost all her time, effort and money so far. If they are toppling over, they need more sun. They get leggy if they don't get enough sun. When deprived of sun, the plant cells grow longer, thus the legginess. With sun, the cells grow more compactly. The plants won't actually shrink, but they will grow stronger and healthier in the sun.

Heather is making a good start on her first garden!