Ok.  So it is a little bit early for the spring report, but my hyacinths are up already and that means business.  No crocuses as of yet.  But here is what is awakening in the garden already.

1.  Hyacinth.   They are popping up all over the south side flower beds.  I wish I had planted more last fall, they smell so good.

 

2.  The mints.  I have actual leaves on the Peppermint plant in the divided planter, and green roots and shoots on the Orange Mint and the Chocolate Mint (also in the divided planter).  Even the mint that I hate because it is in my strawberry bed is starting to grow again.  Great.  Super.  Ugh.

You can just see the tiny green shoots and baby leaves on the Peppermint.  Hubby will be excited to have fresh tea again!

3.  The lemon thyme.  I love, love, love this plant.  I have two plants of it and both are starting to green up and grow already.  This is the best herb for throwing in beef stews to make them just taste awesome.  And it is yummy to just chew on a sprig.   But I digress.

4.  The oregano.  It lives!!!  I thought I would have to replant this one.  It is in a pot by the divided planter.  All the top is dead, but at the base of the plant are tiny new leaves.  Yeah!

5.  The onions.  All over.  I apparently left more onions in the ground than I thought.  They are shooting up all over several beds ( I got carried away and just started sticking the sets in random places last year.)  They will go to seed if I let them.  I don’t remember if they are open pollinated varieties or hybrids, but I think I may let them go to seed anyway.  I am not terribly particular about my onion and the early onion flowers may bring in some early pollinators.

6.  The raspberries.  Buds on each and every pruned cane.  Yum.

7.  The strawberries.  They are greening up already.  Now if I can just keep the garden rats – ahem- I mean squirrels – away from them.  We had beautiful strawberries last year, but I only got 1 of them.  ONE.  We even had netting and wiring over the strawberry beds, but the nasty squirrels got through and ate them all.  Except that one.  This means war.  With the squirrels.  Anyone have any ideas?

8.  The grass.  When I saw that it was greening up, I actually grabbed my bag of grass seed and reseeded several areas that were pretty barren last year and quite muddy right now.  This has become a yearly process because of the dog and the kids.

9.  A Something.  Just curious if anyone has any idea as to what this mystery plant could be in my seedling pot I left outside accidentally.  It almost looks like something I would want.  Not a weed, maybe.  Any ideas???  Should I let it grow and see what happens or root it out?  Hmmmm.

 

And we let the chickens out to play, too while we were out there.  Some of Angel and Butterfly’s feathers are starting to grow back.  Here is a picture for your viewing pleasure…

They still look ridiculous, but not quite so bad.  Now Dragon is starting to molt.  She has a big naked patch on the back of her neck.  Fun times.  They ran around trying to eat all the new, green grass.  And bugs.  I hope that they found lots of bugs.  They were sure pecking around a lot.  I should let them out daily as a pest control measure.  Our egg supply is pathetic right now.  We are only getting one egg every day or two.  Come on ladies.  This isn’t a free ride.  Well, happy early spring everyone!  Enjoy the sunshine!