What do May Showers Bring?

Probably mosquitoes!


Leek 'Lincoln' seedlings grown for transplant to the family garden.


I know the deer ticks are out already. With all the showers, farmers and gardeners alike are growing increasingly behind on planting schedules. With the full moon coming Monday, we are going to run into some cooler temperatures here again in central Wisconsin during the overnight hours. The carrots 'Little Fingers' I planted in my potager are coming in very nicely with the many showers.

On Thursday, I transplanted leeks 'Lincoln' into the family garden only to be caught up in a sudden torrential cloudburst. We were using a metal fencing post as a dibble to make the holes to drop the leeks into so they can blanch as they grow. At one point, my sister-in-law and I looked at each other and questioned the efficacy of using a metal post as a dibble cum lightening rod.

The minute the first fat droplets hit the ground we were into my car to wait it out hoping it was a 5-minute sprinkle. It was not the case. Within 5 minutes of our taking cover, a lightening bolt hit an electricity transformer across the highway, blowing it up in an electric blue crack.

Garden was at an end for the day.

After the showers, I took two trays of tomatoes plantlings out to harden off under my shade screen. I will need to cover them Sunday and Monday night, no doubt.