Nothing is at all close to blooming here, not even really breaking bud yet. Which is probably good given the crapfest that the spring weather is in SE Michigan this year. Our very first couple of daffodils are trying to open up. Last year, the daffs were open around March 23-25th, which was by far the earliest I've even seen them open (by almost a week). This year will probably be like the very cold spring of 1994, when everything was at least a month behind, and we still had the last few daffodils and tulips hanging on Memorial Day weekend. I think there is one really nasty storm going to brew here later -- not necessarily tornadoes or severe thunderstorms, but a lot of rain and cold, driving wind. Today, its in the upper 40's, milky sky, weak sunshine through the cirrus deck, and sustained winds at 30 to 35, with a few gust probably in the 45 range. NOT a nice day at all.

Agreed the understory looks good in PA for the most part. What makes no sense to me is why the salt spray damage is SO MUCH worse in that stretch of PA than anywhere else? Could it be the method the PA DOT applies the salt? There was some frost damage in OH for sure...There have been two freeze events this May there, interspersed between an otherwise quite warm May. There were a few singed leaves on my dad's Japanese Maple that were probably due to frost, but the shoots themselves were intact and few leaves had more than a little damage. I saw some oaks with "crinkly" looking older leaves that might have been frosted. The only major frost damage I could see conclusively were on the Ailanthus trees that sprout up everywhere...a clump of them at a low site near my father's house were completely zapped. Not that anyone would care if some Ailanthus were killed. The cornfields looked fine even 2 days after the freeze on May 25. Things like tomatoes and peppers, etc were toast in much of the Akron area though.

I start indoor annuals early and it depends on what they are. -Hot peppers were started a couple weeks ago -Sweet peppers are being started this coming weekend -Tomatoes will be started mid March. Some will say too early but it's been working for me for years. -Annual flowers - now starting things like impatiens, coleus, pentas and a few others that are slow growing for me. I'll keep at sowing other annuals, a few each week, until about mid April or till I run out of vareities I want to start. I'm lucky to have a room dedicated to seed growing, a small harbor frieght greenhouse to put them in come April. I do all my perennials via wintersowing!! Sandy

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. Ray, I am slowly chopping back the lawn. The tomato patch has doubled in three years! I reckon there is room for at least another 2 rows!? A consuming passion this tomato growing. Thanks Grub. Yes as the season progresses the rows get narrower. I have to get down the rows and spray with a 20kg backpack sprayer (16 litres spray). Just as well I am 55kg wringing wet with my overcoat on! Thanks Patrina. I like your growbag method. It looks very effective and the white colour would help to reflect heat away from the roots in hot weather. Can't wait until Marysville. Should have a great selection to bring this year. The season is really going well. Harvested Burnley Surecrop three days before Christmas. Burnley Metro has a very similar growth habit to Burnley Surecrop (semi determinate) and yields look also similar; but the fomer is later by at least a week. Red Brandywine (Landis strain) is ripening, White Potato leaf also, Black Russian and Earl's Faux. Sungold, Black Cherry and Snow White Cherry also being harvested. Isis Candy is a difficult one, had few tomatoes on it and none ripe so far. Cheers Craig