If I Can't See the Garden for All the Snow, Is the Garden Still There?

[Photo taken from my bedroom window]

Last fall, all the prognosticators predicted a hard, cold, and snowy winter.  Until 2 weeks ago, we really didn't see that happen, and I had wondered if we were going to have any appreciable snowfall at all in East Central IL.  Two storms, and about a foot of snow later, obviously the answer was "yes".

The garden is blanketed in about 5 inches of snow at the moment, as are all my winter sowing jugs.  As there isn't much to do outside, I guess I'll have to focus on what I can do inside.

First, here's my little bit of impending spring:  red tulips I forgot to plant last fall, and sat in the garage until about 4-5 weeks ago.  I planted some outside in a planter (we'll see what happens there), and I filled my big planter with the rest after I brought it inside.

My husband just looked at me and asked, "Why do we have plants in the house?  Why can't we wait until it's spring outside?"  Silly guy.  Jim has never been a big fan of plants in the house.  Granted, with two 1.5 year old mixed breed dogs who constantly patrol the perimeter by running from window to window in the great room, I CAN see his point.  Woe be it unto anyone who gets in their way if they realize there is a cat within eyeshot of their look-out perches.  Nothing like having a 30 pound and a 50 pound dog both barrelling through you to get to a better vantage point.  Since they are 1/4 rat terrier and 1/4 Rottweiler, they take the defense of their territory quite seriously.

[Kaiju and Jaeger, keeping lookout from our bed]

So....inside gardening.

Most of the seeds I started inside are doing well.  I have cauliflower, 2 kinds of broccoli, jalapeno and habanero peppers, lemon cucumbers and Brown Russian cucumbers.  The bell peppers haven't done as well sprouting.  I need to rearrange my trays under the growlight, anyway, and I don't think I need the heated germinator anymore, so I may try starting them without the heat and see how it goes.  I'm debating whether or not I need to transfer some of these things into pots.  I think I will transfer the peppers, as they won't be able to go out into the garden for at least a month, if not longer.  The cauliflower and broccoli can go out as soon as it warms up enough again to work the soil.  I've been saving plastic jugs to make cloches, and have almost enough for all the broccoli and cauliflower.

And I got the latest catalog from The Cook's Garden in the mail this week:

This is my source for Brown Russian Cucumber seeds, and Collective Farm Woman melon seeds -- the only melon variety I've really ever gotten to grow successfully around here.  Both are Ukrainian heirloom varieties -- I guess I shouldn't be surprised they are hardy!

Other than that, I'm going back through my week-by-week plan, and erasing a lot.  I was overly optimistic about when I'd be able to plant things, I think.  I'm just going to have to take it one week at a time until I can actually get some things in the ground, and then I can do more long range planning.

All of this has made me think about getting information about the Master Gardener program.  I'd love to take the class(es), but really don't have time except over the summer.    I have a number of friends  who are Master Gardeners, so I'll have to talk to them about it.

Time to do more laundry, and figure out what remaining grading I need to do today.  Happy garden dreaming to you all!