Spring Rains

The forecast for this week in rain, rain, and more rain. While some may find this fact depressing, I welcome the much needed rain not only for my garden, but also for the woods, both of which have been suffering from a rather dry spring. Today my recent plantings of lettuce, arugula, and radish have now emerged from the moist ground and my transplants have been given new life. As David put it, the seasonal time clock for the water has been/is being re-wound for a time and the inhabitants of the vernal pools will have a little while longer to complete their life cycle. David told me about his worry for a special pool that is a critical habitat for a colony of spotted turtles that had been drying up much too quickly this season. So while the week looks gloomy, it will be critical to the survival of many species in the area.


In addition, the rain will keep the black flies at bay while I dive into a more in-depth study of my woodlot this week and begin to compile information for my map. Tomorrow afternoon I will be meeting with Doug Newton who will be doing some logging on the property this year. Doug has a wealth of knowledge related to our New Hampshire forests and will be able to assist me in identifying the different species here in my woodlot.


I spent the day building up my lasagna bed with fresh horse manure and continued the never ending job of turning and reestablishing beds. I discovered tomato seedlings in the one of the beds and replanted a few them on a flat and put it in my cold frame to be planted again later on. The wet week will be perfect for new plantings and is just in time for the transplanting of my cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower seedlings from the cold frame.