Henfield Homestead: State of the Garden, March 19th

So, it's an incredibly warm winter. Hardly any snow, all rain. March 19th and we are already at 74 growing degree days. Average would be 0. Even two years ago, which we thought was a remarkably warm and early spring, was nothing like this.

I am a climate change scientist - not of the weather prediction type, more on the side of observing and predicting impacts. I would hardly ever say that one extreme event was part of the global climatic change, but I am really starting to wonder. These strange winters we have are more directly explained by changes in the ocean currents that bring warmth and precipitation to different parts of the land. But 2 years, this warm, almost back to back? It gets hard to call that "rare" or "extreme" - it starts to be normal. So I don't know if this is climate change or not - but it's just exactly what it will look like.

OK, into the yard. Tulips, really responding to three days of over 70-degree temps.

This is the state of the raspberry canes. We'll have to move them at our neighbor's request (ug) so I don't know how this year will go for them. I'm hoping to get a good June crop at least before the relocation.

Here's the garden. I'm expanding out from the fence this year, about 3 feet. Last year, newspapers worked like a charm to kill the grass and make the sod turnover much easier. I'm not sure I got it down early enough this year, but who knew I needed to do it in January? Likewise, I kept the hoop house out all winter, planning to cover it a couple weeks ago for earlier spring planting, but there's really no need for a hoop house right now!

Garlic, always love it in the spring. Already 5 inches high!

From the east end. The foreground large square will be potatoes and sweet potatoes. Then the garlic. The next bed will have beets, onions, and maybe some carrots. Those two beds will all be harvested mid-summer, and then I can put the fall crops in, and build a PVC hoop house arched over the two beds. (That's the plan anyway.) The next bed will have some random experiments. The bed inside the small fence with the hoop over it will have lettuce and carrots, with tomatoes interplanted. By the time the lettuce and carrots are coming out, the tomatoes will be taking over, again, that's the plan. Tomatoes haven't grown in this space for at least 3 years - a rotational success that is rare in my garden and only possible because I had a fallow year and then didn't move them for two years. Peppers will be in a row to the left of that small fenced area. Along the far fence will be the new perennial crop bed (asparagus, horseradish, rhubarb), and the tomatillos and okra. The whole front fence will be covered with bush and pole beans and peas, and a band of flowers to attract beneficial insects. (http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?item=6333&listname=Bachelor)

The state of the overwintered sage - looks like it made it.

Can't wait for lemonade off this phenomenal mint. I LOVE the flavor of this one.

Kale's shooting some new leaves.

And this will be the first year of sorrel harvest for us. I may move this into the perennial bed of the veggie garden too.

Oregano, back for the third year.

Chives are back of course, ready for harvest, and the huge rosemary we transplanted in last summer doesn't look great, but it is definitely still alive after this most gentle of winters.