Spring garden is in

While some of the country is still having winter weather, snow and all, it is pleasant enough down here in southern Louisiana to risk getting an early start on a spring garden. I took Friday off last week to get the garden in, knowing that Judy and I would be at the temple in Baton Rouge on Saturday. This year, the main changes I made were to 1) plant a few eggplants that were given to me, 2) do my own indoor planting of tomatoes rather than buying transplants, 3) try bush beans instead of edible soybeans with the thought of planting soybeans in early summer. The rows are labeled if you click on the picture. The reason the potatoes are already up is that I planted them in mid-February. The cucurbits this year will include watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and zucchini squash. They spill over from the last row into the grassy area. We also planted a row of peas on the far side of the fence on the right side and will let them climb up the fence. All of you that live further north can appreciate that an early garden is one of the perks of living in the deep south.