cold and damp spring

We have had such a cold and wet spring! I can't believe it. We had a miserable, dark and snowy winter and now a damp, dreary spring. Arggh. Today I bundled up in a jacket and turtle neck. My mom even wore a fleece scarf. Young girls dressing by the calendar wore shorts and sandals, and we shivered just looking at them.

I'm hearing that there is concern already about late blight. Its out there, they say. I posted an announcement on our garden bulletin board (below) reminding gardeners to buy locally grown tomato plants. I have heard gardeners suggest that tomato plants should be kept inside for a while longer to avoid the dampness.

I am having trouble with my cold frame. It doesn't have much air circulation. And, since its still chilly, I've been keeping the panels closed at night. Today I realized that several of my seedling trays are showing some rotting. The stems and leaves have some black areas and leaves are wilting. Worst are the basil, peppers and melon seedlings, so today I brought them back inside. I'll leave them under lights for a while to dry out and stay warm. I'll also leave the cold frame panels open and see if I can get more air circulation.