Making Do in the Garden

It's almost spring!  Yay!!!

I enjoy all the seasons, but we've had such a harsh winter

that spring is impatiently awaited around here.

Last weekend, Mr. LB was able to run the rototiller through the garden

(with only minimal mug-bogging:)

We spread the previous year's compost over the garden in fall 
then till it in spring.

It's been a pretty wet spring so far.

This early in the season, 

there are a couple of "tools" that are indispensable to me.

The 'Old Farmer's Almanac," a blank calendar page, and a pen or pencil

for making notes all over the page.

This is how my weekly "to-do" list is formed.

With my seeds handy, I jot down dates for planting each item in my seed box.

We are right on the border of two zones.

This year I am going with the earlier planting schedule 

and will see what happens.  I can always replant these few items as I have plenty of seeds.  If I was scarce on seeds, I wouldn't be so risky.

I plant by the moon signs figuring I need all the help I can get.

So far I've planted spuds, Brussels sprouts, celery, kale, and spinach.

You can see what I use as garden markers and how to make them here.

The next couple of weekends are now all planned out.

Since we can finally begin to get outside a bit, 

there are a couple of repairs I'd like to share

just for the sake of putting ideas in your head.

Just because an item breaks, which newer tools in particular seem to do,

doesn't mean it needs to go to the dump.

Both of our spring rakes had broken handles.

Rather than purchasing new handles, Mr. LB used some PVC

that we already had on hand along with a couple of screws

and made the rakes usable again.

(Obviously, I should practice using it.)

The other is my little hand fork that I purchased about 25-30 years ago.

The plastic handle finally gave out.

I had the leg of a broken foot-stool so drilled a hole in the end,

added some gorilla glue, then the metal fork, 

and now have my favorite garden fork again.

I probably use it more than any other one tool, especially come weeding time.

The frogs have began croaking in the last couple weeks which is the first sign of spring around here.

I love listening to them as I close my eyes at night.

I figure they know better that we do when it's safe to hatch.

If they hadn't started croaking, 

I probably wouldn't have been quite so antsy to get out in the garden

since it is still pretty chilly out there and I am a wimp in the cold.

Have you began planting where you are?
I'd love to hear what tips/tricks or signs you use.