April is here. Where have I been? I had 2 rotator cuff tendons and bicep tendon surgery on Dec 12 with the idea I will be gardening by June (and flyfishing too). The bicep tendon is attached to a bolt that was screwed into my humerus bone. It’s been a long hard recovery-I am in physical therapy since then but progress is slow, slow, slow. For awhile it felt non-existent, but I have turned a corner and am slowly getting better. For 2 months, I was in a sling but now have 2 hands to work with but still not allowed to raise my arm up over my head yet.

Progress.

And now gardening season is upon us. But I have been able to do a few things regarding gardening!

To catch up-I started in March, cool season crops inside under grow lights (with no heat) like lettuces, spinach, cauliflower, bok choi, cabbage, Chinese broccoli, herbs and beets. Many have already been transplanted to 2 1/4″ pots where they will get bigger until I transplant them outside.

The lettuce and spinach are already transplanted into my greenhouse. I opened up the greenhouse (as I had button it down in winter) but now on some days, it can get pretty warm inside so i took off the panels to let more air through the screened windows. I have 2 fans in there (on timers that turn on/off automatically) to blow the hot air out and turn off in the evening. Plus I put row cover on at nite over the lettuces/spinach to keep them from freezing. I pull it back in the day unless it is freezing inside (rarely). My cold frame got messed up in the wind so I probably won’t use it this yea or until I can fix it.

Tomato/peppers were also started inside as well in March, in germination trays on heat mats inside, under lights. I transplanted the tomato plants to 2 1/4″ inch pots where they will stay till I plant them outside sometime in May. I decided not to grow out tomato plants for other people this year.

It’s good to have 2 hands/arms available now (limited) but should be good by June.