Spring!

The greenhouse will be on a garden tour this year so work began last fall to prepare. A number of plants did well over-wintering. We have been able to harvest mesclun greens, herbs, spinach, dandelion leaves and chard. The broccoli is coming along with heads of an inch showing and a cauliflower at 3/4". Peas will be planted today as well as more spinach

The most exciting find was not the plants -

it was a yellow spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatu! Shiny dark blue with bright yellow spots, the salamander was hibernating under the straw mulch. Even tho' I replaced the straw the salamander moved on to a safer place - hopefully in the greenhouse since it will help keep the insect population down including slugs. I wonder will the salamander enjoy the sow bugs (mealy bugs)? Anyone know?

Photo from Wikipedia