Agriculture

After weeks of mostly grey, rainy weather and sleep interrupted by tornado alerts, sunshine in the window feels like a blessing from the god of Spring. Ten-plus inches of rain had all the animals hunched up in bunches, staggering around in soggy coats with droopy heads. Today they stand broadside to the sun, soaking in the warmth. The gardeners have all been droopy, too, unable to get their hands dirty, early sets washed out, muddy lettuce and carefully prepared rows floated away.

It is very wet out, but it is time to start planting tomatoes (officially anytime after May 10).  Every year I do an article on growing tomatoes, and generally it is the same article, however there are a few tweeks every year.

I don’t know if you have noticed yet, but the purple boxes are hanging in trees along roadways again.  I got a call last week from the UK Entomology Department letting me know they were hanging them again.  They wanted me to let you know about it in my news article so… you have been warned!  Just joking, there is nothing to warn you about, but the boxes are purple to attract Emerald Ash Borer, and they have a pheromone or attractant and sticky goo to catch any borers that may happen by.