The Perils of Spring Travel

So many tasks/activities compete for a gardener's time in the spring.  In addition to yard, garden, and athletic pursuits, spring is also Travel Season at my job.  This year most of my travel was compressed into two weeks. 

The first trip (first week of April) lasted five days.  I returned to find spring finally starting to spring in my yard (hooray!).  Inside, a sad story awaited me.  My 'not late' pepper and tomato seedlings, sown in tiny cells, must have used up all their available water by day two.  I found the cells completely dry, and some withered up seedlings laying on top.  I tried to revive them.  Some came back (turns out the flat was not completely level, so one corner go more water than the rest), but many did not.  No photos:  I couldn't bear it.

I didn't have replacement seeds for many of the varieties I'd planted. I re-sowed what I had, plus some more mater seeds that had (finally) arrived in the mail while I was gone.  Two days later, I left on another five-day trip.  Fortunately, this time I had houseguests staying in my basement, who agreed to tip over a watering can every day or so during my absence. 

When I returned on Friday afternoon, I was shocked by the explosion of spring outside.  The daffodils had withered in the three days of 90+ weather, but moss phlox and the redbud made up for that big time.

the parking strip that welcomed my return

Indoors, everything that was alive when I left was still alive when I returned, thanks to my helpful houseguests. Hooray!



don't worry, the seedlings aren't actually yellow - that's just my poor photography

Note the big empty space where pepper seedlings used to be.  I have two or more of each variety remaining, so I should be ok.  My friends and neighbors just won't be obliged to take excesses off my hands this year.

Next spring, I'm going to insist on shorter work trips.