A few days later all the blossoms started turning black and drying out and getting all crackly.  Then a couple days ago I noticed that all the bottom leaves were turning yellow and dying, while the top leaves were nice and green an healthy.  I've been watering it regularly, but not drowning it, so I don't think that's the problem.

This morning I called my friend Jalanne, the plant expert, and she said that the flowers were probably having trouble because they wanted more sunshine and to put them in a sunnier spot.  She also said that the leaves are probably having trouble because the plant can't "breathe" with the pretty plastic wrapper around the pot.  She suggested taking the plastic wrapper off for a few minutes every time I water it, and to let the water run through the pot for a few minutes each time I water instead of just pouring a tiny bit in to dampen the soil.

So, I took the plant outside for a while without it's pretty pot wrapping and later on I'm going to give it a good watering and see if doing that for a day or two will help it. 

My broccoli and cauliflower plants' leaves have been turning purple and I was worried that I was killing those, too.  But when I asked Jalanne, she said that it's probably because it's been cold the last couple of days and that changes something about the phosphorus in the plant so it turns purple.   When it warms back up they'll get green again.  Who knew plants turned purple when they're cold just like people!

One of my green bean seeds has sprouted and I'm excited about that.  My onions are still alive and I think the little plants in my carrot section are carrots, not weeds.  I think one of the biggest challenges of trying gardening for the first time or in a new place is that you can't tell which are the weeds and which are the plants you want.  It's a lot easier this year than last, so I think I'm starting to recognize the problem plants faster and it will be easier next year.

So, this season, now that I'm not pregnant, not sick, and have learned how to juggle other tasks while taking care of a new baby, I'm gardening.  This week I pruned roses (sorry to my neighbors for leaving the pruning remains on my lawn–I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of the trash) and got some proud scratches in the process.  I also started hacking away at the ivy that's taken over the rose beds.  And, best of all, I planted flowers and vegetables!

I planted snapdragons (the flower assigned to me by my parents the year each sister got to plant and care for a flower, and the plant that I pulled out of the ground that time I was in time out and mad at my mom when I was 5ish) and allysum.  They will be beautiful in my front planter.  I only planted some of my snapdragon seeds, since my friendly gardening neighbor and friend, Jalanne, told me not to plant them till danger of freezing is gone.  I just couldn't wait that long, but I only planted a few so that if they die I'll have more to plant later. 

I planted carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, green beans, and onions.  Jalanne also taught me to wait on the zucchini, summer squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers until around Mother's Day.  I bought seeds to plant peas, but I haven't got the space cleared out for them yet…maybe I'll get to that this afternoon when the kids wake up from their naps. 

There is a TON more weeding to do, I need to finish clearing out those rose beds and prune one more rose bush, and I need to prune some trees.  And, possibly most importantly, we need to fix our sprinkler system and put in grass seed.  We have lettuce from last year growing in the lawn (I pulled out the dead lettuce plants and left them on the lawn for a while, so the seeds sprouted plants there where there was only dead grass) along with the dandilions that have gone crazy there.  But I've made a good start, and it was fun!  So, get outside and enjoy the Springy sunshine!