The 2025 season is off to a great start. Pushing back my seed-starting schedule continues to pay-off. By the time things were ready to plant, the soil had warmed up enough for seedlings to hit the ground running.

And they did. Abundent rain and mild temperatures over the past few weeks fueled the growth spurt. The pots have done especially well.

Green beans have been ready to pick for a couple of weeks. I harvest enough to saute a serving or two every few days. The variety is ‘Calima’–the tastiest green beans I’ve ever eaten. Bell peppers and a sweet Japanese pepper are ready for harvest when needed.

The potted tomato looks like a catalog picture for ‘Celebrity’. All eight plants (half are ‘Bodacious’) have already set fruit. Looks like at least a couple will be ready for harvest before the first day of summer.

The other pots are doing great too. The watermelon plants (2) have attached to the trellis and are bigger with each passing day. The okra is gorgeous and about to bloom. A single cucumber plant is about to be overwhelmed by very prolific moon vines.

The Wave petunias in pots are stunning. Seedlings planted in the ground at the samet ime in two different beds don’t even come close. A few in the back are limping along in crummy soil. Those by the patio will catch up in time. Pots have an early advantage but suffer in the heat later in the season.

The snapdragons are just starting to bloom. “Doubleshot’ is no ordinary snapdragon. The two to bloom so far are beautiful.

I’m tickled pink so far, but know better than to count my tomatoes before they’ve ripened. Even so, I’m hopeful. As always, I’ll keep you posted and thanks for stopping by.