Too early for gardening posts? No? Good.
If you were wondering whether parsley could survive a winter, the answer is apparently yes, provided you live in zone 8. These are two of the several clumps that survived.
Granted, I did cheat a little: I planted them near a south wall, and I covered them twice. An intentionally unprotected row died in the second cold spell, but it did survive the first.
I was surprised to have cabbage survive the winter last year (zone 6). It went to seed as soon as it got warm though, so I did not get any additional cabbage out of it.
Currently I'm waiting for the ground to thaw because I found a forgotten bag of dutch iris bulbs I want to put in the ground. I wnt out with a spade to put them in last week, and was baffled to find that the ground was rock hard ice, yet the crocuses, daffodils tulips, and hyacinths are coming up right through it. Strong little plants!
And of course the Muscari have had green leaves all winter, they are amazingly cold-tolerant. Worried about the peach tree though, it seems determined to bloom even though the nights are still regularly freezing. And I can't cover it because it's so windy here - last time I covered a tree the wind caught so much on the surface area that it whipped the little tree around and killed it.
I want to buy some gladiolus bulbs this year, never grown those before. I've got hollyhock seeds in a starter tray, and packets of pansy and poppy seeds to scatter outside when it warms up. If anyone has suggestions for other seeds I can just grab a packet, throw them on the ground, and get flowers in zone 6, I'd be happy to hear them.
Bonus points if there is a good chance they will reseed, or go perennial.
Need to pick up vegetable seeds too. I want to grow rutabagas but I never see their seeds anywhere, only turnips.
Anyone want to recommend a spineless okra which is less prone to turning woody than Clemson? Or a zucchini which is immune to the powdery mildew that lives in my yard?