Old-Timer Gardening Advice

Many, many springs ago, several little old ladies admonished, "Don't even think about touching a garden before Easter Sunday!" as I eyed the sproutlings offered at the local mega-store.
With days and days of temps in the 60's and 70's, it's tempting to get a jump start on that garden.
But the little old ladies were right; the day I almost bought those plants, I also took a photo of Sadie sleeping on our porch swing, wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The next day, I took a photo of the same porch swing with three inches of snow on it.

The last couple weeks have been mild, and I know several of my friends have been buying plants, and setting out their seedlings.
I have warned them all.
I have given them the "Don't even think about touching a garden before Easter Sunday!" speech.
Few have listened, and many doomed petunias were put in the ground.
This morning, I woke up to my sunny back deck beginning to look like a winter wonderland. It has continued to snow all day.
A moment of silence, please, for all the tomato plants that can no longer feel their toes.