well shucks, better luck next time. Have you checked with the Extension service to see when is the best time for planting for you? Mine says plant in June [and I will for a second crop, especially for winter keepers] but you can see I've managed to 'break the rules' and it's worked out.

The calendar I have says January through March. I remember I wanted to get them in by St. Patrick's Day.

I think I screwed it up by planting a few at different times. I put some in, and half of them didn't work. So a few weeks later I put some more in.

I ended up having to hill unevenly, because the plants were at different stages of maturity. Next year, I'll just stick with ONE planting.

It's really been hot here, 100+ this week. The potatoes and onions are drying up but the summer crops are really taking off. Beans, corn, cucumbers, squash are all rampaging through the garden. The lima beans are growing great guns, but unfortunately they are dropping their blossoms due to the heat. Tho I expect a great harvest later on when the weather cools off. The Mammoth sunflowers have lived up to their name, growing about 8' tall. Melons are vining and the cantaloupes are making a comeback after the rodent attack.Right now we still have a bit of a 'gap' but are picking cucumbers and tomatoes, a very few purple beans and strawberries. This weekend we'll harvest some potatoes from the pots with the grandkids, they really enjoy that.