Thanks, Fred.

I am entering a dreaded two week period, that happens every year. The silver maples drop a ton of helicopter seeds. They wind up every day, and create another chore of pulling up seedlings. I have already begun pulling up Rose of Sharon seedlings..a task that goes on all season.

I love plants, plain and simple. I'm always adding some new species, each year, or replacing some that did not make it, for whatever reason.

The Chicago Hardy fig, is a replacement for a fig I had been digging, and storing in my unheated attic. Last winter, I thought I had been keeping the rootball moist enough, because the plant was ormant, but apparently not enough. The plant died, last year. I promptly bought another small replacement.
I hope to get the fig into the ground, eventually. If it doesnt go in the ground, this season, I'll bump it up to a 3 gallon, for another year, and keep it in my attic, in my attic, as I did with this plant. When it goes into the ground, I will either dig it up, in fall, or protect it, in situ.

Tulips are nearing the end, for the season, in about a week or so.

Fred, do you remember the collard starts I sowed, in February, later transplanting them to 6-paks, later hardening them off, and finally into the ground, last month? Well, they are ready for their FIRST picking of the season, now. For those who may not know, collards are a non-heading cabbage relative. If leaves lower on the main stem are harvested, the plants grow taller, and produce more leaves. Another picking can occur after another 6 weeks, or so, later, and so on. usually harvest 3 to 4 times all season, with the final harvest occurring around Thanksgiving. Collards are very hardy, and can overwinter, even here.
This is what the plants look like, today:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/KDjfZue3rWxuJmZV7


Here are some Romaine Lettuce plants, I set out, at the same time the collards were set out:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/9Vw421TvxKaTikv78