Temperatures have been warm lately, warm enough to tempt some plants into growing. Unfortunately we have cold weather in the near future. The lilac tree buds have swollen and look almost ready to start bursting.

Last year’s chard is sprouting new leaves to great surprise. Row cover is now over the rhubarb to keep it from frost damage.

Rhubarb is tough, but not that tough.

On another note, there is a new fear on the agricultural horizon. Ug99 sounds more like a WWII u-boat. It says nothing of the potential devastation it could cause. Ug99 (Puccinia graminis) is a stem rust of cereal crops. It was feared until it was thought to be eradicated during the Green Revolution in the 50’s. Nature may have the last word though as the fungus has returned with a vengeance. It has now been found in Africa and the Middle East. India and China are both nervously waiting for the fungal spores to travel on the wind to the Punjab, the breadbasket of South East Asia. Wired has a great article about this danger. In the near future bread may be a luxury.