Well, first, the 'deluxe cucumber frame, from Gardener's Supply just arrived, and is already causing me to curse. The first cursing came with the 'made in China' sticker, because somehow I'd gotten it into my head that Gardener's Supply was a made in America sort of company, which is one reason I'd ordered from them. Went back to the catalog, though, and they don't tell you where anything is made, so now I can't figure out why I thought they were a 'made in America' company. Second, while the two side panels join together simply enough, the way it's designed to join at the 'hinge' between the two sets of panels are 4 thick springs that you're supposed to 'wind' around the edges of the panels, like a spiral-edged notebook. I was able to get each spring about halfway wound before I simply couldn't get the leverage to continue. I'll try again in a day or two when A) my fingers stop hurting, and B) I dig out a wrench to try and get better leverage, I guess. Whoever came up with that design must have fingers of steel, since they didn't mention using any tools when putting the thing together.
I'm also supposed to be getting a 'tall pea trellis', but that hasn't arrived yet, even though the two were ordered at the same time, and supposedly shipped at the same time. I went back and looked closely at the photos in the catalog, and I can't see any similar spring joins for those, so I'm hoping they have simple hinges.
As to the plants, snow peas and 'big max' pumpkins are the things going in this year that didn't go in last. I'm glad I didn't already put the peas in yet, since it froze overnight, and we've got at least one more overnight freezing temp in the 7 day forecast.
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