I sit here in a fog bank accepting rain off and on all morning. My bulbs are in full bloom in the front of the house and the forsythia (I have a late blooming variety) is already a gorgeous, blazing yellow. In fact, some of my daffs and tulips are already curled up and brown because of the heat.
It’s been 80 degrees all week — most unusual for the middle of March. Yesterday I saw that they had erected the temporary greenhouses in the parking lot of Shopko. Are they going to fill them with plants? Now? And what are we going to do with those plants?
I don’t remember much, but I remember a snow storm the week after Easter that froze my little bulbs and killed them dead for the year. And another year, (about 1989 or 1990) I remember a wild snow storm on May 5 that broke all the blooming trees, including one of mine.
Ellendra said it best a couple of weeks ago. It is wise to remember that we probably have 2 snowstorms and a deep freeze to go yet this spring.
On the few remaing farms around here, I’m seeing green fields of winter wheat already up an inch. Of course, winter wheat will withstand any change in the weather.
It was the companion to this tree that I lost in 1989, or 1990, in the freak storm of heavy, wet snow on May 5. This picture is from 2 years ago. It won't bloom until the end of April, at least.
Do I get my extra points?
The sugar snap peas, snow peas, collards, spinach and lettuce we planted 1-2 weeks ago are just starting to come up. I’m not sure we should have planted the collards so early, but we’ll cover them up if there’s going to be a frost. It’s unusually warm her in western Pa too. Forsythias, crab, all blooming like crazy. The potato experiment I tried is semi-successful. I planted seed potatoes last November. I dug up a few to see if they were still there. One was just a ball of mush, but two were healthy and sprouting. I covered them over again. Mr S wants that bed for something else. Can I move potatoes?
I put in all raised beds last year since Mr S has heart problems and can’t dig much. He is loving the raised beds. The soil is just as fluffy as can be, and all I did was add a bit more top soil and compost.
I got my peppers started indoors.
Hopefully, we’ll have an early last frost (no snow on Mother’s Day this year) and I’ll be able to get them in early.
The peas and lettuce are doing fine.
I transplanted some bushes to better locations and tried watering them with sugar water to lessen the transplant shock. I’ll find out how that went when I get back from FL in two weeks.
And the lawn really needs mowing badly.
I will make an appointment with the County Agent Monday and get his advice and share his info with all. It took 7 days from mailing to receiving the results.
I decided to be brave and planted my warm-weather crops. We’ve had temps in the 80’s lately. I know it’s a risk, but I made sure I had enough seeds to take the chance. So my tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons are all planted now.
Haven’t had a chance to plant out at the land yet, but maybe next week.
This weekend (hopefully):
1. Seed vacant chicken runs with feed mix.
2. Chip pruned branches into mulch for the orchard.
3. Plant new trees.
4. Set posts for new chicken runs and grape trellis.
5. Start prepping for low hoop tunnel systems when it is dry enough to till. This is the system I am trying this year:
http://whizbangrowcover.blogspot.com/
Hey, Gang! Things are really breaking loose for me up here in Wisconsin - about a MONTH early! We’ve broken ALL sales records for the month of March at my Garden Center; it’s been INSANITY to infinity. I have a CHERISHED day off today...been traveling at warp speed all month so far. :)
I have my small Salad Garden cleaned out and newly planted with lettuces, spinach, & beets and I’m adding leeks (plants) next week, just because I left them on my desk at work in my rush to getthehellouttathere last night...at 8pm. :(
Anyhow, I’ve got all the fruit trees fertilized; my forsythia is pretty much finished, and my Nanking Bush Cherries are looking LOVELY! 1 cherry tree and 1 plum are blooming, and my peaches are ready to bloom. (Too soon! Too soon!)
The dozens of Viburnum I planted down the driveway are budded out; they ALL made it through last winter, which was a miracle as I was planting them up until the last minute last fall! Happy, Happy!
Both my ‘Korean Spice’ and ‘Mohican’ Viburnum have FLOWER BUDS on them, already. *Fingers Crossed*
My lawn needs mowing in the worst way, but I’m not gonna do it! It’s March 24th! Yikes!
Greenhouse is cleaned out; still have to tackle my big garden, but that won’t take long to rake it all to the middle and burn it off.
This afternoon I’m heading out to see Mr. Wonderful to help plant fir trees for windbreaks and deer bedding areas. I’ve already cleaned out his garden; he’s adding raised beds this year - JEALOUS!
Tomato plants and marigolds are started in flats...more to come! I’ve got chicks on order (50!) and they’ll be here at the end of April. The coop is cleaned out and the hens are laying a little bit so far; they’re smarter than we are - they KNOW it’s only the end of March, no matter WHAT the weather is doing. :)
Thanks JDB, just finished my “grow room” - new lights, tables, plastic, etc in my basement. Started my seeds this weekend, lots of tomatoes, beans, peas, squash, even some corn, see how it goes.
Neponset Valley, MA, growing zone 6B
We'll see about that...
Can God make a rock so heavy that He can't lift it?
dono ducks for cover