Today is the first official day of spring—in the northern hemisphere, anyway. On the other hand, the Celtic tradition has spring beginning on February 2nd (Candlemas) and continuing until May 1st (Beltane). In the southern hemisphere, spring begins on September 1st and ends on November 30th. Meteorologists consider spring the whole months of March, April, and May.
What Spring Means to Gardeners
As a gardener, spring means being prepared to remove some of the layers of mulch from my perennial beds, appreciating the bulbs that are blooming profusely in my flower beds, and enjoying the spinach and kale that wintered over in my garden.
And if you’re going to put down a pre-emergent weed preventer in your lawn, it means waiting for your forsythia to start blooming because that’s the time to apply it. This year, do it now.
Plans and Projects
Tolstoy said that “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” That’s true enough because Spring (mid-March) is when I’m going to plant potato sets and onions, shallots, and garlic—even strawberries and asparagus. I planted my onions, garlic, and potatoes this past weekend.
Some seeds can be directly sowed in early spring—read the back of the seed packet for when. I plant sugar snap peas every spring and planted them this past Sunday.
When the seed packet says to plant four to six weeks before the last frost date, I count back from May 1st, just to be completely safe—remember, last year, we had a frost on May 3rd. And after Mother Nature’s one-two punch last May, I’m going to pay close attention to the long-range forecast, too.
Spring can mean a little (or a lot) of work in and on my garden. I’ve already bought my seeds for squash, cukes, and green beans—while the selection is good, I’m still staying on top of the weeding, so there is work involved. On the other hand, Robin Williams once said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party.’”
Spring at the Great Big Greenhouse!
We have Spring going right now at the Great Big Greenhouse! Stop by now for the best selection of spring seeds, plants, and shrubs.
Also, check to ensure you have all the garden tools you need for your garden’s spring fling and beyond—and if you haven’t already taken care of it, get them freshly sharpened at our Farmer’s Market (every Thursday from 10 am until 2 pm).
We have a great selection of everything you need for a fabulous garden.