After 3 blizzards, record snow fall, collapsed hoop house's, it has arrived. We were in the 60's today. Was able to get all my all my spring seedlings in (spinach, broccoli, chard, arugula, and lettuce to many kinds to name) in the ground over the weekend. Nourse got me started by shipping my rasperries canes and aspargus 3 weeks early, had to add a 36' x 3' raised bed to accomadate them. Just wanted to say Happy Spring and Happy Gardening to everybody here at Dave's. Have a great Season.
Butch
Spring is HERE!!!!!
Yeah, I am so happy it is warming up too. I expect to plant some peas and some radicchio in the next day or so.
It is supposed to get up to seventy degrees today! The sun is out! We were fencing on Saturday so I couldn't work in the garden and Sunday turned into a very rainy day. But I did manage to get out and check on the garlic I planted out last fall. Surprise! All of the garlic looks good--I thought I had lost some of it to winter weather--AND the walking onions are coming back! I thought they were gonners for sure. What a surprise! I ran to get the camera as I wanted to post a photo but it started to rain and then pour. So no photo and I didn't get to plant more lettuce like I wanted. But maybe tonight after work. AHHHHHH! Finally spring!
No it's not. That's just a mirage. Next week it'll be 30 degrees...somewhere...right after I plant out my seedlings!
I agree with gymgirl - I have a "feeling" that winter is not over! I am hesitant to plant ANYTHING until a week or TWO beyond our normal "last freeze" date - I think we're in for a bit more winter, as much as I hate to say it! We are all so excited to FINALLY have some spring-like weather, but I am remaining cautious! So I am occupying myself with starting more seeds indoors, weeding, prepping & amending beds, planning, etc - anything to keep me from prematurely planting things just to have them frozen! But, if I'm wrong, you all braver souls will certainly have the jump on me!
I wish!!!!!! The temperature here this morning is 27 degrees with a new inch of snow on top of what was already on the ground. And, the wind is blowing, so no telling what the wind chill temp. is. But they say it will warm up later this week. I want sun!
Hey, Butch - happy Spring 2010 to you too! I'm in Charlotte NC and the night time temperatures are finally above 40F. I fertilized my asparagus over the weekend, and cleaned out the strawberry bed.
I've decided it's too late to sow peas for this year :( Back when they should have gone in, it was too wet and cold, so I figured the seeds would just sit there and rot!
What a winter! I'm glad it's over.
Butch, here in Silver Spring its absolutely gorgeous. I feel like Eve at the dawn of creation. Have you listened to the birds? Even their songs have changed. Sunday I got my husband to help me set up 2 'x6' raised beds and the cold frame. Yesderday I added potting soil and planted out the radish seedlings and put some other seedlings in their pots in the coldframe. I also have some strawberries in it. I plan to add a bed every week or so. I'm just thrilled to be out in the sun again. Spring is so glorious here in Maryland.
I have planted cool weather crops, all thrive in these conditions and can handle temps down to 30 less maybe the Chard. I didn't plant Tomatoes and peppers they are scheduled to go in the 17th-18th of April. The 10 day outlook here says no chance of frost or freeze, and if it does I break out the frost blankets and cloches. I Would rather see my plants thrive than see them bolt, and my peas dry up in the 80 degree temps the 1st week in May. Pea's are breaking ground under my trellis today. Gymgirl do they even have a change of seasons in Zone 9a? Good Luck all and to everybody in the North don't let those southerner's scare you, you'll miss the boat.
I am so glad all my friends in the rest of the country are seeing signs of spring! I've felt like the lone ranger as most of my spring crops have been in the ground since mid-February. Our "official" last frost date was yesterday, but I can't ever recall seeing a frost that late in 17 years I've lived in the desert - lol. I did plant some later crops of 'maters and peppers this past weekend before the rain. Cool (for us) temps this week so I'm hoping everything settles into the garden nicely...
Linda - you need to just go ahead and plant those babies! Keep a few in reserve just in case, but I think it will give you a nice headstart if you get them in the ground now!
HoneyBeeNC, it's not to late for pea's. Take your seed's put them in a paper towel, sprinkle a little inoculant in the paper towel with the seeds then wet it. In 3days or so they will sprout. Then plant them in the garden with a little more inoculant in the furrow and in 2 days they are breaking ground. Just something that works for me. Give it a try what's to lose.
Butch
Butch
I found soaking mine in warm water for a couple hours woks too. This year my germination rate has been horrible, I don't know why. I'm planning on doing successive plantings though so maybe the next one will do better. I've been starting everything indoors the last couple years and I find that makes the garden more productive. I'm just so glad to be back in zone 7. Seems like we can grow anything here.
How old are the seeds Yehudith? I think the optimum temp for germination is about 75 degrees.
I just hit the FREE BAMBOO motherlode!!! Gonna pull out the chain/cippysaw this weekend!
I am feeling such a rush right now!
Kelly,
Girl we are all over the place today. Did I mention I DO have a day job!!! Which I need to buy more gardening stuff...er...NOT -- more gardening stuff.
They were new from Baker Creek. I'm very happy with Baker Creek, this is the first time its happened with them. I think I did something wrong. I used my heat mat with a cover and I bet they got too wet.
Linda - we are all over the place - lol. Score on the bamboo! That stuff has1001 uses!
yehudith - Baker Creek has excellent seeds so you know at least you have good seeds;o)
Free Bamboo! You luck dog, Gymgirl! I'm a big fan of bamboo but when we bought this place I found a pile of cattle panels and have decided to use those as they are, well, free. Not as pretty, but free.
Another beautiful day today and I'm still stuck at work! Ah well, may still be nice whey I get home (fingers crossed)!
Yes, the weather is starting to turn but like most people I am sure there will be another cold chill or two to keep us on our toes. I sprayed nematodes in my backyard last Friday so I am excited to see how they work out. Hopefully I can stay one step of the fire ants for once!!! I also put out 2 hummingbird feeders last week as well.
Need to make another bed and work on existing ones this weekend...
We had a micro-burst (I think that is the term) right over or house last evening. Very scary but no real damage.
I did manage to get more lettuce seeds planted before the winds and thunder started. This weekend is supposed to be really nice. Radishes, more spinach, carrots, and maybe some nasturtium (all seeds) are waiting. Oh, and the last of the potato starts. More tomatoes to pot up and peppers and eggplants. The second round of tomato and pepper plants are ready to go out onto the screen porch to start harnening off. Not to mention the ongoing planting out of roses. It is starting to look like a garden at my house. I've got a long way to go, though =~)!
Oh, and if it does rain, DS #1 went to Half-Price Books in Dallas and brought back ten mysteries for me...
Well, Spring has been here for a few weeks. The blossoms have come and are just about ready to drop. The leaves are rapidly coming back on the trees. (Didn't mean to rhyme.) The roses will be in bloom by the end of the month. It has been in and out of the 60s since the beginning of the month. Next week, we will start getting in to the 70s.
Locakelly, all the warm season crops will be in by the beginning of April. You're not alone. I plant my spring crops in mid-January, since they bolt before May. Our frost dates are not really that accurate, either. We may get one real touch the ground frost for a few hours in the early morning for a few days in December or January.
G-d is good isn't he. I'm watching the squirrels and pigeons on my deck right now, the raggedy forsythia are chomping at the bit and ready to pop, a few green I don't know whats are popping up in my woods, the maples are starting to bloom, my friend's daughter just had a baby boy and another daughter just got in from Israel with the news of another grandbaby on the way. Yes, G-d is good and spring always reminds me of that. Now if we could just kill off all the deer!!!!!!!!!!! And lets bump off the rabbits while we're out of it!!!!
Terri,
There's a DGer who made a gorgeous, cattle=panel arch over which is growing her beans? peas? Something beautiful. She used 4x4s with decorative brass? caps on them on the ends. Fantastic.
You've got your OWN motherlode!
Here's the link. Take a look! We saw another pic when the greenery had grown over the top!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=6982199
Thanks, Gymgirl! I vaguely remember that photo the first time around and am glad to see it again. I remember cocoalulu, too.
I love the ideas people come up with for uses for cattle panels.
We've had record high temps here for most of the month -- the snow is gone, the ice has left L. Michigan (at least my local part of it), and I saw a robin yesterday morning, up in a tree, singing his little heart out!! Every year I get bummed out because March gets here and I think it should mean it's spring but then it isn't.... but this year it is, well, maybe.. keeping fingers crossed...
:-)
Still nothing close to freezing temps in the 10 day outlook. My garden is going crazy. Thinking of starting beans and cukes soon.
Tomorrow is officially the first day of spring, so there is hope yet...
Just got through sowing more yellow crookneck squash, acorn squash, and muskmelons.
Pole beans/ contender beans might go in this weekend, but I still need to prepare more beds.
Here's a pic of my spineless beauty zucchini (hybrid).
How innocent those little zukes look when they are small - lol... Pretty soon they'll be taking over your garden. If you get overrun I have a great zucchini bread recipe!
Samething here in Silver Sprng. Spring is definetly here. The woods behind my house are just coming alive with daffodils, galanthus and a bunch of other stuff that I can't identify yet that were put in by the previous owner and naturalized. I've got the cauliflower out in the veggie garden and the peas and spinach. I put the tomtoes out in the coldframe Fri night. I'm going to plant out the chard and other greens today becuse they already have their true leaves. Strawberry plants are blooming and some already have a couple baby strawberries.
Man I love spring.
Yehudith
I love spring today! Yesterday, however, was not spring for me. Snow blowing horizontally, temp's in the low 30's. No power. BRRRRRR! But my tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings were safe in their "snuggle" boxes and not in the ground, so woohoo! I may be planting out this weekend! I did manage to get my new daylily starts planted Friday as the temp's were dropping. Got them covered with mulch and they looked good this morning. Baby steps!