how do you know when ..

spring is coming where you live? When I lived in PA, we'd wait anxiously for the robins, or daffodil bulbs to sprout. Now, in SC, I saw a robin last week! I don't know what to look for to know spring is coming ... It can't be Spring yet, it was 24F out there last night ... That isn't really super cold, but it's sure not spring!

What's a "sign of Spring" where you live?

-Jennifer

Robins arrive here in early Dec. so I await the buds of Pecan trees. The peacan trees are the last to sprout here and when I see those little nodes looking nobby...yahooo!

Can't go by robins in SC...or anyplace in the South.I had over 100 in my yard on Thurs with snow falling!They overwinter in these parts. I listen for the little frogs...we call them 'Spring Peepers'. When they start to sing,I know Spring is about here.

I pretty much do the same as Lisa, I wait for the budding of the Pecan trees. Usually the daffodils are shortly behind that. Other than that I wait until Good Friday(April 18th) before planting anything outside.
Wont be long now I'm sure!

Here in Florida and ol Farmers tale says the Pecan trees never lie, so we wait for the buds on the Pecan trees to arrive and then believe there will be no more freezes!

Katrina

In upstate NY, we pack up the 4th of July cooler and congratulate ourselves that Spring is here.

Seriously though, a gardening mentor of mine says that he pretty much starts planting around Easter. It's very hard to go by date up here, last year we had an inch of snow in "MAY".

Here in Maryland,our yard was full of robins one day this week.The ground was really wet,so guess they were hungry for worms(Do worms come up that close to the surface in the winter?)I haven't seen any more since that day.It makes you wonder where they stay that they come and go so quickly.

The robins get here in March and wish they'd have waited till MAY. the budding of the trees,the greening of the grass-heck the melting of the snow is a good sign-how about 50degree temps for more than one day at a time-thats a good sign.
The ice floats in the bay get smaller-lol
ID TAKE ANY SIGN RIGHT NOW-CABIN FEVER-sets in bad about FEB. All i want for Valentines day is seedstarting mix and domes and........!

Sunshine and snowdrops are usually the first signs here. Wish it was Spring already :}

Here in my zone 5 garden I feel it is spring when I hear the first meadowlarks and I am listening each day. The sun has been shining here every day for the past week, before that we had a solid month of fog and clouds, was warmer tho. Got down to 20 degrees last night, but warms up to mid 30s to low 40s in daytime. My first Eranthus opened today, they are so pretty and bright. rutholive (Donna)

No signs of Spring here yet... usually we can see the first snowdrop coming under snow in late February or early March.

A couple of days ago I was raking the leaves off my daffodil lined path - they are up 4-5 inches. I just finished, looked back and a big fat Bluebird was hunting for bugs where I had just raked - Spring can't be far behind!!

Jennifer, We're only an hour apart and I promise you spring will be here very soon. My daffodils and tulips are up, winter daphne is ready to pop and hellebores are waking up. Forsythia is ready to go too! In taking my walks, I've noticed lots of trees in bud already. Another way you can tell down here is when the leaves start falling off the pin oak trees. Spring is late this year with all the goofy weather we've had and record breaking lows. My hellebores and winter daphnes have always bloomed by February 10 and they aren't going to make it this year....:-(

When I see the Blue Heron who lives around here in the summer months I shout for joy. Our official last frost date in my area(central Missoui)is May 10th. We don't plant tomatoes, eggplant, etc. out in the raised beds until about that time. Robins spend the winter in the Ozark area about 60-75 miles south of us so seeing them in the yard isn't a really good sign.

The robins who spend spring/summer with us go down to the Carolinas for winter. The robins who spend spring/summer in Canada come here for the winter. So we have robins pretty much year-round here. Just different groups.

The sign of spring for me is when I hear the Cooper Hawks begin their mating calls. Usually mid to late February. The first bulbs usually are open by then -- snowdrops and species crocus and snow iris.

My bulbs are late this year...I've usually got crocus at least by now,and some years have daffs.We've had so much frozen ground....very odd...that they're barely poking out of the ground.

I also forgot to tell you. April is absolutely STUNNING down here with the azaleas on the ground and the dogwoods up high. It is soooooooo beautiful and colorful.

Since we only have about a week of Spring..(or fall either)...it is too easy for us to miss it...we go right out of winter into summer!! They determine it by so many nights of a certain ground temperature. Jo

It has been so cold this year. For me the first sign would be a puddle that doesn't freeze overnight.

Like Jo, we have a very brief and dubious spring and fall. But when we have enough of those warmer nights to warm the soil, the mesquite trees will leaf out, and they are never wrong. My peaches have needed pruning for several years, but one almost has to do it at midnight, as they need a little cold before and after pruning to reduce the liklihood of insect problems. The few days when it's cold enough for a couple of days in a row, it always seems to rain. The buds have already formed this year, and there is as always a danger they will be harmed by this cold following the spring-like days last week. Silly plums are already blooming.

Have to agree with Frankay...it has been so cold in the Northeast this winter. Once the ground fully thaws here in southern NH, the soil gives off the most incredible, rich smell! We had a few frosts in late May last year and I actually was still wearing my winter jacket through June 15! Can't wait for this spring!

When I see the Pussywillows out and my crocus coming up. This year the poor crocus might have 2 ft of snow to fight there way through if the weather stays cold. Supposed to go to -25 again the middle of the week. No signs of spring here.

here in western massachusetts it is seeing a robin. everyone gets so excited. you see it reported in the newspapers, on the local tv news and radios stations. opening a window and smelling that good earth smell, like rudbeckia said. ahhhhhhh so good. there is still a couple months or less to go until may 31st, my last frost date. and even though spring is in full swing and we are biting at the bit to plant those annuals and veggies, you don't because sure as anything on may 30th or 31st there is a deep freeze.
43 days to spring!!!!

WEll, I wasn't gonna say nuttin' but... I know spring is nearby cuz some folks around here (not all of them) tend to drive down our little road scoutin'. Yep, for sure! When the "Scouts" start showing up, I know it must be getting close. Ya see, they come down the road, usually slow, REALLY slow, like they're being sneaky, and they crane their necks out the winder (rubber-neckin') so's they can get closer to what they wanna witness! Some of 'em even squint their eyes real tiny-like, to get an even BETTER view! A few will cut the motor off and silently coast by on the down-hill, as if they're gonna discover something no one else has discovered! Yep. And when I see that kinda activity goin' on, combined with the reactions of folks sitting around the wood stove up at Porkchop's House of Pigmeat Cafe (hushin' up when I walk in the door) I knows for a fact Spring is nearby~!
Ya see, for some unknown reason, folks around here stare at me! I've even heard they talk about me! Behind my back! And for some reason, when they study me and my activities, they feel secure in knowing it's time to plant onions and early taters, garden peas, a few carrots and radish! Whew...I'm so thankful to them coming around spying on me like that! Why, if they didn't, I wouldn't quite know WHEN to get busy being an example for 'em!

ROFLOL @ Shoe!! They must think of you as their own personal Ground Hog! LOL
That story is too cute!

LOL groundhog shoe. i like it.

i thought of of another way i know its spring. my doggie franklin starts staring out the sliding glass door (i think he smells all those spring smells),then he'll bark at me until he gets my attention. then he starts to beg, sitting up on his little doggie butt with his little legs in the air,and his big brown eyes pleading to go outside.

LOL Shoe!!Wonder what would happen if you went out tomorrow and stuck a couple of mater plants in the ground.That would be sure to confuse all those peepers.

I know it sounds crazy, but we know for sure that is's spring when the buzzards come back.

Spring is on the way when the Robins come,But with that said,the Robins follow the food source coming in form of worms in the thawing ground,It has always been when you see the Robin,there will be another snow!I can't count the times I have seen a Robin in the yard with snow on his back!
Another Sure sign of Spring!
Shoe sunnin himself neekked by the greenhouse!(thats what the rubber neckin really is for)
Root. :)

Good one Punksutawny HorseChuck! I know its spring when my house watcher neighbor calls me from NY and says "You better get up here 'n mow your grass or you'll be cuttin' HAY".

HAH! Now I have a rep as a "harbinger of spring"~
Hey, snowhermit!...'member last year when Weezin and hubby planted maters in the snow? All becus I trimmed my winter beard? Hehehehe....

(Wish I could find that thread.)

I found it!!! Yes Shoe - It's a classic. Didn't Dave put this one us as picture of the Day last year?? I think of this one often, thanks for reminding me. I'm sure the newbies will enjoy it!

http://davesgarden.com/t/228756/

This lovely picture was on the Christmas Card that Weez sent me...a classic!

Shoe, that will be me in May planting Brugs and veggies in two feet of snow.Jeesh, if the weather doesn't warm up soon we'll be planting in Aug up here.

HAH!...Just went and read that hyperlink. Was GREAT to re-read it! What a fun laff! Loved seeing it again! Thanks, Azalea!