Has your spring sprung?

[Mike CHS]

It was spring like in Charleston, SC last Tuesday when we left for Tennessee. I moved a bunch of huge asparagus crowns from SC to plant in raised box beds in Tennessee. The low was only down around 25 degrees but the wind was gusty all day long. I guess I'm getting wimpy in my later years but I had to break out under garments not worn in years.

We hadn't planned on leaving until Monday but the state was akreadt threatening to close roads due to the ice storm that was coming. Talked to our neighbor this morning and he said the whole area was shut down and power was constantly on and off.

 

[greybeard]

E. Texas--40 miles N of Houston--light freeze tonite then a warming trend till the next front comes thru. Ground temps still too cold to even think about tilling up my garden.

 

[trampledbygeese]

Spring? I'm not certain we've had winter yet. Been incredibly mild on the West Coast of Canada this year. Of course, we may still have winter, our last frost date isn't till sometime mid/late April. We could even get snow this year, but unlikely if we don't get any by the end of Feb.

It's been so warm, I'm having so much trouble not planting everything in the ground yet. So far, I've only planted favas (both overwinter and spring planting), peas, garlic (overwinter and spring - I do the spring planting so I can harvest the bulblets from my best over winter keepers), random greens like komatsuna, miners lettuce, &c. I've also selected the carrots, neeps, mangelwurzels and beet that survived the winter in the ground the best, and transplanted them to the seed saving parts of the garden. Still harvesting kale and chard, although my attempt to grow lettuce in the greenhouse met with mold and mildew. Most of the chard was devoured by leafhoppers in Jan, so I don't think it's a good batch to keep for seed (besides, enough challenge isolating the beet from the mangelwurzels)

The barley I planted in Jan using the Fukuoka method (from the book One Straw Revolution) is about an inch and a half tall now. It's doing much better on terrible soil (I say soil, it's more like hardpan with a few weeds) than the barley in the garden. First year trying this method, quite pleased with it. Need to get more barley seed.

Lambs have started 'hatching', the ducks are multiplying quickly and the geese have three eggs in their nest. We had shearing day yesterday, so of course we get a frost overnight.

There are two indicators of spring here. The first being Easter - early easter has always equaled an early spring for me in this city. Although, I'm not certain I want to admit how many years I've lived here. The weather themes here STRONGLY follow the lunar cycle, so that's why I use lunar festivals to plan my planting. Pancake Tuesday is usually the day I use to change from planting fava beans and garlic to planting peas and greens. It's also the day I eat pancakes, mmmm... Pancakes and peas planting.

The other indicator for here is the tree locally called Indian Plum (it's not really a plum, but that's what people call it). I noticed it's bright green shoots along the side of the road this week. It won't be long before the fruit trees are in full bloom.

As much as I love snow and shoveling the driveway (actually, I do love shoveling my driveway even if it's far too long and hilly), I'm grateful we don't have the ice storms or winter I keep hearing about on the East Coast. Keep up your spirits guys, spring is on it's way!

 

[Chivoville]

Yes, it's here! We are excited to see the bluebonnets in the pasture this spring We haven't seen them in 4 years due to the drought but we've had a good amount of rain in the last few weeks.