Sunday, March 03, 2013

Waiting To Spring


A friend of mine said the other day that, even though February is the shortest month, it just seemed to be dragging on and on and on this year, and I had to agree.  I think a lot of people have felt that way.  Not sure what it is exactly but March took it's time about getting here it seems and still managed to haul the cold and gloominess of winter along with it.  We woke up to a light dusting of snow this morning but it has at least, turned into a beautiful sunny day and might even warm up a little more than what they are predicting.  Snow in March is not particularly unusual for the deep south, actually.  If I can find my old photos I'll show ya'll some good spring snows we have had in the past.
At any rate, I have been trying to prepare the garden for spring, in between trying to get caught up on my pottery.  I am making a little progress on both fronts.  A local store got some rhubarb roots in so I bought a pack of 3 to get a very early start with them.  So far it seems they are loving this cool, rainy weather we are having.  I know they won't make it through the summer but I thought if I planted them early enough I might could harvest enough to make it worthwhile.  One pack of roots was less than a package of stalks for cooking at the grocery store, so I figured what the heck?  I put one root in a pot and will transfer it to a very shaded area after it gets warmer, just as an experiment to see how long I can get it to last.


Most of the garden has pooped out or been harvested and we are waiting on a dry spell to till things up and get the potatoes in.  I hate to mention all the rain we have been getting because I know so many of you all are in drought.  If I could send some your way I certainly would!


I have a surplus of pine straw in the yard right now so I have been raking it up and remulching all the stuff that like an acidic environment, like the blueberries and strawberries.  I have pruned most of the raspberries but still need to remulch them and start getting them lines up on their fence.  I also need to refresh that stone path in the garden!


The blueberries are loaded with buds and ready to pop!  Hopefully this will be a good year for fruit.


I know this is a horrible photo but I was just trying to show some of the broccoli and onions I have started for spring.  This photo is about 2 weeks old so they are a bit bigger now and I also have a flat of new cabbage plants started.  This is my first time to try onions from seeds so I don't know how well that is going to go.  I'll probably order some starts shortly just to make sure something makes it!


Just more gratuitous daffodil shots.  I was afraid the snow and 20 degrees temps would kill the flowers back but they seemed okay this morning. 


I add to them each fall and would like to just have blankets of daffodils all over the front lawn.  I like all the colors and varieties.


The chickens have been getting lots of cabbage and broccoli stalks after I harvest what I want.  You can see many of the plant skeletons laying around there.  They are pretty thorough in their scavenging and eventually pick the stalks down to nothing.
I've also got a crop of new lettuce and carrots planted in the cold frame and am just waiting on that to come up.  I am very slowly getting over the bronchitis and catching up on pottery and getting a jump on some spring cleaning but this winter has left me with some severe wanderlust and cabin fever.  The sadness of this past winter still clings and leaves me with a chill that even the sunniest day or warmest fire has trouble dispelling.

9 comments:

Ed said...

We are pretty lucky up here. You can find rhubarb planted on the south sides of buildings and it comes up every spring and lasts almost to summer. I look forward to rhubarb season! I love eating it raw though my wife doesn't.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to get out in the garden and get some work done, but it has been so wet here. Not a bad problem to have considering this pasts summers lack of rain. Soon enough I'll be getting at it.

R.Powers said...

My grandma from Pennsylvania used to make a delicious rhubarb/strawberry jam when I was a kid.

Good luck with your planting! The blueberries bloomed early here and got nipped by a good freeze, so I think I will have an average crop instead of the bumper I hoped for.

MamaHen said...

Hey Ed! eew, I don't know if I'd like it raw either! lol! I'll just stick with pies!

Hey Woody! well, glad ya'll have gotten somewhat caught up with your rain. Hopefully this summer will be better for ya'll.

Hey FC! Yeah, I love the jam and pies! I'm worried that my blueberries and the plums might get nipped this year too if they all continue at this rate. Seems we always have a late freeze the past several years.

pamit said...

Nothing says "spring" to me more than the fragrance of a fresh, uncut daffodil. I planted a bunch more last fall too; they are poking up through the snow now. Can't wait! Thanks for the spring pictures Annie.

JMD said...

Gosh your daffodils are pretty. I miss not being able to grow them here. What type of chicken is the black one with white on it? Sure pretty. Did you try to get different types of chickens?

MamaHen said...

Hey Pam! glad you enjoyed them!

Hey JMD! the hens in the last photos with the spots are Speckled Sussex. Yes, I wanted a variety just for the fun and to see what types I like best for future reference.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Glad you got some spring color in those daffodils cause ours have buds but seem nervous about coming out. It's not like we have had any snow either, just lots and lots of rain and wind. Getting out for a day trip is always a good idea. Enjoy your weekend.

Rusty said...

It looks like March is going out like a lion in this neck of the woods. Temp last night was -20C and there is still a little over two feet of snow on the ground.

Ah yes, you jogged my memory. I want to put in some rhubarb this spring. ATB!