Spring Fever

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By Ellen Leigh | February 8, 2007 | Category Uncategorized

It’s February as I write this, there’s been a severe cold snap this week, and the groundhog has seen his shadow- I’m not sure exactly what that means, but it does signify the halfway point to winter! From here on out, spring is edging closer and closer, and soon those flowers planted as bulbs last fall will be peeking out of the soil ready to burst into bloom! Indeed, I do think I saw some daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops poking up before the deep cold hit. Now they are nestled under a thin layer of snow, enough protection I hope against the most bitter cold.

Eventually though it will start to get warmer and spring will come, it always does, doesn’t it? Of course it never seems to come soon enough for us gardeners, and we will try to get out there as soon as the first warmish day arrives and start poking around finishing up that fall cleanup we didn’t quite get done (that would be me) and looking for new things growing, and plants that didn’t quite make it through the winter or perhaps were nibbled by the local rodent population. The dogs caught a vole in the yard last fall, so I will be looking for vole damage. I don’t know about you, but I tend not to mourn over the loss of a plant, to me a dead plant is a good reason to get a new plant. The catalogues are coming in steadily, and there are so many new, gorgeous or tasty things that can be grown here in Michigan.

Soon it will be time to prune the fruit trees, and bring a few branches inside to force the flowers in a vase. I usually wait until early March to do this chore- it’s a big undertaking on the Apricot tree, and I spread it out over 3 or 4 days. It’s right about the time this article will be printed in the March Grow Info, so if you’d like a bunch of fragrant Apricot branches to bring inside, just let me know and c’mon over and get them.

The Apricot tree blooms very early in the spring- about the time the early crocuses bloom and it’s a sight worth seeing too. I had a friend that would ask me every Sunday in March at church how soon the tree would bloom, just so she wouldn’t miss the fragrance and beauty of the tree. I think of her now every spring when the tree does it’s spring thing. It comforts me to know that her ashes and those of her husband, another gardener, have been scattered in the church’s beautiful Memorial Garden that we designed together many years ago. The hundreds of daffodils that we planted together still bloom there every spring.

Mid March is just the right time to start some seeds inside too- last year I wrote up some directions for building your own seed starting shelves – I wonder if any of you tried building those and started your own seeds. Let me know if you did. I find that it really helps with my spring fever, just to see those tiny seeds sprout and grow. I love the feel and scent of the moist seed mix and potting soil as I fill the seed flats and four packs and scatter the seeds. Right now though those shelves are filled with other things that I need to find storage places for before I can replace the light bulbs and get my supplies in order. Uh-oh- I think I’m feeling the beginning twinges of Spring Fever! I probably caught it from the seed packet display at the hardware store. Frankly, it’s my favorite sickness- you too?

See you in the Garden,
Ellen Leigh