Gardening Blog
- Access to all of our posts and comments
- Your own profile including an avatar, buddy lists, and other social networking features
- The ability to send private messages to other users on this site
- The ability to chat and interact with other citizens in and around Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
(Don't live in Ardmore? That's okay. We won't hold it aginst you.)
|
|
Hey all, Well, it is March 1st and I've noticed that the snow drops are up and the crocuses will not be far behind. You know what all this means - it is time to get in gear for Spring and it is time to get ready for gardening again. Well, actually it is a bit late in some respects - if your starting peppers indoors for instance. I'm going to try to keep this blog going with periodic updates and thought I'd start off with a quick prelude to Spring. It is time to start indoor peppers from seed and on the wee bit of the early side to start tomato from seed, but that can be in the next week or two. As for outdoor work, well it is pruning time for those of you who feel the need to do it for trees, shrubs, and fruits. In the garden, as soon as the ground is workable this is the time to put in english peas and also hardy chinese(choys) and other greens like kale and collards. I like to watch the weather for any of those unusual warming trends we have been having in the last decade - when they occur it is often pretty easy to get any of these seed plants to germinate outside. Also, radish can often be started early in March in just these conditions - last year, if you remember the ice storm we had over St. Patty's day, I had one inch radishes in the ground which I left exposed - they did fine and were being harvested by the 2nd week in April. Happy Gardening and come on Spring Bill H. |
- Ardmore Bill's blog
- Login or register to post comments
As for the flower beds, and
As for the flower beds, and my small vegetable garden (Squirrel Feeder) I started something years ago, dedicating Mother's Day to a gardening blitz. I have cheated in the last few years by planting a few periennals here and there to reduce the amount of annuals being planted. Spring will be a welcomed event, but I choose to hibernate for just a while longer.
I've been watching for the
I've been watching for the crocuses I've planted around my house and a few are up and open. I'll have to swing by the park to see how all the ones we planted over there are doing - I would expect it to be a little colder in the park but last weekend I did notice lots of daffodils peaking. All sure signs that Spring is just around the corner. Also, anyone notice the Willows all have changed color and now have a yellowish look to them. Today, many birds were out singing and looking for mates...this was great for my spirit.
small miniature irises are
small miniature irises are coming in as well as some hyacinths and smaller of daffodils...I'll be MOST interested to see if the Dahlias that I forgot to take out of the ground last fall - are still viable.
I wouldn't get your hopes
I wouldn't get your hopes too high about the Dahlias - alas, it is not the cold that does them in, it is the wetness of the ground. It is the same reason why many tulips also have trouble making it thru the winter. These tubers originate from very dry, arid lands and are just not adapted to the amount of moisture our soils have through out the winter. But, surprises do happen - we can have hope for your Dahlias...
So far it has been a cold
So far it has been a cold March. Unlike two years ago when we had a week of mid sixty degree weather, this March has been similar to last year in that it is more typical of temperatures we should have in the mid-atlantic region. I do see some temperatures for the next few days leading into the weekend that are high enough to get some germination out of the soil outside. I'm going to give the next week a shot for planting bok choy, radishes and english peas. The traditional date for this region for peas is St. Patrick's Day so getting peas into the ground in the next few days is right on schedule. The long range forecast for next week is for day time temperatures to dip down into the 40's. The day temps. are just fine, it is the night temps. that have me concerned since they could be at or below freezing. Newly germinated plants will need some additional protection if this is the case. My answer to this has been 3 to 5 mil. thick plastic coverings or even old bed sheets, held down by well placed bricks to keep it from blowing off.
Also remember that Cotyledons, the first shoot produced by a seed after germination that produces two leaves, are more hardly to cold than the "true" plant that develops with the next set of leaves. This gives the March gardener a little more room for mistakes with the cold when one is slow to tuck in our little garden babies for the night.
While out preparing some of
While out preparing some of my vegetable beds today, despite a pulled back muscle and orders from my wife not to do anything strenuous, I dug up the last of the winter carrots. I'll try to get the pictures up for everyone to see. When my son came home from school he decided to help prepare one of the beds. Well, it is rare occurrence when my ten year old decides he is into gardening so I was all for it. While turning the soil in the area of the few potato plants I had in the ground last year, he uncovered a jackpot of potatoes that made it through the winter in the ground. I'll post pics of this to since it is the only way to see them now - they were eaten for dinner!
Psst! If these are all
Psst! If these are all separate things, it would not hurt to make separate blog posts for them. It would give me more to work with when it comes to creating a category system.
-- Doug