Spring has not sprung
Winter Brightness by Grant MacDonald
NO, NO, NO, No, No….Regardless of the weather outside, it is not Spring. Last blog I told you to go ahead and plant primroses, pansies, and violas and so far they’re doing fantastic. Chances are ,even if we have a short term freeze these hardy annuals will survive.
there are times I think I need a whip and chair for those customers who want to get a really early start and are buying corn, tomato and squash seed to plant outside. folks, it’s too early. We all know the unpredictability of the weather here in the Northwest, and we could be shoveling snow in three days or canceling that Hawaiin vacation because it’s warmer here!
Okay, that’s a bit farfetched but seriously, we need to wait a little bit more. If this current weather pattern continues until late February, (20th+) I’ll probably start some peas and other winter veggies.
A lot of customers are asking about reseeding their lawns now. this too is a bit premature. My fear is that if we have a cold snap over the course of a few days it will kill the freshly germinating seed. For your lawn, pastures etc, I think it’s best to wait until the start of March.
Now is a good time to prepare your garden. Add some good compost, or steer gro, or chicken manure and till it in. Look at your garden and plan out what veggies you want and where to plant them for maximum production. If you’re lucky enough to have a greenhouse or you do a lot of seed starting in the house, come on by the Grange and look at our full line of Territorial and Ed Hume seeds in addition to seed starting soil, peat pots, peat pellets and starting trays.
I’m also bringing in some exciting new items to the Lawn and Garden Dept. including Dr Earth organic fertilizers, (which will flagship a renovated “Eco friendly” section. In addition to the pre-mixed ferts we will also carry the individual components for you to create your own recipe to nourish your plants.
For now, be patient. It looks like we’ll have another gorgeous year for growing veggies, but planting them early, even if it doesn’t freeze ,will slow and stunt their growth often times to the point that they won’t recover.
