As January came to a close, and it was pretty obvious the El Nino effect was happening, I got busy planning. The days will only get longer, and if you have a sunny day, better to work now, than in 2 to 3 months when it is sunny and hot. February is looking to be in the garden a lot. BTW, a great read on season extension is here.
Most people get the gardening bug around March and April, when for most items it is time to plant, but if you live in a moderate climate, like we do, peas can go in as soon as the ground can be worked. Once I had these two beds finished with being lifted in height, and new soil added, I planted 2 bush varieties, that don’t need to be trellised, on Friday the 5th. I haven’t grown Tom Thumb or Desiree Dwarf Blauwschokkers peas before, so they should be fun – and the worst is? I am out a few dollars in seeds. (PS, they are sprouting now at the end of the month!)
Some of my larger blueberry plants are already starting to slightly open their buds. I moved a few around in the first week, as I wanted to get them out of pots and into a raised bed that just isn’t lined up well for crops – but will do well for three blueberry plants.
I need to mulch the bed still, but otherwise it is good to go. They will have room to go, and will love the acid that the evergreen trees behind provide. Those trees dump a lot of pine needles every winter.
And warm sunny days lead to…opening up your unheated greenhouse and checking on everything for the first time in weeks. I am gambling and have unwrapped the Meyer Lemon tree from its winter wrap (I had it bundled up in white frost fabric), and I found a ripe lemon waiting for me!
I tore out the remaining winter Swiss Chard that was in the above bed, and doubled the height of this bed, and got it filled.
For the early spring planting, a third green pea, Sugar Ann Snow Peas, went in.
Spring comes early on February 8th, with one of the cherry trees showing a hint of buds to come.
Mid February means it is time to start getting ready to plant tomato, herbs, and onion seeds. I cleaned out the greenhouse and got the shelves ready!
More pots to get ready!
The Chamomile was sprouting on February 27th, it is in the red pots. Hopefully the new two strawberries we seeded will sprout soon.
All our tomatoes were seeded in late February in the greenhouse.
I picked up a Key Lime Tree that had just come in mid-month and got it repotted. It will sit next to the Meyer Lemon Tree in the greenhouse.
This semi-dwarf pear tree is starting its second year with us, and is promising a show soon!
In the 4th week of February, the Crabapple tree started leafing out.
Tiny bulbs popping up.
Love the random bulbs the squirrels bury.
But nothing feels more like Spring to me than putting out pots of flowers!
And to that….March is here, it’s planting season!