With spring starting tomorrow I can hardly contain my excitement. The weather is settled and being kind. Well if you don’t count the 48 hour period last week that delivered over three and a half inches of nonstop rain. This freaked me out a little as I was on track to being the most spring ready I’d ever been and I was back to being flooded again. But this weather event had the courtesy to be followed up by such strong winds it dried up all the rain in no time and I’m back on track and looking forward to a great spring season.
But as I review my notes and remember springs gone by, I am reminded that spring is the most tumultuous season there is. It is unrestrained in its indecision and without so much as a moments notice will turn a almost summery feeling day into an icy bleak winter one, and then back again as though nothing untoward happened.
For my tender burgeoning garden, that will be filled with the more hardly yet still vulnerable plants in these early spring days, this can be a tough time. Take my peas for example. Last spring, I recall having to sow my seeds more than once in order to get some plants to reach maturity. Heavy rains would rot them in the ground before they had a chance to break through to the surface. Heavy frosts would delay their progress and the birds just thought it was a great buffet and snipped away at the tasty tender growing tips. They really didn’t stand a chance and I’m surprised I even managed to limp seedlings along to the flowering stage last year. It was a real battle.
Well not this year. I’ve taken things into my own hands and have created a cosy environment by making a handy row cloche for them to become established free from the unpredictability of the spring weather and sheltered from those greedy birds.
Once they seem strong enough to cope on their own and have established good roots and shoots, I’ll release them to experience the elements so they can grow tall and make me some peas.
Come again soon – spring is about to be sprung…
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Lovely update thank you for sharing have a blessed day
Thanks Linda. : o)
I have extra supports on the corners of the bed, about a foot higher than the rest of the wood construction. Over this I pull Agribon. This spring I also took a large pot with seedlings and covered it with the same fabric, but a double layer. Looked into it 4 weeks later after some snow, everything survived well. It also provide good shading against aggressive sun.
That sounds like a good plan. It is amazing to see how inventive we can be when looking after our gardens.
Cheers Sarah : o)