With more impending snow today, as I write this article, I am sure we all have a good case of spring fever.
We all want to be outside and working in the yard, but Mother Nature has other ideas. She is teaching us patience — just like we have to be patient when we want those seeds to sprout and flowers to bloom and those tomatoes to ripen. But there are some things we can do to help pass the time until we can be outside.
In March you still have time to prune some trees and shrubs before growth starts for the season. There is some good information on the University of Minnesota Extension website to help you determine if the plant material in your yard can be pruned at this time. You can start some varieties of seeds - you will at least get your hands into some dirt. Good information can be found as to what types of seeds can be started and when is the best time to do that. The University of Minnesota has just released the Seed Trial results for the growing season of 2022. The report gives good information about the varieties that were tested. Some varieties were not so good while others were awesome.
Do you have some jugs in the snow banks where you have done some winter sowing? You still have time to do some of that if you have not done so yet. It is a good way to get perennials started for your yard. Vegetables and annual flowers can also be started in this way. Read those seed catalogs that you received. You can dream big and then come back down to reality and plan for the garden space that you have. Try something totally out of your comfort zone, something you never thought you would plant.
Give your houseplants a fresh start - with some new soil if needed. In March, your houseplants like the longer daylight hours we have and they begin to wake up from their winter doldrums and start some new growth.
You can listen to podcasts - a couple I can recommend are WCCO’s Smart Gardens. Denny Long hosts them and they take questions from their listeners - a good way to get your questions answered. Another good one that is geared to Fruits and Vegetables is What’s Killing my Kale?
Check out the University of Minnesota Extension website and click on the Yard and Garden area. A lot of the information I just talked about can be found there, along with a lot more information to help you with your gardening.
This is link to the information, so please check it out https://extension.umn.edu/
I can promise that spring will come, we just have to be patient a little longer!
