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March 12, 2003

Storm Watchers...
It certainly feels like spring today.  The air is so thick you could cut it with a knife.  Perfect conditions for a good ole fashioned thunderstorm.  We love thunderstorms here at the Marsh house. There is something about Mother Nature's wrath that intoxicates us.  Kevin, the leader of our pack, will position himself on the back deck watching in all directions for bursts of electricity crossing the sky.  The rest of the family joins in, finding safety in numbers.  We all stand outside as if we are watching a July 4th spectacular including the ooo's and ahh's.  It takes a high wind or a drenching rain to drive us inside.  Once inside we then press our faces to the glass so as not to miss a single glimpse of the storm.  Quality family time at its finest! 

Kevin and I attended an Organics Seminar today sponsored by Bradfield Industries.  It was quite interesting and next week we will include pictures and an article covering some of the topics. I must admit that I was very interested in the discussion.  I was educated on new techniques and ways to apply organic compost and fertilizers.  I really enjoyed talking with the other people attending the seminar as well.  It was exciting to listen to other gardeners discuss the way they incorporate "the organic way" into their gardens and lives.  Bob Scott, President of Bradfield Industries, has given me some products to experiment with so I will be talking about the application of the products and how they are working in my garden.  I love experimenting and trying new things so this should be great fun!

Special thanks to the thousands of you that followed through with our request for subscription confirmation.  This is really a great way to defeat spam and all reputable publishers should do it.

Don't forget that this weekend is Family Tree Nursery's Spring Open House.  An event you won't want to miss!  Kevin and I will be there a few hours on Saturday and Sunday so come on by and say hello!

~ Shelly  

A Day For Potato Heads?
While it's traditional to plant potatoes on St. Patrick's Day Savvygardeners should be aware of two assumptions made in setting this date.  First, that your soil is consistently 45º or higher.  The recent warm-up means sunny locations should be ready.   

The second assumption is that the soil is dry enough to be worked.  Working in overly moist soil can make a mess that will be hard to correct later.  How can you tell?  Grab a handful of soil and squeeze.  If it holds together like clay it's too wet.  If it crumbles like a cupcake it's ready for planting.

Watch the weather and your soil closely.  You really want to get those 'taters planted between now and the end of March.

Armed And Ready...
As you walk through your gardens take along a hand pruner and cut out the dead branches from your shrubs.  The living branches should be recognizable by the appearance of leaf or flower buds.  The dead ones are the "dead-looking" ones with no green visible underneath the brown outer bark layer.

For more assistance check out Pruning Shrubs in our Features section.

Staggered Start...
Getting the timing right on seed starting is pretty important.  Start too early and your plants will get leggy before it's time to put them outside.  Start too late and you miss out on valuable growing time (especially if you want the first tomatoes on the block).  Seeds are cheap, time is unrecoverable.  Instead of starting all of your similar seeds (tomato for instance) at the same time, try starting 1/3 of them each week for three weeks.  If warm weather is early, you'll be ahead.  If cold weather lingers you'll still have seedlings at the appropriate transplant time.

Time For Tomatoes?
A quick check of our Seed Starting Calendar reveals that it's time to start seeds for those warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.  Tomatoes can be found in many, many gardens.  Why not yours?  If you need some help getting started just read Seed Starting Tomatoes in our Features section.

Thyme For Renewal?
If you grow thyme in your garden you may want to rejuvenate your plot this spring.  Thyme, a low-growing, woody perennial herb, should be started from seed every two to three years.  This is because older plants produce coarser, lower grade stems and leaves.  Thyme seeds often germinate poorly when planted directly in the soil, so it's best to start plants indoors now for transplant later.

What's Hot On The Hotline...
Today’s Hotline article marks the retirement of the “Winter Wisdom” title for the season, and the resumption of the “What’s Hot on the Hotline?” name.  Last week’s article suggested some of the flowering shrubs that thrive under local growing conditions.  We’ll continue this week with some broadleaf evergreens that do well in Zone 5.  Read it in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Now Cut That Out...
So, you think it's too early to cut the grass?  Not the ornamental grass!  In early spring before new growth begins you should remove the previous year's foliage to promote earlier and more healthy growth.  Use hand clippers, a pruning saw, or sharp shears to cut your grasses back to within 3 to 5 inches of the ground.  To minimize the mess try tying the grass into a standing bundle before cutting.

While you're at it take a look at the centers of the plant clumps.  If the center of the clump shows little or no growth, it should be divided.  Separate and replant the vigorous growth on the outer edge of the clump.  Stand back and watch them grow!

Finally...
"If you have a mind at peace, and a heart that cannot harden,
Go find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden."

~ Author Unknown

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