Saturday 23 March 2013

It's Springtime

And now is the time of year to prune, sow, plant.
Oh, hang on a minute.


Oh well, maybe not. Hard to believe that at this time last year it was 20C (that's 68F in old money.) That Candlemas prediction was right on the button, wasn't it ?

When I first started gardening, it seemed quite straight forward. After all, the instructions of when exactly to do everything were written on the seed packets and in the gardening books. And so, I would sow tomato seed in February, because that's what it said on the packet, no matter what the weather was like outside. It took a while for the penny to drop, wondered why my seedlings were always so spindly. So now I garden to Nature's calendar which changes from year to year. The moral is, I suppose, to not believe everything you read. Oops, shot myself in the foot there.

Hope you're keeping your bird feeders well-stocked, so that the little birds can just fly in and ....
Something not quite right there. Yes, it's back, at least it was a few days ago, when this photo was taken. Must have been stocking up before the snow.

Ah, that's better, long tailed tits feeding today. Lots and lots of birds in the garden today, they'll be attracting predators if they're not careful. Talking of predators:

The magpies have finished building their nest at the top of the hawthorn tree. They don't seem very impressed with all the snow that's fallen inside it. And this brings me onto a very worrying point. Now is the time of year when many birds are usually nest building. In recent weeks there has been a lot of 'spring activity' if you know what I mean.  Hopefully, they knew what was coming and delayed things a bit.

Took this photo of self-sown Helleborus orientalis a couple of days ago. They are now under a large blanket of snow, but they'll be back. As too will these:

Galanthus Sam Arnott, usually finished blooming by now. But these aren't even fully open yet.

By the way, topical tip here. Topical I said, not tropical. If, like me, you have plants residing in a cold greenhouse. Maybe residing isn't the correct word to use there. Anyway, you're probably wondering when you should be watering them. The compost will be looking very dry at the moment, as a result of the cold weather. Well you know that snow, put it into your pots, not directly onto the crown of the plants though. Whilst the temperature is cold, the snow will act as a blanket, and when the greenhouse warms up, the snow will melt, not only gently watering the plants, but feeding them as well. Don't try this on tender plants that are still resting though. You don't want to wake them up in this weather.

And on a brighter note, remember that Nature always pays her debts. So, soon, we must be heading for a heatwave. You read it here first. Now what was that about not believing everything you read.

16 comments:

  1. You're right about gardening by the weather - irrespective of anything the books say, we soon learn to stick our hands into the soil and somehow it feels just right for sowing (clearly this won't be happening this side of Easter 2013). At least the snowdrops seem to be have flowered for ages ages, which is one upside to this eternal winter.

    Having read and enjoyed this post, I shall remember two words in particular: "tropical" and "heatwave"... well anyone can dream...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, it's not a dream, we'll be basking in a heatwave soon. Just need to check the dictionary definition of 'soon'.

      Delete
  2. Mam to samo w moim ogrodzie. Zima w tym roku jest straszna. Ptaki cały czas dokarmiam, bo gdzie one znajdą jedzenie, jak nie w karmniku. Pozdrawiam.
    I have the same thing in my garden. Winter this year is terrible. I feed the birds all the time, because where they can find food, if not in karmniku. Yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Giga, we're having the coldest March for 50 years, apparently.

      Delete
  3. You are way ahead of me here on the shores of Lake Michigan. Still have lots of snow on the ground - and NO flowers! Last year by this time, lots of early Spring bulbs blooming - now - nothing. I need Spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds as if you're having the same problems on your side of the pond too.

      Delete
  4. Brrr, that does look cold and so late in the year. No wonder the wildlife is a bit confused. We have a late cold front going through as well, no snow of course but I do need to bring in the basil and cover the tomatoes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shirley, at least you've got tomatoes to cover, mine are still in the seed packet.

      Delete
  5. Hmmmm...not quite sure about Nature repaying her debts, remember last year when we all drowned in the the dreadful drought. I shall continue to visit for regular weather updates as yours do seem slightly more optimistic than the BBC's xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah yes, but the deluge was repayment for the drought that preceded it.
      Last March, they predicted a water shortage, and we got 'a bit of rain' instead.
      This year, they are predicting a fuel shortage, because of the cold temperatures.
      So, T-shirt and shorts weather, yes?

      Delete
  6. The birdhouses are so cute with their snow-caps and your clumps look impressive, if you don't mind me saying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never been told I'd got impressive clumps before.

      Delete
  7. Although the snow missed us here - it's still very cold. It's not only my plants in the coldframe and my neighbours cold greenhouse that are needing water - this wind is really drying the borders out too. Great tip re snow on the pots....if only I had some!!
    Lovely pictures but don't you feel enough is enough!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most definitely, we need some sunshine and warmth

      Delete
  8. Spring sunshine ... warm on your back ... birds singing ... it's coming ! Hold your faith !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, but if it leaves it much longer it'll be midsummer's day.

      Delete