Spring has Sprung!

It is only the first week of March and we’re already several weeks in to spring in the Pacific Northwest. I feel a little guilty when most of the country has been slammed hard with winter. I’m envious too. We didn’t have a winter to speak of here. A light dusting of snow around Thanksgiving and that has been it. The brief cold snap did nothing to the bug population. We were outside in the evening last week with mosquitoes already attacking. This probably doesn’t bode well for controlling the garden pests either.

I do know it was enough cold for the spring flower bulbs. The Snow Drops are already spent, the Daffodils in full bloom, and my Hydrangea is already leafing out, as it the climbing rose. The Irises look well on their way to producing a bouquet of beautiful blooms. I see the pink Peony is already sending up shoots and everywhere I go the ornamental fruit trees are blooming. One of the Rhododendrons is starting to bloom too. The lawn out by the orchard needs mowing but the ground is still too wet. We’ll have a hay field by the time it is dry enough.

Depending on what follows the “el Niño” the lawn will then be dried out by the end of July. I’m hoping this will not be the case. I don’t want to have to water the garden half the summer. The lawn can dry out, but the vegetables need adequate water. I’ve seen my dad grow tomatoes and other vegetables when the soil was so dry it felt like flour. I’m just not as confident in my skills as that. We’ll see.

Also hoping the extremely early spring doesn’t mean the growing season is going to be off kilter too. The weather has been beautiful lately, so perhaps the ground will be workable earlier than usual too. We’ll either have an early fall or an exceptionally long growing season for this area. I’m hoping on the latter and am going to try some things that don’t usually do well around here – cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, and maybe even a watermelon plant or two.

We’re growing a nice variety this year. The usual suspects of tomato, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, carrot, squash, pumpkin, corn, potato, pea, and bean are planned, as well as some heirloom varieties of tomato and an unusual squash that is supposed to good grilled – the Musque de Provence. It is similar in size and shape to what is known as a Cinderella pumpkin, but doesn’t turn the bright orange and I understand have a slightly different taste. Also putting in blueberries, strawberries and asparagus this year, but probably not have more than we can use ourselves this first season.

Looking forward to working outside this afternoon – so much to do!