It’s Spring… the Season of Promise Has Arrived

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In: Garden, Garden Basics, Garden Fresh Recipes
Enjoy all the fun of the spring season including decorated eggs.

It’s Spring… the Season of Promise Has Arrived

Some days it’s really hard to tell that we’ve moved into spring. The calendar says it’s spring, but the weather doesn’t always cooperate. The weather reminds me of a two-year-old. One day, the weather is beautiful with crystal blue skies and warming temperatures. And then the next day it turns cold and blustery.

Although we want to jump in with both feet and start gardening, we have to be patient. It’s important to go slow in the early days of spring. If you plant your heat loving crops too soon, you might have to start over. But the promise of these early, warm days and blue skies reminds us it won’t be long before our gardens are bursting with flowers and produce.

Spring is all about new beginnings. Rather than rush the season, enjoy it in each of its stages. These early days, with their frequently shifting temperatures, will eventually turn into the consistent warmth and beauty that we associate with spring.

How can you make the most of the early spring when it’s still too cold to plant, but you want to garden? Here are a few ideas to prepare yourself for this most amazing season as it slowly tiptoes onto the scene.

3 Ways to Enjoy the Early Spring Season…

Celebrate the Small Changes

Once Spring begins, we want it all right away… the warm days, the abundant flowers, time outdoors. But spring is like a crescendo. It starts with a few small changes, such as crocus and tulips popping up in our gardens. Flower buds form and burst open on fruit trees and shrubs. Then you’ll discover the return of the robins.

Little by little, you’ll see more and more of these changes. They don’t happen all at once, but they build on each other. Before you know it, you’ll realize that spring is in full bloom.

Instead of rushing, enjoy these moments. The garden is slowly waking up and these changes give us hope that soon we’ll be planting our gardens. Embrace the knowledge that God is faithful in bringing about these seasonal changes.

How can we celebrate this early spring season? Consider these activities…

  • Invite a friend over for coffee. Wrap up and sit out on your porch. Your garden is the perfect place to reconnect with each other. Even when it’s still chilly, the garden can inspire you.
  • Take a walk around your neighborhood and play “I Spy”. What signs of spring do you see? A patch of daffodils, the tall slender spikes of peonies, a blooming lilac bush? Maybe you see that first robin or a bird making a nest.
  • Track the changes you see in your garden and write them down. This time next year, you’ll have a better idea of how quickly the seasonal changes come.
  • Serve a special meal or dessert when you discover a new change. For example, when your fruit trees bloom, bake a dessert. If your peach tree is blooming, bake a peach pie. When your apple trees bloom, make an apple crisp.
  • Read a novel about the garden in spring. A few books to consider are The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, or Susannah’s Garden by Debbie Macomber.

Prepare for the Season Ahead

These early days of spring are the perfect time to make sure that you’re prepared for the growing season to come. Here are a few things to do to be ready for the garden…

  • Go through your supply list and get any last-minute items purchased. Do you still need some seeds? Have you purchased your fertilizer, steer manure, compost, seed starting trays, replacement tools, etc?
  • Make sure your garden beds are ready to go. Pull up any sprouting weeds. Top your beds with a layer of compost. Now is also a good time to create new garden beds if you want to expand your garden.
  • Get more physically active. Start going for walks, consider lifting some handheld weights, take a yoga class or begin a stretching routine. Many of us spent too much time sitting during the winter months, so we need to rebuild our muscles and stamina.
  • Start seeds indoors if you have the space and adequate light to grow plants. Not sure when to begin your seeds indoors? Look for a seed starting guide that is based on your last frost date. For planting vegetables, I’ve been using this guide from Clyde’s. I haven’t found a guide for flowers yet, so I use this rule: start hardy annuals first and then the warm weather annuals once we get closer to the last frost date.
  • Build gardening time into your schedule. When you jump back into the growing season, you might have forgotten how much time it takes. So begin early to designate “garden” time so you won’t be overwhelmed when the active season is in full swing.

Clean Up and Clear Out

Prepare for the growing season ahead by cleaning up your garden shed and supplies if you didn’t do this during the winter months. Use this opportunity to sort and wash your flower vases. Clean and sharpen any tools that you’ve used over the winter months. Organize your garden binder if you haven’t set it up for the year. Do you still need a garden planner? Grab my planner and get yourself organized before the garden season begins in earnest.

Start clearing out your freezer to make room for this year’s produce. I try to cook meals that include last year’s fruits and vegetables. If I still have large quantities of produce in the freezer, I will also water bath /pressure can or dehydrate those extras. Here are a few ideas of what to cook with your frozen produce:

Vegetables:

Fruits:

As Spring Progresses…

During the earliest days of spring, you can plant cool season crops such as onions, spinach, peas, and kale. You could also plant primroses, pansies and hardy annuals at this early stage as well.

Over time, as the weather warms, you can transition to planting your warmer crops. Don’t be in a rush to plant out your tomatoes, peppers, zinnias and dahlias. You need to know that the risk of frost is past and the days and nights are warming up.

Other Ideas to Prepare Yourself for Spring…

Check out these posts to help motivate and inspire you this spring.

Today the wind is howling. It’s not a good day to be working outside. But there are plenty of things to do to get ready for the gardening season. Even though the weather “toddler” is throwing a tantrum, I know that better garden days are ahead. The promise of spring days that are bursting with new life, fresh growth and hope are just around the corner. Be patient. Those bluebird days are almost here.