Despite it being an
extremely mild winter, it was long and hectic time wise (some
Christmas decorations still need to be taken down and stored away.).
With the return of spring weather, gardens and outdoor activities
Koyote Hill returns after a winter break. Enjoy.
The weather warmed in
March and the first I heard the early spring peepers was March 15
followed on March 20 with the appearance of the
woodland leeks (pictured digging).
Normally, these two would appear, at best, in early April and more
like mid-April in northwestern Pennsylvania.
We dug some leeks and
they are tasty as ever and can be used in many recipes and even
pickled. Good stuff.
Also growing early are
the swamp marigolds and the skunk cabbage.
Other early arrivals:
Robins were sighted in
early March as were some blue bird scouts followed by the turkey
vultures. I even jumped back when I saw a big snake earlier this
week. That was 100 % unexpected.
Further to the south
hummingbirds have been observed, according to the article, last year
in the Pittsburgh region, the hummers were spotted April 24. There is
a Web site,
www.hummingbirds.net
updated everyday which tracks their northward migration. Those
feeders might have to go up a little early this year.
For some more insights on how the early arrival impacted various businesses such as bait shops, farming and maple producers, click
early .
The question seemingly
asked more and frequently is what does this mean for the upcoming
summer months?
It still is a tad too wet to work the soil and begin planting some early spring veggies
outside, at least in this location.. Besides there is still
something of a battle between spring and winter temperatures; a few
days ago a low temperature of 18 was recorded after several days of
temperatures skirting the 80 degree mark.
Some garden soil in
the raised beds has been overturned but it is heavy, muddy and wet.
The first full week of April could see warmer temperatures and maybe
then peas can go in the ground along with some early lettuce, kale, red beets and onions.
Tomatoes are beginning
to sprout in the cold frame. This year will, hopefully feature
Brandywines and Speckled Romans, two on the favorites around here.
Peppers went into
flats today, March 28.
There is an old
weather folklore I follow every spring. Once the spring peepers sing
for the first time, there will be three cold events. We have had our
first, the second will come this week as temperatures are expected to
dip into the low twenties again.
The Full Moon for
April will be April 6 Good Friday. It seems before, during or right
after a full moon, we'll get a night or two of cold weather, so that
time frame might be the last shot of cold until next fall.
The April Full Moon is
commonly called the Full Pink Moon because of the blooming pink wild
phlox; it is also called the Full Fish Moon, the Full Egg Moon or the
Full Sprouting Grass Moon.
Worms
We've all learned how
beneficial worms are in the garden, in compost piles, and in fishing.
However, the worms can be destructive in our forests. Actually, the
worms are invasive and not native to North America. They were brought
here by the early settlers.
Weeping Willow – How
to help plants form healthier roots
Weeping Willow trees
have a lot of respect in yard landscaping as long as they are growing
in the proper location. These elegant trees offer rare beauty
particularly near ponds and bogs. They are also important medicinally
and their aspirin – like qualities were used for centuries.
They can also be used
effectively in the garden by cutting up the branches into one inch
pieces and placing the pieces in a jug of water. The willow piece
release substances which help the seedling plants form better root
system (or use the liquid to water cuttings or clones); the willow
also release a substance to help plants ward off various diseases.
