Good Afternoon Great-Gardeners,

Nursery should never have asked their magic 8 ball if spring was coming. Maybe then, it wouldn't have snowed. Although there is a folktale that says there will be three snows after the Forsythia bloom.

My Forsythia bloomed, but it got frozen. Does that count?

Since March came in like a lion we are hoping it goes out like a lamb. The weather for the next week looks like temperatures will be rising making it the perfect time to get out into the garden to weed and trim back perennials.

New shipments of plants will be starting to arrive here this week and in the coming weeks. Some shipments did get delayed due to the weather. Nursery has been waiting patiently for them to arrive. 

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, hit reply. I would love to hear from you. Have a great-gardening day.

Sincerely,
Holly

After my spring blooming bulbs are done blooming what do I do?

As blooms fade, snip or pinch them off to improve appearance of the plants. Do not cut back, tie, or otherwise disturb the foliage while it is still green; this interferes with its job of collecting enough energy for next year.

Once foliage has turned brown, carefully trim back foliage to the ground.

When can I transplant spring blooming bulbs?

Fall is the ideal time to transplant bulbs. The foliage by that time has died off and bulbs have gone dormant.

How am I going to figure out where the bulbs are in the fall?  

Mark bulbs that need to be transplanted by using popsicle sticks or seed markers.

How can I tell when my soil is ready for planting?

The soil in one area may be ready to work, while in another is still soggy from snow melt or rain. It's important not to work the soil while it is too wet. It can take years to improve your garden soil with amendments, and one zealous afternoon with the tiller or spade can undo that benefit for the entire season if the soil isn't dry enough.

Ideal soil is about 45% mineral content (dirt), 5% organic matter, 25% water and 25% air. Yes, oxygen is required for roots to thrive. If the soil is worked while it is still too wet, it becomes compacted, allowing less room for air.

To determine if your soil in an area is ready to be worked is a simple matter. Take a handful of soil from a few inches down and squeeze it into a ball. If the ball crumbles, your timing is perfect. Grab a glass of lemonade and your spade and get to work. If the ball sticks together (like picture above), wait a few days and check again.

All of our seed has arrived. If you are planning to grow your vegetables from seed now is the time to seed these indoors.

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Red Cabbage
• Savoy Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery

• Pickling Cucumbers
• Slicing Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Watermelon

Though we call them “Pansies,” they are anything but wimpy. One of the toughest flowers, Pansies are perfect in our climate. Cheering up the landscape and bringing sunshine to a cool spring day. They can survive light freezes and short periods of snow cover.

Plant them in an area that will have light shade in the afternoon to keep them thriving when the hot days of summer hit.

Fun Facts:

• Pansy comes from the French word, pensee which means thought or remembrance.
• Pansies are one of the oldest cultivated flowers in history.
• The streaks on the pansy are supposed to foretell destiny; if the petal, plucked, is marked with four lines, it signifies hope; five, hope sprung from fear; leaning toward the left, a life of trouble; leaning toward the right, prosperity unto the end; seven, constancy in love; and if the center one is longest, Sunday will be the wedding day; eight lines denote fickleness; nine, a changing hart; ten lines on one petal, foretell riches; eleven, a large family.
• In Italy the pansy is known as flammola (little flame).
• American pioneers thought that “a handful of pansies taken into the farmhouse in the spring ensured prosperity, and to neglect this ceremony brought harm to baby chicks and ducklings.

Hip hop down the bunny trail with this cute little viola. Flowers resemble tiny bunny heads with ears and whiskers.

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. dried lavender flowers
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine the flour, lavender, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

    Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 in. apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray.

    Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 7 dozen.

Note: If using lavender from the garden, make sure it hasn’t been treated with chemicals.


10 am: Harvesting, Cooking & Preserving Herbs
Johanna Knox, from the Herb Society, will be here talking about Harvesting, Cooking & Preserving Herbs.

11 am: Herb Planter:
Cost: $24.99
Create an attractive herb planter compromised of tasty, aromatic, culinary herbs. Johanna Knox will help you design your planter, and will instruct you in the care of your plants so you can have a successful herb garden wherever you have room for a container.
1 pm: Medicinal Plants and Herbal Formulas

Carrie Brasseur from Brasseur's Health Food Store will be here talking about Medicinal Plants and Herbal Formulas.

Bring your questions to this informal session about starting veggies. Steve will discuss the ins and outs of starting your garden from seeds or plants and the importance of soil preparation. Cost: Free

Sunday, April 9th
Time: 1 pm - 3 pm
Cost: $5 per child

Bring the kids, grandkids, cousins, and friends and enjoy the afternoon. Open to all kids up to age 12.

Have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny, receive a goody bag, plant seeds, decorate a ceramic egg, and make a craft.