Just a reminder. Free Writers' Workshop from 10 a.m. until noon on Sunday, March 27th . Nosh food and coffee/tea. This will be in my home, Old Tiffany Road. Please contact me if you need more information. 259-2773 or connor@ohio.edu. Thank you. Joan Connor
Vermont Home Gardener
Mud Season Gardening
Snow has been replaced by slippery mud, a sure sign that spring is almost here! We now get just over 12 hours of daylight per day now and that stimulates new plant growth. It also makes our gardens irresistible on warmer days. Don't be tempted to get too ambitious just yet, but there are several jobs that can be done before digging soil. Houseplants and indoor sheltered garden plants would benefit from a feeding now. I prefer to use a liquid fish fertilizer for its slow release of micronutrients.
Hidden deep in all that leaf litter in your gardens are many overwintering beneficial creatures that need a little more time to awaken and get to work. Let them have this time and wait until we pass the freezing nights of April before clearing up those beds. It's also important that cold, wet soil not be disturbed yet. Let the water drain out for few more weeks before digging. Even walking across a wet, squishy lawn now is hard on the soil and roots. Still, there are plenty of mud season jobs that can be done now! A couple questions we'll answer in this article include "What seeds can I plant indoors now?" and What outdoor jobs should be done now?"
