I took a moment out from work on the May/June issue of The Essential Herbal magazine yesterday, specifically to record what is going on outside.Mid-March looks suspiciously like late April. Above, you'll see that our Rosemary didn't just survive this year, it is preparing to bloom. Echinacea is coming up.
We are way past worrying about a frost - if it happens, there's nothing we can do to save the peaches, apples, blueberries, and cherries that are starting to bloom already. Gooseberries had tiny buds on Saturday that burst into leaves yesterday.
Many years, we are still under snow at this point, however we've already had a month of warm weather. Elderberry is busting out all over.
The furnace hasn't run in weeks, and the windows have been open daily. Comfrey is starting to grow through the debris from last autumn.
The "lawn" is full of speedwell, purple dead nettle, and shepherd's purse. It will need a good mow, which usually happens for the first time each year in late April or early May.
The easiest way for me to put a time-table on this is to remember that as a child looking for blossoms for May Day bouquets, there might be a few violets, perhaps some dogwood, and dandelions. This year, I can only imagine what will be blooming by May.
We have a full week of 70's forecasted ahead. Could it possibly be that our last frost was in February?
6 comments:
Although I'm enjoying it... it's kind of scary, isn't it?
Spring has sprung here in Ohio also....by the end of the week, we will see alot of green, our magnolia tree is budding, hyacynths
are up and smelling wonderful....garlic chives showing signs of life, my garlic is 4" tall. I do hope we don't get a freeze, I cannot recall an early spring as this one. Wonder what kind of summer it will be? Enjoying it anyway...for spring and fall are my favorites.....
A couple of years ago we didn't have a frost after March 30th - and that was the earliest I ever recalled. Feb 15th is absurd.
Where are you located? Here in northwestern Virginia spring is well underway as well...I'm concerned about the longterm effects of such an early spring, but at the same time I hope it doesn't freeze completely again this year because it will kill so much. :-/
So.Central PA - and we're expecting a frost tonight :-(
The peach orchard up the road is in full bloom. I'm going to miss them this year!
Here in Northwest Arkansas, in the National Forrest, spring has been really early. I awoke to a disturbance, it seems a horse of mine decided to take down a gate at 2:30 AM,he and the rest of the heard were meandering around outside the house. I dressed, walked outside flashlight in hand and began to round of the troops and haze them back through the gate.
In the process, I looked upward... To my amazement I saw lightening bugs... Something we don't see here in Arkansas till the end of May.
It was a pretty site, but kinda scary. This spring season for us has been quite a phenomenal one.
Love the Blog,
God Bless
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