As the snow recedes and the frost oozes from the ground like a bad memory and we walk around the yard in March we have to remember to remove our boots when we return to the house or else we’ll truly bring the outside in. Our gardens may not be quite as neat as we remembered them in late fall; in those last warm November weekend days when we, not without some embarrassing frenzy, spent the last hours of the year in the garden before the deep frost gathered and the snow and ice of a New England winter embraced the landscape. I remember being out here in December… the temperature still hanging strangely onto 50 degrees… pruning hemlock and pine branches to string a twenty-five foot garland around the entrance porch. My enthusiasm at the time is evidenced by the not quite so selective pruning job I did in the spirit of the holiday. My early spring inspection of the yard reminds me that I’ll have some corrective pruning to do to make things right with my old hemlock and trust that I did no lasting damage. And in fact, the garland lays dry and dropping needles along the side of the house. There must have been a reason I didn’t get rid of it the winter but I can longer remember what it might have been. So I’ll add it the list of spring clean up.
I start a small fire and walk the yard picking up sticks. My dog expects me to throw them for her and expresses her silent disappointment when I add them as fuel for the fire. The pine cones sizzle in the flames as I gather them as well. The lawn is in some disrepair from the enthusiasm of this good dog in her pursuit of things thrown. In the winter she bounds through the snow doubling her exercise in its resistance but now, with the snow gone, the lawn areas have given way to her pursuit and the torn grass is evidence of her enthusiasm. I take some time stomping with my boot sole on some of the rougher areas but I’m confident the lawn will restore itself. Grass has a way doing that.
As much as we want to get a head start, there are limits to what we can do yet. Picking up debris and putting the first shallow edge on the beds and pulling the mulch edge back into the bed. Light pruning of any dead branches or brown foliage on the evergreens. Pulling any bedded mulch away from the trunks of shrubs and small trees. Look for the bulbs pushing up through the beds and it might not hurt to pull some mulch away (with your hands) and let the soil and plants feast on the warm sun.
Any time now you can prune some long branches off the forsythia, plunk them in some water, put them in a window and you’ll have a feast of yellow flowers within ten days or so. They’re ready to pop.
You can get a head start on liming if you have acid soil. And you can take measure of your lawn areas to see exactly what you’ll need for fertilizer. Most if it’s sold in 5000 square foot increments. The only problems is that unless your lawn is really thick, you’ll leave some footprints in the wet soil as you walk your back forty…whether it be feet or acres. And those you’ll be repairing in April.
But it’s March. It’s close enough to spring. If nothing else take a look and make a list of all you’ll need to do in the coming months.
And put those Christmas lights away. And the extension cords. And this time don’t get them all tangled up so you end up with a big headache nine months from now.
Or just throw them in a pile and deal with them some other time. It’s only March anyway. No longer winter…but not quite spring either. And not that much that need doin’. Relax. April will be here before you know it.
And it still may snow.
Tags: spring, spring gardens