Catnip
I can tell you that the cats are super happy that spring has arrived. Every day they get a few sprigs of catnip to roll in and eat. They are LOVING it.
I grow it not only for them, but it makes a great insect repellant as well. While I’m working in the garden, I like to pick sprigs of it and rub in on my exposed skin to keep the bugs away. Perhaps that’s why cats love me so much.
Do you grow catnip for your cats or for it’s other properties?
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What a Mess
I rarely clean up the gardens in the fall, I like to leave the plant material for insects and the seeds for the birds. That means I have extra work to finish up in the spring before I start planting. The soil in the potager is thawed, I should take a thermometer out there and check the temperature. There’s a nice flat of lettuces under the grow lights that are perfect for planting, they just need hardening off.
There are plants that need cut back, pine boughs that need removed from hydrangeas, leaves that need raking, and lots of chicken holes to fill in.
I noticed the chives, tarragon, and thyme are waking up. The catnip is also coming up nicely, the cats have already been enjoying it as snacks in the afternoons.
The weather looks to be beautiful this week. I need to put up a fence to keep the chickens out and then get to work clearing out, raking, and adding compost to this garden. Soon enough it will be lush with growth.
Do you clean out the garden in fall or wait until spring?
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No Lost Time
When you’ve been anticipating spring for so long you pounce as soon as it arrives. Yesterday it was 68 degrees and sunny. The 5×5 Challenge garden thawed out and I seeded it with radishes and spinach. We have several sliding glass doors that I will lay on top to act as a cold frame of sorts. That should help warm the soil even more so the crop gets going faster.
The potager in the back is also thawing out nicely. In a week or two I’ll be putting up the fence and planting all the lettuces from under the grow lights. It was so nice to get my hands in the dirt and feel the sun on my back. I’m really looking forward to the coming gardening season and all the delicious fresh veg!
What are you planting right now?
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Soil Blocking
Now that I have more rugged seed trays I started making soil blocks to see how they compare to the other seed starting trays/methods I’ve tried. I’m always excited to try new things, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. I’ve tried soil block a few years in the past without much success. This year I finally go the hang of it. I’ve never had my potting soil wet enough.
The next batch of seed I start I will also seed a plastic tray at the same time with the same variety so I can monitor them throughout the season. Soil block are supposed to produce seedlings that don’t get as much of a shock when transplanted because of the air pruning of the roots. The only way to know for sure is to try both methods at once. I’ll keep you posted on my findings.
Are you doing any fun gardening experiments this year?
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Happy as Clams
All of the birds are happy as clams. As the snow recedes they immediately go to the fresh ground and start scratching away. No doubt there will be a few bare spots in the lawn where they have congregated for the past few weeks.
Thankfully, more and more area are opening up so they can spread out a bit and kick through leaves, which they prefer to grass. They linger much longer outside now that the days are getting warmer, sunnier, and longer. I can’t close up the coop until it’s dark, even then there are often chickens outside the door trying to enjoy the last bit of daylight.
With the spring will also come foxes and other predators. As soon as the snow melts it will be time to put up the electric fences and get them going once again. Until then the chickens will enjoy being 100% free range.
I notice the wild birds are also out and about more. As I gather sap during the day I hear more and more birdsong. It’s a beautiful thing to hear and see animals and birds string in the wild once again.
Are you noticing more birds and wildlife as spring comes?
