Tuesday, April 5, 2011

April in My Garden

March didn't feel much like spring in this part of the country - but hopefully April will be the real spring welcomer. April is the month that it really becomes hard to stay indoors. There is nothing like running outdoors without pulling on coats, snow pants, hats and mittens.

But the best part of April is the first luscious mouthful of spring - asparagus! We've already enjoyed several fresh lettuce salads from our cold frame, but I know spring has really come when the asparagus appears.

Every spring, I think of the pioneer families who, before the days of super markets, glass canning jars and deep freezers, subsisted on the wrinkled root crops from the cellar during the winter. Can you imagine the joy in finding that first spear of asparagus or dandelion green and know that you have survived another hard winter?


Looking over the March garden list, most projects could be continued into April. Clearing out the flower beds, planting early seeds (peas, onions) and vegetable plants (brocolli, cabbage, lettuce) continue this month if not already accomplished. And I didn't accomplish much last month. It was so cold and rainy there were not many days that lured me outside. And if I did get outside, I was fleeing indoors quickly. Yeah, wimp. But if you look at the photos in this post, even our daffodils have their heads bowed in this harsh weather.

I did get some peas planted and a few of the perennial beds cleared. Ed dumped a bunch of chopped leaves on a few of the flower beds last fall and those beds were basically weed free! The beds that he didn't put leaves are carpeted with the tiny green weeds that pop up in the spring. I think I'm sold on mulch now, though the leaves do make the beds look a little unkempt and messy - but not as bad as weedy beds. I'm always game for less weeding!


These are the tasks I plan to do this month in my zone 6 garden.

1. Finish cleaning up the perennial beds and top-dress with compost.
2. Divide any crowded perennials and replant in bare areas.
3. Plant beets, carrots, onions, and potatoes in the garden.
4. Set out broccoli plants in the garden and cover with row cover.
5. Uncover the strawberries from their winter mulch of straw.
6. Relish fresh asparagus!

What are you doing in your garden this month? And if you are from Georgia and relishing 80 degree weather and fresh strawberries, I'll try not to envy!

14 comments :

  1. I'm trying not to envy you! Here in my corner of Canada we are still a long way from asparagus and cold frame lettuce.....
    but I know it's coming and I'm "hanging in there"!
    have a wonderful day
    Niki

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  2. And I'll try not to envy your daffodils! Ours aren't even thinking about opening up yet! It's snowing again this morning. I've decided that we're paying now for last year's warm fall!

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  3. I started lettuce and onions from seed in the house last month - do you think they could be put right into the garden now?

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  4. when i saw your Daffodil, jonquils ?, in argentina this name is narciso, i remember Anne of Green Gables book when she and diana went to Hester Gray's garden, God bless you. From argentina Karin.

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  5. Mrs Rabe -
    The lettuce probably could be planted out. I have no experience with onions from seed. I actually tried it for the first time this year. Now I have tiny onion plants and I have no idea when to plant them! Guess I need to do some more research!
    Gina

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  6. It is snowing here today. I am axious to get my snow peas in but can't make myself work out there.

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  7. I LOVE asparagus on the grill, with olive oil and salt! Can't wait for the first batch!

    My daffodils and forsythia are much appreciated after such a cold winter/early spring. My kids bring me yellow bouquets (and weed ones from the field) just about every day!

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  8. dear gina
    i like green asparagus with noodles
    and cheese.i love rhubarb...i can't
    wait for the first cake.your daffodils looks wonderful.here is it
    cloudy....
    have a wonderful week,
    blessings regina

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  9. Gina,
    I love your thinking process of our ancestors; knowing their winters were much harder to bear than what we go through in our day!
    You know they were ever thankful for the first signs of warmer weather.
    Blessings,
    Debbie S.

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  10. oh my the daffodils look so beautiful. I am waiting patiently for spring to come here. I can empathize with some of your readers. Our garden is still under at least another 10" of snow and it snowed again last night. Brrrrr
    I have been outside a little, but only to pick up trash that has blown around the yard and even then I have to wade through the mud to do it. I know spring will come, but it is so hard waiting.

    Thank you for sharing a little spring with us northerners :)

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  11. I guess you all can be jealous of me:) Im from GA and we have fresh strawberries already. I just cut my first lettuce from the garden first of this wk. The potatoes are up nicely and most of my garden is planted. Happy gardening!

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  12. I am jealous of all the planting and signs of spring you are enjoying. We live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and after a long winter with record snowfalls, the snow is just beginning to melt. Even the geese are slow to return and when they do there is only the vast whiteness of the remaining snow. But we know spring will come, it will just take longer this year.

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  13. We've eaten our first dandelion, but no asparagus yet! It's a cold, late spring. I like to eat the seasons and think of people in the past who, like you said so well, were overjoyed at the "firsts" of each season to break the monotony.

    My husband just built our first raised bed. We are going to plunge into gardening. We don't know a lot, but we're going to ask a lot of questions.

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  14. Our daffodils have been blooming since last month. I just love this time of the year. A reminder that winters over. I've been thinking I should plant some peas or lettuce soon. Though the soil is quite wet. We get alot of rain in the winter. I just found your blog and am enjoying reading it. I also am Mennonite. Have a blessed day!

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