Okay people! It needs to be said.
You need to know…
If you are from the midwest where
it feels like summer…acts like summer..
and is even starting to look like summer…
You need to know…it’s NOT summer!
What? Why? Whatcha talking about?
I’m talking about your gardens, your yard, your living outsides.
And yes…I am an expert. Kinda. On some outsidey things.
You see…it’s what my H and I do. Native, wild plants.
We sell them. And grow them. And love them…da dee da.
This is us…
So, I know a thing or two about a thing or two about your gardens and yards and plants.
And here’s what you need to know right now
if you are from the northern states…
1. do NOT rake!!!
yep, I know it’s tempting.
You want to make it all pretty.
You want to get the dead plants out and stuff. Don’t! Refrain!
In amongst all that dead is the beginnings of the new plants.
And right now they are at their most vulnerable and tender stage.
And you with all your good intentions are just killing them.
Dragging their poor little heads through the mud.
Ruining them. So don’t.
(the only raking you better be doing…the inside, pretend kind! from innerchildfun.com )
2. No Pruning…pruning…pruning.
Okay this isn’t a total no.
But it’s a…go slow…be careful!
Cause you are pruning live, growing branches.
Prune only branches that you want gone, gone.
Don’t trim.
Cause you trim off the new growth and it will look funky, funky, funky.
3. don’t fertilize!
So, because we are all natural and stuff we really aren’t big on fertilizing anyways.
But I know you all like to do it.
But, unless you are doing pots…don’t fertilize your yard.
The plants in the ground aren’t ready to take it in yet…it’s just a waste of your time and money.
Save it for later.
And then go slowly.
(the best kind of fertilizer…the natural kind! from earthobservatory.nasa.gov )
4. It’s not time to plant.
It’s nowhere near time to plant.
So, I know it’s like 80 degrees in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
And going to be in the 70′s for who knows how long.
This is March, people…it can still deep freeze.
Like really…I am seeing people at the greenhouses.
Which, by the way, don’t have plants yet.
Because it’s not time to plant!!!
So don’t! Don’t even think about it!
(yep, that could be you. without the fur and big tail. Well…maybe you have those? no matter. from photography.nationalgeographic.com)
5. Take out dead plants.
You can take out the dead plants.
They are already dead.
Just be careful where you walk so you don’t walk on the heads of other plants.
6. Indoor plants can go outside
You can put your indoor plants outside while it’s nice.
They will love you!
And it will make you feel like you are doing something.
(from ivillagecom )
7. get seedlings started…maybe?
If you must (we still think it’s too early even for this)…you can start some seedlings.
Do just a small amount now, and some later…just in case.
Things like vegetables, cutting flowers, and perennials can be started indoors weeks before planting.
But, think about doing some of these in batches…just in case you are too early…just in case.
(from realsimple.com)
I realize that parts of the country are warm, and wonderful, and don’t have to follow these rules. Yeah, yeah.
But those of you “midwesterners” heed my warning…It’s NOT summer!
Til Next Time!
That’s right Ms. Martha very good advice. I’ve been telling people to remember we can still get a blizzard all through April! My laziness made me look at the leaves and think…. I have the whole month of April and even May to rake, so why today?
~Bliss~
Oh don’t say that. A blizzard in April sounds like what would happen. Ugh. Yep, no raking for me. I chalk it up to brilliance, not laziness *cough*, *cough*.
Very true… : )) It’s been feeling like Spring already here but I’m still very weary about getting out and gardening.. Wishing ya a lovely day hon..
Thanks for stopping by Marilyn…hope you get feeling less then weary when it’s time. I need to get over and say hi!
You are so right darling, but this year I have given IN! Spring has definitely ARRIVED in my zone 6 garden…the crocuses have already come and gone, the daffodils and forsythia are going crazy and it is 70′s from here on out! I am cheering hallelujah (mainly because this NEVER would have happened in Nebraska!) It is spring – it is spring – it is spring!!!
crocuses and daffodils already? sigh. There are definitely benefits to living more south then WI. Oh well…it will happen here too. Thanks for stopping by!
That’s fantastic advice, it’s so tempting to get a start on the “work” outside but I’ll wait too – thank you!
Good, I’m glad you’re waiting…and your plants thank you! Thanks for coming by Heather!
My strawberries here in Texas were doing so well, until last nights massive freezing HAIL storm!
Yikes! Hail?? Well that’s what you get for getting all “ahha I got strawberries”
So true! It is going to be 31 tomorrow with the humidex here but it is likely to snow on the weekend. So tempting to get things going now though.
Snow still happens in March doesn’t it…ugh. But it’s hard not to feel like doing stuff in the yard when it’s warm…you forget it can change so fast. Thanks for coming by Jane!
What are you guys going on about?!?! We had INCHES of fresh snow overnight. *sob*
*tear* I cried for you. And then grinned a little bit. Cause coming from WI I have secret delight whenever it’s colder somewhere else
.
Thank you, thank you! I’ve been to busy to work outside, and was thinking about it soon. I will wait as hard as it is…..you know it was 86 here in Indiana today! Crazy weather!
Wait! Although I am sure Indiana is a bit ahead of WI. 86? Jeepers…that’s tropical!
hmmmmm im glad i dont live there
Here in coastal NC life is good and gardens are going and growing and yup seedlings in trays on the pizer! strawberry plants going strong too!
temps in the 80′s most days now- though that is on the warm side for this time of year. 70′s is more normal…
yeah… im rubbing it in a little
i dont rake and im not big on fertilizer in general (though sometimes in the summer i might toss some miracle grow at em a couple of times)
BUT to make my northern friends (maybe) feel better…. im already fighting japnese beetles (i hate those ********** ******** *********!) – insert any words there, just not nice ones! And wasps (killed 3 INSIDE in the past TWO days! UGH!) and my son is terrified of the honeybees (which i love and welcome!) and… my AC is on cause 1- my house sits in a field, more or less, and i bake in the sun and the pollen is HORRIBLE.
But.. yeah. I’ll stay down here and ya’ll can move on down. or stay put. your choice. lololol
Thanks for rubbing it in Debbie
.
Strawberries and seedlings and temps in the 80′s? Sigh. sounds heavenly!
Japanese beetles? Yuck…them buggars are nasty. And they smell! Yuck.
Hopefully they stay in NC with you.
Got room for a little camper to come on site with you? It’s a wee one. It doesn’t take much space. And I only need a little food a couple of times a day.
Thanks for stopping and commenting Debbie!
haha come on down – we have over an acre