Sunday, March 7, 2010

Welcome Spring!


A look back on last spring - some of these
are beginning to peek out!

We have had an incredibly gorgeous weekend here in south Mississippi and I think for the first time in a very long time, overnight temperatures will be out of the 30s, yay!!  Even though I have several blogging projects I should have been working on, I had to get outside this weekend.

It is unfortunate that one of my neighbors chose yesterday to burn leaves, and I am allergic to smoke, making it miserable for me to be outside and enjoy the day.  I was not a happy gal.  Despite living in what would look to any outsider as a normal, suburban neighborhood (houses right next to one another), we live in the "county" meaning outside of the city limits, so we fall under the same rules (or rather the lack of rules) as those who live in the rural areas of the county and don't have the protections and restrictions that those who live in the city do.

In many suburban city areas it is against the law to burn, but we don't have that protection out here. If you rake your leaves to the curb, the county will pick them up, but some people still choose to burn - not taking into consideration they are surrounded by other people who it might affect. Add that to the fact that we have a vent on top of our roof, which apparently draws some of the smoke into the attic, and not only could I not enjoy being outside, my entire house reeked of smoke too! I had to actually turn on the air conditioner to filter the inside air.

Needless to say, I had a bit of a southern style hissy fit melt-down in the midst of all that yesterday, that might have unleashed a bit of my loud and very vocal angry side, and there is a possibility that they might have heard me at some point, because fortunately, they did not burn today, and I was able to be outside and enjoy being outside! I was much happier today.

So... I got a little bit of yard work started this weekend - cleaning up the yard, trimming rose bushes, picking up twigs, trimming off dried and dead plant tops, and the beginning of the seemingly never-ending raking we get from spring-shedding oak trees.  I have to say that I've not seen such death in my gardens ever before, so it's easy to see that it has been a nasty winter even for us southerners, well... as far as our flower beds go.  One entire bed that was loaded with ferns, is completely wiped out.

I am ready to replenish the soil in my raised beds and get things cleaned up to get planting, because I already have a taste for garden fresh cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes that taste like tomatoes - summer squash, green beans and fresh herbs! I am thinking I might add another raised bed too.

I also noticed those pesky little squirrels have been digging in my gardens, and I'm afraid that they might have already eaten some of my bulbs, so until I get new soil for topping off my raised beds, I thought it would be a good time to use those trimmings to put down as a "deterrent" in my garden - both the flower beds and the raised beds where the veggies will go.



And don't forget to make a pile in the corner of your yard for the other twigs and dead wood to use next winter as kindling for your fireplace.

Keep in mind when you do get out there to trim, some plants - like hydrangeas - should not be cut back since new growth will emerge from the dead wood.  Others, like lantana can be cut all the way down, since they come back from the root. Just remember to do a Google search first, before you start cutting back on your plants!

Welcome Spring!  I, for one, am thrilled you are beginning to show up in my world.


A butterfly on the lantana from last season.

~

4 comments:

  1. I'm excited too!! but I have a longer wait than you, for spring. It snowed the other day, but today it's BEAUTIFUL.
    I'll be anxious to see your blog as I wait until I, too can get out there and in the dirt!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know! This weekend was beautiful! I am sooo ready for spring.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My husband has to be watched very carefully as he will get the shears and start chopping on my few plants -- always the ones that bloom on old wood!!! Wah!

    Sorry about the smoke, we always burned, including the trash, when we lived in the county -- I never realized others might not have like that since I'm so crazy over the smell of smoke! Uh oh!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love spring and it has been such a long winter. Love your post and picture.
    Mary

    ReplyDelete

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