Gardening work on hold - snow everywhere

[gtaus]

We have had a few weeks of snow free weather outside here in northern Minnesota. I've been busy outside cleaning up the lawn getting off all the dead branches that fell to the ground over the winter. Got my riding lawn mowers tuned-up and running, although the grass is not yet growing. Picked up some more free pallets to make a larger compost bin compound - increasing from 3 bins to 7 bins. Decided to increase my gardening to include raised beds in the back yard closer to the chicken coop and run. I have a couple of new raised garden beds half built out in the garage. They will be made with a wood frame, but with galvanized sheet panels for the sides. Wood is just too expensive this year. Anyway, woke up this morning to see 2 inches of snow on the ground covering everything outside. Snowing as I post this message. Weather forecast for snow for the next 3 days. Looks like everything garden related on pause for the rest of this week. The snow won't last long this time of year, but, still, bummer.....

 

[CluckerFamily]

We didn’t get as much snow as you but we will be getting one more snow according to an old saying... Spring officially comes after it snows three times on a Robin’s back. The snow we got last night/right now is only the second time. We are forecasted to get more snow next week.

 

[Sally PB]

A week ago, Grand Rapids (MI) hit 80. We're getting frost some mornings now out here about 30 miles away. Supposed to be below average temps for the rest of April. I hope it keeps the fruit trees from blossoming too early!

@gtaus, my sympathies... T. S. Eliot was right: April is the cruelest month.

 

[gtaus]

Spring officially comes after it snows three times on a Robin’s back.

Nice. I think we have at least 2 times snow on the back of a robin....

 

[Sally PB]

Nice. I think we have at least 2 times snow on the back of a robin

I've never heard this before.

I think we get "spring" for a few afternoons when it's too early to plant. Then the weather regresses and Mother Nature says, "Haha! Fooled you again!"

Real spring arrives about 5 hours before my husband says it's too hot.

 

[gtaus]

my sympathies... T. S. Eliot was right: April is the cruelest month.

Well, I knew I was overly optimistic about an early spring. Felt just great to have a few weeks in late March - early April that were snow free and above average temps. Got a good jump start on cleaning up around the yard when the weather was nice. Today, almost all the snow from Monday night-Tuesday morning is gone as the snowfall was followed up by light rain.

Looking forward to getting another load or two of free wood chips in the next weeks. Then I'll be able to clean out coop from the winter build up. Already got the free pallets to make some more compost bins. Just need some sunny days in a row to dry everything up.

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, I know what you mean. I rake a lot of dead grass thatch out of our field, and the warm spell a couple of weeks ago was PERFECT for that. Bugs weren't out yet, sun was warm, breeze was cool, and this year's grass hadn't started growing much yet.

Sometimes I weed on my hands and knees, working my way down the fence. I get a lot done when the ground is damp enough to pull the weeds, but not soaking wet and cold.

I haven't seen any grubs yet. I don't know if it's too early, or if my war against Japanese Beetles was so ferocious that I got most of the beetles and they didn't lay eggs to make grubs. Either way, it's a win for me: No grubs = good for the garden. Grubs = free food for the chickens. Same with the beetles.

 

[gtaus]

I get a lot done when the ground is damp enough to pull the weeds, but not soaking wet and cold.

Reminds me of how my father used to pull weeds, He would put the lawn sprinkler on a patch for a little while, then pull the weeds out of the softened up soil. Waiting for a light rain worked just as well.

 

[gtaus]

Real spring arrives about 5 hours before my husband says it's too hot.

That's about right. In northern Minnesota, we brag about having all 4 Seasons. We have winter, June, July and August! What more could you ask for?

Or, if you like sports, we have hockey season followed by 3 months of bad ice....

 

[gtaus]

Sometimes I weed on my hands and knees

At 60 years old, I can still get down on my hands and knees. Getting up seems to be more of a challenge. So I now have raised garden beds, and my favorite, elevated sub irrigated garden beds.