Busy Busy

It is almost overwhelming with the many different things to do on a flower farm this time of the year. We will start our seed starting schedule next week and at the same time start making beds to receive all those babies when their time comes to be planted.

A note to myself and to others- don’t be tempted to plant to earlier or work wet soil. March is the month of wind, rain and sporadic high temperatures. Those warm temperatures lure us into thinking it is time to plant when the soil is still very cold. This will stunt your warm season annuals for the entire season-it is better to wait until 2 weeks after your last frost date when the soil has begun to warm.  Wet soil is another tempter. Working wet soil destroys the structure of the soil and literally makes dirt clogs that do not just dissolve themselves. To test your soil, take a handful of soil and gentle mash it into a ball, drop the ball from waist height onto the ground. If the ball generally sticks together- it is too wet, if it breaks apart the soil should be dry enough.

As I write this at my desk, I am watching our Red-Tailed Hawk couple spruce up their nest from last year. Last year we watched them raise three babies and it looks like we will be given the opportunity again this year–since I caught them in an intimate moment in our trees!

Can’t wait for spring!

Lisa Z

www.shoptgw.com