Just a few more days and it will be May! For us in Central Ohio, that means the last frost date is almost behind us, and soon I’ll be deep in the throes of a full on Planting Frenzy.
Our miniature daffodils are just opening up this week.
Our plants made it through last weeks freezes and snow with minimal damage. We had three nights below freezing, but the 2″ of snow we received didn’t stick around for more than a few hours (just enough to be depressing as hell before it was on its way). I hemmed and hawed each night about covering things up, but ultimately laziness won out. I hadn’t really planted anything yet this year that would baulk at the cold, but it was still a huge relief when things looked ok.
A few Japanese Maple leaves took a little damage from the cold, but the tree will be just fine.
Yesterday, the husband and I picked up the larger stones for the wildlife pond lining. I assembled everything, added a few twigs and branches, and filled the pond up with water. The remaining native plants I ordered should be arriving in a week or so, and then, hopefully, it will be Move In Day for our local critters. I am really pleased with the way things look so far, and as all the plants grow in, and I mulch the area, it will look even better.
Ignore the muddy water. Things will clear up once the dirt from the rocks settles.
I tried to pull out all the tricks I’ve learned for attracting and providing safe spots for wildlife. Water is always a draw on its own, and there’s plenty of nooks and crannies for things to live in, between the stone and all the branches. The native plants I chose are host plants for different butterflies and moths, and as it continues to warm up, hopefully, I’ll start seeing dragonflies, bees, and other bugs checking out the space. If we get any reptiles and amphibians, I’ll be over the moon. I’m excited for the birds to notice the pond, too. It’s a nice depth for them to be able to take a bath, and there are worms galore all over the area, so the eating is good.
Salads, incoming!
For those of us with more refined taste, the first of our little lettuce patch is about ready to enjoy. We harvested some of our basil this past weekend for pasta, and our strawberries are flowering already. The carrots, leeks, and parsley that I started in the raised bed a few weeks ago are starting to really take off as well.
I’m hoping to begin hardening off my pepper and tomato plants here soon so I can add them to the raised beds after the danger of frost has passed. When you start seeds indoors, you need to put them through a fun little dance called “hardening off” before they can move outdoors. The process takes about a week. On day one, the plants can spend about an hour outside, and I usually start them in the shade. The next day, give them two hours, the third day, three hours, and so on, until a week has passed. This gives your plants a chance to adapt to the different level of sunlight, humidity, wind, and the general “joie de vivre” of life outdoors. (Ok, that last one may not be totally scientific, but the first three are all important). Not doing this can seriously stress your plants, and they may not survive.
That’s all I have for now. Hope everyone has a lovely week. Happy gardening!
I can’t wait to enjoy the strawberries this year!