This is the time of year that always starts to drag for me. The holidays have come and gone. The New Year is upon us. The falling snow has lost some of its novelty. It is just plain old COLD! This is the time of year when I start wondering why I live in New England. Then I remember…Spring. I am here because I love the changing of the seasons, mostly Spring!
This year, I decided that if I start thinking positive thoughts about Spring, it will help keep the cold at bay. It isn’t any warmer outside, but my outlook has definitely improved. With it, a renewed sense of excitement has emerged. I am happy that my flower beds are happily resting so that they are ready for the gorgeous plants that will be filling their spaces this spring.
In true me fashion, I have started making lists and charts for what I will be planting. The front raised beds will be filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and summer squash. The barrels by the fairy garden need some fertilizer, and hopefully, the strawberries will come back plumper than ever. We need a couple of new blueberry bushes over on the edge of the lawn. Unfortunately, a couple were trampled by the bear and are not doing well. I am also contemplating adding a couple of apple trees next to the peach tree in the side yard.
As I think about it some more, maybe that is the biggest draw of Winter. What a great time for me to dream and plan my garden for the year! I can also do all sorts of reading and research that I don’t have time for during the other seasons when I am so busy planting, weeding, pruning, harvesting, and just gardening!
I am re-reading our wonderful guides on blueberries, tomatoes, squash, and strawberries, anxious to see if there is anything I may have missed in the past. I am also intently digesting our Apple guide. I have been so hesitant for years to plant apple trees, afraid that they might be too much work. I’m thinking, though, that it might not be as bad as I have feared. This may be the year to finally plant some apple trees. I definitely have plenty of time to plan, research, and prepare.
As much as I love the first snowfall, Winter will never be my favorite season. I have though found a new love for it. It is a time to rest and rejuvenate. Not just for me, but also for my gardens. So, I will embrace the rest of winter with a hot cup of tea, a warm blanket, and my gardening planner.
I hope you are all having a wonderful winter and can start your garden planning. Is there anything new or special that you hope to do this year?
