Check out this weather related site that is specific to the state of Ct
February
This month has been rainy, snowy, dark and dreary . The groundhog saw his shadow on February 2nd so we all know what that means!!
Trying to be optimistic we think of spring on its way. Go out and cut a few branches of spring bloomers , like forsythia . Bring them indoors and watch as the blooms open slowly. Keep them out of the hot sun, and preferably in a cold room.
Hamamelis ( witch hazel) is a lovely shrub to bring in . The plant smells spicy and the flowers are really lovely. Cut some long branches and try to make sure the vase you select is not wobbly.
Keep feeding your feathered friends. This is a very stressful winter for them, and we must remember to feed them. Water is also important. You can put out peanut butter on half of an orange and they will love it. Nuts and seeds are also appreciated.
Enjoy the seed catalogs.Last week I placed my order with Burpee Seed and I just received it today. Lots of veggies will be coming up in our raised beds. Put your orders in early as things have been selling out.
Keep a diary if you can. It may sound silly at this time of year, but there are lots of things you can write about . Weather related issues are always interesting to read about and you can check to see if the reasons a plant may have failed, or succeeded , are related to the the temperature outside.
Countdown to the last frost day and go backwards to see when you want to start indoor seeds.
Take photographs of your garden . What a fantastic way to keep track of what goes on in your garden!
Even if you just want to use the catalogs to practice combining color schemes for your garden, that is a fun thing to do. You might be surprised to see what plants have true blue colors, or blue violet or blue red. There are 'hot ' and 'cold' versions of every color. Make a little scrapbook as Amy Sampson suggested at our January meeting . Its great practice to see what color schemes go together and which ones don't.
Enjoy these last few miserable weeks of winter. The sweetness of spring will be even better when you remember how hideous this winter was.
