It’s that time! Time to spring forward. I know Daylight Saving Time is not loved by all but it was especially loved by me when I was working full time and wanted more time in the garden after work. (Yes, it’s ‘saving’ not ‘savings’.😉 )
ABOUT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Warning… Rabbit Hole! 😳🐰
- Benjamin Franklin was the first to speak of this idea when he observed people using candles long into the night but sleeping past dawn. (I must say I am a BIG proponent of getting up before dawn and starting the day with candles and watching the sunrise! Watching the day’s light arrive is transforming to my mood and spirit in ways nothing else can do.)
- In 1907 Englishman William Willett led the first campaign to implement moving clocks forward 80 minutes between April and October for people to enjoy more sunlight. However, he did not live to see DST implemented.
- Germany was the first country to take the plunge and introduced DST in 1916. The idea was to conserve fuel for war effort. The ideas quickly caught on in many other countries.
- All European countries, except Belarus and Iceland use DST.
- During WW2, President Franklin Roosevelt introduced year-round DST. Again, to conserve fuel. It was referred to as War Time.
- The Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized time zones and daylight saving practices in the US. However, allowing individual states to pass laws exempting themselves.
- Hawaii and Arizona do not “spring forward.”
- In many states legislation has been introduced to LOCK THE CLOCK and permanently choose Standard Time or DST.
- 2021: Spring Forward: March 14 / Fall Back: November 7
FORSYTHIAS & PRUNING
I’ve started the official 2021 watch for blooming forsythia. Around here when forsythia starts blooming we start pruning – roses will get their spring clip! Last year the forsythia bloomed on March 24.
Apart from being the harbingers of rose pruning, they are a sentimental favorite of mine. They were a favorite of my mom and dad and were plentiful in our yard when I was growing up. I brought cuttings from my Dad’s forsythia the year he passed but they did not take – it was in January so not much surprise but I was hopeful. While I don’t have those plants, I sure have the memories and they are sweet. 💛
To go down my family forsythia rabbit hole 🐰, read an article I wrote after my dad passed away … HERE.
GHISLAINE de FELIGONDE
This winter Ghislanie de Feligonde was busy … she threw out several extra-long canes! She is now not only going up the side of the potting shed but across the front too! This week’s wonderful weather was the perfect time to get her all tied up again. I simply CAN NOT WAIT until she blooms.
MY ORCHIDS
I have bought orchids many, many times and always hoped they would rebloom. I only remember one time that happening and the blooms were tiny and unimpressive! So, I am pleased to announce that the beautiful orchid friends gave me 15 months ago has rebloomed – and it is amazing! I give the credit to the excellent plant given me and being home to care for it regularly! I water it once a week with 2T of a water-soluble orchid fertilizer and keep it in my window (that faces west – certainly not ideal). Mr. G gave me an orchid about the same time and it is shooting up some buds too! So there’s more to come! 🎉
POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS
LITTLE MIRACLES
Formosa Lily seeds a friend gave me have germinated. Aren’t they just the cutest!! ThatThanks David!
Action in the milk jugs! Sweet William has germinated and looking oh so cute and making me very happy. (Read more about the milk jug project HERE.) 🌱🌱🌱🌱
Just when you think the garden is so dead that it will never EVER come back, beauty starts popping up all over the place!
LATEST PODCAST
Last week on the podcast I chatted with Kristen Smith, Rose Evaluation Manager for Star Roses and Plants, about their beautiful new roses (like the damask scented new beauty from Will Radler of Knockout fame!) and other amazing garden plants that are well suited for today’s gardens and today’s gardeners!
I have so many on my list… the new Lilac, dwarf boxwoods, and the clematis! Oh my! Check them out for yourself HERE.
TO DOS
We wait and we wait and then all of a sudden it is TIME to get busy! First up, I will cut back all the old yucky foliage from my hellebores. They are on the brink of blooming! 🎉
Cleaning up beds and pruning roses will be in full force the next two weeks. With 175 or so roses, it will take me a “minute” or two. 😁
Putting down sulfur in my beds to begin to lower the pH. Last year’s soil tests revealed the pH was on the rise. Roses and most of the plants I grow appreciate a pH of 6.0-6.5. My readings were 7.0 – 7.4.
Plant sweet peas! Traditionally you hear to plant your sweet peas on St. Patrick’s day but know this… when it’s cold they will just sit there until just the right temp for their sweet selves. And, in Indiana, you just might have to wait a bit before you see them. Still, it is a good benchmark and works for me! Read your seed packet for the best time for you!
I’ll be growing my sweet peas in the herb garden on teepees made of bamboo stakes as I did my pole beans last year. I also love to put them on the herb garden fence to drape around! I just love them and most anything else I can drape over a fence! I have to say that the sweet peas I saw growing in England, barely resembled the ones grown here. Their sweet peas are perfection – huge, long-stemmed, and luscious! #climatechallenges #butworthit
Friends, whatever is on your to-do list, have fun springing into spring! 📝
i too have been itching to get in the garden. To roll up my sleeves and clean-up plus prune. I’ve never had any luck with sweet peas. I wish I knew what I’m doing wrong. I finally just gave up.
I worked outside most of yesterday and it felt wonderful. Today is COLD and rainy. Tomorrow we will be back on course with better temps. Itching to get the garden back!! Enjoy your beautiful pictures on IG. xo
I got an orchid to rebloom for the first time this year too. I also feed it regularly and I think that is the trick.ji
It is amazing all the things we COULD do last year when we couldn’t do the things we usually do. Yes, they were so many upsides to being home and having time like we have never had before. One of our rewards are our orchids! Enjoy.
Read your stories about your Mama & Dad, love family stories, yours are so sweet. I have a friend who does this on FB and it is always smile worthy and warms my heart. Always missing my Mama. Our forsythia is blooming here in the N. Ga mountains…70° for the last couple of days..scary as normally we’re about mid May before the weather can be trusted to not have snow or a hard freeze! Pruned & fertilized my roses 2 days ago but only have 9. Wow 149 – that’s a lot of ‘thorn bites!”
Thanks for your sweet comments about the family stories. I wish I could visit with my mom and dad but will have to wait for heaven! Yesterday was warm and wonderful today is so cold and rainy. That’s spring! Will be warm again tomorrow and those forsythia can get back to preparing for bloom! Nice to hear from you.
‘April in Paris’ is my niece’s favorite sweet pea! She used to grow it for the fragrance, in conjunction with brighter colors. Renee is my neighbor here, and here shop is across the road.
I am looking forward to having April in Paris sweet peas. How fun to have Renee as a neighbor. I have always gotten excellent products from her!
You are such an inspiration. I am already again inspired about gardening after reading your blog. My backyard is like Paradise to me as I still have lots of beautiful camellias in bloom and tons of different daffodils in bloom. Everyday there is a different variety coming into bloom because of the nice spring weather that we have been having here in VA. But we may get a wintry mix tonight. I have a quince shrub and a mahonia or Oregon grape shrub that are in bloom now. And my forsythia is just beginning to bloom. Today I was at Lowe’s and also Lidl’s and purchased some dahlias. Even got two more six packs of white pansies. We purchased some curly kale, too. And they have a lot of roses for sale, and there were even roses blooming on some of the canes. Most were old varieties of roses though. Btw, Lowe’s here has the white Casa Blanca lily for sale. People were shopping and spending money to beat the band in their garden shop even though it was chilly and windy. We stopped to get some mealy worms for the bluebirds, but they did not have any today. They have tomato plants for sale also, and I saw one named Candyland ($4.98) for one. It is like a grape tomato (size on label). There were orchids in bloom inside, but no shamrock plants. Saw some redbud trees and a few small cherry trees in bloom along the way. Spring is my favorite season. I must tell you that I have a beautiful pastel Easter wreath on my front porch’s storm door, and a bird has built her nest inside some silk flowers at the top of the wreath. I think it may be a finch. Her nest is getting bigger and fuller everyday. Lucky me! The robins are back, and I see the cardinals feeding each other; the little sweet chickadees are checking out one of our bluebird houses, and the birdsong is just wonderful to hear. It must be that time again as they are very busy now. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you and Mr. G!