How’s the garden?

Another week without snow, the scurs and Weather Eye are holding their breath. Are we out of the woods yet or are those breadcrumbs actually more snowflakes? Starting Thursday, partly sunny with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60’s with lows in the upper 40’s. Partly sunny on Friday with a fair chance of forenoon showers. Highs in the low 60’s with lows in the upper 30’s. Sunny on Saturday, with highs in the upper 50’s and lows in the upper 30’s. Sunday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 60’s with lows in the low 40’s. Cloudy on Monday with highs in the upper 50’s and lows in the low 40’s. Tuesday, partly sunny with highs in the upper 50’s and lows in the low 40’s. Mostly Sunny on Wednesday with highs in the low 60’s with lows in the upper 30’s. On April 17th the sun will set at 8 p.m. CDT. On the 23rd, our daily increase in daylight slows to two minutes and forty-six seconds per day. The normal high for the 23rd is 59 and the normal low is 38. The scurs will be forced to nap more during daylight hours.

If April has been anything so far, it’s been stubborn about consistently warm temperatures. Sure, we reached 70 degrees twice in the past week, but the thermometer measured it for only a brief period before the temperature began to fall again. It’s nothing unusual, but has made some edgy as field conditions are relatively fit many places. As of this writing, some corn has been planted with some soybeans planted or to be planted soon. There is a move afoot towards earlier soybean planting again, and I get it. The ag media, social media, and coffee shops are chock full of “evidence” proclaiming its virtues. I also get it if/when the soybeans freeze off in mid-May. It’s a mess to determine what’s alive and what’s not, and ultimately how much to replant. Jack Frost doesn’t kill plants in nice straight lines. In fact, frequently the patterns make no sense at all. And just because the soybeans are alive after regrowing from the cotyledonary nodes, there’s no guarantee they will be contributors. Snakeheads were common the last time around. When was that you ask? 2016. All I need do is look back at 23 years’ worth of columns.    

We’ve been dealt a unique hand this spring. With the exception of March and November, we’ve had below normal precipitation for the last five months, actually seven if you want to go back to September. The winter was relatively open, so little snowfall to melt off. Unless you’re farming thousands of acres with horses, maybe time to take a breath, exhale and come back to reality. We have huge equipment vs. what we had 40 years ago. Most fields are tiled very well compared to 40 years ago. Sprayers and application equipment are also huge in comparison. Many of the floaters in 1985 sported 60’ booms. Now? 120’ is the norm. Soil temps remain cool, and the calendar date says it’s still early. Some are fond of using this shopworn saying, ‘Well, someone has to be first.” Yep, that’s exactly what the lead sheep says as the Judas goat leads them down the alley to slaughter. Being a gardener all these years, it’d be unwise to plant a lot of string beans, sweet corn, squash or pumpkins just yet.

So how’s the garden coming? More subtle hints about what’s happening in area fields. The radishes and mesclun blend planted March 29th, the day after it was 80 degrees, were just starting to emerge as of last Sunday. It takes average soil temperatures of 40 – 45 degrees F to get them to germinate. The soil froze several mornings. The rhubarb benefitted from a recent watering, but nothing beats a warm rain. While coming along, it appears unlikely to offer up an Easter pie. The crocuses that I’ve babied and promised to replant for many moons are just making a solid start, but haven’t bloomed yet. They’re in a spot that has become more shaded as time has passed. Last Saturday, I was weeding around the two surviving lupines, crawling on my hands and knees. That bed is on the south side of the house roughly 4’ from the foundation. There are weeds coming, but they are the cool season weeds such as wild buckwheat, dandelions and prostrate knotweed. After propping my torso up with one hand and weeding with the other, I couldn’t get over how cold the soil still was. As a wise sage once said, that’s a clue.

It has been an almost near perfect winter and spring so far with some exceptions to be raising sheep and lambs. The cool and relatively dry weather has been ideal. The idea that livestock was meant to be outside still rings true. Both ewes and lambs can get exercise and with no crowding, plenty of fresh air. When they do spend time inside to get out of the wind, they aren’t using up a lot of bedding. Not that there weren’t some bumps in the road weather-wise as we alluded to last week. There were a handful of lambs that spent time in the heated garage and others that didn’t where the bitter cold left its mark. Oddly enough, the majority of our ewes found a way to lamb on days with subzero temps. Looking at the weather records there were more of those days than I thought. There are three lambs with ears partially frozen off that stick out like a sore thumb. They may not make it as show stock, but genetically they’re still sound. Best of all, if they don’t make it as breeding stock they’ll still taste pretty good.  

Poppy has become our resident sleeping beauty. Not only is she tough to pry out of bed in the morning for chores, she doesn’t stir when we return home during the day. I understand the morning thing. I’m not a true morning person either. Getting out of a warm bed, especially if you just got there a few hours prior, when it’s still dark and bitter cold out ain’t exactly my idea of a good time. I follow the sun. If it’s up, I’m up. If it’s not, a lot of time I’d rather be sleeping or thinking about it. Naps are fine too, but they can’t consume entire afternoons. About the only way to get Poppy into gear in the daytime is to yell “Squirrel!” Then she’s awake and rearing to go out the back door. Not a big deal perhaps and I’m probably somewhat envious. It was announced that we’re getting some new furniture for the living room. No doubt we’re due, but I have to wonder how Poppy will cope without the dog hole that Ruby made in the old couch. I know my back will certainly welcome the change, until Poppy makes a new one that is.

See you next week…real good then.