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Hastening Spring

Most years I am picking snowdrops by early March. Not this year. I have more than two feet of snow on the south side of the house where I’ve planted my early spring bulbs. It’s a nice sunny spot on a gentle hillside, a place where no snow falls off the roof. I’ve read that a south facing slope with a 5% pitch will cause spring bulbs to bloom as early as if they were growing 300 miles to our south, say Philadelphia. I will probably shovel some snow off that bed to speed up the process, but right now there are still snow banks 6 feet tall to climb over to get there. Sigh. I’m so ready for spring.

daffodils

But I’ve done a few things to hasten spring – at least inside my house. Last fall I potted up daffodils and tulips and let them rest in a cold part of the basement. In mid-February I brought up the first containers of bulbs, and the daffodils are alreadyblooming. In addition to some nice rectangular Italian terra cotta containers (14 x 6 inches, and 6 inches deep that contain a dozen bulbs), I planted up my big cedar window box that I made years ago (and described in a column). It holds 30-40 bulbs and will be a great display.

I’ve gone to three flower shows already (Providence, Hartford and Vermont), and can’t leave any show without purchasing a few things in bloom. I bought blooming pots of crocus and Tete-a-Tete daffodils, those small ones that bloom early outdoors. At the Vermont Flower show I got a new variety of a perennial that I grow, a foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) called “Lace Carpet” that should bloom well in the shade and spread by root. I’ll have to keep it indoors on a windowsill until the ground thaws.

forced bulbs

If you buy a small pot of forced bulbs, think about displaying them somewhere unusual, not just on the dining room table. My favorite way to get a giggle is to place them poking out from a pair of boots. It will cause you – and your friends and loved ones- to do a double take, and then pause to look more carefully. Other places might include in a crock pot or blender on a kitchen counter, or on the toothbrush holder in the bathroom. E-mail me pictures if you come up with something that pleases you. (henry.homeyer@comcast.net) Blooming flowers help me get through the mud season.

Ten days ago I cut some forsythia stems, brought them inside, and placed them in a vase in a sunny window. They are now starting to bloom, even though sometimes it takes three weeks or more for forsythia to wake up and start blooming. The trick for a good forsythia arrangement is to cut stems that have plenty of fat buds and good long stems that will display nicely.

pussywillow stems

If the snow were not so deep, I would go get some pussywillow stems to force, too. Right now I would still need snowshoes to get to the wild pussywillows near the stream, and since I have other things blooming, I have not bothered to do so. You can wait until the pussywillows are already fuzzy, but doing so now is nicer – you can watch them wake up indoors. Once they look good, pour out the water in the vase and the pussywillows will not change – they will remain just as they are for months. If you leave them in water they will produce pollen and spill it on your tablecloth.

Apple and crabapple trees force nicely, too. March is traditionally the month for pruning apple trees, though it will be late March or April before the snows melt enough for me to get at my apple trees, I think. When you do your pruning, be aware that blossoms form on fruit spurs that are 2 years old (or older). These are short stubby branches – 3 inches long or so – that generally are found on branches that are parallel to the ground, or up to a 45 degree angle to the vertical. Those straight up, vertical branches generally do not produce flowers and fruit.

Over a year ago I asked you, my readers, if I should start a blog, or go on Facebook and Twitter. Most of you suggested a blog, but not to bother with the others. Slowly I have investigated the social media and have started a blog at your urging. To see it, go tohttp://henryhomeyer.wordpress.com. The publisher of my upcoming book, Bunker Hill Publishing, has urged me to twitter, and though I think it silly, you can now follow me on Twitter. Facebook? Not yet.

I like blogging. My weekly columns can only be 900 words, and I often have more to say. Blogging is good for that. And now that I have started seeds indoors and soon will be gardening outdoors, I hope to be able to pass on useful information on a daily or weekly basis that is not related to the weekly newspaper columns. I was a school teacher in the late sixties and early seventies, and I still enjoy teaching. Blogging is just one more way to do so. And sharing info about plants helps get me through the mud season.