Days of snow and dreams of spring

I’m not going to predict the weather because it’s beyond the scope of my abilities. I do watch it, however, and even note it, at least as far as the effect it has on my garden.

Ideally, it would be covered in a foot of snow in mid-November and would stay until late March, protecting all the tender perennials that I risk growing. Like a large white duvet, it would keep the soil relatively warm, even prevent it from freezing. It would moderate the soil temperature and prevent the freezethaw cycle that damages roots and sometimes heaves plants out of the ground.

That’s not a typical winter in my garden. More often there’s maybe a good snow in December with a deep freeze followed by a rise in temperature in mid-January. The snow vanishes, the ground thaws and the garden turns to mud. Then it freezes hard again, all to the detriment of plants.

This winter, at least so far, has been different, due no doubt to climate change continuing to affect weather patterns.

Right now, the snow isn’t that deep, and although December was warmer than average, the snow has stuck around since before Christmas. There still hasn’t been extreme cold yet, but that can all change, of course, and probably will. After all, on Feb. 16, 2015, it dipped to -35C

Despite the weather, it’s at this low point in winter that we gardeners are all earnestly dreaming of spring, trying not to think of pandemics and climate change, although we do have to think about climate change.

As for dreaming, I’d normally be looking forward to the Galt Horticultural Society’s Dream Garden Conference this weekend.

This year would have been the 30th anniversary, but thanks to the world being upended it isn’t taking place, and the same goes for other gardener gatherings.

Many garden clubs, including local ones, have made the move to online meetings. Since they’re virtual meetings with no travel involved, it’s possible to participate or watch presentations by groups outside the area, or anywhere in the world for that matter. It might be interesting to see what a garden club is up to in the middle of Australia where it’s summer now. You think we have a rabbit problem?

Meanwhile, we can still dream of spring and all the plants we’re going to grow. Keen gardeners already have their seed orders in and are watching the mail daily, or they’re sorting ones they collected last fall. Pots are cleaned, soil prepped, and anyone planning to grow under lights probably can’t wait to flip the switch, unless they’ve never been off. Mine have been on for a while, not for seeds yet, just for a few houseplants and the cuttings I rooted.

It’s far too early for starting most seed, especially if you have limited space. There’s no real advantage to starting them earlier than necessary. There are exceptions, but most can wait. Seed packets will usually say something like start indoors six to eight weeks before last frost. Around here, the last frost usually occurs in mid-May, which means early March is soon enough. Indeterminate (the vine type) tomato plants, for instance, will take over your home if started now.

I should listen to my own advice. I haven’t started seed, but the salvia and coleus cuttings I took in fall are growing too well and it’s still only January. They’re going to take over the house because they can’t go outside for months.

My only options are to keep trimming them back and hope I can keep them under control. You could say they’re under lockdown like me, and I could use a haircut too.