Tag: Garden Views

In 1963, Alfred Hitchcock directed a movie titled “The Birds.”

The other day my wife said that she missed Rhubarb pie — not any Rhubarb pie, the Rhubarb pie my mom used to make. The type made with fresh Rhubarb right out of the garden.

Now is the time to apply pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weed seeds from developing and growing into mature plants in our lawns.

Late last fall there were many winter predictions. Some forecast models were predicting harsh frigid conditions with ample amounts of snow for northern Ohio. Folklore was predicting the same based on the wooly-banded caterpillar.

Looking back to last year in late March and early April, our weather was almost identical to this year: Temperatures were cold in the 40s with some nights in the low 20s and upper teens.

Callery Pear, Pyrus calleryana, and its cultivars (examples include Bradford, Cleveland Select, Chanticleer) are officially on the Ohio Invasive Plants List.

I was so hoping to prove that the groundhog was wrong. We are so close to the official start of spring. Wouldn’t you know it is snowing again with below freezing temperatures. I am guessing the early spring songbirds that have arrived up here in Northwest Ohio are wondering if they should fly back south.

Growing plants from seed is rewarding and a lot of fun. Sowing vegetables and bedding plant seeds gives us the opportunity to plant more varieties than what may be available as starters in May. A few seeds that can and should be started indoors early are the following: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.

Last fall, Meadow Voles — also known as Meadow Mice, or Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) — began preparations for winter. To survive our winters, the Voles need habitat and food.

Our landscape is covered with snow, and the weather is frigid and cold. Did you ever wonder how winter helps our soil?