Gardening 101 Week 5

I waged war tonight. Usually one does not think of gardening as a violent pass-time, but tonight, I was a force to be reckoned with. And I would not walk away with defeat.

What is this terrible foe that is threatening me?

An April snowstorm has me in its sights and I will not be shaken. And not just a little wet snow that is gone by noon; no, this one is saying temperatures dropping to the teens and 6-8 inches of snow.

I am not going to allow some silly snowstorm or cold front destroy what I have been working hard for and waiting all winter to see.

What would you do? Would you fight for all that is good and right and belongs to spring?

What was at stake you might ask?

My ornamental pear tree opened up today.

I have a number of tulips on the brinks of flowering

My lilacs are about to bloom.

My hydrangea just popped through.

My blueberry plant has buds

My first strawberry flower bloomed today

Just to name a few. And so it was war. Me vs the snow and cold. And I was not about to be defeated. (I even flexed my muscles and growled a little just to prove how ready I was).

And so, come on snow. Just try to do your damage. And come on cold and wind, see if I really care. Because you know what? You are going down. All my plants are covered, and I even wrapped my pear tree. (Granted even my husband thought I was nuts when I told him my plan…but he climbed the ladder and helped out.) My husband has since named our tree the Dr Seuss Tree

Granted all the neighbors probably think we are a bit strange (besides the flexing my muscles in the middle of the yard stuff), but I am not going to let my beautiful tree be decimated by some silly snow storm. Not going to happen. Besides what ever happened to “April showers bring May flowers?” I know what April showers bring to Colorado-flowers that won’t bloom, withered leaves, and the destruction of the hope of spring.

Well not this year. At least not in my yard.

On a slightly different note….how are your plants doing? I haven’t transplanted my tomatoes yet, I need to do that this week. And somehow I have magic broccoli. Remember that I said I started with 9 plants but when I transplanted I ended up with 7? Well somehow three of the plants that got transplanted now have partners in their containers as well, so I’m back up to 10 broccoli plants. Kind of liking the math…unless of course when I go to plant them and they do their magic again and take over my garden and I drown in broccoli. That may not be such a good thing. Of the 18 melons I planted I only have one lonely melon. It’s ok, they usually do OK if I plant them outside when it warms up anyway.

And so before you all think I’m a bit crazy (like my neighbors all do looking at the tree I covered), I think it’s best to call it for now. Keep watering and keep watch on those plants. Until next week (when I promise an update on the result of the snow/cold vs me), have a great week!