SPRING!!!  YEAH. It seams that El Nino and the Artic Circulation has finally allowed spring to begin.  Ok, it's not quite t-shirt and shorts weather, but it's a definate inprovement on the sub-freezing temps and the need to bundle up before steping outside.

I just took this picture of crocus blooming at the office.  Be looking for these in gardens and where houses used to be. 

In the next couple of weeks, take a walk in the woods looking for spring efemerals.  These flowers bloom and complete their lifecycle before the trees leaf out.  They are only around for about 3-4 weeks.

Look for:  Shooting star, toothworts, white troutlily, dutchman's breeches, hepatica, harbinger-of-spring, violets, bluebells, trilliums, and jacob's ladder.

And later in the spring: Lady's Slipper, Mayapple, firepink, spiderwort, blue-eyed grass, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild ginger, solomon's seal.

Don't forget to take time to find the spring wildflowers.  They don't last long and soon we will be complaining about the heat of summer.

Happy gardening!

Waiting and NEW PLANTS

I hate waiting.  Right now, Hardin County braces for 2-3 inches of snow.  Do not try to go to the grocery...there will be NOTHING left.  Milk, bread and eggs are gone.  I'm not sure why people buy only B, M and E.  I would much rather have soda, chips and soup when I'm snowed in.  Although for the last 15 years in Elizabethtown, I've only be house-bound for a day.  That was last year during the ice storm. 

I've finished what I'm supposed to be working on so I thought to update you all.  I gave a talk to the Master Gardeners on Monday.  The topic was NEW PLANTS!!!  It's one of my favorite things to talk about for a few reasons:

1.  I get to spend "work time" looking through seed and plant catalogs.  Oohing and Ahhing over the glossy pictures and descripitons.
2.  I don't actally have to grow all the plants, flowers and vegetables that I talk about.
3.  I get other people excited about new plants.  (These other people are also plant geeks!)

4.  I can recycle this talk for other groups.  This time is WELL spent.  (Unlike other office duties)
Finally,
5.  In January, we all need to be reassured that spring will come and color will return to the outside world!

To the right is a picture of 'Carnival' Morning Glory, available from Park Seed.  They are one of the most happy flowers that I have seen in a long time. I think I will try to grow them in a pot on the bacolny this summer.

Other things happening:  I am now on Facebook and will maintain the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners fan page and the Hardin County Farmers Market fan page.  (Hopefully, we will get some fans.  I know, it's still early in the process.)

It's lunch time here, so I'm meeting friends for Mexican!

Wow! I thought that the typical January thaw was great! But today we had almost an inch of snow. The wind chill is what will get you.

Now the snow is mostly gone. It only lingers in the shade of buildings and the trees.

This week blooms: the crocus on the southern slopes have their buds peeking above the soil line. If it was warmer for longer, they would be in full bloom! Can't wait.

Winter aconite should be ready soon, as well as vernal witchhazel.

Seeing plants in bloom through the worst of the winter gives me hope! Spring is not too far away.

Welcome to the new year! I'm looking forward to sharing the bloomin' happenings around here in E'town and what's happening on the local garden scene.

Today: It's snowed about 3 inches today and it's SO pretty to look at. I do have to drive home in it. I've been told that it's slick in the county but the city is looking good. (Hurrah!) I should get off of here and go HOME!

Too little time

Oh Boy, not only is the temperature getting hotter, the office is getting busier! Today, workers ripped up the tile floor in the big meeting room and are now ready to put down new tile! I'm hoping that this floor lasts longer than the last Only 10 years). The doors are gone and are going to be moved to where the windows are. No one will know where to enter! (Someone will have to boost the signage!)

Plants this week are looking for some water! Spotty showers are not enough to slake the thirst of the not-so-native plants in the garden. Slow and steady will be the best way to water. Most natives and established plants will be OK with the occasional thunder shower.

I still have not found the time to install the three rain barrels that I purchased back in June! I have too many irons to juggle. (Sorry about the mixed metaphor!) I won't have any time after hours because I have to CLEAN THE HOUSE. The parents are coming to drop off a piece of furniture, and I WILL NOT BE EMBARRASSED by the way my house looks! I've enlisted the help of friends to help sort the quilt cave and (I hope) all my clothes. Is that asking too much of friendship?

Slime in the garden

You will never believe what came in the office this week! Turf grass with SLIME MOLD. This realtive of the fungi actually does little damage to the plants it grows on. They feed on the exudates ($20 college word) or the watery dew that the blades shed in the mornings. Proteins and sugars feed the slime mold. Many years the molds dry up by this time. But with the frequent rains, floods and thunder showers, the molds have lasted longer into the summer than usual.
There are no chemicals to apply. They will disappear when the dry weather hits! Don't spray them with water, it will spread the spores and allow them to germinate on other surfaces.
Other slimy creatures that you can tell have visited the garden are the snails and slugs. UGH! Check your paths and sidewalks for clear, glistening trails of slime. Then, check your plants. If your plants have irregular holes in leaves or stems, you might want to set a few traps. Small dishes of beer or brewers yeast set flush with the soil will attract the slimy ones to feast and drown.
I guess there is room for all the creatures in the garden, but watch out: once they cross the threashhold of the house, all bets are off.

Wow! how much rain did Louisville finally end up with? Here in E'town, we only have 1-2 inches of rain! Hope everyone is Ok.
The plants sure did need the rain. I was thinking that I needed to have the 3 rainbarrels I bought at the end of the FY attached to the downspouts. You know hindsight is 20/20. I should also have set up the weather station that the Ag Agent purchased over 18 months ago!
The Echinaceas are looking great! All are now blooming. I hope to post picts soon!
It's too quiet in the office today. I need a background noise to block out to work really well.