Countdown to Spring!

Spring may still be a whole week away, but it has certainly started to feel like spring in recent days. I've been taking advantage of the warm spell to start puttering in the garden. Last week, the soil was still quite frozen, with my garden fork hardly making a dent. Yesterday, I was able to sink it about a foot deep into the rich dark earth. What a great feeling!

Last fall for our anniversary, my hubby ordered a truckload of 2 year aged manure (perhaps the most romantic gift ever!), but we weren't able to spread it all before the first snow came and stayed. So, now that the temperatures have been mild, the manure pile has also started to thaw and i was able to move several wheelbarrows onto the garden beds yesterday.

If you didn't get around to liming your veggie and flower gardens or lawn last fall, this is a great time to do it. I spread a bag over 1/2 of the garden a few days ago and then bought 3 more bags of powdered lime yesterday. It's a bit more messy than the pelletized lime, but I find that it is absorbed faster. Since lime takes a few months to alter the soil pH, it is best to lime in autumn, but better late than never!

As I cleaned up debris from around the garden, I happened to move a few boards. Underneath I noticed small clumps of tiny orbs that resembled crystal balls. Slug eggs! Slugs have been a major pest in my gardens over the past few years, and finding a cache of their eggs before the season starts is an early treat! Today, I'll pop up to look under nearby rocks, logs or the old watering can that was forgotten in last fall's garden clean up. You never know where you'll find more of the deceivingly pretty eggs! I know I have a photo somewhere, but for now, I've posted a few colourful spring flowering bulbs from last year's garden for you to enjoy!

Happy Gardening!