This is what we woke up to the other morning. We have dug ourselves out from under a snowbank here in so-called Sunny Sequim, and although I'm sure it was nothing like what people have been experiencing in the Midwest, we certainly got a taste of winter!
I enjoy feeding the little backyard birds and got to thinking about all the critters out there under snow. Check out my latest blogpost, "
Creating a Winter Snow Sanctuary for the Birds." I share a lot of photos and some ideas of what we can do to help birds through the winter. Would love to hear from all of you on what tips you have to help the birds and other creatures through this difficult time.
It was pretty crazy here. We couldn't get out of our driveway for over a week. Heck, I got my taxes done and even started some serious cleaning and organizing. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, and I was able to retrieve my sanity back outdoors.
Barkley is headed to a green grassy spot in the sun and I don't blame him!
The snow is melting off now and we are seeing patches of green and frost again in the mornings. It is a great opportunity to better understand the various microclimates in the landscape. For example, the snow melts first at the far end of our field (pictured above). The firs and cedars provide a lot of shade, but they are on the north side. Without the leaves of deciduous trees at this time of year, this area gets a lot of sun. The soil contains a lot of clay and is quite acidic from the evergreens, and this area is quite dry in summer, so it's not necessarily the best gardening place. Still, I see that it receives more sun right now than anywhere else on the property. Interesting.
Meanwhile, the orchard, which normally receives a lot of morning sun, gets hardly any at this time of year. Years ago, the neighbor planted a row of evergreens as a windbreak and privacy screen. These trees are now so tall, they block the winter sun until nearly noon, by which time, the sun has moved across the horizon and out of reach. As it turns out, it's not a bad thing. The ground remains cold. The snow lingers longer. The buds on the trees are slower to emerge and are not as easily nipped by late frosts.
As soon as this stuff melts off, things will start exploding again. I need to get ready. There is still a lot of pruning to do!
Things are way too wet to do much in the garden beds, but I still get my gardening fix in the greenhouse, where temperatures inched up to 79 degrees the other day! When the sun is out, it heats up immediately. If it's cloudy, not so much. (More about Solexx
here.)
I have had fun cleaning up in there and starting a few cuttings. Also, I dumped out pots of mashua, ulluco, Chinese yam, and earthnut peas. If you are interested in these roots, I might have some to share. I will be writing a post about them soon.
Time to Start Planting! Yay!
It's a perfect time to get started on things like onions, brassicas, and greens. I am also starting quite a few perennial
herbs that need cold stratification. Personally, I hold off a bit longer on starting tomatoes. I don't have a growlight system and the greenhouse is unheated.
BTW - I wanted to share with you a great explanation on how to grow onions and grains, written by Jamie Chevalier over at
Quail Seeds: "
Two Tips to Beat the Ticking Clock." It's a common sense approach that really works. Note, too - if you are looking to grow your own birdseed or your own grains, Quail Seeds is a great resource for quinoa, amaranth, and other grains. Friendly folks. Lots of experience. Good selection of seeds (lots of perennial vegetables, too, which you don't find everywhere). Useful website!
The buds are swelling with the promise of spring!
Hope you all are keeping warm!
Thanks, everyone, for visiting
Barbolian Fields!
Blythe
