Spring may feel like a long way off right now. We are going through the middle of winter, and this winter has turned out to be a rather severe one. We are experiencing bitter cold and snow.
There are benefits of snow!
- First off, snow is beautiful. “Kindness is like snow-it beautifies everything it covers.”
- Snow is a natural insulator. It creates air pockets that trap heat. It will protect roots and crowns from extreme cold. (Remember Eskimo Igloos?) Shovel snow from the sidewalks onto the growing beds. It will..
- Help maintain a stable temperature on growing beds, that will…
- Help prevent ‘heaving’ of plant roots. The process of freezing and thawing of ground that is uncovered can cause plants and roots to ‘heave’ out of the ground. If you see this has happened, press the plant back down into the dirt, and mulch it.
- Snow provides steady moisture to the garden and prevents drying out of the soil. Plants need moisture year round, and snow provides it, now and while it slowly melts.
- Snow is known as the ‘poor man’s fertilizer’. It provides nitrogen to the soil. As snow flakes fall through the atmosphere, they attach to nitrogen molecules, and the nitrates are slowly released into the soil as the snow melts. “A good winter with snow, makes all plants grow.”
- Snow provides wind protection, and prevents erosion.
- Snow is beneficial to some winter sown seeds. The cold of snow will break the dormancy of some seeds that will allow germination. This is known as ‘cold stratification’, and some seeds needs this in order to grow. Some seeds that can be sown in late fall and winter that need cold stratification are Black-Eyed Susans, Larkspur, Coneflower, and Poppies.
- Snow provides mulch cover to gardens. If there is no snow, mulch with straw, bark chips or pine needles. You can also mulch right on top of snow.
Two old sayings about winter-
“When oak trees bend
With snow in January,
Good crops may be expected.”
And a warning-
“January warm,
The Lord have mercy”
Take heart as you shovel sidewalks and clear snow off your car-the days are getting longer by a few minutes each day and Spring will be here before you know it!
He sends the snow like white wool;
he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.
Psalm 147:16
(photo by Deborah Blowers)
You can purchase ready made starting trays from the store that come already filled with starting mix and have a humidity dome. These are the easiest. Just wet the soil and you are ready to plant.
You will need to provide good growing light for the seedings. This usually involves artificial light. The seedlings will grow tall and spindly and lean toward the light if there is not enough light. You are wanting short and stout seedlings. When I was growing plants for the Farmer’s Market, I had a seed starting set up that involved a metal shelving unit with regular shop lights hanging on chains that I could adjust as the seedlings grew taller. The lights need to be just inches above the growing seedlings. Regular shop lights worked fine for me as opposed to more expensive grow lights. I also had the shop lights plugged into a power strip that was plugged into a timer so the seedling received the correct time of light. You will usually be starting seeds when the daylight is less. Seedlings need 16-18 hours of light to grow properly.
