Meteorological Spring

It was only 26 degrees Tuesday morning, but with a high of 57 degrees on Monday, something told the daffodil bulbs that it must be spring.

Now that it is March and officially Meteorological Spring, I have come to accept that I most likely will not be getting my cross country skies out this winter. The National Weather Service has reported that New Hampshire experienced the warmest winter on record (December - February) with an average temperature in the state capital of 30.9 degrees. The only snow on the ground in our yard are a few scant piles from the little bit that had to be shoveled after only a handful of storms. Unless we get some more snow, we will have also experienced the least snowy winter on record.
 
After what seemed like a winter that would never end last year, I am only slightly disappointed that the winter of 2016 was so mild. Alas, I am now ready to turn my attention to the outdoors and the garden.

One way to get started early, is to sow seeds indoors. Unfortunately, we don't have a location in our home with enough sunlight that makes starting seedlings indoors practical. I tried one year with grow lights, but the plants became too long and spindly and did not survive being transplanted outdoors.

My sister in Michigan has solved this problem by having her own greenhouse, which was built by her husband and brother-in-law last year as a birthday present.

The greenhouse is attached to the house and has direct access from an interior door.

Eleven inches of snow fell February 24th, but inside the greenhouse it was nice and cozy.

With the greenhouse connected to the house, cold hardy plants such as lettuce, spinach and chard, were able to be sown directly into the ground, which never froze. According to my sister, they had fresh salad greens  throughout the winter, and her only regret is that the space isn't bigger. She  also sowed carrots here which she hopes to harvest in the late spring/early summer.

February salad greens ready for picking.

Alas, I don't know if I will ever have a greenhouse, but I hope that one day I will at least have a large south-facing window with nice wide window sills or room for shelves that can be filled with flowers as well as vegetables to be enjoyed year-round. In the meantime I will have to imagine that possibilities with pictures.

Spring looking out at winter.

 Photos taken and provided by Kathie Gourlay.