Spring is the time that, as Alfred Lord Tennyson reminded, “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to love.” But it’s also the time when an old gardener’s fancy heavily turns to sowing and planting — with visions of reaping a bountiful harvest.
Much sowing already has taken place as April turns to mid-month and more consistent warmth whispers its intent on the back of the changing prevailing winds.
A full raised bed of garlic was planted in the fall, wintering under a thick layer of straw. The leaves already are more than a foot tall; come late July, larger and more tasty cloves will be the reward for planning (and planting) ahead.
Three varieties of lettuce also sown last fall (and producing modestly over the winter under their clear cover) have stepped up their game, a green explosion, if you will. A trio of cuttings over five weeks have brought smiles to more than one neighbor.
Four varieties of onions, 100 sets in all, were sown weeks ago in another raised bed, banked with straw against the March cold snap. Their shoots already exceed 8 inches.
In yet other beds, sugar snap peas and bush beans soon will germinate, the latter under another row cover to promote warmth and, just perhaps, an earlier-than-usual first crop.
Now, old-timers will say it’s far too early to even think about other garden staples such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. And though the inaccuracy of long-range forecasts is legendary, some meteorologists are calling for the next six weeks to be downright toasty.
Thus, more than a few of us will push the envelope with quite early plantings of all three — just to see what might be, that is.
Of course, we’ll loudly boast of our successes. But what of our failures? Rest assured, you’ll hear nary a word.
Colin McNickle is a senior fellow and media specialist at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (www.alleghenyinstitute.org).
