Time to set out cold weather plants

Setting out the cool weather vegetables

It is now past the middle of March and it’s time to set out the cool weather vegetables of early spring and get them off to a great start. As long as the soil is workable, cool weather vegetables can be sown or set out. There are a lot of cool weather vegetables on the planting list and they include Siberian kale, curly mustard, mixed greens, Alaska green peas, onion sets, Irish potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, beets and radish. Even if snow falls in March, these vegetables will grow and thrive. Apply a layer of peat moss in the furrow when sowing or setting out seed or plants. Apply Plant-Tone organic vegetable food before hilling up seed in the row. Use Black Kow composted cow manure to boost the vegetables.

Wild onions and dandelions cover the lawn

Spring is here and there are plenty of of wild onions and dandelions. They are difficult to get rid of because they have deep root systems and getting rid of them may disturb the lawn’s grass. The best way to control the dandelions and wild onions is to use the weed trimmer and cut the wild onions down to ground level. You can trim the flowers off the dandelions to prevent them from producing seeds. When warmer weather arrives, both of them will disappear from the lawn.

Season of the dogwoods almost here

There are tiny buds on the dogwoods and in about 10 to 12 days they will be ready to display their white flowers. The pink of the Judas trees also are getting ready to bloom. They are also known as red buds. Both the Judas tree and the dogwoods will adorn the woodlands along Carolina country lanes and roadsides in a couple of weeks.

The humming birds on their way

As we move to the last hours of March, it is time to clean up the humming bird feeders and keep a close watch for the arrival of the season’s first hummers. Mix a feeder about half filled with nectar and watch it each day. When you see the first hummer, add more nectar to the feeder. By the time we go through April’s first days, some should be showing up at the feeders. There are not too many flowers in bloom at this time of year so they will remember where the feeders are. You can purchase ready to use nectar mix, liquid nectar mix, or you can make your own by mixing half sugar and half water.

A heavenly spaghetti casserole

This is an unusual way to serve a spaghetti dish and it is easy to prepare. You will need one seven ounce package of thin spaghetti, one pound of ground chuck, two cans (8 oz) tomato sauce, one pack McCormick mild spaghetti mix, half teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper, one teaspoon Italian seasoning, eight ounces of cottage cheese, one eight ounce box of cream cheese, and one fourth cup sour cream. Boil spaghetti and drain. Saute beef until brown, mash the beef and add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and pack of McCormick mild spaghetti mix. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Mix all the cheeses in a bowl and set aside. Grease a two quart casserole dish or spray with Pam baking spray. Spread half the cooked spaghetti in the casserole dish. Cover with all the cheese mixture. Add the rest of the cooked spaghetti. Cover with the meat sauce. Cover with foil and refrigerate one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Will serve six people.

Last opportunity to plant potatoes

Irish potatoes require a growing season of 90 days and they should be planted within the next two weeks. This will assure a harvest before the Dog Days in early July. They will sprout early during the days of April. Do not cut seed potatoes but use whole seed potatoes to prevent mold, mildew, or rot. This will also prevent damage from rodents and groundhogs. Plant potatoes about ten to twelve inches apart in a furrow about ten inches deep. Place a layer of peat moss in the bottom of the furrow and place whole seed potatoes on the peat moss and cover with another layer of peat moss. Apply a layer of Plant-Tone organic vegetable food and hill up soil on both sides of the furrow. tamp down the soil on top of the row for solid soil contact. As the potatoes sprout, keep soil hilled up on each side of the row and side-dress with Plant-Tone organic vegetable food once a month.

There is still a risk of frost

The first day of April is only hours from now and we need to remember frost can occur any time during the month, even though the last frost date is supposedly April 15. If you set out any tomato plants, be prepared to protect them from the danger of frost. Use a tomato cage that is turned upside down and wrapped with a towel or a sheet of plastic or a plant cloth. Uncover when temperatures rise later the next day.

Building up the soil with bags of Black Kow composted cow manure

Black Kow comes in a familiar bright yellow plastic bag in 25- and 50-pound bags. It is sold at most hardwares, Lowe’s Home Improvement, garden centers, Home Depot, and seed stores. It is known as the compost with the most and also as “the mature manure.” It can be used directly in the garden or mixed with peat moss. It is totally organic and good for flowers, vegetables, and beds.

Keeping bottles of Alaska fish emulsion handy

One of the best and most effective liquid plant foods to boost flowers, plants, and vegetables is Alaska fish emulsion. It is sold in quart bottles and is totally organic. It is concentrated, so you mix it with water and apply it with a sprinkling can. It produces quick results. It smells like fish but works like a miracle. Even the cats will come around to check it out.

Mowing the Kelly green spring lawn

The grass in late match and early April may be Kelly green but wet with an April shower or dew. Never mow wet grass because it is bad for the mower and promotes rust. It also cause you to track grass clippings into the house. Wait until the sun dries the lawn even if it is in the afternoon.

Ethanol gas is hazard to two cycle engines

The main reason ethanol gas is a danger to two-cycle engines on weed trimmers, blowers, and vacuums is because ethanol has sugar in it that gums up fuel systems and carburetors, shortening their life and making them difficult to start. If you use ethanol gas, always use an oil additive that contains a treatment for ethanol. You can also use ethanol-free gasoline which costs more per gallon. Many hardwares sell one-gallon cans of special fuel to prevent engine damage.

Getting more daylight each evening

As we move closer to April, we enjoy more evening daylight as we gain a minute more daylight each evening and we gained an hour when Daylight Savings Time arrived earlier in the month. We will continue to receive a minute more each evening until June 21.

Hoe hoe hoedown

“Tear jerking tea strainer.” A little girl was left to prepare lunch. When her mother returned with a friend, she noticed that the tea had already been strained. “Did you find the tea strainer?” asked her mother. “No, mother, I didn’t, so I used the fly swatter,” the little girl replied. Her mother nearly fainted so the little girl quickly said, “Don’t get excited, mother. I used the old one.”

“Right face, wrong meal.” Willy: “Why don’t you wash your face? I can see what you had for breakfast this morning.” Billy: “Wrong! I had that yesterday.”