Everything seems to be flushing with new growth. I have a lovely vignette out my kitchen window. There is a bed of Brunnera Jack Frost blooming madly, contrasting with two different epimediums whose leaves are still showing winter colours of chartreuse and red. I notice flower buds forming on the epimediums and will soon have lovely orange and yellow blossoms above the foliage to join Jack Frost’s blue blossoms.

The nettles are starting to grow in profusion. Some harvest the nettles for a spring tonic. They are a good source of protein and iron and by some reports a good antihistamine. We try to keep the patch under control after allowing for an early harvest as they spread madly if they go to seed.

A few years ago, a retired Alberta farmer was admiring the property and asked me what we did for weed control. I replied “bend over, pull”. He was of course looking for the name of the herbicide we used.

It is truly bend over and pull season now. The weeds are also getting well started. We especially seem to have a lot of little maple trees wanting to grow this year. At this stage they are very easy to clear. The soil is damp and the weeds are small and come out easily.

There are a few tougher weed problems than those found in the garden beds. The weeds that come up between the stones on the pathways are annoying and hard to get at. At this time of year, I dig. If any persevere, I use boiling vinegar water on a hot dry day in July. A problem I have yet to solve is Mare’s Tail. Does anyone have any tried and true methods for keeping this pest under control?

Veggie garden.

There are lots of veggies that can be directly seeded now. Broad beans of course can be seeded as early as February, as can arugula, corn salad, oriental greens, kale, peas, radishes, with spinach seeded and covered.

Seeds to start indoors include lettuce, leeks, sweet onions, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes. Save the tomatoes for closer to the end of March or early April. There is little point in putting the tomatoes out before the 20th of May or first week of June. Lettuce can be directly seeded by the end of March but it is nice to start with small plants to give them a head start on the slugs.

On the subject of slugs, surround your small lettuce plants with diatomaceous earth or crushed egg shells to encourage the slugs to go elsewhere.

I use the Square Foot Gardening planting method for my vegetable garden. The author of the book recommends specific soil mixes and organic fertilizer mixes. I am afraid I ignore that. We use good garden soil mixed with or top dressed with Sea Soil. I use our own organic fertilizer mix and top dress the brassicas with lime. Last year we had a very successful garden. The planting method discourages weeds and maximizes usage of garden space.

In a square foot of garden you can plant 16 radishes, 16 carrots, or four lettuce plants or four spinach plants and so on. There is some information on this on the internet but if you are interested just ask for me at the Nursery. I would be glad to show you what we are doing.

Enjoy this beautiful early spring. The plants are happy after our mild winter, the newly potted perennials are jumping out of the soil, the daffodils are blooming. Who could not smile. Happy gardening.

Linda Black is the owner and team leader at Wheelbarrel Nursery on South Road. She can be reached at: wheelbarrelnursery@yahoo.ca