It Is Spring When ..?.

[Gardeneer]

Maple buds have grown into seed pods.
Bradford pears are flowering and leafing.
Azalea are flowering.
Pine cones are ready to release pollen any day now.

Tomorrow I will take my salad green sprouts out of the cold frame and plant them in the garden,
I will also test plant 4 tomatoes. One of each : Stupice , Big Beef , SunGold, BFBS ( from a friend' garden. It is a dark beefsteak ). I shoot for ripe tomatoes before the end of April. We shall see.
I have taken all my first batch of tomatoes from under indoor light. They get natural light outside during the day and go n the garage at night. Same goes for peppers and eggplants.
My second batch is coming up to be potted up to go under FL.

The weather outlook is very good up to March 8th. , that is as far as the forecast shows.

[b54red]

I'm still going to wait a little longer because most of my grafted plants are far too small to go out in the garden yet. I only have about a dozen potted up in potting soil and hardened off. I might put a few of them out next week after the low of 40 degrees that is expected on Saturday night but my tulip poplar has yet to bud out. I am expecting it to do that by early next week and if it doesn't I may risk a few since I have so many grafts done anyway.

Bill

[Gardeneer]

We also expect lows to drop to 38F tonight and tomorrow night. The forecast also shows similar thing 3 more night before March 8th. Although 38F poses no real danger but anything under 42F is not near ideal situation.
I will hold my big plant out until there is no low under 38F

[AlittleSalt]

It was in the mid thirties here this morning.

Here's a picture of Spring getting near.

[Rajun Gardener]

I mowed the weeds/grass today and it seems like spring to me but I think I'm planting on the full moon on March 12th. Check soil temps, that's the only thing that matters. It can be 90 for 5 days but if the soil is still too cold then the plants will just sit and get beat up by the wind. Here's some good info to have. I copied a page from a FB post for a market gardening class that has good stuff to know.
growing temps

Germination temps

[Rajun Gardener]

Does anybody have a Mayhaw tree? I planted 2 last year and neither are budding leaves yet and my Muscadine isn't budding either, close but not yet.

[AlittleSalt]

Another sign of Spring just happened. I looked out the window at the back yard and saw that I've got to mow soon. I've been working on the gardens to the sides and front yard and haven't looked at the backyard in a few days. Looks like the weeds/grass is 4-5" tall.

[Rajun Gardener]

I saw the 1st Robin today so it's coming.

[Gardeneer]

The buds on red oak are swelling. I could see some pink/red showing ..any day now. The only leafing trees are wild cherry and Bradford Pear.

[Father'sDaughter]

The sap buckets were hung last week...

And, it's 8:30 p.m. in MA in February, and our back door is still open. It's been open all day.

[Rajun Gardener]

I'm planting beans and okra tomorrow to beat the rain on Tuesday.

[Gardeneer]

Tapping and sap collecting , thou is a sign of spring but it has a short window of time ( as I understand it ), that is critical.
Believe it or not I have tapped , collected sap and made maple syrup. Where you might ask ? In Atlanta GA. I have done it twice. That is deep south.

[Father'sDaughter]

I think you need days above 40 for the sap to thaw and flow, and nights dropping back to freezing.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I think you need days above 40 for the sap to thaw and flow, and nights dropping back to freezing.

Yes, I remember now.
As I mentioned before, timing is/can be critical.
So that is really very early spring sign. .

[PhilaGardener]

Forsythia, and early cherries and viburnums all came out yesterday (in selected locations) in SE PA. Lots of shoots poking up in the garden. My first crop of peas is in the ground, just in case this holds.