The post-blizzard sun was irresistible, so although I was weary from shoveling snow, I planted spinach today.
The hardest part was trudging to the garden (a mere six yards from the back door) through two feet of snow, in my knee-high rubber boots. In my gloveless hands (you can\’t wear gloves when planting seeds) I carried one and a half packets of seeds, my planting stick (an old chopstick) and my planting frame. The planting frame consists of six bamboo sticks tied together to form a 4\’x4\’ grid, divided into one-foot squares.
I set the frame on top of a raised bed, and placed three rows of three seeds each on top of the snow in the first square. I poked each seed into the icy blue depths with the chopstick and brushed a few snowflakes over the hole to fool the birds. Then I went on to the next square.
Nine seeds per square, sixteen squares per bed, two beds. If all goes well, that should yield 288 spinach plants by late April/early May …or about 2 1/2 cups of steamed spinach.
But never mind. Quantity is not the point. For that matter, I still have a freezer full of last summer\’s veggies. The point is to get out in the warming sun, to be blinded by the crusted snow, and to go back inside with frozen feet and fingers, empty seed packets in my pockets, and a heart full of hope for the (surely it won\’t be too long now) spring.
3 Responses
I cleaned out my garden this week. I'm planting greens with plexiglass over them tomorrow and Thursday. I think. Unless the rain keeps up…
That was optimistic of you. 🙂 Actually, my husband used to plant spinach in March sometimes. And, depending on what March was like, peas sometimes. I think the only gardening task I'll do this month is to scatter poppy seeds on the snow. And hope we don't have an April blizzard. Be sure to report back on the spinch! (Oh, wait–you're still not allowed to respond….)
\”. . . or about 2 1/2 cups of steamed spinach.\”Indeed.I'll be dropping by near the end of April. Please save me a quarter cup.