Today, with the sun shining and all the snow finally melted, Washington finally felt like it was teasing us with springtime. With the lovely weather, it’s time to start thinking about the growing season.
Late winter is the perfect time to plant bulbs here in the Pacific Northwest. For the most part, you can leave your bulbs in the ground protected with a thick layer of mulch. Dahlias, for example, grow splendidly, and our expert sources tell us that you may only need to dig them up once every three years to break up the tubers.
With the short(ish) growing season, crops that need plenty of summer sunshine and heat may need to be started indoors about this time. Tomatoes, peppers, and other sun loving crops need to be started indoors and then transplanted once the cool weather has abated.
It’s also a good time to plant bare root crops, like strawberries. Many of the local greenhouses and nurseries have a plethora to choose from. This is also the time of year to find fruiting trees. Our local Costco has plenty of fruit trees to choose from, all bare root, for just $15-20, including cherries, apples, and pears.
You may even want to break out your planner to decide what crops you want to grow this year and find a copy of your favorite seed catalogue to order ahead. NWEdible.com has a handy cheat sheet that you can check out!
Since there is still a chance of a late winter storm, be sure to keep an eye out on the weather. Cover any vulnerable crops in case of frost or freezing temperatures. A cheap painters plastic, a light burlap cloth, or even an old bedsheet can work in a pinch!
If the winter blues have fueled your seasonal depression, take some time to review your plan for your upcoming growing season, and cheer up with the forecast of a lush garden!