Irrational Exuberance Redux

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

16 years ago

I can't resist dragging out this old thread on New England Seasons - Traditional and Real,

including this section on wanting to get planting too early in the season:

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"Posted by claire z6b MA Coastal (My Page) on Thu, Apr 12, 07 at 17:19

Well, we seem to be safely out of Forum Freeze-up Season now, but Irrational Exuberance Season Redux is upon us.

This is the season when a few warm sunny days bring about a frenzy of plant shopping and plans to put new seedlings outdoors - even when snow is forecast for mid-week and night temperatures are hanging around freezing.

No matter how many times the sensible person screams "Last frost is not past yet!" and "Wait for Memorial Day!", the crazed gardener pulls off the mulch and engages in serious plant endangerment.

(I speak as one who has started the clean-up, and has a number of new plants shivering in a pitiful shelter).

Claire

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Posted by claire z6b MA Coastal (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 07 at 13:47

Ah...Irrational Exuberance Season Redux could not be sustained when cold weather returned for a while (this is early northern spring, after all).

So it has been followed by Irrational Despair Season .

Come the next few warm days of spring and a few intrepid (foolhardy?) plants are showing signs of life even though the rest of the garden just sits there. Or looks irreparably damaged.

And the wail rises - "My beloved perennials/shrubs/bulbs/vines/trees/whatever are dead!"

And now the sensible person makes soothing sounds, murmuring - wait, wait, all is not lost, Mother Nature has been through this before, your plants may be OK. Give them time (like after Memorial Day).

- Claire (who is learning a lot from this seasonal process)

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RE: New England Seasons - Traditional and Real

Posted by marie_of_roumania z6 MA (My Page) on Mon, Apr 30, 07 at 22:43

on memorial day, new england gardeners pause to remember all the brave plants that froze to death waiting for memorial day.

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (7)

mayalena
16 years ago
That is such a hoot! I *love* Marie's take on memorial day! I am struggling to not start yet...but I am sure a little spring cleaning won't hurt!
hostasz6a
16 years ago
I think this year everyone is so anxious to plant.

I start my seasonal job at the local garden center this coming week. Like last year, we get a few sunny days and people are coming in asking about planting things.

We're just starting to put the plugs into the multipacks! We won't do the container plantings until the multipack plants grow.

I have to clean up everything at home first, and that is taking longer than I like. Snow came before I had a chance to get all the leaves up.
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diggerdee zone 6 CT
16 years ago
The desire to get out and play is indeed there. From inside the house, it looks gorgeous outside. But a few steps actually outside the door and the temps and the wind reminds me that it is really too early to do anything.

I too have tons of leaves left on the ground. It's too windy to rake them up, but unfortunately not windy enough, I guess, to blow the leaves away, lol.

Luckily(??) for me, I've got plenty of outdoor chores to do before I even get to planting, so I don't think any of my plants are in danger!

:)
Dee
bernergrrl
16 years ago
I love this thread--I can totally relate to it! I started buying plants on January 1, 2008! All of the plants were ones for butterflies, and a lot of nurseries that cater to butterflies are, of course, located in the south, and they were tickled that I was ordering from them so early.

I also started planting seeds in January. Plants could really go out now...I keep having to transplant to larger containers...

I'm going to start some more seeds today...I just can't help myself!
glad2garden
16 years ago
bernergrrl, check out the winter sowing forum. It might be just what you're looking for if you're craving some seed sowing.

Victoria

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing forum
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
16 years ago
I still haven't taken the garden carts out from their winter hibernation cave - this is deliberate, because I know once they're out I'll start working a little here, and a little there....

It's a little like keeping the fudge in the freezer, in the back, under some other stuff - you can't just gobble it down on a whim.

Claire
bernergrrl
16 years ago
Hi Victoria--I've done some that too! That's how crazy I am. What I started indoors are mostly some annuals for butterflies (cleome, zinnia, mex. sunflower, verbena b., and some other perennials that I wanted to get a good headstart on). Put some perennials that need cold stratification outside or in the fridge to germinate. I may start tinkering outside--wonder if I can start to harden off some of my perennial seedlings (like yarrow and foxglove)? I may try one or two and see how they do if I keep them in very sheltered areas.

Take care!

Irrational Exuberance Redux

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