Quote for the month of March

I found this quote while surfing the web and found it very appropriate for how the weather has been throughout the country. “March is  a month of considerable frustration-it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yard seems light years away.”

–Thalassa Cruso

Springtime in the Rockies

I thought the calendar said Spring, but Old Man Winter has not released his grip on us here in Colorado Springs.  We received a good reminder last night when the snow started to fall and the wind began to howl.  When I awoke this morning I looked out to the backyard and behold a winter wonderland.  My scientific measuring on our patio table showed almost 7″ of snow had fallen overnight.

Anyone who has lived here through a winter and a spring knows that come March and April is when we get our heaviest amount of wet snow.  I thought we were going to make it through March without that coming true.  Boy was I ever wrong!  Here in Colorado we try not to complain too much about our erratic weather this time of year.  We know that the snow that falls now ends up in our reservoirs high in the mountains for our drinking water.  But could it not smash my crocus and daffodils one year?

What variety of onion grows best in our area?

It is not quite time to plant your onions yet, but it is time to make sure your soil is prepared and that you choose the right onion plant for our growing season.  Onions are best grown in a raised bed at least 4 inches high.  If you do not have raised beds, ensure the soil is loose, well-drained soil of high fertility and plenty of organic matter.  Onions grow best with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8.

There are three types of onions and they are characterized by day length.  Long-day onions, which grow better in the northern states, quit forming tops and begin to form bulbs when the day-length reaches 14-16 hours.  Short-day onions, which grow better in the southern states, will start making bulbs earlier when there are only 10-12 hours of daylight.  Intermediate-day onions, which are great for the mid-state gardens, require 12-13 hours of daylight to form bulbs.  We want to plant intermediate-day onions in our area.  Three varieties that do well here are:

• Sweet Candy Red(red onion)
• Super Star Hybrid(white onion)
• Hybrid Candy(yellow onion)

What to do in your garden in March

March has finally arrived and that can only mean Spring is right around the corner.  So far the weather has been cooperative, allowing me to get out into the garden and get some tidying up done.  Hopefully, the old folklore saying “When March comes in like a lamb, it goes out like a lion” doesn’t hold true this year.

March is a temperamental month, with all kinds of weather swings.  If you are a veteran Colorado gardener you know this and will be prepared to deal with extreme weather one day and nice warm weather the next.  For you newcomers to Colorado gardening, find yourself a veteran Colorado gardener, some good books, and continue to read my blog and between us all we will get through each month.